A review by lnatal
The Beginning of Spring by Penelope Fitzgerald

3.0

Penelope Fitzgerald's novel of an English family in Moscow, adapted by Penny Leicester. The winter of 1913 finds Frank Reid, owner of a printing company, abandoned by his wife. Frank Reid is not being helped by his accountant, Selwyn. The English Chaplaincy has a scary resident and now a shop girl is taking on the nannying duties. Lisa, the new nanny, is too beautiful for Frank, even with her plaits cut off.

Narrator: Clare Higgins; Frank: Richard McCabe; Selwyn: David Bamber; Nellie: Jennifer Lee Jellicorse; Dolly: Charlotte Ellis. Other parts played by Sonia Ritter, Rachel Atkins, Samuel Barnet, Richard Bremmer and David Collins. Producer: Tim Dee.