Aaron Shapiro

Aaron T Beck

Aaron Vallance

Aaron Young was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and read Politics and Communications at The University of Liverpool. He is a BAFTA-nominated director, producer and executive producer with over 20 years of experience across projects for the BBC, PBS, Channel 4, Channel 5, UKTV, UK Film Council and Arts Council England. A long-time collaborator of acclaimed historian, James Holland, he is the producer and director of the BAFTA-shortlisted BBC titles ‘Battle of Britain: The Real Story’ and, ‘Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the German Dams’, as well as ‘The Battle for Malta’, ‘Normandy ’44: The Battle Beyond D-Day’, the RTS-nominated ‘Imphal &amp; Kohima: Britain’s Greatest Battle.’, and the 3-part series, 'Normandy '44: D-Day and the Battle for France. His most recent credits include 'Hidden Histories of WWII', 'Lost Temples of Cambodia', the RTS-winning ‘Lost Home Movies of Nazi Germany’, and ‘Prue Leith: Journey with My Daughter’. Aaron was named in the inaugural list of BAFTA ‘Brits to Watch.’ He is the co-owner of award-winning film and television production company, Bright Button Productions, and lives with his wife and children in Poundbury, Dorset.

Aaron Young

Aatish Taseer

Abbe Prevost

Abbey Bryant is an NYC-based award-winning illustrator. With her BFA in Children's Book Illustration, her notable illustrated books include Nautilus award winner Hazel Mist, Hypnotist as well as an Enchanted Fairy House Kit with Scholastic's Klutz! 
 
As a queer illustrator, LGBTQ+ themes and stories hold a spot near to her heart. Most days she can be found around the city drawing New Yorkers or sketching trees at the park.

Abbey Bryant

Abbey Clancy is a model, television presenter and the host of chart-topping podcast The Therapy Crouch. She was the runner-up of Britain's Next Top Model in 2006, winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and went on to present Britain's Next Top Model. Later this year she will host Celebrity Homes on ITV.

Abbey Clancy

Abbie Greaves studied at Cambridge University before working in a literary agency for a number of years. She was inspired to write her first novel, The Silent Treatment, after reading a newspaper article about a boy in Japan who had never seen his parents speak to one another before. 
 
Abbie lives in Brighton with her boyfriend.

Abbie Greaves

Abbie Ross is a British author and psychotherapist. Her first book, Hippy Dinners, a funny and poignant memoir of her bohemian childhood in 1970s North Wales, has been optioned by Baby Cow, who are developing it into an 8-part television series. 
Before turning to writing, Abbie had a successful career as a producer at Aardman Animations, the acclaimed studios behind Wallace &amp; Gromit and the film Chicken Run. 
Today, she divides her time between her thriving psychotherapy practice in Bristol, and her writing, and finds that the two careers complement each other perfectly.

Abbie Ross

Abbie Spallen

Abbie Taylor lives in Dublin. She works as a doctor and has two daughters.

Abbie Taylor

Abby L Yates co-founded the Ghostbusters with Erin Gilbert. Ghosts from Our Past was her first book, now finally back in print.

Abby L Yates

Abby Lee

Abby Rawlinson is an integrative therapist with a private practice based in east London, UK. Her work mixes traditional psychotherapeutic theories with cutting-edge, evidence-based techniques into a style that feels relatable, down-to-earth, and compassionate. Abby regularly contributes to articles, including but not limited to Stylist, Elle, BBC, Harpers Bazaar, Sheerluxe, Women's Health, and Psychologies. She can be found on Instagram @therapywithabby or online at therapywithabby.co.uk

Abby Rawlinson

Abby Wambach is a two-time Olympic gold medallist, FIFA World Cup champion, six-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award and one of Time’s Most Influential People. She is a founder of Treat Media, an award-winning media company that makes art for humans who want to stay human. Abby is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wolfpack and the New York Times bestseller Forward. Named one of the ‘50 Most Powerful People in Podcasting,’ she is co-host of the chart-topping podcast We Can Do Hard Things, which has received over a half billion plays. Abby is an executive producer of the Sundance award-winning film Come See Me in the Good Light, part owner of the NWSL’s Angel City Football Club and sits on multiple boards. Her most recent book, We Can Do Hard Things: Answers to Life’s 20 Questions, created with Glennon Doyle, Amanda Doyle and Treat Media, is being hailed as ‘the guidebook for being alive.’

Abby Wambach

Abel &amp; Cole’s story starts in 1988 with Keith Abel flogging potatoes door-to-door. ‘Of course potatoes are organic,’ he thought, ‘they’re vegetables’. However, he quickly discovered how unnecessarily complicated our food system had become and, consequently, realised the huge benefits of going organic and never looked back. In fact, Abel &amp; Cole still get veg from the farm where Keith's first organic spuds came from. 
To this day, their priorities remain the same. Now, selling 100% organic produce, Abel &amp; Cole believe that organic farming (a holistic system that encourages biodiversity) is the very best way to go. It protects our countryside and the critters that inhabit it, insists on the very best animal welfare, supports your local community and, frankly, tastes heaps better. Abel &amp; Cole think so anyway.

Abel & Cole Limited

Abhijit Banerjee, winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, is the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a co-founder and co-director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). In 2011, he was named one of Foreign Policy magazine’s top 100 global thinkers. Banerjee served on the U.N. Secretary-General’s High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Abhijit V. Banerjee

Abhishek Mukherjee, 30, is a Delhi-based journalist. He holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from Delhi University, a post-graduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Raipur. He also likes dogs.

Abhishek Mukherjee

Abi Elphinstone grew up in Scotland where she spent most of her childhood running wild across the moors, hiding in tree houses and building dens in the woods. After being coaxed out of her tree house, she studied English at Bristol University and then worked as an English teacher in Africa, Berkshire and London. She is the bestselling and multi-award shortlisted author of RUMBLESTAR (first in The Unmapped Chronicles), SKY SONG &amp; THE DREAMSNATCHER TRILOGY, published by S&amp;S. When she's not writing, Abi volunteers for Beanstalk, speaks in schools and travels the world looking for her next story.

Abi Elphinstone

Abi Falase is a Black British writer and director, reimagining fundamental societal concepts in inventive new worlds. Abi has written and directed a number of plays, including The Village and Rush with the Almedia Theatre, as well as Rift for Immediate Theatre and was shortlisted for the BBC Scriptworks ‘A Thousand Stories’ scriptwriting competition in 2021.

Abi Falase

Abi Titmuss

Abie Longstaff is the eldest of six children and grew up in Australia, Hong Kong and France. She knows all about squabbling, chaos and bossing younger sisters around. So she logically began her career as a barrister. She started writing when her children were born. Her favourite childhood books were Hating Alison Ashley, A Little Princess, Maura's Angel and The Black Stallion and she sneakily reads them again sometimes. Abie lives in Hove with her family.

Abie Longstaff

Abigail Ahern

Abigail is a Brighton-based writer, illustrator and creative producer. Original storytelling has always been at the heart of Abigail's career and she has spent a decade leading social media campaigns for some of the biggest TV &amp; entertainment clients in the world. Abigail also used to perform stand-up comedy and won several tiny trophies for her onstage humour; which involved life-size illustrations, ridiculous songs and rambling stories about her family.

Abigail Balfe

Abigail Docherty

Abigail Foster is a Chartered Accountant and founder of Elent Finance, a financial education company designed to demystify the world of finance and empower you to achieve financial wellbeing. 
 
Abigail has worked with leading financial institutions across the UK, including HMRC, the Bank of England and Downing Street, and global companies such as Google and Goldman Sachs. She hosts a weekly money segment on LBC radio and has also appeared as a finance expert on ITV, Channel 5 and Sky News.

Abigail Foster

Abigail Owen is the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author of 30+ books that range from upper YA (18+) epic romantasy to new adult modern mythic romantasy to super spicy adult paranormal romance. She loves magical worlds with plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of HEAs! Other titles include: wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, AuDHD, spreadsheet lover, Jeopardy! fanatic, organizational guru, true classic movie buff, linguaphile, wishful world traveler, and chocoholic. Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero, their (mostly) angelic teenagers, and an adorable fur baby.

Abigail Owen

Abigail Ulman was born and raised in Melbourne. She has a BA in Creative Arts from the University of Melbourne/VCA and was a recent Wallace Stegner Fellow in Fiction at Stanford University. This is her first book.

Abigail Ulman

Abilio Estévez

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C.S. Forester

Full cast BBC Radio productions of five of C. S. Forester’s classic novels 
 
Most famous for his Hornblower series, iconic writer C. S. Forester tells tales of adventure like no other. This BBC radio collection features modern adaptations of five of his acclaimed novels, including The African Queen (famously adapted as an Oscar-winning film starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn) and The Gun, which was turned into the hit Hollywood movie The Pride and the Passion. 
 
The African Queen – East Africa, 1915. When missionary Rose Sayer’s brother dies and the German army invade their village, she finds herself thrown together with cowardly Cockney Charlie Allnut in his rickety steam-powered boat, The African Queen. Together, they brave German attacks, rapids, malaria and mechanical mishaps – but can they survive each other’s company? This radio dramatisation goes back to the novel, reinstating Forester's original ending and giving Charlie his Cockney identity back. Samantha Bond stars as Rose, with Toby Jones as Charlie. 
 
London Noir – Based on early novels by C. S. Forester, these three psychological thrillers take crime writing in a new direction by portraying ordinary, desperate people engaging in monstrous acts. Set in the 1920s, Payment Deferred centres around a bank clerk who commits a heinous crime to get out of debt, while Plain Murder sees three ad men plotting the ‘perfect murder’. And in The Pursued, it is 1935, and an elderly lady becomes obsessed with revenge when her daughter is found dead. Greg Wise narrates these chilling dramas, with casts including Sam Dale, Bryan Dick and Sophie Thompson. 
 
The Gun – This masterful historical drama tells the story of a massive 18-pounder gun that falls into the hands of Spanish partisans during the Peninsular War. Dragged across the mountains and plains of Spain, it becomes a potent symbol of pride and resistance – and changes the lives of those who fight each other to the death to gain control of it. Scott Arthur and Matthew Grevelle star in this gripping tale of guerrilla warfare. 
 
Text copyright C. S. Forester 1926 (Payment Deferred), 1930 (Plain Murder), 1933 (The Gun), 1935 (The African Queen, The Pursued) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by C. S. Forester 
 
The African Queen 
Featuring Samantha Bond, Toby Jones, Stephen Critchlow, Mark Edel-Hunt, David Acton 
Adapted by Paul Mendelson 
Produced and directed by David Ian Neville 
Music composed and played by Gary C. Newman 
 
London Noir 
Dramatised by Paul Mendelson 
Produced and directed by David Ian Neville 
Music composed by Gary C. Newman 
Clarinet: Samantha Baldwin 
 
Payment Deferred 
Featuring Greg Wise, Sam Dale, Rebecca Lacey, Teresa Gallagher, Nick Underwood, David Thorpe, Sam Cummings, Emily Dolbear 
 
Plain Murder 
Featuring Greg Wise, Bryan Dick, Susie Riddell, Crawford Logan, David Seddon, Christopher Webster, David Holt, Cassie Layton, Imogen Barnes 
 
The Pursued 
Featuring Greg Wise, Sophie Thompson, Ben Crowe, Tessa Peake-Jones, Richard Lumsden, Carl Prekopp, Charlie Abbit, Cassie Layton 
 
The Gun 
Featuring Scott Arthur, Matthew Gravelle, Keiron Self, Don Gilet, Kevin Doyle 
Dramatised by Mike Walker 
Produced by Polly Thomas 
 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

C.S. Forester: The African Queen, The Gun and more

5 Full Cast Dramatisations of iconic novels

James Walton

Highlights from the light-hearted literary quiz chaired by James WaltonThe Write Stuff is the book-based panel show that takes a witty and whimsical look at well-known authors and their work. Host James Walton challenges the erudite contestants with tricky literary teasers, which they endeavour to answer using a combination of knowledge and guesswork.Each episode is themed around an ‘Author of the Week’, who is the subject of the introductory rounds in which the panellists read out favourite quotations from their writing and field questions about their life. Among the intervening rounds are ‘Connections’, ‘Odd One Out’, a music round, an archive round and a fast-paced, fingers-on-buzzers round of general literary knowledge. And for the rib-tickling finale, the contestants are tasked with penning parodies in the style of the chosen author, resulting in comic gems such as Jerome K Jerome’s ‘Three Men on a Club 18-30 Holiday’, a hardboiled crime novel in the style of Virginia Woolf, and a Twitter thread by Jane Eyre.Collected here are 40 of the finest episodes from the show’s 17 series, featuring iconic writers from Jane Austen and Charles Dickens to James Joyce, Anton Chekhov, William Wordsworth and John Milton. Pitting their wits against each other are the fiercely competitive team captains Sebastian Faulks and John Walsh, aided by celebrity guests including Stephen Fry, Miles Kington, Philippa Gregory, Sue Limb, Simon Brett, Lynne Truss, John O’Farrell, Natalie Haynes and Mark Billingham. Also included is a Christmas special, filled with festive quizzing and seasonally themed pastiches.Clever, funny and decidedly unstuffy, this knockabout show is a must for bookworms, bibliophiles and anyone who enjoys mixing some laughter with their literature.Production creditsCompiled, written and presented by James WaltonProduced by John Rolph, Katie Marsden, Dawn Ellis, Alexandra Smith and Sam MichellReaders: Rachel Atkins, Beth Chalmers and Becky HindleyFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: Jane Austen 31 July 1998DH Lawrence 28 August 1998Charles Dickens 4 September 1998Arthur Conan Doyle 14 July 1999The Brontë Sisters 21 July 1999James Joyce 28 July 1999Oscar Wilde 11 August 1999William Wordsworth 11 April 2001Samuel Taylor Coleridge 10 April 2002Virginia Woolf 17 April 2002George Orwell 2 April 2003Dylan Thomas 12 May 2004Rudyard Kipling 26 May 2004Alexander Pope 9 June 2004Samuel Pepys 16 June 2004The Write Stuff at Christmas 29 December 2004Lord Byron 25 May 2005John Milton 22 June 2005Charles Dickens 29 June 2005Henry James 19 June 2006Thomas Hardy 17 July 2006F Scott Fitzgerald 9 April 2007John Keats 16 April 2007Jonathan Swift 7 April 2008Hans Christian Andersen 14 April 2008George Eliot 28 April 2004DH Lawrence 3 November 2008Marcel Proust 19 October 2010Daniel Defoe 27 January 2012Gustav Flaubert 3 February 2012HG Wells 24 February 2012The Brontës 12 May 2013Mark Twain 19 May 2013Greek Tragedy 26 May 2013William Blake 9 June 2013Gerald Manley Hopkins 19 October 2014Jerome K Jerome 26 October 2014Henry Fielding 2 November 2014Virginia Woolf 9 November 2014© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Write Stuff

40 Episodes from the Panel Game of Literary Correctness

HE Bates

Selected Dramatisations and readings of the genre-spanning work of HE Bates 
 
'A great treasure trove to dive into' Entertainment Focus 
 
HE Bates is probably best known for his comic novel The Darling Buds of May, which introduced the lovable Larkins to the world and sparked three hugely popular TV adaptations. In his 68 years, Bates wrote over 20 further novels, more than 300 short stories, children&rsquo;s books, poems, plays and non-fiction. This collection brings together three full-cast BBC Radio dramatisations and fourteen excellent readings, rounding off with extracts from HE Bates autobiographies. 
 
His wartime bestseller Fair Stood the Wind for France is a classic tale of danger, suspense and romance, centred around a British aircrew who ditch in Occupied France, and their attempts to survive and escape. This BBC radio dramatisation stars Rory Kinnear, Tom Goodman-Hill and Louise Brealey. Adapted from HE Bates&rsquo; semi-autobiographical 1952 novel, Love for Lydia charts the romance between a young reporter and a shy heiress. Tim Pigott-Smith and Juliet Aubrey star in this moving story of first love. Death of a Huntsman, based on Bates&rsquo; 1957 novella, is a vintage radio drama about a middle-aged businessman who finds himself strangely drawn to his ex-lover&rsquo;s daughter. It stars Roger Delgado and Pauline Letts. 
 
Described by Graham Greene as &lsquo;the English Chekhov&rsquo;, HE Bates was much acclaimed for his short fiction. Included here are 14 of his best tales, beginning with five stories taken from his 1957 collection Sugar for the Horse. Featuring his much-loved character Uncle Silas, they include &lsquo;The Widder&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Blue Feather&rsquo;, &lsquo;Queenie White&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Singing Pig&rsquo; and &lsquo;Aunt Tibby&rsquo;. They are read by David Neal, who also reads six more bucolic tales: &lsquo;Time&rsquo;, &lsquo;Chaff in the Wind&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Maker of Coffins&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Cowslip Field&rsquo;, &lsquo;Loss of Pride&rsquo; and &lsquo;Great Uncle Crow&rsquo;. A further three stories, &lsquo;The Primrose Place&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Small Portion&rsquo; and &lsquo;The Sun of December&rsquo;, are read by Kim Hicks, John Rowe and Anthony Hyde. 
 
 
Contents, cast and credits 
Written by HE Bates 
 
Fair Stood the Wind for France 
Cast: Rory Kinnear, Louise Brealey, Ellie Haddington, Bruce Alexander, Kenneth Collard, Tom Goodman-Hill, Kate Layden, Kenneth Collard, John Biggins, Rhys Jennings and Piers Wehner 
 
Love for Lydia 
Cast: Tim Pigott-Smith, Jordan Frieda, Juliet Aubrey, Margaret Tyzack, Angela Thorne, Philip Fox, Jamie Bamber, Robert Purdy, Don McCorkindale, Clare Corbett, Crispin Bonham-Carter, Helena Breck, Joanna David, Tom Mannion, Isabelle Joss, Tracy Wiles, Ray Lonnen, Helen Longworth, Ndidi Del Fatti, Tom Calder 
 
Death of a Huntsman 
Cast: Eric Anderson, John Ruddock, Hugh Manning, James Thomason, Kathleen Helme, Sheila Grant, Joan Sanderson 
 
Sugar for the Horse: 
&lsquo;The Widder&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Blue Feather&rsquo;, &lsquo;Queenie White&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Singing Pig&rsquo; and &lsquo;Aunt Tibby&rsquo; read by David Neal 
 
Country Stories: 
&lsquo;Time&rsquo;, &lsquo;Chaff in the Wind&rsquo; and &lsquo;The Maker of Coffins&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Cowslip Field&rsquo;, &lsquo;Great Uncle Crow&rsquo; and &lsquo;Loss of Pride&rsquo; read by David Neal 
 
&lsquo;The Primrose Place&rsquo; read by Kim Hicks 
 
&lsquo;The Small Portion&rsquo; read by John Rowe 
 
&lsquo;The Sun of December&rsquo; read by Anthony Hyde

H.E. Bates: A BBC Radio Collection

Dramatisations and Readings including Fair Stood the Wind for France, Love for Lydia & More

Laurie Lee

A collection of full-cast dramatisations plus interviews with Laurie Lee 
 
Laurie Lee was a poet, novelist and screenwriter renowned for his bestselling autobiographical trilogy Cider With Rosie, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning and A Moment of War. Among the best loved memoirs in the English language, the books chart Lee’s life from his boyhood summers in a remote Cotswold village to joining the Republican International Brigade during the Spanish Civil War. Included here are dramatisations of the first two volumes, alongside a specially written radio play and four fascinating interview programmes. 
 
Cider with Rosie – Recorded on location in and around the Slad valley in Gloucestershire, this lyrical, evocative account of Laurie Lee’s childhood in the West Country just after the First World War stars Tim McInnerny and Niamh Cusack. 
 
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning – It is the mid-1930s and 19-year-old Laurie sets out on foot to London, but soon finds himself en route to Spain. Accompanied by his trusty fiddle, he walks the length of the country – but as he reaches Almunecar, the Spanish Civil War begins… Featuring recordings made in Spain, this irresistible tale stars Jonathan Keeble as Laurie Lee. 
 
I Call Me Adam – Laurie Lee retells the story of the Bounty mutineers, as they occupy Pitcairn Island and try to create a new life there. Produced by the celebrated poet and playwright Louis MacNeice, this bloodthirsty take on what happened to Fletcher Christian and his crew stars Ralph Truman and Wilfred Babbage. 
 
Literary Walks: Laurie Lee – The poet and author takes Christopher Somerville on a stroll around Slad, where he grew up and where Cider with Rosie is set. 
 
Through My Window: Laurie Lee – Casting his eye over the countryside seen from his window, Laurie Lee waxes lyrical over the view that inspired his most famous work. 
 
Laurie Lee’s Long Sleep – This interview with Christopher Cooke from 1989 sees Lee discussing his own sense of mortality. These thoughts are accompanied by a reading of poems and tributes from his 1997 Thanksgiving Service. 
 
Laurie Lee’s final interview – In this last radio interview, recorded in 1997 by BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Mark Hurrell, Laurie Lee talks about the inspiration for Cider With Rosie, his epic walk from Stroud to Spain and his love for the landscape around his beloved home village. 
 
Text copyright © Laurie Lee 1959 (Cider with Rosie, I Call Me Adam), 1969 (As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning) 
 
Credits 
Written by Laurie Lee 
 
Cider with Rosie 
Dramatised by Nick Darke 
Music arranged and performed by Paul Burgess 
Directed by Viv Beeby and Jeremy Howe 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12-19 Apr 1998 
 
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning 
Dramatised by Christopher Denys 
Music arranged and played by Chris Leslie 
Directed by Peter Leslie Wild 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 Aug 2000 
 
I Call Me Adam 
Production by Louis MacNeice 
 
First broadcast BBC Third Programme, 1 Nov 1959 
 
Literary Walks: Laurie Lee 
Produced by Jude Howells 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 Sep 1985 
 
Through My Window: Laurie Lee 
Produced by John Harrison 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 Aug 1981 
 
Laurie Lee’s Long Sleep 
Produced by Chris Eldon Lee 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 Oct 1997 
 
Laurie Lee’s final radio interview 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 Apr 2014 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Laurie Lee: A BBC Radio Collection

Cider with Rosie, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning & more

Hermann Hesse

A full-cast adaptation of the classic novel by Nobel Prize-winner Hermann Hesse, starring Derek Jacobi – plus a bonus short storyOriginally published in 1943, The Glass Bead Game was Herman Hesse’s last novel. It was hailed as his magnum opus, and was instrumental in securing him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. Set in a utopian future society, it explores themes of knowledge, individualism, creativity and spirituality, and has inspired contemporary thinkers from authors to game designers.Narrated by Derek Jacobi, this two-part radio drama tells the story of Joseph Knecht (Tom Ferguson), plucked from obscurity as a young orphan, admitted to the finest elite school and groomed for greatness in the Castalian Order. This select group of intellectuals live a closeted life of study and devotion to the Glass Bead Game, an elaborate game that is the most complete possible expression of every discipline – from science and mathematics to the arts, music and philosophy.As the years go by, Joseph strives to grasp the innermost meaning of the Game and understand its complexities and possibilities. He becomes a leading light in the Order, and is sent on a diplomatic mission to bridge the gulf between the Catholic Church and Castalia. But he never stops questioning the system that has swept him so quickly and smoothly to high office. And when he achieves the exalted position of Magister Ludi – Master of the Game – he suffers a crisis of conscience, as his deepening doubts about this idealistic and sanitised society threaten to topple its very foundations…Also included is The City, a 15-minute fable about the birth and death of a city taken from Herman Hesse's collection of fairy tales and read by Andrew Hilton.CastBiographer – Derek JacobiJoseph Knecht – Tom FergusonFritz – Toby HadokeMusic Master – Malcolm RaeburnVan der Trave – Terence MannPlinio – David SeddonBertram – Jonathan KeebleFather Jacobus – David FleeshmanYoung Joseph – Aidan ParsonsHelena – Olwen MayPresident – Terence MannTito – Oliver GommDramatised by Lavinia GreenlawProduced by Charlotte RichesDirected by Susan RobertsFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18-25 July 2010The CityRead by Andrew HiltonProduced by Sara DaviesFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 December 2002© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Glass Bead Game

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisation

Eddie Maguire

Post-war comedy drama with Britain’s most popular familyRediscover the most popular family in Britain! The Huggetts dominated the airwaves in the 1950s. For nearly a decade their family capers entertained listeners with the trials and tribulations of everyday life in post-war Britain. An unashamedly working-class family, the Huggetts epitomise the spirit of a united nation relishing simple pleasures with a cheery, down-to-earth smile.Only seven of these era-defining episodes have survived in the archive, and they are now available together for the first time. This light-hearted, feel-good comedy is as fresh and funny as it was when it was first broadcast. Listen now and laugh along with a family from a bygone era and enjoy this piece of wonderful radio history.In episode one, ‘All at Sea’ has Joe and Ethel in a mess over money when a factory outing looms. Chaos reigns in ‘No Fear’ when young Bobby Huggetts sets out to play the hero. ‘Loser Pays’ has Joe and Fred attempting to teach their wives a lesson, but it backfires. The family are baffled by a mystery letter that arrives from America in ‘Transatlantic Tangle’. A summer heat wave has the family suffering in ‘What Unusual Wallpaper’ and in ‘Clean Linen’ there is a mix-up at the launderette sparking a whole pile of embarrassment for the Huggetts. Finally, in ‘'Ail and Hearty’ Dad Joe is spotted calling in at the doctor's surgery. Should the family be worried?Enjoy these seven lost episodes, available to download now.Due to the age of these recordings, the sound quality may vary.Written by Eddie MaguireProduced by Jacques Brown and Peter EtonCastJoe - Jack Warner 
Ethel - Kathleen Harrison 
Jane - Marion Collins / Alanna Boyce 
Bobby - George Howell / James Langley / Malcolm Ranson 
Fred Stebbings - Charles LenoMrs Stebbings - Beatrice Varley Mr Campbell/Charlie/Insurance Salesman - Kenneth Connor 
Clara - Molly LumleyMamie Webb - Patricia HayesDetective - Alan Keithwith Bill Pertwee and Ralph Hallett First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme, August 1954 - June 1961©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Meet the Huggetts

Selected Episodes from the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

Honoré De Balzac

Stunning all-star adaptations of Balzac&rsquo;s finest worksThis brilliant collection of France&rsquo;s foremost nineteenth-century novelist and playwright delivers four of his most fascinating works - stories of love, rivalry, horror and adventure - all brought to life by a stellar cast including Stephen Fry and Alex Kingston. A huge influence on many of the most famous writers from Proust to Kerouac to Dickens, Balzac delivers beautifully observed and complex characters with an unsurpassed attention to the details of society at the time, making him an exemplary of realism in European literature.Pere Goriot - Dramatised in four parts, this is the story of Eugene, who has discovered that the mysterious Pere Goriot has two daughters who could provide the key to his entry into Parisian society&hellip; Starring Stephen Fry as the author Balzac and Alex Kingston as Delphine.Ursule Mirouet (The Inheritance) - 74 year old Dr Minoret has returned to live out his final days in his home town. His grasping nephews and nieces eagerly await his demise but the good doctor seems to favour his charming young ward, Ursule. What lengths are his family prepared to go to secure their inheritance? Starring Elizabeth Cassidy in the title role of this three-part production.The Mysterious Mansion - A grisly tale set in La Grande Breteche, the ruins of an abandoned house and neglected garden. Balzac is determined to uncover the story behind its tragic secrets&hellip; David Calder stars as the author.The Black Sheep - Balzac&rsquo;s classic tale of family rivalry set in 19th-century France. Philippe Bridau returns from the battle of Waterloo and steals from his mother to finance his gambling habit. It's left to his brother Joseph to rescue the family from destitution, but at what cost? Can he betray his own sibling? Geoffrey Whitehead leads the cast in the role of narrator.A wonderful collection from a superb author, performed by a stunning cast, this is a must listen for any fan of classic literature.Cast and creditsWritten by Honoré De BalzacPere GoriotFeaturing: Stephen Fry, Douglas Hodge, David Ross, Geoffrey Banks, Alex Kingston, Noreen Kershaw, Ian Mercer, Romy Baskerville, John Griffin, Clare Dow, Barbara Marten, Paul Broughton, Robin PolleyDramatised by David HopkinsDirected by Kate RowlandFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 Sep 1992Ursule Mirouet (The Inheritance) Featuring: Margot Boyd, Ronald Herdman, Alan Devereux, Patricia Gallimore, Haydn Jones, Sean Barrett, Stephen Thorne, Terry Molloy, Edward Kelsey, Patricia Gibson, Denys Hawthorne, Elizabeth Cassidy, Penelope Shaw, Geoffrey Matthews, Alexander JohnDramatised by Joan O&rsquo;ConnorDirected by Roger PineFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 Apr 1980The Mysterious MansionFeaturing: David Calder, Dorien Thomas, Dillwyn Owen, Tessa Gearing, Christopher Grimes, Marilyn Le Conte, Nigel Carrington, Manon Edwards, Alan TownerDramatised by Peter MackieDirected by David HunterFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 Oct 1993The Black SheepFeaturing: Geoffrey Whitehead, Matthew Pidgeon, Briony McRoberts, Thomas Arnold, Alan Cox, Timothy Bateson, Lucy Paterson, Christian Rodska, Colette O'Neil, Jon Glover, Nyasha Hatendi, Chris PavloDramatised by Chris NolanDirected by Bruce YoungFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 Aug 2008&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Honoré De Balzac: Pere Goriot, The Black Sheep & more

Four BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

Aldous Huxley

BBC Radio adaptations of Aldous Huxley&rsquo;s finest works &ndash; plus a bonus documentary programme 
 &lsquo;Over nine hours&rsquo; worth of quality drama&hellip; The stories presented in &lsquo;A BBC Radio Collection&rsquo; combine to give the listener a taste of Huxley&rsquo;s versatility as a writer. His vivid imagination always leaves the listener with philosophical ideas to ponder.&rsquo; Greg Jameson, Entertainment Focus 
 
Philosopher, pacifist, psychonaut and prophet, Aldous Huxley was one of the 20th century&rsquo;s pre-eminent intellectuals and writers. The author of over 50 books, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize nine times, and elected Companion of Literature by the Royal Society of Literature in 1962, a year before his death. Known for his mordant satire and visionary ideas, Huxley spanned the period from post-First World War disillusionment to mid-century mysticism, and the works in this collection reflect his literary evolution.Antic Hay, his witty, ironic portrait of the glittering hedonism of 1920s London, is dramatised by award-winning playwright Mike Harris, and stars James Cooney and Emily Pithon.Originally a short story, Huxley&rsquo;s dark comedy of manners The Gioconda Smile was adapted as a hit West End play in 1948. This BBC Radio dramatisation stars Peter Bowles as the womanizing Henry Hutton, about to marry his second wife but accused of killing his first.Brave New World is Huxley&rsquo;s classic 1932 tale of a future totalitarian dystopia, where promiscuity is the norm, eugenics a respectable science and the drug Soma is freely available. Adapted for Radio 4, it stars Jonathan Coy, Justin Salinger, Milton Lopes and Anton Lesser.Aldous Huxley&rsquo;s 1953 novel The Devils of Loudun, an imagined account of a real-life witch trial in 17th-century France, was revamped for the stage as The Devils in 1960. A gripping tale of mass hysteria, religious and sexual obsession and alleged demonic possession, this radio version stars Michael Bryant and Sarah Badel.The Dwarves, a full-cast drama based on Chapter 13 of Crome Yellow, tells the story of Sir Hercules and his wife Filomena, whose country-house haven for dwarves like themselves is unexpectedly threatened. David Learner, Claire Faulconbridge and Garard Green star.Concluding our collection are readings of five of his short stories set in the 1920s and a fascinating biographical documentary. Edward Petherbridge reads &lsquo;Cynthia&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Bookshop&rsquo;, &lsquo;Eupompus Gave Splendour to Art by Numbers&rsquo;, &lsquo;Fard&rsquo; and &lsquo;The Portrait&rsquo;, while the documentary All Those Vile Bodies explores the contradictions of the satirist of the brittle 20s turned prescient critic of 20th-century progress. Valentine Cunningham presents, with contributions from Sybille Bedford, Lord Jenkins, Sir Stephen Spender, Gavin Ewart, Julian Symons and Lewis Wolpert, and archive recordings of Huxley, his brother Julian and contemporaries.First published 1920 (&lsquo;Cynthia&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Bookshop&rsquo;, &lsquo;Eupompus Gave Splendour to Art by Numbers&rsquo;), 1921 (&lsquo;The Dwarves&rsquo;), 1923 (Antic Hay), 1924 (&lsquo;Fard&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Portrait&rsquo;), 1932 (Brave New World), 1948 (The Gioconda Smile), 1960 (The Devils)&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.(P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Aldous Huxley: A BBC Radio Collection

Including Brave New World, Antic Hay, The Devils & more

Alfred Tennyson

A definitive collection of Tennyson&rsquo;s finest worksAlfred Lord Tennyson is one of Britain&rsquo;s greatest and most popular poets. Even during his lifetime, he was considered a national institution: Queen Victoria appointed him Poet Laureate in 1850, a position he held for 42 years, and in 1884 he became the first writer to be granted a baronetcy. In a long and fruitful career, he penned numerous classic works, and this BBC Radio collection showcases some of the very best.We begin with two of his masterpieces, dramatised by award-winning poet Michael Symmons Roberts. The Idylls of the King is an extraordinary epic poem that infuses the legend of King Arthur with a passionate intensity. Told here in five acts, it stars Tim Pigott-Smith. Considered one of the finest elegies, In Memoriam was written in response to the sudden death of his friend Arthur Hallam. This drama weaves the peerless poem into the story behind it, and stars Holliday Grainger, James Cooney and Ashley Margolis.Crossing the Bar plunges us into Tennyson&rsquo;s stirring sea-narratives, with sea-songs performed by a cappella trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson. It includes the poems &lsquo;The Kraken&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Sea Fairies&rsquo;, &lsquo;Enoch Arden&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Voyage of Maeldune&rsquo; and &lsquo;Crossing the Bar&rsquo; - read by John Dougall, Rachel Bavidge, Sam Dale, Jasmine Callan, Stuart McLoughlin and Joseph Kloska. 
 In Maud, Tennyson&rsquo;s dark, lyrical verses tell of a disturbed young man roaming the windswept hills, madly in love and haunted by loss. Dramatised for radio in 1969, Harold brings to life the story of England&rsquo;s last Anglo-Saxon King, starring Gabriel Woolf.Next up are readings of Tennyson&rsquo;s best-loved poems, including seven written in the language of his native Lincolnshire and introduced by his great-grandson Hallam Tennyson. &lsquo;Aylmer&rsquo;s Field&rsquo;, his Victorian version of the Romeo and Juliet story, is read by Andrew Sachs; while Peggy Ashcroft reads his celebrated lyrical ballad &lsquo;The Lady of Shalott&rsquo;. &lsquo;The Lotos-Eaters&rsquo;, inspired by the tale of Odysseus and his mariners, is read by Sir John Gielgud. &lsquo;The Northern Farmer&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Parson&rsquo;s Daughter&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Church Warden and the Curate&rsquo;, &lsquo;Owd Roa,&rsquo; &lsquo;The Village Wife&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Northern Cobbler&rsquo; and &lsquo;The Spinster&rsquo;s Sweet-Arts&rsquo; are read by Edward Campion and Mary Wimbush. Lastly, &lsquo;The Charge of the Light Brigade&rsquo; is read by Alfred Badel, and &lsquo;The Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington&rsquo;, read by the poet's grandson Sir Charles Tennyson.We conclude with a pair of fascinating documentaries exploring the poet&rsquo;s life and work. Searching for Alfred in the Shadow of Tennyson sees Ruth Padel investigating the man behind the image, while In Our Time: Tennyson&rsquo;s In Memoriam finds Melvyn Bragg discussing the poet&rsquo;s moving meditation on love and death.First published 1830 (&lsquo;The Kraken&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Sea-Fairies), 1832 (&lsquo;The Lady of Shalott&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Lotos-Eaters&rsquo;), 1833 (&lsquo;Fatima&rsquo;), 1850 (&lsquo;In Memoriam&rsquo;), 1852 (&lsquo;Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington&rsquo;), 1854 (&lsquo;The Charge of the Light Brigade&rsquo;), 1855 (&lsquo;Maud&rsquo;), 1859-1885 (Idylls of the King), 1864 (&lsquo;Enoch Arden&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Northern Farmer&rsquo;), 1876 (Harold), 1880 (&lsquo;The Voyage of Maeldune&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Village Wife&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Northern Cobbler&rsquo;), 1885 (&lsquo;The Spinster&rsquo;s Sweet-Arts&rsquo;), 1889 (&lsquo;Crossing the Bar&rsquo;, &lsquo;Owd Roa&rsquo;), 1891 (Alymer&rsquo;s Field), 1892 (&lsquo;The Church-Warden and the Curate&rsquo;)&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Alfred Lord Tennyson: In Memoriam, Idylls of the King, Maud & more

A BBC Radio Collection

Radclyffe Hall

Shelley Silas

The pioneering novel of lesbian love and attraction brought to life by a full cast. Includes exclusive content. A baby girl named Stephen Gordon, is born to well-to-do parents. She grows from a young tomboy into a thoughtful woman who feels 'different'. Stephen is understood by her father but alienated from her mother. Bucking against the conventions of society she turns down an offer of marriage and forms a passionate attachment to an American woman. Gradually, Stephen realises she will never fall in love with a man – but will she be an outcast? In pursuit of love and experience, Stephen takes herself to bohemian Paris, a far cry from the strict confines of British society. She joins the ambulance corps in the First World War. It’s here she meets Mary and, when they become lovers, she takes a fatal step in deciding their future. First published in 1928, Hall’s novel has become a classic, telling the story of one woman’s desperate attempt to be loved and to love against all odds.To complement this stunning adaptation, writer Shelley Silas, in The Trial of the Well of Loneliness, tells the gripping story of how Hall’s pioneering novel, though not sexually explicit, became the centre of a 1928 obscenity trial. This original drama explores how the novel remains an iconic portrayal of lesbian relationships and contains the passionate plea: "Give us also the right to our existence."This download edition also features an exclusive edition of The Essay: Journeys to the Grave. A reflective, restorative and often playful journey in search of the final resting place of a literary hero.Diana Souhami steps into Radclyffe Hall’s tomb in London’s Highgate Cemetery, where the author resides with her lover, her lover’s husband and their dog Tulip – an aptly unconventional set-up in death as in life.©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution LtdCast and creditsThe Well of Loneliness Dramatised by Sarah WoodsWritten by Radclyffe HallDirected by Melanie HarrisMusic composed and played by Odaline de la MartinezViolinist - Janet FoustCellist - Andy WardaleStephen - Valerie EdmondYoung Stephen - Alexandra BatemanMary/Collins/Angela - Amanda RootAnna/Valerie - Roberta KerrPuddle - Sarah ParkMartin - Paul WarrinerJamie/Violet - Katy CavanaghBrockett - Malcolm HebdenPhilip - Rob Pickvance 
Colonel Antrim - Russell Dixon 
Young Violet - Sara Kaplan 
Young Roger - Thomas Hudson 
Ralph - Martin ReeveFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 May 1999The Trial of the Well of Loneliness Written by Shelley SilasDirected by Emma HardingRadclyffe Hall - Kate Fleetwood 
Una, Lady Troubridge - Anastasia Hille 
Stephen Gordon - Laura Christy 
Gilchrist Thompson - Will Kirk 
Sir Chartres Biron - Neil McCaul 
Eustace Fulton - Clive Hayward 
Norman Birkett - Rick Warden 
James Melville - Tony Turner 
Desmond McCarthy - Greg Jones 
Court Clerk - Adam Courting 
Court Actress - Scarlett Courtenay 
Puddle - Jessica TurnerAdditional research documents courtesy of Morris Ernst Papers, Harry Ransom Center and the University of Texas at AustinFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, January 2020The Essay: Journeys to the GraveWritten and presented by Diana SouhamiFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 June 2022

The Well of Loneliness & The Trial that Gripped a Nation

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

Brendan Behan

A collection of some of the rockstar playwright’s finest workBrendan Behan is widely remembered as a hard-drinking, wise-cracking writer who turned up roaring drunk for interviews and cared little for authority. But he was more than just a hell-raising celebrity. His wit, expressive use of language and understanding of human nature made his writing famous around the world, and his masterpieces The Quare Fellow, Borstal Boy and The Hostage rank among the greatest works of 20th century Irish literature. Dramatisations of all three appear here, alongside a short interview with Behan himself and a fascinating biographical programme celebrating his genius.Charting Behan’s journey from shy, passionate young man to larger-than-life literary superstar, Borstal Boy tells the story of a stammering IRA rebel who finds true friends and first love in an English borstal. Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey) stars as Behan in this fresh take on his honest, tender 1958 memoir. Behan’s debut play, The Quare Fellow, first produced in 1954, was based on his own prison experiences. A darkly funny drama about a group of inmates awaiting the imminent execution of a fellow prisoner, it is performed here by players from the Arts Theatre, Lyric Theatre, and Ulster Theatre Company, Belfast. And finally, translated from the Gaelic by acclaimed writer Lorcán Ó Treasaigh, An Giall (The Hostage) revolves around a British soldier held hostage by the IRA in a Dublin brothel. This 1988 Radio 3 version is the first English production of Behan’s Irish tragicomedy, which formed the basis of Joan Littlewood 's 1958 Theatre Workshop hit.Also included is a 1959 clip from BBC Television’s Tonight, featuring Brendan Behan in conversation with Derek Hart, and an episode of Great Lives in which Joan Littlewood talks to Humphrey Carpenter about her long-time friend and collaborator.Note: Due to the age of the recordings, the sound quality on The Quare Fellow and Tonight may vary.Cast and creditsWritten by Brendan BehanText copyright © Brendan Behan 1954 (The Quare Fellow), 1958 (Borstal Boy, The Hostage)Borstal BoyCast: Brendan Coyle, Jonny Holden, Joseph Ayre, Leah Marks, Ewan Bailey, Connor Curren, Samuel James, Gerard McDermottDramatised by Martin McNamaraDirected by Anne IsgerProduction Co-ordinator: Jonathan PowellSound: Anne Bunting, Jenni Burnett, Ali Craig and Cal KnightleyA BBC Audio Production for BBC Radio 4First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16 Apr 2023The Quare FellowCast: John McBride, Louis Rolston, Michael Duffy, Sam McCready, Maurice O’Callaghan, Michael Lynch, Charles Witherspoon, Bill Hunter, Peter Adair, Barry Cowan, Brian Cullen, Harold Goldblatt, Joe McPartland, J.J. Murphy, Patrick Brannigan, Jack McQuoid, Jeremy Jones, George MooneyAdapted and produced by David A. TurnerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 Sep 1969The HostageCast: Michael Baguley, Brian Kidd, Kieron Smith, Ann Callanan, John Hewitt, Anne Kent, Anthony Finigan, Stephen Ryan, Sean Kearns, Tom JordanTranslated by Lorcán Ó TreasaighDirected by Jeremy HoweBagpipes played by Brian KiddFirst broadcast BBC Radio 3, 12 Aug 1988Brendan Behan interview from TonightPresented by Derek HartWith Brendan BehanFirst broadcast BBC Television Service, 21 Apr 1959Great Lives: Brendan BehanPresented by Humphrey CarpenterWith Joan LittlewoodProduced by Peter EverettFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2 Nov 2001© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Brendan Behan: Borstal Boy, The Quare Fellow and The Hostage

Three BBC Radio Full-Cast Productions

Walter de la Mare

Full-cast dramatisations and readings of classic tales by Walter de la Mare &ndash; plus bonus material. 
 
An award-wining poet, short story writer and novelist, Walter de la Mare is probably best known for his works for children and his perennially popular poem &lsquo;The Listeners&rsquo;. His ghost stories were much admired by H. P. Lovecraft and inspired subsequent authors of supernatural horror such as Robert Aickman and Ramsey Campbell. 
 
In 1921, his novel Memoirs of a Midget won the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction, and this haunting, surrealistic tale is the opening tale in our anthology. It tells the extraordinary life story of the diminutive Miss M, who struggles to find her place in Victorian society. Torn between her obsessive suitor Mr Anon and the cruel, beautiful Fanny Bowater, she seeks freedom in the dangerous world of the circus&hellip; Emma Fielding stars as Miss M, with Robert Glenister, Sylvestra Le Touzel and Anna Massey. 
 
Based on de la Mare&rsquo;s 1923 short story and starring Samuel West and Margaret Robertson, &lsquo;Seaton&rsquo;s Aunt&rsquo; sees Rupert Withers recalling the sinister relative of a boyhood friend &ndash; a woman he met just three times, but who left an indelible impression. Ghost Stories of Walter de la Mare contains four more uncanny tales &ndash; &lsquo;All Hallows&rsquo; (read by Richard E. Grant), &lsquo;Crewe&rsquo; (read by Kenneth Cranham), &lsquo;A Recluse&rsquo; (read by Anthony Head) and &lsquo;The Almond Tree&rsquo; (read by Julian Wadham). It is followed by a dramatisation of &lsquo;The Trumpet&rsquo;, starring Garard Green, in which a rector&rsquo;s son meets his best friend in church one moonlit night for a dare that ends in disaster. 
 
Also included are two bonus programmes celebrating the poetry of Walter de la Mare. In Adventures in Poetry: The Listeners, Peggy Reynolds introduces a reading of the much-loved poem, and explores its background, effect and lasting appeal with guests Russell Hoban, Sean Street and de la Mare&rsquo;s grandson Giles. And in Three Score and Ten, Ian Macmillan presents an archive recording from Christmas Day 1953 of Walter de la Mare reading his poems &lsquo;England&rsquo; and &lsquo;The Little Salamander&rsquo;. 
 
Credits 
Written by Walter de la Mare 
 
First published 1921 (Memoirs of a Midget), 1923 (&lsquo;Seaton&rsquo;s Aunt&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Almond Tree&rsquo;), 1926 (&lsquo;All Hallows&rsquo;), 1930 (&lsquo;Crewe&rsquo;, &lsquo;A Recluse&rsquo;), 1936 (&lsquo;The Trumpet&rsquo;) 
 
Memoirs of a Midget 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 March-2 April 1993 
Please note that the language used reflects the era in which the original novel was written. 
 
&lsquo;Seaton&rsquo;s Aunt&rsquo; 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 December 1995 
 
Ghost Stories of Walter de la Mare 
First broadcast BBC Radio 7, 24-28 December 2010 
 
The Trumpet 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 April 1986 
 
Adventures in Poetry: The Listeners 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 November 2008 
 
Three Score and Ten 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 12 October 2016 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Surreal and Supernatural Stories of Walter de la Mare

Lewis Grassic Gibbon

Full-cast BBC adaptations of Lewis Grassic Gibbon's classic Scottish novel and its sequel - plus a bonus programme about the story's evocative setting 
 
Scottish writer Lewis Grassic Gibbon is best-known for A Scots Quair, a trilogy of novels comprising Sunset Song, Cloud Howe and Grey Granite that are considered to be among the most important works of the 20th century Scottish Renaissance. Featured here are the BBC Radio dramatisations of the first two novels, as well as a special documentary feature exploring the landscape and legacy of Sunset Song. 
 
Sunset Song - Set in north-east Scotland before and during the First World War, this moving adaptation tells the story of Chris Guthrie, a farmer's daughter growing up in the crofting village of Kinraddie. With a domineering father and a mother worn out by childbirth, Chris's upbringing is painful, and she is torn between her love of the land and her dream of becoming a teacher. When she falls in love with Ewan Tavendale, she decides to remain on the farm - but the outbreak of war brings devastating change to her family and community... Starring Lesley Hart as Chris Guthrie. 
 
Cloud Howe - The Great War is over, and Chris is starting a new life with her husband. When she and her family move to the mill town of Segget in Aberdeenshire, they find themselves embroiled in the small town's epic class struggle during the run-up to the General Strike. Amy Manson stars as Chris, with Robin Laing as Robert. 
 
Sunset Song: Return to the Mearns - On the 75th anniversary of Lewis Grassic Gibbon's death, Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith explore the Mearns, asking how the people who live there regard the landscape today and whether Gibbon's masterpiece Sunset Song lives on. 
 
First published 1932 (Sunset Song) and 1933 (Cloud Howe) 
 
Sunset Song 
Chris Guthrie - Lesley Hart 
John Guthrie - Liam Brennan 
Jean Guthrie - Bridget McCann 
Will Guthrie - Gordon Brandie 
Mistress Munro - Estrid Barton 
Long Rob - Matthew Zajac 
Chae Strachan - Douglas Russell 
Kirsty Strachan - Shonagh Price 
Margot Strachan - Sally Reid 
Ewan Tavendale - Finn den Hertog 
Rev Colquohoun - Fraser Sivewright 
Rev Gibbon - Keith Hutcheon 
Dramatised by Gerda Stevenson 
Directed by David Ian Neville 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15-22 March 2009 
 
Cloud Howe 
Chris - Amy Manson 
Robert - Robin Laing 
Else - Pearl Appleby 
Dalziel - Liam Brennan 
Alec - Philip Cairns 
Jock - Stephen Duffy 
Ewan - Roderick Gilkison 
Leslie - Ralph Riach 
Ake - Iain Robertson 
Miss M'Askill - Wendy Seager 
Mowat - Nick Underwood 
Dramatised by Donna Franceschild 
Directed by Kirsty Williams 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 January-1 February 2015 
 
Sunset Song: Return to the Mearns 
Presented by Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith 
First broadcast BBC Radio Orkney, 6 February 2010 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Sunset Song & Cloud Howe

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations from A Scots Quair

Dylan Thomas

Matthew Rhys introduces this collection of plays, poems and prose by the great Welsh writer, featuring Dylan Thomas reading his own work plus bonus biographical plays based on his life 
 
'A spellbinding homage' The Guardian 
 
'Sure to satisfy every admirer of Dylan Thomas&rsquo; works from the most ardent aficionados to casual poetry lovers... Thomas demonstrates his gift for seeing the beauty in the ordinary and affectionately ribbing the frailties of the human condition.' Entertainment Focus 
 
Dylan Thomas was the 20th Century's first rock star author, famed for his dazzling imaginative poetry and chaotic personal life. Best known for Under Milk Wood, he also wrote numerous poems, short stories and screenplays, and made regular BBC broadcasts. A legend in his own lifetime, he remained hugely popular after his death at the age of 39, influencing cultural icons from Bob Dylan to The Beatles. 
 
This definitive collection is presented by Welsh actor Matthew Rhys (The Americans, Perry Mason), who played Dylan Thomas in the 2008 film The Edge of Love. 
 
It begins with sunny, summery recollections in &lsquo;Holiday Memory&rsquo;, which sees Dylan Thomas recalling an evocative August Bank Holiday, followed by A Child's Christmas in Wales, dramatised with a full cast including Philip Madoc and Freddie Jones. Two Thomas masterpieces follow: &lsquo;Quite Early One Morning&rsquo;, in which Dylan Thomas reads the story that later became Under Milk Wood, and then Under Milk Wood itself, a masterpiece and a lyrical 'play for voices' focusing on one day in the life of a Welsh fishing village and starring Richard Burton as the Narrator. 
 
Next, Dylan Thomas&rsquo;s unfilmed screenplay The Beach of Falesá, adapted from a Robert Louis Stevenson short story. Narrated by Matthew Rhys and starring Matthew Gravelle and Nicky Henson, it tells the thrilling tale of the clash between good and evil on an unnamed Pacific Island. A less sinister seaside trip is recalled in &lsquo;The Outing&rsquo;, Thomas's story of a childhood excursion read by Matthew Rhys and interspersed with memories from Swansea residents and music from the 1920s and '30s. 
 
We hear from Thomas in his own words in &lsquo;A Return Journey to Swansea&rsquo;, followed by four readings of his short stories narrated by Siân Philips, Geraint Morgan, Iestyn Jones and William Thomas. Rebecca's Daughters, a romantic adventure set in 19th Century Wales, stars Patrick Mower. 
 
Dylan Thomas tells of a rollercoaster experience of a lecture tour across the US in &lsquo;A Visit to America&rsquo;, and in The Voice of Dylan Thomas, introduced by Douglas Cleverdon, we hear him reading a choice selection of his works. 
 
Our final programmes are three original plays based on moments in Dylan Thomas&rsquo;s life: Badgers in My Vest by John Fletcher, Investigating Mr Thomas by Rob Gittins and Chelsea Dreaming by D J Britton. We join Thomas in a Newquay pub during World War II, follow private detective Jimmy as he tries to dig the dirt on Thomas, and see the poet through the eyes of the Chelsea Hotel. 
 
Contents 
Holiday Memory 
A Child's Christmas in Wales 
Quite Early One Morning 
Under Milk Wood 
The Beach of Falesá 
The Outing 
A Return Journey to Swansea 
Patricia, Edith and Arnold 
A Visit to Grandpa&rsquo;s 
Extraordinary Little Cough 
The Followers 
Rebecca's Daughters 
A Visit to America 
The Voice of Dylan Thomas 
Badgers in My Vest 
Investigating Mr Thomas 
Chelsea Dreaming 
 
Text copyright &copy; the estate of Dylan Thomas, 1940 (Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog), 1944 ('Quite Early One Morning'), 1945 ('A Child's Christmas in Wales'), 1946 ('Holiday Memory'), 1948 ('Rebecca's Daughters'), 1953 ('The Outing'), 1954 (Under Milk Wood), 1963 (The Beach of Falesá) 
 
Badgers in My Vest copyright &copy; John Fletcher 2003 
Investigating Mr Thomas copyright &copy; Rob Gittens 2008 
Chelsea Dreaming copyright &copy; D J Britton 2003 
 
&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Dylan Thomas BBC Radio Collection

Under Milk Wood, A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Rebecca’s Daughters & more

Rabindranath Tagore

A comprehensive anthology of dramatisations and readings of Tagore's finest works, plus bonus documentaries 
 
Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. A novelist, poet, playwright, composer, artist and philosopher, he wrote both the Indian and Bangladeshi national anthems; exchanged ideas with Yeats, Einstein and Gandhi, and was hugely influential in promoting Indian culture to the West. This collection includes some of Tagore's key novels, plays and short stories, as well as his best-known poem and four fascinating biographical programmes. 
 
We begin with two adaptations by award-winning dramatist Tanika Gupta. The Home and the World, starring Indira Varma and Sacha Dhawan, relocates Tagore's classic 1916 novel of love, power and political awakening to a contemporary British Muslim setting. Often acclaimed as Tagore's best play, The Red Oleander stars Saeed Jaffrey and Aileen Gonsalves, and tells the story of a beautiful girl who comes to a gold mining community and foments a revolution against its tyrannical king. 
 
Next up is a dramatisation of the novelette Farewell, My Friend, a romantic, delightful tale of two young lovers starring Sam Dastor and Shireen Shah. It is followed by three short stories: 'The Postmaster' and 'The Kabuliwalah', read by Ronny Jhutti, and 'Wealth Surrendered', read by Renu Setna. 
 
Tagore bared his musical soul in the poem 'Broken Song', read here by Peter Barker, and in Centurions: Rabindranath Tagore, poet William Radice and theatre director Jatinder Verma explain why it ranks as one of the 100 greatest art works of the 20th Century. Tanika Gupta joins presenter Matthew Parris and translator Ketaki Kushari Dyson to share her love of Tagore's writing in Great Lives: Tanika Gupta on Rabindranath Tagore, and Zia Mohyeddin reads a selection of his epistolary observations on English society and customs in Letters from Europe. Concluding the collection, Rabindranath Tagore: The Bard of Bengal explores the life and legacy of South Asia's Shakespeare. 
 
First published 1891 ('The Postmaster'), 1891-2 ('Wealth Surrendered'), 1892 ('The Kabuliwalah'), 1910 ('Broken Song'), 1916 (The Home and the World), 1925 (The Red Oleander), 1929 (Farewell, My Friend) 
 
Contents 
The Home and the World 
The Red Oleander 
Farewell, My Friend 
'The Postmaster' 
'The Kabuliwalah' 
'Wealth Surrendered' 
'Broken Song' 
Centurions: Rabindranath Tagore 
Great Lives: Tanika Gupta on Rabindranath Tagore 
Letters from Europe 
Rabindranath Tagore: The Bard of Bengal 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Rabindranath Tagore: A BBC Radio Collection

Including The Home and the World & The Red Oleander

Winifred Holtby

Full-cast adaptations of three of Winifred Holtby&rsquo;s best-known novels, plus short stories and bonus programmes about the author 
 
Winifred Holtby was an acclaimed novelist, journalist, feminist and social reformer. Her work encompasses six novels, two short story collections, a play and the first critical study of Virginia Woolf, but she is best known for her posthumously published masterpiece South Riding, which won the James Tait Black Memorial Award. She died in 1935, aged just 37. 
 
Born into a Yorkshire farming family, Holtby set much of her fiction in the landscape of her youth, including the three novels in this collection. 
 
Adapted as a 15-part radio drama, South Riding follows the lives and loves of fiery young headmistress Sarah Burton, landowner and school governor Robert Carne, and alderwoman Mrs Beddowes. Sarah Lancashire, Philip Glenister and Carole Boyd star in this rich, memorable evocation of a community in flux. 
 
Anderby Wold tells the tale of a farmer&rsquo;s wife, a radical young writer and a village rocked by social change. Dramatised from Holtby&rsquo;s 1923 debut novel, it stars Joanna Mackie, Derek Smith and Joseph Peters. 
 
The Crowded Street, set in the years leading up to World War I, centres around a woman's journey from introspective teenager to self-fulfilled adult. Claire Goose stars as heroine Muriel Hammond in this poignant coming-of-age drama. 
 
Wry, witty and irreverent, Holtby&rsquo;s short stories reflect the diversity of her writing. 'The Celebrity Who Failed', read by Alice Arnold, features a girl who learns to walk on water &ndash; but is unprepared for the public attention that follows. 'Why Herbert Killed His Mother' is the story of a beautiful baby who turns out to be very different as an adult. A searing condemnation of &lsquo;mother love&rsquo;, it is read by Anna Massey. And in 'The Voice of God', read by Hugh Dickson, a radio-like machine enables people to listen in on the conversations of historical figures &ndash; but what will happen once the newspapers get to hear of it? 
 
Finally, Holtby&rsquo;s life, legacy and significance are explored in a Woman&rsquo;s Hour biographical segment and in a revealing radio portrait, The Divided State, written by Valerie Windsor and featuring Alison Fiske as Winifred Holtby. 
 
Text copyright &copy; Winifred Holtby 1923 (Anderby Wold), 1924 (The Crowded Street), 1934 (&lsquo;The Celebrity Who Failed&rsquo;, &lsquo;Why Herbert Killed His Mother&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Voice of God&rsquo;), 1936 (South Riding) 
 
Contents 
South Riding 
Anderby Wold 
The Crowded Street 
&lsquo;The Celebrity Who Failed&rsquo; 
&lsquo;Why Herbert Killed His Mother&rsquo; 
&lsquo;The Voice of God&rsquo; 
Woman&rsquo;s Hour extract 
The Divided State 
 
&copy; 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Winifred Holtby: A BBC Radio Collection

South Riding, Anderby Wold, The Crowded Street and more

Elizabeth Bowen

A collection of full-cast dramas from one of Ireland's foremost writers - plus Elizabeth Bowen's thoughts on the novelist's craft 
 
Elizabeth Bowen was one of the 20th century's most distinctive writers. An associate of the Bloomsbury Set, she was a keen observer of upper-middle-class life and relationships. Best known for her novels of the Anglo-Irish gentry and wartime London, her fiction displays recurring themes of loss, rootlessness and displacement. This collection contains five of Bowen's best-loved works, and hears from the author herself in three radio talks on the art of novel-writing. 
 
The Heat of the Day - London, 1942. When Stella discovers that her lover, Robert, is suspected of selling secrets to the enemy, she finds herself caught between two men: one a potential spy, the other a blackmailer... A compelling tale of love, espionage and betrayal, in one of the quintessential depictions of London during World War II, starring Harriet Walter, Michael Maloney and Bill Nighy. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 Nov 1998 
 
The House in Paris - Even as she lays dying, scheming Madame Fisher manipulates the lives of young Henrietta and Leopold. But will her own secrets and lies ever be revealed? Sara Kestelman stars in this enthralling story of deception, scandal and death. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3-17 Jul 1994 
 
The Last September - 1920, Danielstown, County Cork. Poised on the brink of womanhood, Lois flirts and dances with English officers at society parties- but the Troubles are closing in, and her world is about to change irrevocably. This evocative coming-of-age tale stars Anna Healy and Greg Wise. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9-16 Sep 1996 
 
The Confidant - Starring Cathy Belton and Fionnuala Murphy, this penetrating short story, set in 1920s Cork, revolves around a couple in a clandestine relationship and the woman who keeps all their secrets. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2 Nov 1998 
 
The Demon Lover - Mrs Drover nervously returns to her deserted London house in the Blitz to find a letter on the hall table - a reminder of a special rendezvous she cannot fully recollect... Maggie Steed stars in Elizabeth Bowen's eerie ghost story. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 Jul 1997 
 
Truth and Fiction - In these three talks about the art of writing fiction, Elizabeth Bowen discusses the importance of story, people and time in establishing a novel's 'truth'. 
First broadcast BBC Home Service Basic, 26 Sep-10 Oct 1956 
 
NB: Due to the age of the source material, the sound quality of Truth and Fiction may vary 
 
The Last September copyright &copy; Elizabeth Bowen 1929, 1952 
Copyright renewed 
The House in Paris copyright &copy; Elizabeth Cameron 1935 
Copyright &copy; renewed by Elizabeth D. C. Cameron 1963 
The Heat of the Day copyright &copy; Elizabeth Bowen 1948 
Copyright &copy; renewed by Spencer Curtis and Graham August Watson 1976 
'The Confidant' and 'The Demon Lover' copyright &copy; 1923, 1945 
Copyright &copy; Curtis Brown Ltd, 1980 
 
 
&copy; 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Elizabeth Bowen: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Drama Collection

The Heat of the Day, The House in Paris and More

Alison Plowden

Six gripping dramatised documentaries detailing the history of the turbulent Tudor period. 
 
Passion, power, sex and suspicious deaths &ndash; the Tudor story is one of drama and dysfunction, and it has kept us enthralled for over 400 years. In these six dramatised documentaries, we take a behind-the-scenes look at Tudor England and get to know the key characters we have grown to love and hate, such as Mary Tudor, Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Compiled from contemporary sources by Alison Plowman and featuring first-hand accounts and letters, these thrilling, historically accurate retellings bring this tumultuous era to vivid life. 
 
The Most Unhappy Lady spans three critical years in the life of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and later Queen of England. It begins in 1533, when her father divorces her mother and marries Anne Boleyn. Refusing to accept the validity of Henry&rsquo;s actions, Mary finds herself facing danger and disgrace&hellip; 
 
In Elizabeth's Admiral, we follow the events which took place in the immediate aftermath of Henry VIII&rsquo;s death in 1547 &ndash; events which led to the execution of the Lord High Admiral Thomas Seymour and came near to seriously compromising the future of the 15-year-old Princess Elizabeth. 
 
The Killing at Kirk O&rsquo;Field, set between March 1566 and June 1567, tells the tragic tale of the murder of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary Queen of Scots: a crime that remains one of the most controversial 'whodunnits' of all time. 
 
Chance or Villainy? explores the mysterious death of Amy Robsart in 1560. Her husband, Lord Robert Dudley, was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I and was rumoured to be having an affair with her &ndash; so when Amy was found dead at the foot of a staircase, it seemed that a serious crisis might ensue&hellip; 
 
In A Knot of Secret Might, we hear the ill-fated love story of Lady Katherine Grey, sister of the doomed &lsquo;Nine-Day Queen&rsquo; Lady Jane Grey. And in The Great Enterprise, 1588, we are transported back to sixteenth-century Spain, as Philip II prepares to launch his &lsquo;Invincible Armada&rsquo;... 
 
Among the ensemble casts of these superb docu-dramas are Beryl Calder, Haydn Jones, Marjorie Westbury, Kathleen Helme, Patricia Leventon, Nerys Hughes and Roger Delgado. 
 
Credits 
Compiled from contemporary sources by Alison Plowden 
Special thanks to Keith Wickham for Archive material. 
 
The Most Unhappy Lady 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Home Service, 22 Dec 1964 
 
Elizabeth&rsquo;s Admiral (A Pattern of Tudors) 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 Apr 1968 
 
The Killing at Kirk O&rsquo;Field 
Produced by Alison Plowden 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 Sep 1969 
 
Chance or Villainy? (A Pattern of Tudors) 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 Feb 1966 
 
A Knot of Secret Might 
Produced by Richard Wortley 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 Oct 1970 
 
The Great Enterprise, 1588 (A Pattern of Tudors) 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 Aug 1968 
 
&copy; 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Life and Intrigue in Tudor Britain

A Collection of BBC Radio Historical Docu Dramas

Noel Streatfeild

Full-cast dramatisations of three of Noel Streatfeild's classic children's books 
 
Rising to fame with her 1936 novel Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfeild soon became one of the most popular authors of her day. She was one of the first winners of the Carnegie Medal and was awarded an OBE in 1983. She died in 1986, but her stories continue to captivate children today. Included here are three of her very best - Ballet Shoes, The Growing Summer and When the Siren Wailed. 
 
Ballet Shoes - Adopted by Great Uncle Matthew on his archaeological expeditions, Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil grow up as sisters, and vow to make their name famous. When they enrol at the Children's Academy of Dancing, the Fossil girls share a future of a dazzling life onstage, where their dreams and fears will soon come true.... Rosemary Leach, Alexandra Mathie, Victoria Shalet and Lucy Curtis star in this delightful dramatisation. 
 
The Growing Summer - It is 1965, and the young Gareth children's lives are about to change for ever. When their father falls dangerously ill, they are sent to Ireland to stay with their eccentric Great-Aunt Dymphna for the summer. There, in her crumbling mansion on the west coast, they face dangers and adventures they could never have imagined... Starring Ann Rye, Holly Grainger, Will Haigh, Emily Fleeshman and Paul Herriott. 
 
When the Siren Wailed - When World War Two breaks out, Laura, Andy and Tim Clark are evacuated to the countryside. Brought up in poverty, they find a happy, comfortable home with the Colonel - but then tragedy occurs, and the children decide to run away back to London. Caught up in an air raid, can they make their way through the blackouts and bombed-out streets to find their mother? Narrated by Wendy Richard, this gripping, moving adventure story stars Norman Bird, John Church, Nicholas Courtney and Keeley Hawes. 
 
Text copyright © Noel Streatfield 1936 (Ballet Shoes), 1966 (The Growing Summer), 1974 (When the Siren Wailed) 
Copyright © Beneficiaries of Noel Streatfeild 1986 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Noel Streatfeild 
 
Ballet Shoes 
With Rosemary Leach, John Ringham, Alexandra Mathie, Victoria Shalet, Lucy Curtis, Lia Williams, Charles Edwards, Abigail Thaw, Alison Skilbeck, Olivia Breeze, Max Digby, Jonathan Dryden Taylor and Miriam Berry 
Adapted by Ellen Dryden 
Directed by Don Taylor 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27-31 Dec 1999 
 
The Growing Summer 
With Ann Rye, Holly Grainger, Will Haigh, Emily Fleeshman, Paul Herriott, James Caplin, Catherine Keane, Vincent Patrick 
Dramatised by Julie Wilkinson 
Directed by Sue Sutton Mayo 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 Aug 2000 
 
When the Siren Wailed 
Narrated by Wendy Richard 
With Norman Bird, John Church, Nicholas Gatt, David Goudge, Keeley Hawes, Joan Matheson, Marc Murphy, Judy Parkin, Christopher Scott, Joan Walker, Melinda Walker, Howard Ward, Nicholas Courtney, Malcolm Hebden and Eva Stuart 
Dramatised by Richard Pinner 
Produced by Mary Kalemkarian 
Researcher: Lis Roberts 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 Jan-19 Mar 1989 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Noel Streatfeild: Ballet Shoes & more

A BBC Radio 4 Children’s Drama Collection

Sophocles

A collection of full-cast dramatisations of Sophocles&rsquo; finest Greek tragedies 
 
One of the three great tragic playwrights of ancient Greece, Sophocles wrote over 120 plays during his 60-year career, though only seven survive today. The most famous of these are the Theban Plays, all three of which are included in this collection alongside adaptations of Electra and Philoctetes, brought to life by celebrated writers, poets, and playwrights. 
 
The Thebans &ndash; Translated and dramatised by acclaimed playwright Timberlake Wertenbaker, this epic cycle follows the fortunes of Oedipus and his daughter Antigone, in three thrilling dramas of bloody acts, family feuds, justice, power and fate. Oedipus Tyrannos sees the King of Thebes setting out to discover the murderer of the former King, Laius &ndash; but his investigations lead him to a devastating conclusion. In Oedipus at Kolonus, the blind, elderly Oedipus, exiled from Thebes, arrives at his journey&rsquo;s end in Kolonus to face his fate. Will he finally be absolved by the gods and find redemption? And in Antigone, King Kreon, the new ruler of Thebes, threatens death to anyone who buries the body of Antigone&rsquo;s traitorous brother. But for Antigone, her family&rsquo;s honour means more than life itself... 
 
The Cure at Troy &ndash; Adapted by Nobel Prize&ndash;winning poet Seamus Heaney, this powerful version of Sophocles&rsquo; Philoctetes tells the story of the wounded hero, abandoned for ten years on an uninhabited island. Embittered and conflicted, Philoctetes is forced to choose between his need for vengeance and acceptance of his destiny. 
 
Electra &ndash; Grief-stricken after the murder of her father Agamemnon, Electra is consumed by a desire for revenge. When her brother, Orestes, returns, Electra's fury explodes without mercy, leading to a bloody and terrifying conclusion. This classic tale of power and revenge was adapted by award-winning playwright Frank McGuinness, and features music by PJ Harvey. 
 
With star casts including Fiona Shaw, Kenneth Cranham, Brendan Gleeson, Jude Akuwudike, Kristin Scott Thomas, Stephen Rea and Diana Quick, these gripping dramas share Sophocles&rsquo; complex tales of love, honour and betrayal for a modern-day audience, enabling us to see these ancient Greek tragedies through fresh eyes. 
 
Cast and Credits 
 
The Thebans 
John Lynch, Fiona Shaw, Michael Feast, Kenneth Cranham, Nadine Marshall, Vinette Robinson, Jude Akuwudike, William Ash, Adrian Bower, Russell Dixon, Brigit Forsyth, Deborah McAndrew, James Nickerson, Sarah Parks, Stuart Richman, and Declan Wilson 
 
Translated and adapted by Timberlake Wertenbaker 
Produced and directed by Nadia Molinari 
Singer/Oboist: Belinda Sykes 
Percussionist: Martin Allen 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 10 Dec 2006 
 
The Cure at Troy 
Stephen Rea, Brendan Gleeson, Ian McElhinney, Anna Healy, Lalor Roddy, John Hewitt 
 
Adapted by Seamus Heaney 
Directed by Pam Brighton 
Music: Donal Lunny 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 1 Sep 1991 
 
Electra 
Peter Wight, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Julia Dearden, Golda Rosheuvel, Thalissa Teixeia, Liz White, Diana Quick, Tyrone Huggins 
 
Adapted by Frank McGuinness 
Directed by Ian Rickson 
Produced by Nadia Molinari 
Co-produced by The Old Vic and Sonia Friedman Productions 
Music composed by PJ Harvey 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 8 Mar 2015 
 
&copy; 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Sophocles’ Greek Tragedies: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Oedipus, Antigone, Electra and more

Ted Willis

A collection of full-cast dramatisations from the renowned screenwriter and novelist Ted Willis 
 
"There are great actors and intriguing premises in every one of the stories ... If you’d forgotten what an ingenious mind Ted Willis had, and what a gifted writer he was for espionage plots, then this collection is a timely reminder." Entertainment Focus 
 
Ted Willis began his creative life in amateur theatre and journalism before moving into writing for films, TV and radio, and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most prolific writer for television. His best-known creation was the hit police procedural Dixon of Dock Green which he based on the stories told to him by a policeman friend. This radio anthology includes five of his best-loved crime tales from the 1960s, '70s and '80s. 
 
The Buckingham Palace Connection - Summer, 1976. A question in the House of Lords leads Ted Willis to uncover the extraordinary true story of a 1918 mission to rescue the Romanovs... Maurice Denham, Jeremy Clyde and Miriam Margolyes star in this exciting drama, based on real events and adapted by Ted Willis from his own novel. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3-31 May 1981 
 
The Left-Handed Sleeper - Ted Willis' neighbours have become embroiled in scandal. MP Mark Ritchie has gone on the run, suspected of being a spy, and MI5 are on his trail. Can his wife Christine prove his innocence? Dramatised by the author from his 1975 novel, this gripping espionage thriller stars Ted Willis as the narrator, with Annette Crosbie as Christine. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 November-12 December 1982 
 
Death May Surprise Us - Attending a country fair, the Prime Minister and his wife are kidnapped in broad daylight, within yards of a huge crowd. With the country reeling, the hunt is on to find them and bring them home safely... Leslie Sands and Mary Wimbush star in this suspenseful tale, adapted by Ted Willis from his 1974 novel. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 August-30 September 1984 
 
The Blue Lamp - This vintage drama by Ted Willis and Jan Read was based on their original treatment for the 1950 Ealing Studios film that introduced the character of PC George Dixon, who went on to appear in TV's Dixon of Dock Green. Deryck Guyler stars as the veteran London copper who faces up to an armed robber. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 December 1962 
 
And No Birds Sing - Philip Brooks is quietly reading at home, but a knock on his front door may change his life forever... This intriguing play stars Hugh Burden as Philip Brooks, Mary Miller as Ann Brooks and Adrian Egan as Detective Sergeant Syms. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 May 1979 
 
Credits 
Written and dramatised by Ted Willis 
 
The Buckingham Palace Connection: Directed by Glyn Dearman 
The Left-Handed Sleeper: Produced by Christopher Venning 
Death May Surprise Us: Directed by Graham Gauld 
The Blue Lamp: Produced by David H. Godfrey; Written by Ted Willis and Jan Read; Adapted for radio by Jan Read 
And No Birds Sing: Directed by David Johnston 
 
With special thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Buckingham Palace Connection and more

Five Full-Cast BBC Radio Vintage Thrillers

Anthony Berkeley

Two BBC Radio full-cast dramas from the master of classic crime 
 
 
Anthony Berkeley was a journalist, novelist, and founding member of the Detection Club - whose members included Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers - and was one of crime fiction's greatest innovators, developing the idea of the psychological crime novel in the 1920s and 30s. One of his recurring and most-beloved characters was Roger Sheringham, a novelist and amateur detective. 
 
In these two classic tales, Roger Sheringham must investigate two terrible murders: The Poisoned Chocolates Case, from 1929, sees him taking up the challenge when Scotland Yard admits defeat after months of investigations. How was a woman poisoned by a box of chocolates that weren't even intended for her? Who was the intended victim? And who was the terrible mind behind it? Roger and his amateur detective friends will each have a turn to put forward their own personal theories about the dreadful crime... 
 
In Jumping Jenny, written in 1933, Roger attends a party with the questionable theme 'famous murderers and their victims', only to discover that one difficult guest has been deliberately killed on one of the party's props. When Roger suspects one of his close friends may be involved, he decides to meddle in the evidence - but is he putting his own life at risk with this mischievous intervention? 
 
 
Witty, subversive, and fiercely clever, these wonderful crime mysteries by the renowned writer are just the thing for fans of The Lady Detectives, Maigret's Collected Cases, and Dashiell Hammett: The Maltese Falcon and other Adventures. 
 
 
Cast and credits 
 
The Poisoned Chocolates Case 
 
Roger Sheringham - Neil Stacy 
Mrs Fielder-Flamming - Hilda Schroder 
Sir Charles Wildman - Conrad Phillips 
Moresby - Victor Winding 
Chitterwick - Michael Bilton 
Bradley / Smithson - Geoffrey Collins 
Alicia - Jane Wenham 
Lockwood - William Eedle 
Bendix - Mark Straker 
Sir Eustace - Clive Panto 
Mrs Bendix - Eileen Tully 
Marguerite - Deborah Cranston 
 
Novel by Anthony Berkeley 
Dramatised by Neville Teller 
Directed by Brian Miller 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 14 January 1984 
 
 
Jumping Jenny 
 
Ronald Stratton - Trevor Martin 
Roger Sheringham - Hugh Burden 
Colin Nicolson - Simon Lack 
Dr Philip Chalmers - Hamilton Dyce 
Laura Chalmers - Judy Bailey 
Ena Stratton - Joan Newell 
David Stratton - John Scott 
Osbert Williams - Philip Cunningham 
Agatha Lefroy - Monica Kirton 
Dr Frank Mitchell - David Bird 
Margot - Sheila Manahan 
Mrs Williams - Molly Rankin 
Inspector Crane - Keith Williams 
Coroner - Richard Williams 
 
Novel by Anthony Berkeley 
Adapted by H. Oldfield Box 
Produced by David H. Godfrey 
 
First broadcast on BBC Home Service, 14 November 1959 
NB: Due to the age of this recording, the sound quality may vary. 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd Cast and credits

Amateur Detective Roger Sheringham

The Poisoned Chocolates Case and Jumping Jenny

William Wycherley

Aphra Behn

John Dryden

George Etherege

Thomas Otway

Edward Ravenscroft

A sparkling collection of nine witty full-cast comedies from the early Restoration era 
 
Raunchy, risqué and rebellious, early Restoration comedies were a breath of fresh air for 17th century theatregoers. With Charles II restored to the throne in 1660, Oliver Cromwell's ban on stage performances was rescinded, and for the first time, women were invited to tread the boards as actresses. Playwrights developed a new style of social comedy, packed with amorous escapades, bawdy humour, wicked wit and sexual innuendo. 
 
This scintillating anthology showcases six leading lights of early Restoration drama, beginning with George Etherege, the creator of the 'comedy of manners': The Man of Mode, an irreverent portrait of the fops and libertines that populated London's beau monde; and She Wou'd If She Cou'd, a racy, fast-paced romp mocking society's double standards for men and women. Among the casts are Derek Jacobi, Anna Massey, Ian Richardson, Prunella Scales and Hattie Jacques. 
 
Also poking fun at hypocrisy and immorality was William Wycherley. However, his comedies were considered far more daring - especially The Country Wife, which was judged too obscene to be staged in its original form for over 200 years. Centred around a notorious rake who resorts to deception to pursue a naïve married woman, this effervescent BBC radio dramatisation stars Jonathan Pryce and Maggie Smith. 
 
Male playwrights were not the only ones penning scandalous dramas during this period. Aphra Behn, Britain's first professional female writer, was a poet, spy and the most prolific playwright of the 1670s and '80s. Her sex comedy The Rover, featured here, revolves around love, lust, intrigue and mistaken identity, and stars Julia Ford, Suzan Sylvester and Juliet Aubrey. 
 
England's first Poet Laureate, John Dryden, dominated Restoration literature to such an extent that it came to be known as the Age of Dryden. His 1677 play All For Love, a powerful reworking of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, is regarded as his finest work. John Turner and Barbara Jefford star in this heroic tragedy. 
 
A rival of Dryden, Edward Ravenscroft was the first British playwright to introduce characters from the 'commedia dell' arte' into his farces. His seminal comedy The London Cuckolds, featuring three ridiculous husbands, three beautiful wives, and one dissolute young cad, was hugely popular, and this BBC adaptation retains all the original's ribald wit. It stars Carleton Hobbs, Norman Shelley and Madi Hedd. 
 
Thomas Otway achieved his greatest success in the last five years of his life. Three of his acclaimed works appear here: his 1683 comedy The Soldier's Fortune and its sequel The Atheist, focussing on disbanded army officers looking for sex and money, and his masterpiece Venice Preserved, a dark political thriller about power, revolution, love and betrayal. The ensemble casts feature Dennis Quilley, John Rowe, Michael Turner and Donald Wolfit. 
 
Content list 
 
The Man of Mode 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 27 Jun 1986 
 
She Wou'd If She Cou'd 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 6 Sep 1968 
 
The Country Wife 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 22 Dec 1985 
 
The Rover 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 22 Jan 1995 
 
All For Love 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 7 Jul 1983 
 
The London Cuckolds 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 30 Dec 1974 
 
The Soldier's Fortune 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 24 May 1981 
 
The Atheist 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 31 May 1981 
 
Venice Preserved 
First broadcast BBC Third Programme, 10 Aug 1960 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Humour and Madness: Early Restoration Comedies

Nine BBC Radio Full Cast Productions including The Rover, The Country Wife and more

Susanna Centivre

William Congreve

Delarivier Manley

John Vanburgh

George Farquhar

A dazzling collection of comedies from the later Restoration period 
 
England's 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688 and the reign of new monarchs William and Mary signified a turning point for Restoration comedy with laws being passed to restrict playwrights' freedoms. The latter years are marked by a shift towards more moral storylines, mixing humour with social and political issues, alongside the lighthearted 'comedy of manners'. 
 
The works in this collection bring together these complementary styles, full of humour while also focusing on hard hitting themes. We open with a 1688 piece by Aphra Behn, England's first professional female writer. Oroonoko is a powerful critique of the slave trade centring around a betrayed African prince. Adapted for BBC Radio, it stars Leo Wringer. 
 
A pre-eminent Restoration dramatist, William Congreve was renowned for his witty dialogue and brilliant characterisation, exemplified in the plays The Old Bachelor, The Double-Dealer and Love for Love. As heard on BBC Radio, these sparkling satirical portraits of romance, deception and the battle of the sexes star James Dale, Nicholas Parsons, Michael Spice and Maxine Audley. 
 
In her 1696 tragedy The Royal Mischief playwright and pamphleteer Delarivier Manley tackled gender politics rather than party politics. This BBC Radio adaptation stars Sian Thomas as the transgressive princess Homais, whose unrestrained sexual desire represents a threat to both the monarchy and the patriarchy. 
 
A loveless marriage is under the spotlight in The Provok'd Wife, John Vanburgh's outspoken 1697 comedy of sex, debauchery and revenge that is Restoration comedy at its finest. Saskia Reeves stars as Lady Brute, with Julian Rhind-Tutt as confirmed bachelor Heartfree. 
 
Irish playwright George Farquhar stormed the London stage with his 1699 comedy The Constant Couple, featuring a wealthy heiress seeking revenge, and the three rivals vying for her hand. Its popularity was mainly due to its rakish hero, Sir Harry Wildair, played in this BBC dramatisation by Alec Clunes. It is followed by William Congreve's The Way of the World, a comic masterpiece that exposes the grasping falsity of fashionable London society. Sheila Hancock stars, with Alex Jennings, Robert Glenister, Frances Barber and Indira Varma. 
 
Susanna Centilivre's 1705 comedy The Basset Table explores several hot topics of the time: the rise of science, gambling and female education. Featuring two strong, independent heroines determined to dodge unwanted marriages, this delightfully exuberant comedy stars Eleanor Bron and Danielle Allan. 
 
Concluding this collection are George Farquhar's two most popular plays. The Recruiting Officer, starring Paul Higgins and Lisa Dillon, is set in Shrewsbury during the War of the Spanish Succession, where wives are recruited while soldiers are wooed. Meanwhile, in The Beaux' Stratagem, starring Simon Treves and Dale Rapley, two rakes arrive in Lichfield from London in search of fortune... 
 
 
Content list 
 
Oroonoko 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 24 August 1990 
 
The Old Bachelor 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 3 Jun 1966 
 
The Double-Dealer 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 17 Jan 1969 
 
Love for Love 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 18 Feb 1965 
 
The Royal Mischief 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 28 Oct 1990 
 
The Provok'd Wife 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 12 Dec 2004 
 
The Constant Couple 
First broadcast BBC Network Three, 9 Jun 1967 
 
The Way of the World 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 27 Apr 2003 
 
The Basset Table 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 10 Aug 1990 
 
The Recruiting Officer 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 18 Dec 2011 
 
The Beaux' Stratagem 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 19 Feb 1990 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Intrigue and Satire: Later Restoration Comedies

11 BBC Radio Full Cast Productions including  The Recruiting Officer and The Way of the World and more

Rumer Godden

Full-cast radio adaptations of three of Rumer Godden's bestselling novels, plus a bonus interview with the author 
 
Rumer Godden is well known for her acclaimed novels for adults and children. She wrote over 60 works in her lifetime, nine of which were made into films. Included here are dramatisations of three of her classic tales, as well as a fascinating interview with the renowned author. 
 
Black Narcissus - A group of nuns establishing a remote mission in an old palace in the Himalayas is warned that it is no place for a nunnery. And as the Sisters' tragic destiny unfolds, those prophetic words are soon proved right. Sinead Cusack and Lesley Sharp star in this atmospheric dramatisation of Godden's 1939 novel, famously adapted as an Oscar-winning film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. 
 
The Greengage Summer - When their mother falls ill during a holiday to France, the Grey children are left to entertain themselves. Over the course of the long, hot summer, they are caught up in an adult world of deception and lies... Starring Ellie Beaven, Abigail Docherty and Michael Maloney. 
 
The Dark Horse - Set in Calcutta in 1933, this is the story of a thoroughbred racehorse, a jockey seeking a second chance, a shrewd Mother Superior and a miracle - all based on true events. Geoffrey Whitehead, Indira Varma, Dearbhla Molloy and Ioan Meredith star in this heartwarming drama. 
 
Third Ear - Recorded in 1992, this illuminating Radio 3 interview sees the octogenarian Rumer Godden talking to Geoffrey Baskerville about how her life and beliefs are reflected in her writing. 
 
Text copyright © The Rumer Godden Literary Trust 1939 (Black Narcissus), 1958 (The Greengage Summer), 1981 (The Dark Horse) 
 
Black Narcissus 
Sister Clodagh - Sinead Cusack 
Sister Ruth - Lesley Sharp 
Mr Dean - David Rintoul 
Dilip Rai - Ronny Jhutti 
Sister Briony - Susan Engel 
Sister Philippa - Jenny Lee 
Sister Honey - Rachel Atkins 
The General/Father Roberts - Sam Dastor 
Ayah - Indira Joshi 
Mother Dorothea/Sister Adela - Carolyn Jones 
Con - Alastair Danson 
Kanchi - Sumitra Bhagat 
Joseph Anthony - Dhiraj Prasai 
Dramatised by April de Angelis 
Music by Elizabeth Parker 
Directed by Sally Avens 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 December 1997 
 
The Greengage Summer 
Cecile - Ellie Beaven 
Joss - Abigail Docherty 
Hester - Ciara Janson 
Eliot - Michael Maloney 
With Luke Newbury, Claire Marchionne, Rachel Atkins, Theo Fraser Steele, Sean Baker, Jenny Lee, Brian Parr and Chris Wright 
Dramatised by Dawn Lowe Watson 
Directed by Sally Avens 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 May 1988 
 
The Dark Horse 
Sister Morag - Dearbhla Molloy 
Levantine - Nickolas Grace 
Ted - Ioan Meredith 
John Quillan - Gareth Armstrong 
With Geoffrey Whitehead, Indira Varma, Siobhan Stamp, Frances Jeater, Nitin Chandra Ganatra, Richard Rees and David Antrobus 
Dramatised by Liane Aukin 
Directed by David Hunter 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 September 1988 
 
Third Ear 
Presented by Geoffrey Baskerville 
With Rumer Godden 
Produced by Vivien Devlin 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 12 May 1992 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Rumer Godden: Black Narcissus, The Greengage Summer & The Dark Horse

Three Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

Colin Haydn Evans

Seven of Shahrazad's stories of love, magic and mystery - plus bonus documentary 
 
A collection of fabulous tales of genies, heroes, flying carpets and fantastic voyages, The Arabian Nights has enchanted generations of children and adults. Forged in the Islamic Golden Age, it was brought to Europe in the 18th Century, where it became an instant sensation. Included here are seven full-cast dramatisations, starring Carolyn Backhouse as Shahrazad and Derek Jacobi as the King, as well as a bonus edition of In Our Time exploring the story behind the tales. 
 
Ghanim, the Thrall of Love - To escape the executioner's sword, Shahrazad beguiles the King with a spellbinding tale of love, jealousy, betrayal - and a magic drum. 
 
The Ebony Horse - The magical story of a handsome prince, a beautiful princess, and a remarkable wooden horse. 
 
The Three Suitors - When Jamilla's lover is thrown in prison, she devises a cunning plan to free him, involving a carpenter, a magistrate, a bogus camel-cleaner, and a wardrobe... 
 
The Ninth Pedestal - Prince Zain inherits eight valuable statues - but the ninth is missing. He goes on a quest to find it - but what he discovers is beyond price... 
 
Homza's Dance - The hunt for a lost arrow leads Prince Ahmed into an amazing adventure of sorcery and transformation. 
 
The Hunchback - A series of bizarre accidents befall an eccentric cast of characters in a tale that's full of twists and turns. 
 
The Dream of Baba Abdullah - In a final attempt to save her life, Shahrazad invites the king to enter the final story with her - or return alone... 
 
In Our Time: The Arabian Nights - Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the myths, tales and legends of this ever-shifting sea of stories. 
 
Cast and credits 
Adapted by Colin Haydn Evans 
Directed by Nigel Bryant 
Music: Sue Harris and Steafan Hannigan 
 
Starring Carolyn Backhouse as Shahrazad and Derek Jacobi as the King. 
 
Ghanim, the Thrall of Love 
Wazir - Simon Carter 
Ghanim - Michael Lumsden 
Leila - Moir Leslie 
Caliph - Duncan Law 
Rahil - Mary Wimbush 
Slave - Richard O'Ryan 
Old Man - Geoffrey Banks 
 
The Ebony Horse 
Kamar - James Telfer 
The Sage - Roger Hume 
Shams - Teresa Gallagher 
Kamar's father - John Baddeley 
 
The Three Suitors 
Jamilla - Rachel Atkins 
Hassan - William Chubb 
Faris - Geoffrey Banks 
Gaoler - Michael Mears 
Magistrate - Philip Anthony 
Carpenter - John Baddeley 
Shahrazad's father - Simon Carter 
 
The Ninth Pedestal 
Prince Zain - James Telfer 
Moubarak - John Baddeley 
Genie - Steve Hodson 
Maysun -Teresa Gallagher 
 
Homza's Dance 
Ahmed - James Telfer 
Peri Banou - Rachel Atkins 
Sultan - Philip Anthony 
Sorceress - Mary Wimbush 
Hussein - Steve Hodson 
 
The Hunchback 
Tailor - Harry Landis 
Tailor's wife - Maria Charles 
Doctor's wife - Mary Wimbush 
Doctor - Philip Anthony 
Seamstress - Kate Binchy 
Christian - John Baddeley 
Watchman - Jonathan Owen 
Magistrate - Maurice Denham 
Hunchback - Tania Ison 
 
The Dream of Baba Abdullah 
Baba Abdullah - Daniel Strauss 
Dervish - Geoffrey Banks 
 
In Our Time 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
With Robert Irwin, Marina Warner and Gerard van Gelder 
Produced by James Cook 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Tales from the Arabian Nights

A BBC Radio 4 Drama

Algernon Blackwood

A collection of strange and fantastical tales from Algernon Blackwood, plus bonus documentaries 
 
Described by H P Lovecraft as 'the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere', Algernon Blackwood (CBE) was the acclaimed and prolific author of numerous ghost stories and horror tales. Throughout his lifetime, he wrote 14 novels, several children's books, a number of plays, and over 200 short stories. 
 
This anthology opens with a selection of stories featuring his most influential character, occult detective Dr John Silence. The inspiration for the famous horror movie Cat People, 'Ancient Sorceries' (read by Philip Madoc), sees a timid tourist becoming enchanted by a sleepy French town whose residents have an oddly feline manner. It is followed by four chilling dramatisations starring Malcolm Hayes as Silence. In The Nemesis of Fire, the psychic doctor investigates eldritch events at an English manor house; while Secret Worship is a chilling tale of haunting and evil in a Bavarian forest. A wilderness trip turns terrifying in The Camp of the Dog, and in The Empty Sleeve, a virtuoso violinist's desire for a rare instrument has dire consequences. 
 
Next up are three gripping standalone dramas: The Decoy (starring George Baker and Susan Jameson); Keeping His Promise (starring Eric Deacon and Christopher Neame) and The Human Chord (starring Philip Skale). 
 
Also included is Violet Pearn's captivating fantasy play The Starlight Express, adapted from Blackwood's imaginative children's novel A Prisoner in Fairyland and starring Denis Dowling, Patrick Barr and Cecile Chavreau. This is followed by The Willows, read by Roger Allam: a claustrophobic tale of suspense and terror, as two companions camp on a remote island and become convinced they see a body in the water. 
 
Three eerie supernatural stories are narrated by Blackwood himself in long-lost gems from the BBC Archive. They centre around mysterious encounters with a depressed Englishwoman ('The Occupant of the Room'), a man who was frightened to death ('The Woman's Ghost Story'), and the spectral presence of a town ('The Destruction of Smith'), and are followed by a quartet of strange stories ('Algernon Blackwood Tells a Strange Story'). 
 
To conclude, two bonus documentary programmes, presented by Blackwood, delve into his life and career. The Genesis of Ideas sees him revealing the sources of his material, while the reflective On Being Eighty finds him looking back on his many years of experience and experiment. 
 
Written by Algernon Blackwood. 
 
First published 1906 ('Keeping His Promise'), 1907 ('The Willows', 'The Woman's Ghost Story'), 1908 ('Ancient Sorceries', 'The Nemesis of Fire', 'Secret Worship', 'The Camp of the Dog'), 1910 ('The Human Chord'), 1911 ('The Empty Sleeve'), 1912 ('The Destruction of Smith'), 1916 ('The Starlight Express'), 1917 ('The Occupant of the Room'), 1921 ('The Decoy'), 1948 ('A Japanese Literary Cocktail') 
 
Special thanks to Keith Wickham for sourcing audio files. 
 
Contents List 
 
Ancient Sorceries 
The Nemesis of Fire 
Secret Worship 
The Camp of the Dog 
The Empty Sleeve 
The Decoy 
Keeping His Promise 
The Human Chord 
The Starlight Express 
The Willows 
The Occupant of the Room 
The Woman's Ghost Story 
The Destruction of Smith 
Algernon Blackwood Tells a Strange Story 
The Genesis of Ideas 
On Being EightyContent Note: Contains some dated references that reflect the language and attitudes of the time. 
&copy; 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Algernon Blackwood BBC Radio Collection

17 Supernatural Dramas and Ghost Stories

John Bunyan

Brian Sibley

The 17th Century classic brought to life in a bold new telling 
 
The Pilgrim's Progress is regarded as one of the most significant works of theological fiction in English literature and is considered by some to be the first novel written in English. First published in 1678, it has been translated into more than 200 languages and had never been out of print. John Bunyan's seminal work has influenced writers across the centuries from Charlotte Brontë to Enid Blyton and beyond. 
 
In this innovative and beautifully paced production of John Bunyan's classic novel, dramatist Brian Sibley takes us deftly on the pilgrim Christian's life changing journey to the Celestial City, whilst also delicately weaving into the narrative the author's own journey. Arrested and imprisoned in the late 1600s for holding improper religious services, the drama unfolds through Bunyan's plight behind bars as he wrestles with his relationship to God, sense of duty and creativity - and begins to pen the novel from his cell. 
 
Sibley delivers a fresh perspective and wonderful re-telling of the adventures of Christian, a pilgrim who embarks on a perilous journey from his hometown, the allegorical City of Destruction, to the Celestial City, or Heaven. Dramatised across three episodes, we follow Christian as he meets with death, despair, hope and ultimately salvation. It is the story of the everyman pilgrim who seeks to gain knowledge, making mistakes along that way that inform and inspire him on his path to grace. 
 
Starring Anton Rodgers (May to December) as Bunyan and Neil Dudgeon (Midsomer Murders) as Christian, this full-cast production also features the well-known voices of Anna Massey and Peter Bowles. Brian Sibley is perhaps best known as the writer behind the hugely popular, landmark BBC radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. 
 
Written by Brian Sibley based on the novel by John Bunyan 
Directed by Pam Fraser Solomon 
 
Cast 
Bunyan - Anton Rodgers 
Christian - Neil Dudgeon 
Evangelist - Alec McCowen 
Beelzebub - Don Warrington 
Interpreter - Anna Massey 
Caged Man - Peter Bowles 
Elizabeth - Caroline Lee Johns 
Jailer - Ioan Meredith 
Judge - Derek Waring 
Pliable/Watchful/Sincere - Philip Fox 
Obstinate/Clerk/Knowledge - Chris Moran 
Help/Prudence/Angel - Jaimi Barbakoff 
Goodwill/Charity/Angel - Lydia Leonard 
Angel/Piety/Deceiver - Cherie Taylor-Battiste 
Child - Sophie Levy 
Child - Nyla Lev 
Faithful - Graham Crowden 
Cobb/Giant Despair - Stephen Thorne 
Discretion - Eve Karpf 
Talkative/Ignorance - Rachel Atkins 
Timorous/Experience - Damian Lynch 
Hopeful - Paul Medford 
Mrs Despair - Frances Jeater 
False-Confidence - Declan Wilson 
 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 January 2004 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Pilgrim’s Progress

Arthur Conan Doyle

BBC Radio dramatisations and readings of some of Arthur Conan Doyle's other works - plus extracts from his letters and a bonus drama by Bert Coules 
 
Arthur Conan Doyle is well known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, but he also wrote numerous works in which the great detective played no part. Included here is a selection of the best, ranging from science fiction to tales of supernatural terror and rip-roaring adventures set in Jacobean and Regency England. 
 
Our collection opens with the first of three dramas featuring the hot-tempered, larger-than-life scientist and explorer Professor Challenger. 'The Lost World' stars David Robb as Challenger, he heads on an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon Basin. Following this drama we have two further dramatisations starring Bill Paterson as Challenger this time. In 'When the World Screamed', he sets out on a bold mission to be recognised by Mother Earth, while 'The Disintegration Machine' sees him investigating dastardly Latvian inventor Theodore Nemor. 
 
'The Captain of the Polestar' drama tells the chilling story of a ship trapped in the Arctic, and stars Alec Heggie as Craigie, a man haunted by a strange apparition. 
 
Also included are the short stories 'Playing With Fire', 'How It Happened', 'One Crowded Hour', 'The Fall of Lord Barrymore', 'The Sealed Room' and 'The Lost Special' (read by Edward de Souza, Sam Dale, Christopher Harper and David Schofield), and the fascinating series Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters, in which Forbes Masson and John Dougal read extracts from his correspondence to his mother about marriage, fatherhood, killing off Holmes and going into politics. Finally, how the author ran for Parliament in 1900 and lost is explored in Bert Coules' biographical drama Vote For Conan Doyle!, starring John Sessions. 
 
First published 1883 ('The Captain of the Polestar'), 1898 ('The Sealed Room', 'The Lost Special'), 1900 ('Playing With Fire'), 1911 ('One Crowded Hour'), 1912 ('The Lost World'), 1912 ('The Fall of Lord Barrymore'), 1913 ('How It Happened'), 1928 ('When The World Screamed'), 1929 ('The Disintegration Machine'), 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 
 
Track list 
Dramatisations 
1. Professor Challenger: The Lost World Episode 1- A Bridge to the Unknown 
2. Professor Challenger: The Lost World Episode 2 - Our Eyes Have Seen Great Wonders 
3. Professor Challenger: When The World Screamed 
4. Professor Challenger: The Disintegration Machine 
5. The Captain of the Polestar 
Short Stories 
6. Playing With Fire 
7. How It Happened 
8. One Crowded Hour 
9. The Fall of Lord Barrymore 
10. The Sealed Room 
11. The Lost Special 
Bonus content 
12. Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters 
13. Vote for Conan Doyle! 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Arthur Conan Doyle: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Guy de Maupassant

BBC Radio adaptations of selected novels and short stories by the great 19th century French writer - plus bonus programmes 
 
Guy de Maupassant is renowned as one of the fathers of the modern short story. A protégé of Flaubert, he was celebrated for his naturalistic fiction, and wrote over 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books and one volume of verse in his short but highly productive lifetime. He died in an asylum aged just 43. 
 
This collection brings together dramatisations of some of his finest works. Adapted by Sony Award-winning dramatist Frances Byrnes, Bel Ami chronicles the corrupt rise of charming, ruthless journalist Georges Duroy (Jonathan Slinger). It is followed by Maupassant's most famous short story, 'The Dumpling', a satirical tale of a group of coach travellers fleeing occupied Rouen during the Franco-Prussian war. Dramatised for the first time on radio, it stars Miriam Margolyes. 
 
Set in Le Havre, Pierre et Jean centres around the jealousy that springs up between two brothers when a family secret is uncovered. Benedict Sandiford stars as Pierre, with Tim Treloar as Jean. Maupassant's tragicomic debut novel, Une Vie, starring Aimee Ffion Edwards, tells the story of Jeanne, a naive convent-educated aristocrat who dreams of romance, but finds marriage and adulthood treacherous and rotten. The haunting wintry tale 'The Inn' is next, in which young mountain guide Ulrich (Robin Laing) finds himself in sole charge of a remote Alpine hotel. 
 
A hidden past is also at the heart of 'Mademoiselle Pearl', a poignant love story starring Claire Neilson and Frank Middlemass. Alongside it is 'The Hand', the macabre supernatural tale of an English aristocrat, his gruesome trophy and his vengeful nemesis. Denis Quilley stars as Sir John Rowell. 
 
Also featured are two bonus dramas and a documentary about the great author. Confessions of a Hedonist is a phantasmagorical journey through five of Maupassant's most personal stories: 'A Strange Night Out', 'Mouche', 'Laid To Rest', 'Cockcrow' and 'Le Horla'. Adapted and translated by Simon Scardifield, it stars Elliot Cowan and Holli Dempsey. How an Umbrella Changed Everything, written by Shirley Cooklin and based on an idea by Maupassant, tells of a childless couple whose obsessive frugality has fateful repercussions. Nigel Lambert and Sheila Grant star as Charles and Clothilde Oreille. Finally, Meridian: Guy de Maupassant - Master of the Short Story explores Maupassant's life, work and lasting legacy. 
 
First published 1880 ('The Dumpling'), 1883 (Une Vie, 'The Hand'), 1885 (Bel-Ami), 1886 ('The Inn', 'Mademoiselle Pearl'), 1887 (Pierre et Jean, 'Le Horla'), c1890 ('Mouche', 'A Queer Night in Paris', 'Laid to Rest', 'Cockcrow') 
 
Production credits 
Written by Guy de Maupassant 
 
Contents: 
 
Bel Ami 
 
The Dumpling 
 
Pierre and Jean 
 
Une Vie 
 
The Inn 
 
Mademoiselle Pearl 
 
The Hand 
 
Maupassant's Confessions of a Hedonist 
 
How an Umbrella Changed Everything 
 
Meridian: Guy de Maupassant - Master of the Short Story 
 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

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