Altaban the Magnificent

Sebastian Baczkiewicz

In post-war Berlin, magic is in the air but death is being conjured up. A young British scientist discovers myth and magic in postwar Berlin, telling the WWII story of a magician found hiding in the ruins of Berlin at the end of the war.

Sergeant Stuckart is the first to arrive. At the start of the play, he's a brash GI who brags about his war exploits. But as the action progresses, he gradually changes into a man so traumatized by his wartime experiences that he will do anything to be saved from death. Balanced against him is Frank Bailey, a shy, Cambridge-educated scientist in his early twenties with no experience of war whatsoever. It's through Frank's eyes that we witness the story.

With these two very different characters and their own distinct voices, the drama unfolds in a powerful way.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.