A review by lnatal
Tumanbay Series 3 by Mike Walker, John Scott Dryden

3.0

From BBC Radio 4:
Tumanbay, the beating heart of a vast empire, is threatened by a rebellion in a far-off province and a mysterious force devouring the city from within.

Gregor (Rufus Wright), Master of the Palace Guard, is charged by Sultan Al-Ghuri (Raad Rawi) with the task of rooting out this insurgence and crushing it.

2/10: But there is another threat making its way by sea. As slave merchant Ibn (Nabil Elouahabi) awaits for his family to arrive in Tumanbay, sickness has broken out on the ship carrying them.

3/10: In the third episode of this epic saga inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty, fourteen year old daughter (Olivia Popica) of slave merchant Ibn (Nabil Elouahabi) is adrift at sea in a small boat and captive to an escaped slave (Akin Gazi). Now she must depend on her slave captor for her survival. Madu (Danny Ashok), the spoilt nephew of the Sultan, also has to grow up quickly as he swaps palace life for hard graft in the army.

4/10: In the fourth episode of this epic saga inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty of Egypt, Shajar, the Sultan's chief wife (Sarah Beck Mather), plots her son Madu's (Danny Ashok) succession to the throne. While Gregor, Master of the Palace Guard, is determined to discover what it is she has taken from the aged Hafiz and is having repaired in the workshop of a pair of artisans in the city. Marching with the army out to the provinces, Madu's slave find solace with an unlikely companion.

5/10: In the fifth episode of this epic saga inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty of Egypt, General Qulan (Christopher Fulford) finds the Provincial Governors less than enthusiastic as he arrives to gather the armies to fight rebel "queen" Maya. In Tumanbay, Gregor is under pressure to find the spies but his investigations keep leading him back to Shajar the Sultan's chief wife (Sarah Beck Mather) and a reliquary she has secreted away.

6/10: In the sixth episode of this epic saga inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty of Egypt, Tumanbay is in chaos after the murder of a highly placed individual. Heaven and her slave companion find themselves prisoners of a nomadic tribe in the desert. Having failed in his duty of keeping the Palace safe, Gregor attempts to unlock the secret of the missing reliquary and find out why it is worth killing for.

7/10: In the seventh episode of this epic saga inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty, the Sultan Al-Ghuri (Raad Rawi) dreams of victory against rebellious provincial leader Maya. Meanwhile Gregor (Rufus Wright) is in pursuit of missing slave-girl Sarah (Nina Yndis) and must venture into the catacombs beneath the city, haven to those who wish to escape the brutality of the City above.

8/10: n the eighth episode of this epic saga inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty, the Sultan (Raad Rawi) is increasingly insecure and fearful for his life, so begins a purge of the Palace. Slave trader Ibn (Nabil Elouahabi), is reunited with the daughter he thought he had lost. And her slave companion finally comes face to face with Gregor (Rufus Wright), the man who stole his kingdom.

9/10: In the ninth episode of this epic saga inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty, a trade delegation from across the ocean, brings to Tumanbay the very latest in war merchandise. Convinced of victory by the words of the prophet child, the Sultan (Raad Rawi) is now ready to march out with his armies and destroy rebellious provincial leader Maya. His nephew Madu (Danny Ashok) has only one desire - to escape the city with his army comrade and lover Daniel (Gareth Kennerley). But Daniel is not everything he seems.

10/10: The tenth and final episode of this epic saga of revenge, betrayal and deception, inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty. As the people of Tumanbay await news of the Sultan's (Raad Rawi) great victory, Gregor (Rufus Wright) the heartless player discovers he has a heart and that he has been played.

Epic saga inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty of Egypt.

Music - Sacha Putnam
Sound Design - Steve Bond, Jon Ouin
Editors - Ania Przygoda, James Morgan
Producers - Emma Hearn, Nadir Khan, John Dryden

Written and Directed by John Dryden

A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06qcs6w