Man & Superman

Man and Superman was the first drama to be broadcast on the BBC's Third Programme on October 1, 1946. To celebrate Radio 3's 50th anniversary, the play was directed by Sir Peter Hall, and preserved for all time in this lush audio dramatisation.

Man and Superman was the first drama to be broadcast on the BBC's Third Programme on October 1st, 1946. To celebrate Radio 3's 50th anniversary, the play was directed by Sir Peter Hall, and preserved for all time in this lush audio dramatisation. 'A comedy and a philosophy', Man and Superman is based on the Don Juan theme and, using all the elements from Mozart's Don Giovanni, Shaw reordered them so that Don Juan becomes the quarry instead of the huntsman. Boasting an outstanding cast including Ralph Fiennes, Juliet Stevenson, Dame Judi Dench, John Wood, Nicholas Le Prevost and Paul Merton, this release includes an exclusive interview with director Sir Peter Hall.

Pygmalion (Classic Radio Theatre)

Simon Cadell stars as Henry Higgins with Imelda Staunton as Eliza Doolittle in this BBC Radio 4 production of Shaw’s famous play.

George Bernard Shaw was one of the greatest 20th Century dramatists. He wrote over 60 plays, including Arms and the Man (1894), Man and Superman (1903), Pygmalion (1912-13) and Saint Joan (1923). In addition, he also authored five novels and two collections of short stories. He is the only person to have been honoured with both a Nobel Prize for Literature (1925) and an Academy Award (1938, for Pygmalion). Shaw was offered a knighthood, but turned it down, as he refused most awards. He died in 1950, aged 94.

When phonetics tutor and linguist Henry Higgins meets Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle, he makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can teach her to speak so well that she will be able to pass herself off as a Duchess at a society ball. Eliza agrees, seduced by promises of chocolates and taxi rides - but her transformation from caterpillar to butterfly will not be easy, and the process will take its toll on both Eliza and Higgins... Written in 1912, Pygmalion enjoyed instant success and was adapted as the hit musical My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. Among the star cast in this 1986 adaptation are Simon Cadell, Imelda Staunton, Rachel Gurney and Edward Hardwicke.

Bernard Shaw

Alistair McGowan

Al Murray

Morgana Robinson

Full Cast

Siân Phillips

A brand new BBC Radio 4 drama plus the story of the play's scandalous opening night

A star-studded BBC radio production of Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion – plus bonus drama The ‘B’ Word, telling the story of the play’s scandalous opening night. 
 
Irascible phonetics professor Henry Higgins makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can train Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle to talk ‘like a lady’ and pass as a duchess at the Ambassador’s Ball. As the day of reckoning approaches, can Eliza convince the assembled aristocrats that she’s one of them? And what will become of her afterwards? 
 
This effervescent radio version of Shaw’s classic comedy features a stellar cast, including award-winning comedians Alistair McGowan as Henry Higgins, Morgana Robinson as Eliza Doolittle and Al Murray as Alfred Doolittle. 
 
Also featured on this release is The ‘B’ Word, written by and starring Alistair McGowan as Bernard Shaw. Centring on the shocking opening night of Pygmalion – the first time that the word ‘bloody' was used on the British stage – it also explores the passionate love-hate relationship between Shaw; his leading man, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and his leading lady, Mrs Patrick Campbell, who played the 19-year-old Eliza Doolittle at the age of 49. 
 
Cast and credits 
 
Pygmalion 
Henry Higgins……………………Alistair McGowan 
Eliza Doolittle……………………Morgana Robinson 
Alfred Doolittle……………………Al Murray 
Colonel Pickering……………………Hugh Fraser 
Mrs Higgins……………………Siân Phillips 
Mrs Pearce/Maid……………………Charlotte Page 
Mrs Eynsford-Hill……………………Georgie Glen 
Clara Eynsford-Hill……………………Maeve Bluebell Wells 
Freddy Eynsford-Hill.....……………………Tom Forrister 
Nepommuck……………………David Sturzaker 
Ambassador……………………John Dougall 
Ambassador's wife……………………Sarah Ridgeway 
Bystander……………………David Sterne 
Written by Bernard Shaw 
Produced and directed by Emma Harding 
 
 
The ‘B’ Word 
Bernard Shaw……………………Alistair McGowan 
George Alexander……………………David Sturzaker 
Mrs Patrick Campbell.....……………………Charlotte Page 
Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree……………………Richard McCabe 
Charlotte Shaw……………………Georgie Glen 
Merivale……………………Philip Fox 
Gurney/Fishman……………………Simon Ludders 
Bell……………………Charlie Clements 
Maid……………………Sarah Ridgeway 
Written by Alistair McGowan 
Produced and directed by Emma Harding

Bernard Shaw

Books by Bernard Shaw

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter