Mary Jane ("Mae") West (1893-1980) was an American entertainment superstar, whose earnings apparently rivalled those of William Randolph Hearst in the 1930s. This BBC radio play tells West's life through the device of focusing on her ten days in prison in 1926. Her stage play, "Sex", was raided and she was convicted on moral charges. Whilst in prison she apparently refused to wear the regulation underwear, and even had private meals with the Prison Governor. In flashback we are told of West's early career, her deals with Hollywood Studios, her championing of the career of Cary Grant, and even in "flash-forward" her run-in's with Hearst and other "guardians of the nation's moral flame". The idea that she became a confident to the Prison Governor over his marriage problems, and even started to teach other inmates of the women's prison how to read, was a little far fetched, but the whole thing was very entertaining. I enjoyed it, and Tracy-Ann Oberman's impression of West's voice was to die for! A woman rather ahead of her time in her attitudes to female emancipation, she was a very astute businesswoman and cleverly understood how to appeal to the public's desire for risque entertainment after prohibition and before the war. Written by Tracy-Ann Oberman with David Spicer. With Tracy-Ann Oberman, Stuart Milligan, Alistair McGowan, Lorelei King, Matt Addis, Pepter Lunkuse, Jessica Dennis and Anoushka Cowan. Produced by Liz Anstee. First broadcast December 2023.