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A A Gill

Andrew Swanston read law at Cambridge, but was inspired to write by his lifelong interest in early modern history. His Thomas Hill novels – The King’s Spy, The King’s Exile and The King’s Return – are set against the backdrops of the English Civil War, Cromwell’s Commonwealth and the early Restoration respectively. He is also the author of Waterloo: The Bravest Man and Beautiful Star and Other Stories. His first historical thriller set during the reign of Elizabeth I – Incendium (published in paperback as The Incendium Plot) – introduced readers to the academic, lawyer and intelligencer Dr Christopher Radcliff, whose adventures continue in Chaos. Andrew Swanston lives in Surrey.

A D Swanston

A E Langsford

A G Hopkins

A. J. BAIME is the New York Times best-selling author of The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War and Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans. Both books are in development for major motion pictures. Baime is a longtime regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Popular Science, and Men’s Journal. He lives in Granite Bay, California. Visit him at facebook.com/ajbaime and trumanbook.com.

A J Baime

A J Jacobs

A J P Taylor

Anthony James Pollard is a British medieval historian, specialising in the fifteenth century and in particular the Wars of the Roses. A leading authority in the field, he is profesor emeritus of Teesside University. His books include North-Eastern England during the Wars of the Roses, Richard III and the Princes in theTower, Imagining Robin Hood: the Late Medieval Stories in Historical Context and Warwick the kingmaker: Politics, Power and Fame.

A J Pollard

A J Rochester

A K Benjamin is a clinical neuropsychologist and the author of Let Me Not Be Mad: A Story of Unravelling Minds.

A K Benjamin

A. L. Berridge read English at Oxford, and taught for ten years before moving into television, where her production credits range from period drama and thrillers to long-running soaps. She has written two previous novels, Top Ten besteller Honour and the Sword and In the Name of the King. Into the Valley of Death is her third novel.

A L Berridge

Alison Gaylin's first job was as a reporter for a celebrity tabloid, which sparked a lifelong interest in writing about people committing despicable acts. More than a decade later, she wrote and published her Edgar-nominated first novel, HIDE YOUR EYES. 
 
She's since published nine more books, including the USA Today and international bestselling Brenna Spector suspense series, which has been nominated for the Edgar, Anthony and Thriller awards and won the Shamus award. 
 
She lives in upstate New York with her husband, daughter, cat and dog.

A L Gaylin

A Maxwell-Hyslop

A McArthur

A P Wavell

A.S. Webb is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of Chaos, the first instalment of The Dark Pantheon Trilogy. She is inspired by stories rooted in history and mythology, that push the boundaries of imagination and urge us to reflect on what it means to be human.

A S Webb

A. A. Dhand is the author of six previous novels, and has been shortlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger Award. His DI Harry Virdee novels are currently being adapted for TV by the BBC. He was raised in Bradford and spent his youth observing the city from behind the counter of a small convenience store. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked in London and travelled extensively before returning to Bradford to start his own business and begin writing. The history, diversity and darkness of the city have inspired all his novels. For more information about A. A. Dhand and his books, follow him on X @aadhand, and on Instagram @aa_dhand.

A. A. Dhand

A. A. Gill

A. A. Milne

A. Anatoli

A. B. Poranek grew up sharing her time between Ontario, Canada and rural Poland, and eventually completed a veterinary degree at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. A lover of mythology and history, she enjoys exploring both in her writing. Her debut novel, Where the Dark Stands Still, an instant New York Times bestseller, is an ode to Poland's folktales, while A Treachery of Swans transports readers to a world inspired by 17th century France.

A. B. Poranek

A. Bradley

Professor A. C. Grayling is Principal of the New College of the Humanities at Northeastern University, London, and a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. He has written and edited over thirty books on philosophy, history, science and current affairs. For several years he wrote columns for the Guardian newspaper and The Times and was the chairman of the 2014 Man Booker Prize.

A. C. Grayling

A.D. Miller is the author of Snowdrops, The Earl of Petticoat Lane and The Faithful Couple. Snowdrops was a bestseller and was shortlisted for many prizes including the Man Booker and the CWA Gold Dagger. It was translated into 25 languages. As Moscow Correspondent of The Economist A.D. Miller has travelled across the former Soviet Union and covered the Orange Revolution in Ukraine; he is now the magazine’s Culture Editor based in London. 
 
admillerbooks.com

A. D. Miller

A. E. Ellis

A. E. W. Mason

A. Humphreys

A. Igoni Barrett was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in 1979 and lives in Lagos. He is a winner of the 2005 BBC World Service short story competition, the recipient of a Chinua Achebe Center Fellowship, a Norman Mailer Center Fellowship, and a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency. His short story collection, Love is Power, or Something Like That, was published in 2013. In 2014 he was named on the Africa39 list of sub-Saharan African writers under 40. Blackass is his first novel.

A. Igoni Barrett

The short life of A.J.A. Symons (1900-41) was described by his biographer as an intricate and largely harmless confidence trick. His many interests included the collection of musical boxes and rare books as well as the study and practice of forgery; they left him time to edit an anthology of Edwardian verse and compose studies of H.M. Stanley and other notable figures. He is remembered for The Quest for Corvo, one of the most remarkable biographies ever written, and for co-founding the Wine and Food Society.

A. J. A. Symons

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Carol Shields

Two novels by the award-winning Canadian writer Carol Shields, dramatised for BBC Radio 
 
Carol Shields was one of Canada’s most renowned contemporary authors. Often compared to Jane Austen, her deft, witty and compassionate works depicting the everyday lives of ordinary people won her numerous literary honours. Included here are adaptations of her Pulitzer Prize-winning tour de force, The Stone Diaries, and her final novel Unless, which was nominated for the Booker Prize in 2002. Both feature a full cast of well-known audio performers, including Barbara Barnes, Laurel Lefkow, Peter Marinker, William Hope, Teresa Gallagher and Garrick Hagon. 
 
The Stone Diaries – This remarkable fictional biography tells the story of Daisy Goodwill from her unexpected birth in rural Canada in 1905 to her death in a Florida nursing home nearly 90 years later. Like the 20th century itself, her life is full of uncertainties and instability. As she navigates the milestones of marriage, motherhood, widowhood and retirement, Daisy attempts to find her place in the world, reflecting on and reframing her life through the prism of her memories and her rich, colourful imagination. 
 
Unless – Reta Winters has always considered herself to be a sunny, contented person. But then her 19-year-old daughter Norah suddenly drops out of university to sit on a Toronto sidewalk with a begging bowl and a cardboard sign that reads ‘Goodness’. Devastated, Reta attempts to discover why Norah has turned her back on her loved ones – and as she searches for answers, she learns that happiness is not what she thought. Fierce, fearless and frank, this compelling tale of loss, family and a woman’s role in society is adapted for radio by the Booker-nominated novelist Deborah Levy. 
 
Text copyright © the Carol Shields Literary Trust 
First published 1993 (The Stone Diaries) and 2002 (Unless) 
All rights reserved 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Carol Shields 
 
The Stone Diaries 
Daisy – Liza Ross 
Young Daisy – Barbara Barnes 
Mercy/Beans/Victoria – Teresa Gallagher 
Cuyler – Peter Marinker 
Young Cuyler/Lewis – Ryan McCluskey 
Clarentine – Briony Glassco 
Barker – William Hope 
Magnus/Mr Sinclair – Ewan Hooper 
Abram – Chris Pavlo 
Doctor – Ewan Bailey 
Fraidy – Debora Weston 
Mrs Hoad – Buffy Davis 
Harold – Walter Lewis 
Newswoman – Denica Fairman 
Mrs Donaldson – Nancy Galr 
Alice – Laurel Lefkow 
Young Alice – Courtney Halgren 
Warren – Kyle Dadd 
Young Warren – Daniel Anthony 
Joan – Vicki Simon 
Young Joan – Josi Kook-Clark 
Beverly – Joanne McQuinn 
Jay – Garrick Hagon 
Pinky – Rick Bland 
Young Victoria – Andrea Muller 
Betty – Georgina Sowerby 
Joan – Sarah Mennell 
Glad – Pat Starr 
Lily – Marcia Warren 
Myrtle – Margaret Robertson 
Rev Rick – John Schwab 
Dr Aaronfield – Rick Bland 
Jubilee – Sarah Paul 
Dramatised by Claire Luckham and Briony Glassco 
Directed by David Hunter and Marion Nancarrow 
 
Unless 
Reta – Barbara Barnes 
Norah – Laurel Lefkow 
Natalie – Vicki Simon 
Danielle – Sara Kestelman 
Tom – Rick Bland 
Chris/Sylvia/Emma/Christine – Teresa Gallagher 
Gwen/Lois/Volunteer – Liza Ross 
Young Norah – Josephine Kook-Clark 
Arthur – Ryan McCluskey 
Dramatised by Deborah Levy 
Produced by Di Speirs 
 
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Stone Diaries & Unless

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

Leo Tolstoy

Charlotte Brönte

Gustave Flaubert

William Shakespeare

Colette

Jane Austen

Alessandro Manzoni

Radclyffe Hall

Emily Brontë

Elizabeth Gaskell

Edith Wharton

Thomas Hardy

Twelve dramatisations of the best love stories ever written, performed by star casts 
 
Treat yourself to this stunning collection of classic stories of love, loss, obstacles overcome and desperate attraction. This is a beautiful, moving and at times thrilling listen which takes you on a journey through the greatest tales of romance ever told. These unmissable, dramatised novels feature stellar performances from fantastic casts including Vanessa Kirby, Hiftu Quasem, Kate Philips, Rory Kinnear, Toby Jones, John Hurt and David Tennant. 
 
Anna Karenina is Leo Tolstoy's powerful drama of desire, transgression and heartache. Starring Kate Philips (Wolf Hall), Alfred Enoch (Harry Potter) and Rory Kinnear (James Bond films). 
 
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is a fantastic mix of injustice, romance, passion and danger wrapped up in a glorious love story. Starring Amanda Hale (Catastrophe) and Tom Burke (Strike). 
 
Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary is a masterpiece of betrayal and wantonness - the first great novel of adultery. Starring Sarah Smart (Wallander), Jude Akuwudike (Gangs of London) and James D’Arcy (Broadchurch) with John Hurt (Harry Potter) as the Narrator. 
 
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. In a town full of hatred, where the streets ring with the Capulet-Montague feud and swords are too easily drawn, Romeo and Juliet find each other, fall in love, and never let go. Starring Trystan Gravelle (Mr Selfridge), Vanessa Kirby (Mission Impossible), David Tennant (Broadchurch) and Paul Ready (Motherland). 
 
Chéri by Colette is the story of a love affair between a courtesan and a man half her age, set in Paris before the First World War. Starring Frances Barber (Silk) and Joseph Millson (The Last Kingdom) with Lindsay Duncan (Birdman) as the Narrator. 
 
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen remains one of the world’s favourite novels, dealing with the timeless issues of love, social class and money with a witty, clever - though flawed - heroine at its heart. Starring Pippa Nixon (Unforgotten), Jamie Parker (The Crown) and Toby Jones (The Detectorists). 
 
The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni is an icon of Italian literature: the story of two lovers who want nothing more than to marry but are beset by the hazards of war, bread riots and the machinations of a nameless crime lord. Starring Hiftu Quasem (Killing Eve) and Ian Dunnett Jnr (Masters of the Air). 
 
The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall, written in 1928, is a pioneering novel about love and attraction between women. Starring Valerie Edmond as the enigmatic Stephen. 
 
Wuthering Heights is Emily Brontë's iconic love story. Heathcliff and Cathy's love is the beating heart of the story, set against the backdrop of the bleak Yorkshire moors. Starring Chloe Pirrie (Temple) and Ben Batt (Shameless). 
 
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell explores social conscience, ideological difference and love in a mill town in the 1800s. Starring Emily Mortimer (The Pursuit of Love) and David Threlfall (Shameless). 
 
The Age of Innocence is Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a passionate life-long love affair which breaks all the rules of the restrictive high society of 1870's New York. Starring Susan Lynch (Happy Valley) and Kellie Bright (Eastenders). 
 
Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy is a story of the belief in true romance and the power of money and love. Starring Alex Tregear (Silk: The Clerk’s Room), Toby Jones (The Detectorists) and Patrick Kennedy (Boardwalk Empire). 
 
This stunning collection is packed with the best romance stories written in the last 500 years – a fully dramatised, unmissable listen featuring some of the biggest names of stage and screen. 
 
©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Classic Love Stories: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

12 Full-Cast Dramatisations

Thomas Mann

Dramatisations of Thomas Mann’s three bestselling novels 
 
One of Germany’s greatest and most revered writers, Thomas Mann won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929. A vocal critic of Nazism, he had to leave his homeland when Hitler came to power, and lived in exile in Europe and America for the rest of his life. Collected here are full-cast adaptations of his three most famous novels. 
 
Buddenbrooks – Drawing on Mann’s own experience as the son of a wealthy merchant in 19th-century Lübeck, his debut novel follows four generations of Buddenbrooks as they struggle to maintain the family business in the face of change. Powerful, humorous and heartbreaking, this epic drama traces the decline of a civilisation as well as a family. Starring Terence Edmonds, Harriet Walter, James Laurenson and Timothy Spall. 
 
Death in Venice – Seeking inspiration, a famous German writer travels to Venice, but finds only decay and disease behind the city’s gorgeous facades. Then he notices a beautiful young Polish boy, and is consumed by a fatal obsession... Clive Francis stars as Aschenbach, with Peter England as Tadzio. 
 
The Magic Mountain – When Hans Castorp pays a social visit to a Swiss sanatorium, he is himself diagnosed with TB and ends up staying for seven years. Trapped on the mountain, he becomes acquainted with his fellow inmates – including the humanist, the radical, the dionysiac and the inamorata – who represent a microcosm of European society and culture in the run-up to World War One. Paul Scofield stars in this radio version of Thomas Mann’s masterpiece. 
 
First published 1901 (Buddenbrooks), 1912 (Death in Venice), 1924 (The Magic Mountain) 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Thomas Mann: Buddenbrooks, Death in Venice, The Magic Mountain

Three BBC Radio full-cast dramas

Italo Calvino

Dramatisations of Calvino’s most famous works, starring Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook, plus bonus programmes 
 
Italo Calvino was one of the 20th Century's great experimenters, who consistently pushed the boundaries of literature. His works ranged from fantasy and science fiction to folktales and neo-realism, but he is best known for If on a winter’s night a traveller, Marcovaldo and Invisible Cities. Radio adaptations of all three are collected here, alongside a comic short story by Calvino and two illuminating programmes about his ideas and writing. 
 
If on a winter’s night a traveller – Relax. Concentrate. Turn off your phone. You are about to listen to a radio adaptation of If on a winter’s night a traveller… Enter a labyrinth of ingeniously inventive audio worlds as you, the listener, turn detective in your attempts to get to the heart of the story. Prepare to become embroiled in a trans-global conspiracy of rogue translators, lost languages and disintegrating publishing houses, and be plunged into an epic caper of disappearance, double crosses and beautiful, authentic romance… Toby Jones, Indira Varma and Tim Crouch star in this reimagining of Calvino’s iconic, metafictional masterpiece. 
 
Marcovaldo – These five tales, adapted by Toby Jones from Calvino's enchanting short story collection, centre around Marcovaldo, a poor rural man living with his family in a big city in northern Italy. Included are Mushrooms in the City, Moon and Gnac, The Rain and the Leaves, The Wrong Stop and Smoke, Wind and Soap Bubbles, starring Toby Jones as the Narrator and Mackenzie Crook as Marcovaldo. 
 
Invisible Cities – Cecilia, Eusapia, Zobeide, Maurilia … Are these exotic, faraway places or just different names for the great Metropolis we all inhabit? Perhaps they are reflections of our own state of mind? In Claire Benedict’s readings from Calvino’s playful, profound novel, we voyage through the avenues and alleyways of his invisible cities – hidden cities, dead cities and cities which never end... 
 
Desire in November – Elderly porter Barbagallo’s search for winter clothes takes him into the salons of the rich – but what can Fabrizia’s furriers offer him? Tim Piggott-Smith reads this whimsical short story. 
 
Open Book: Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities – Lauren Elkin and Darran Anderson take us on a tour of the imagined cities in Calvino’s seminal work, a majestic prose-poem in which a fictional Marco Polo recalls his own intrepid travels. 
 
Three Italian Writers: Italo Calvino – Paul Bailey looks at the life and career of the prolific writer described by a contemporary as 'the squirrel with the pen’, and reflects on his inexhaustible supply of ideas, allusions and visions. With readings by Benjamin Whitrow. 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Italo Calvino: A BBC Radio Collection

If On A Winter’s Night a Traveller, Marcovaldo & Invisible Cities

Paul M. Levitt

Bob Sinfield

What drove Harry Houdini - magician, escapologist, and one of the most famous men in the world? 
 
Whether it was escaping from handcuffs, a straitjacket or from a box filled with water, Houdini wowed audiences with his seemingly death-defying performance... This BBC Radio collection shares the story behind the trickery: in two fascinating full-cast dramas about the life of Harry Houdini, and in particular his public campaign to expose fraudulent spiritual mediums. 
 
In the stunning full-cast dramatisation Houdini, a man is naked against the world, bound in chains, deprived of all help. Performing a death defying escape from a galvanised iron can, filled with water and secured with massive locks. Failure means a drowning death! This is the gripping story of the master magician, escapologist, and at the time of his death in 1926, one of the most famous men in the world. Michael Maloney stars as Houdini, with Graham Crowden as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Lorelei King as Bess. 
 
Houdini, the showman, longed to believe that he might be able to communicate beyond the grave with his beloved mother, but knew far too much about the trickery and faking of the stage to be easily convinced. The Witch of Beacon Hill is the true story of how Harry Houdini tried to debunk psychics and mediums. Attending séances in disguise, accompanied by a reporter and a police officer he debunked the most famous and celebrated Boston medium Mina Crandon, also known as ‘Margery’. This radio drama tells Margery’s story, and the story of how Houdini set out to disprove her claims. Starring Shelly Thompson as Margery and Nigel Anthony as Houdini. 
 
This double edition collection comes with a bonus episode of Harry Houdini: Escape artist and showman with Rajan Datar. Through interviews, Datar charts the life and career of the legendary Houdini, with writer and biographer Adam Begley, Dr Matthew Solomon, and Dr Katharina Rein.Cast and credits 
 HoudiniWritten by Bob SinfieldProduced by Graham PassHarry Houdini - Michael MaloneySir Arthur Conan Doyle - Graham CrowdenBess - Lorelei KingLady Conan Doyle - Gwen TaylorDash - Jack KlaffWhitehead - Dan StraussDr Steves - Dick VosburghFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 2, Oct 1996The Witch of Beacon Hill Written by Paul M LevittDirected by Martin JenkinsLeroi Crandon - John Woodvine'Margery the Medium’ - Shelly ThompsonHarry Houdini - Nigel AnthonyJames Bird - Kerry ShaleCaldwell/Rand - Vincent BrimbleGray/Munn - Brian MillerMrs Corbridge/Mrs Weiss - Helen HortonCollins/Rubin - Joe DunlopGeorge - Ian TargettCaroline Churchill/Mrs Stinson - Hilda SchroderWinifred Churchill - Barbara AtkinsonHenry/Interviewer - Paul DowningLaura - Jane SlavinFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 Sep 1989The Forum: Harry Houdini: Escape artist and showmanPresented by Rajan DatarProduced by Fiona ClampinFirst Broadcast BBC World Service, 30 Dec 2021©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Houdini & The Witch of Beacon Hill

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Historical Dramas

Alex Y. Ferguson

A lively comedy drama about a young boy growing up in 1930s Tyneside with the help of his favourite uncle 
 
Lecky Ferguson is growing up in a penniless but close-knit family in Jarrow. He relies on his imaginative Uncle Freddie for explanations of the world’s many mysteries. Packed with humour and adventure, this award-winning full-cast drama tells the life of a young man that is far from ordinary. 
 
There are adventures with new-fangled electricity and a fistfight with the rag and bone man, not to mention the time that Uncle Freddie became the Pineapple King. They meet a Romanov princess at the chippy and share a seaside trip with an exiled Leon Trotsky in a stolen tram. Plucky Lecky shoots down a biplane with his catapult and meets a mysterious French airman, and there’s also the small matter of the Prince of Wales, who they manage to rescue from the Tyne. 
 
Based on events from the author’s own childhood, Alex Y. Ferguson's hilarious and heart-warming series is both a passionate evocation of the poverty of 1930s Jarrow and a laugh-out-loud tale of a childhood full of family warmth, surreal delights and magical moments. 
 
Starring Alex Y. Ferguson as the Narrator, with Art Davies (Series 1-2) and Shaun Prendergast (Series 3-6) as Uncle Freddie, and Karl Boyd (Series 1), Simon Henderson (Series 2), Gareth Brown (Series 3-5) and Jamie Bell (Series 6) as young Lecky Ferguson. 
 
Alex Y. Ferguson is a national award-winning writer with Silver and Gold Awards from the Writers’ Guild. My Uncle Freddie, ran for six series on Radio 4 and won the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain’s Award for Comedy & Light entertainment in 1997. 
 
©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

My Uncle Freddie: The Complete Series 1-6

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Comedy Drama

Laura Smyth

A gorgeous and upbeat show all about mums, plus Laura Smyth’s award-winning Radio 4 special I Don’t Know What To SayAward-winning comedian Laura Smyth sits down with some hilarious guests to find out about their mums. In the heartfelt Your Mum Laura invites you to explore the many faces of ‘motherhood’. Grilled with such questions as how did your mum respond to your first relationship? What made her blood truly boil? What made her most proud? Delivered with Laura’s signature warm, engaging and infectious style this show will have you in stitches. With a star-studded range of guests, including Jo Brand, Russell Kane, Helen Bauer, Janine Harouni and Arlene Philips, join Laura for a nostalgic, shameless, cathartic ride that asks what (if anything) our dear old mums have taught us…This brilliant listen comes with a bonus episode of Laura’s award-winning special I Don’t Know What To Say. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer she was blown away (and highly amused) at how poorly many around her responded to the news. From pulling the wrong face, to offering medical advice sourced on YouTube we tend to put our foot in it. Laura asks why it is so difficult to say the right thing when trying to support loved ones and speaks with psychotherapist Philippa Perry to get an expert opinion. There may not be a perfect solution or ideal response, but can we all be better at knowing what to say?Cast and credits Your MumWritten and performed by Laura SmythStarring Janine Harouni, Russell Kane, Jess Fostekew, Bobby Mair, Helen Bauer, Thanyia Moore, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Olga Koch, Iain Stirling, Arlene Phillips, Jo Brand and Eshaan AkbarProduced by Sasha BobakExecutive Producer Pete StraussProduction Coordinator Katie BaumFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1st Apr - 6th May 2025 I Don’t Know What To SayWritten and performed by Laura Smyth 
Featuring Philippa PerryProduced by Sasha BobakExecutive Producer Pete StraussProduction Coordinator Katie BaumFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8th Nov 2023©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Your Mum

A BBC Radio Stand-up Comedy

Joe Orton

Selected plays by the great playwright Joe Orton, plus bonus material 
 
Joe Orton was among the towering geniuses of 1960s theatre. His life was tragically cut short in 1967, but he left behind him a handful of shocking and scabrous black comedies that will live on in the public imagination for years to come. Orton’s career was kickstarted by the BBC. John Tydeman who is widely considered to have found him when working at the BBC as an trainee. He came across an early version of The Ruffian on the Stair called The Boy Hairdresser and persuaded his seniors to let him meet him and discuss the play, there began a friendship that shaped Orton’s life. Tydeman recommended a top literary agent and the rest is history. 
 
Featured here are two of his lesser-known works, The Erpingham Camp and The Ruffian on the Stair, collected together as a double bill. The former, loosely based on Euripides’ tragedy The Bacchae, is an anarchic, subversive farce set in a holiday camp, where a group of campers decide to revolt against the dictatorial owner. It stars an ensemble cast, including Robert Daws and Jonjo O’Neill. In the latter, Orton’s breakthrough hit, an ex-boxer (Gerard Horan) and an ex-prostitute (Sophie Thompson) have their lives disrupted by a stranger (Jack Rowan). Recorded live at the BBC’s radio theatre in 2017 to mark the 50th anniversary of Orton's death, the plays are accompanied by an interview with Orton's friend, Kenneth Cranham, who discusses the Joe Orton he knew. 
 
Also featured are the darkly comic Funeral Games, starring Phil Daniels, Martin Jarvis, Tony Rohr and Liza Sadovy, which takes a sideswipe at religious hypocrisy and is considered the linking work between his two key plays, Loot and What the Butler Saw. Plus, John Sessions reads extracts from Joe Orton’s posthumously published journals in The Orton Diaries; Ned Sherrin hears from Kenneth Williams about his experiences directing Loot in Kenneth Williams on Joe Orton, and Samira Akhmed talks to guests including Orton’s sister Leonie and Sheila Hancock about the playwright’s life and legacy in Front Row: Joe Orton. 
 
Production credits 
Text copyright © Joe Orton 1964 (The Ruffian on the Stair), 1966 (The Erpingham Camp), 1968 (Funeral Games), 1986 (The Orton Diaries) 
All rights reserved 
 
The Erpingham Camp 
Erpingham – Robert Daws 
Riley – Jonjo O'Neill 
Lou – Kerry Gooderson 
Ted – Samuel James 
Kenny – Charlie Clements 
Eileen – Sarah Ridgeway 
W.E. Harrison – Tom Forrister 
Jessie Mason – Sanchia McCormack 
Padre – Simon Ludders 
Accordion Player – Colin Guthrie 
 
The Ruffian on the Stair 
Mike – Gerard Horan 
Joyce – Sophie Thompson 
Wilson – Jack Rowan 
Produced by Mary Peate 
Kenneth Cranham interview by Matthew Sweet 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 2 July 2017 
 
Funeral Games 
Caulfield – Phil Daniels 
Pringle – Martin Jarvis 
McCorquodale – Tony Rohr 
Tessa – Liza Sadovy 
Policeman – Ben Crowe 
Produced and directed by Peter Kavanagh 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 July 2008 
 
Joe Orton: The Orton Diaries 
Diary selections read by John Sessions 
Produced by Ned Chaillet 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 March 1994 
 
Kenneth Williams on Joe Orton 
With Kenneth Williams and Ned Sherrin 
Produced by Ian Gardhouse 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, September 1980 
 
Front Row: Joe Orton 
Presented by Samira Ahmed 
Produced by Ekene Akalawu 
With Leonie Orton, Emma Parker, Sally Norman, Jenna Forbes, John Lahr, Sheila Hancock, Nikolai Foster 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 August 2017 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Joe Orton: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Three Full-Cast Productions & Joe Orton’s Diaries

Graham Greene

Alan Bennett, Claire Skinner, Charles Dance and Judi Dench are among the star casts of these superlative BBC Radio productions 
 
Graham Greene was the 20th century’s master of plot, an expert chronicler of Catholic guilt, Cold War intrigue, conflict and crime. A prolific polymath, his work incorporated serious novels, thrillers, short stories, screenplays, stage plays and more. 
 
This wide-ranging box set includes the finest examples of his early work, written between 1932 and 1948, and contains over 15 hours of unmissable drama. It includes captivating adaptations of his classic novels Stamboul Train, Brighton Rock, The Confidential Agent, The Power and the Glory, The Ministry of Fear and The Heart of the Matter, performed by an array of A-list actors including Joseph Millson, Claire Skinner, Kenneth Cranham, Stephen Rea, Charles Dance, Harriet Walter and Tom Hollander. 
 
Also featured are Greene’s only original radio play, The Great Jowett, starring Alan Bennett as the titular Oxford don, and an adaptation of his BAFTA-nominated screenplay The Fallen Idol, starring acclaimed classical actor Richard Pasco and a young Judi Dench. 
 
Concluding this definitive collection are two bonus pieces. Great Lives: Graham Greene sees war reporter Tim Butcher and presenter Matthew Parris exploring the strange world of Graham Greene, and in a fascinating 1971 interview from Radio 4’s Now Read On, the author himself discusses his novels with Magnus Magnusson – and reveals which book he considers to be his best... 
 
Contents 
Stamboul Train 
Brighton Rock 
The Great Jowett 
The Confidential Agent 
The Power and the Glory 
The Ministry of Fear 
The Heart of the Matter 
The Fallen Idol 
Great Lives: Graham Greene 
Now Read On 
 
Text copyright © 1932 (Stamboul Train), 1938 (Brighton Rock), 1939 (The Great Jowett, The Confidential Agent), 1940 (The Power and the Glory), 1943 (The Ministry of Fear), 1948 (The Heart of the Matter, The Fallen Idol) 
 
With thanks to Keith Wickham of the Radio Circle for supplying several of the audio recordings. 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Graham Greene BBC Radio Drama Collection: The Early Years

Eight full-cast productions including Stamboul Train, Brighton Rock & The Power and the Glory

A definitive collection of eight full-cast BBC Radio productions, featuring stellar talent including Alex Jennings, Michael Kitchen, Ben Miles and Bernard Cribbins 
 
‘Great value for money and a fine celebration of one of the most important English authors of the second half of the Twentieth Century. Greene's stories are brought to life by some of the greatest British actors, and the final documentary giving voice to the writer is truly the icing on the cake.' – Greg Jameson, Entertainment Focus 
 
One of the foremost novelists of the last century, Graham Greene left an indelible mark on the world of fiction. In his many masterpieces, he introduced his fans to ‘Greeneland’ – a shadowy world of sin, redemption, treachery and sexual betrayal, occupied by complex, ambivalent characters. 
 
That world is brought vividly to life in these eight stunning BBC Radio productions. They represent the very best examples of his later work, written between 1951 and 1982, and together comprise nearly 17 hours of riveting drama. Included in this substantial box set are adaptations of his masterly novels The End of the Affair, Our Man in Havana, A Burnt-Out Case, The Comedians, The Honorary Consul and Monsignor Quixote, all starring a wealth of distinguished actors, among them Ben Miles, Adjoa Andoh, Michael Kitchen, Paterson Joseph, Bernard Cribbins and Philip Jackson. 
 
Here, too, are the radio versions of two of his superb stage plays. The Potting Shed, a gripping psychological drama centred around faith and family secrets, stars Dame Sybil Thorndike, who took the lead role in the original Broadway production. And in the ingenious two-hander Yes and No, Clive Francis plays the Director, with Alex Jennings as the Actor, whose only lines are ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. 
 
Plus, a bonus programme, Graham Greene at 80, sees the great author in conversation with writer and broadcaster Nigel Lewis, discussing his life and writing. It includes contributions from his biographer. Norman Sherry, and his brother, Sir Hugh Greene, as well as extracts from Greene’s work read by Ian Holm. 
 
Contents: 
The End of the Affair 
The Potting Shed 
Our Man in Havana 
A Burnt-Out Case 
The Comedians 
The Honorary Consul 
Yes and No 
Monsignor Quixote 
Greene at 80 
 
Text copyright © 1951 (The End of the Affair), 1957 (The Potting Shed), 1958 (Our Man in Havana), 1960 (A Burnt-Out Case), 1966 (The Comedians), 1973 (The Honorary Consul), 1980 (Yes and No), 1982 (Monsignor Quixote) 
 
With thanks to Keith Wickham of the Radio Circle for supplying several of the audio recordings. 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Graham Greene BBC Radio Drama Collection: The Later Years

Eight full-cast productions including The End of the Affair, Our Man in Havana &  Monsignor Quixote

Fanny Burney

A BBC radio drama adaptation of Fanny Burney’s best-known novel, plus a dramatisation of her diaries 
 
Before Jane Austen, there was Fanny Burney. In the 1780s, she was England’s most celebrated female author, having achieved extraordinary success with two hit novels. She went on to become a royal servant, marry an exile from the French Revolution and undergo a gruelling mastectomy without the aid of anaesthetic – all events chronicled in her diaries, which were published posthumously to great acclaim. Contained here are dramatisations of her first and most famous novel, and her remarkable journals and letters. 
 
Evelina – Initially published anonymously, Fanny Burney’s witty epistolary account of a young woman’s introduction to the beau monde took Georgian London by storm. Brought up by her guardian since her mother died in childbirth and her father refused to acknowledge her, Evelina has spent her childhood in rural seclusion. But a letter from her grandmother and an invitation to London lead her into the dangerous and unfamiliar world of the Ton, where she meets a collection of fops, dandies and dastardly rakes – as well as the dashing Lord Orville. Can she navigate the traps and challenges of fashionable society to find true love? Laura Doddington stars as Evelina in this 10-part dramatisation of Burney’s satirical comedy of manners. 
 
Dear Little Burney – Beginning in 1778, when Evelina catapulted Fanny Burney to fame, this 15-part adaptation of her letters and diaries vividly portrays the most momentous events of her extraordinary life. From adjusting to her sudden celebrity to becoming wardrobe mistress to Queen Charlotte, witnessing George III’s madness, spending ten years in France during the Napoleonic Wars and enduring an agonising operation, we are swept up in her joys, anxieties and disappointments – and given an intimate glimpse into everyday life in 18th century London and Paris. Starring Juliet Aubrey as Fanny, with Timothy West, Eleanor Bron, Robert Whelan and June Barrie. 
 
Evelina first published in 1778 
Diaries and letters first published 1842-1846 
 
Production credits 
Written by Fanny Burney 
Adapted by Jennifer Howarth 
Produced and directed by Sara Davies 
 
Cast 
Evelina 
Evelina – Laura Doddington 
Mr Villars – Philip Manikum 
Caroline/Mrs Mirvan/Prostitute – Jacqueline Tong 
Lady Howard/Mrs Selwyn – Phyllida Nash 
Mr Lovel/Mr McCartney – John Mackay 
Lord Orville – Ian Kelly 
Sir Clement Willoughby – Andrew Collins 
Captain Mirvan/Sir John Belmont – Mark Buffery 
Madame Duval – Stephanie Cole 
Mr Branghton – Chris Harris 
Tom Branghton – Stuart Crossman 
Polly Esther – Ruth Elliott 
Monsieur du Bois/Officer/Coachman – James Anderson 
 
 
Dear Little Burney 
Fanny – Juliet Aubrey 
George III – Timothy West 
Queen Charlotte – Eleanor Bron 
Susan – Kate Seaward 
Dr Burney – Robert Whelan 
Charles/George – Chris Garner 
MrsThrale – Liz Morgan 
Mr Fairly/Mr Kemble – Andrew Hilton 
Prince of Wales – Andrew Collins 
Mrs De!any/Mrs Siddons – June Barrie 
Lowndes – David Collins 
Gent!eman – Paul Dodgson 
Miss Dewe – Caitlin Hobbs 
Dr Johnson – Bill Wallis 
Mrs Schwellenberg – Kim Hicks 
d'Arblay – Thierry Harcourt 
With Cornelius Garrett, Claire Marchionne, Angela Barlow, Ric Jerrom, Rob Hutchinson and Joshua Boyden 
 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Evelina & Dear Little Burney

Two BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

Louisa May Alcott

Dramatisations of Louisa May Alcott’s evergreen classic and its sequel, plus her Gothic tour de force about an orphan girl and her controlling guardian 
 
Born in 1832 in Pennsylvania, Louisa May Alcott was best known for Little Women, her phenomenal bestseller loosely based on her childhood experiences with her own sisters. Adapted numerous times for stage and screen, it is dramatised here alongside her follow-up novel Good Wives and the thrilling sensation story A Marble Woman. 
 
Little Women – With their father away fighting in the American Civil War, the four March sisters and their mother are facing a frugal Christmas in their New England home. But their close bond and determination to make the best of things enables them to find happiness despite their poverty. As they forge their path in the adult world, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy will encounter adventure, challenges, joys and disappointments – and while marriage and motherhood may beckon, their most enduring love is always for each other. Natasha J Barnes, Julianna Jennings, Bryony Hannah and Samantha Dakin star in this iconic coming-of-age tale. 
 
Good Wives– Now young women, the March girls meet with triumph and tragedy in this classic sequel to Little Women. Following Meg’s wedding, Jo finds success with her writing and Amy heads to Europe – but Beth’s health is failing, and her spirits are low. As the family face their greatest sorrow together and look to the future, Jo writes the story of their life – and finds true love at last… Starring Jemma Redgrave, Buffy Davis, Anne Marie Zola, Kara Zediker and Gayle Hunnicutt. 
 
A Marble Woman – Recently orphaned, Cecilia Stein turns up at the door of genius sculptor Bazil Yorke. Her dying mother had told her that Yorke was an old friend, and to trust his kindness. But the reclusive bachelor has neither forgiven nor forgotten his rejection by Cecilia’s mother, and decides to revenge himself by punishing his new ward. Insisting that she must submit her life to art and restrain all her emotions, he strives to turn her into his own creation – but can he control his own heart? Sexual repression, opium addiction and love collide in this dark Gothic tale, starring Bill Paterson and Amanda Root. 
 
First published 1865 (A Marble Woman), 1868 (Little Women), 1869 (Good Wives) 
 
Cast and credits 
 
Little Women 
Cast: Natasha J Barnes, Julianna Jennings, Bryony Hannah, Samantha Dakin, Tara Ward, John Bowler, Alex Lanipekun, Finlay Robertson, Joanna Monro, Alison Belbin, Karen Bartke, 
Natasha Cowley, Keziah Joseph, Luke MacGregor, Catriona McFarlane, Gunnar Cauthery 
Dramatised by Rhiannon Tise 
Directed by Tracey Neale 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16-27 January 2017 
 
Good Wives 
Cast: Gayle Hunnicutt, Jemma Redgrave, Buffy Davis, Anne Marie Zola, Kara Zediker, Marcus D'Amico, Don Fellows, John Guerrasio, Margaret Robertson, Alibe Parsons, Adam Henderson, 
Helen Horton, Lorelei King, David Holt, Tamsin Hollo, Faith Brook, Jill Graham, Toni G Barry, 
Melanie Hudson, Jonathan Tafler, Martin Jarvis, John Church, Andrew Wincott 
Dramatised by Marcy Kahan 
Directed by Marilyn Imrie 
First broadcast Radio 4, 11 February-18 March 1993 
 
A Marble Woman 
Cast: Bill Paterson, Amanda Root, John McArdle, Charles De'Ath, Sarah Parkes, Geoffrey Banks, 
Becky Simpson, Robert Pollard 
Dramatised by Lavinia Murray 
Produced by Pauline Harris 
First broadcast Radio 4, 8 April 2000 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Little Women, Good Wives & A Marble Woman

Three BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

Oliver Goldsmith

Full-cast BBC adaptations of Oliver Goldsmith’s two most famous works 
 
Anglo-Irish author Oliver Goldsmith was one of the most accomplished writers of the 18th century. A novelist, playwright, poet and essayist, he came to fame with his novel The Vicar of Wakefield and comic play She Stoops to Conquer. Both those classics are included here, with star casts including Julia McKenzie, Amanda Root, Peter Jeffrey and Sunny Ormonde. 
 
She Stoops to Conquer – Misunderstandings and mistaken identity are at the heart of this funny, farcical comedy of manners, in which a London gentleman looking for love finds himself the butt of a mischievous prank. Shy young Marlow comes to court Kate Hardcastle at her father’s house in the Yorkshire Dales, but is fooled into believing that Liberty Hall is an inn and his prospective bride a barmaid. Luckily for both, while Marlow is tongue-tied in the presence of a lady, he can be his charming, confident self with a commoner – and the sassy, independent Kate is happy to pretend, if it means she can win his heart... 
 
The Vicar of Wakefield – Part morality tale, part satire of the sentimental novel, Goldsmith’s 1766 masterpiece recounts the humorous adventures of the naive, ever-optimistic Rev Charles Primrose, who lives contentedly in the countryside with his wife and six children. When he loses his fortune to a swindler, he sets off with his despairing family through storms and floods to embrace a life of poverty in a rural Pennine parish. But as disaster piles upon calamity, the vicar finds his faith severely tested – can he face up to adversity and come through unscathed? 
 
 
She Stoops to Conquer 
Mrs Hardcastle – Julia McKenzie 
Mr Hardcastle – Clive Francis 
Kate Hardcastle – Amanda Root 
Tony Lumpkin – Adrian Scarborough 
Sir Charles Marlow – Norman Rodway 
Young Marlow – Martin Ball 
Hastings – Jonathan Cake 
Constance Neville – Cathy Sara 
Landlord/Jeremy – Terry Molloy 
Diggory/Master Muggins – Ian Brooker 
Pimple/Barmaid – Naomi Harris 
Roger/Master Slang – Richard Neale 
Adapted and directed by Sue Wilson 
Music composed and performed by Anthea Gomez (piano) with Martha Ann Brooks (trombone) and Katherine Gittings (violin) 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 18 June 2000 
 
The Vicar of Wakefield 
Rev Charies Primrose – Peter Jeffrey 
Deborah Primrose – Sunny Ormonde 
Squire Thornhill – Michael Cochrane 
Burchell – Anthony Pedley 
Lady Blarney – Tina Gray 
Miss Skeggs – Sara Coward 
Ephraim Jenkinson – Christopher Scott 
Olivia Primrose – Susan Jeffrey 
George Primrose – Iwan Thomas 
Arabella Wilmot – Lisa Kay 
Sophia Primrose – Laura Strachan 
Moses Primrose – James Richard 
Farmer Flamborough – Terry Molloy 
Actor/Innkeeper – John Webb 
Actress/Landlady – Gillian Goodman 
Gaoler – Kim Durham 
Adapted by Christopher Denys 
Directed by Sue Wilson 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3-17 October 1999 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

She Stoops to Conquer & The Vicar of Wakefield

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Productions

Writer Colette’s classic works brought to life in a unique audio collection 
Listen for the first time to this stunning collection of five of Colette’s most celebrated works, compiled and created by BBC Radio. French author and woman of letters, Colette is best known for her 1944 novella Gigi, which became the stage musical launching the career of Audrey Hepburn. Known for her frank, direct and honest way of writing about women and female friendships, Colette’s stories champion the female perspective and all feature strong women protagonists. Considered immoral and shocking at the time, her works are now cherished as a fresh insight into the female experience of the era and she is celebrated for the sheer quality of her writing. This exclusive collection includes, Gigi, Cheri, Claudine at School, The Vagabond and Sido and features performances from Lindsay Duncan (Sherlock, Starter for 10, Doctor Who), Paul Ritter (Friday Night Dinner), Frances Barber, Brigit Forsyth and Dame Peggy Ashcroft. Also included is a bonus edition of In Our Time, hosted by Melvyn Bragg as he and guests discuss Colette, her life, her works and her significant cultural impact.In the classic Gigi, we follow the story of a young woman in Paris, who is being groomed by her grandmother for the life of a courtesan. Cheri is a semi-autobiographical story following an enduring love affair between a courtesan and a man half her age. Claudine at School Heavy with erotic over tones, this full cast dramatisation explores the life of the enchanting Claudine as she navigates her journey to womanhood. The Vagabond tells the story of a divorcée dancer in a Paris music hall, she is pursued by a wealthy admirer. Will she allow herself to fall in love a second time?Finally, Dame Peggy Ashcroft narrates Sido, based on Colette’s memories of her own mother.Text copyright © Colette 1900 (Claudine at School), 1910 (Vagabond), 1920 (Cheri), 1929 (Sido), 1944 (Gigi)Gigi Translated from the French and adapted by Barbara Bray 
Produced by Raymond RaikesCast: Margaret Robertson, Margaret Rawlings, Carol Marsh, Robert Hardy, Hilda Kriseman, Ian Thompson, Isabel JeansCheriDirected by Pauline HarrisCast: Lindsay Duncan, Joseph Millson, Frances Barber, Brigit Forsyth, Laura Harding, Conrad Nelson, Judith DavisClaudine at SchoolAdapted by Yvonne MitchellProduced and directed by Liane AukinCast: Fidelis Morgan, Rosalind Adams, Anne Rosenfeld, Jean Rogers, Nigel Lambert, Diana Bishop, Joan Matheson, Carole Hayman, Haydn Jones, Pamela Moiseiwitsch, Shane Briant,Michael Harbour, Peter Howell, Timothy Bateson, Edward KelseyThe VagabondDramatised by Charlotte CoryDirected by Mary PeateCast: Clare Higgins, Paul Ritter, Allan Corduner, David Thorpe, Jasmine HydeSido Abridged by B. J. SalmonRead by Dame Peggy AshcroftIn our Time – ColettePresented by Melvyn Bragg.Text copyright © Colette 1900 (Claudine at School), 1910 (Vagabond), 1920 (Cheri), 1929 (Sido), 1944 (Gigi)©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Colette: Gigi, Cheri and more

A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Tony Bagley

All twelve episodes of the rom-com serial with a twist, starring Martin Clunes, Zoë Wanamaker and Geraldine James 
 
Roy Hitchcock is a provincial hack journalist and inveterate daydreamer. When he meets his former English teacher at his old school&rsquo;s prize-giving ceremony, his private fantasies run wild and he sets out to capture her heart. Unfortunately, his attempts to get in Miss Callaghan&rsquo;s good books constantly backfire &ndash; and the more he apologises, the less impressed she is. There&rsquo;s also another major obstacle in his path, in the macho form of Jane&rsquo;s current lover, media hero Chad Mann. 
 
As Roy battles on against the odds, things go from bad to worse, and he finds himself jobless, rejected and about to have his house repossessed. But when his video diary is transmitted by a TV company, his emotional turmoil is revealed to the world. Will it finally win Jane over? 
 
Created by Tony Bagley (Married, Rubbish) and based on his own real-life experiences, this romantic comedy drama with a touch of the surreal stars Martin Clunes as Roy and Zoë Wanamaker and Geraldine James as Jane. Among the supporting cast are Toyah Willcox, David Troughton, Nicky Henson, Rebecca Front and Alistair McGowan, and Paul Vaughan and Dr Anthony Clare make special guest appearances as themselves. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Tony Bagley 
Produced by Paul Schlesinger 
Music composed by Julian Wastall 
Theme sung by Toyah Willcox 
 
Cast 
Jane Callaghan &ndash; Zoë Wanamaker/Geraldine James 
Roy Hitchcock &ndash; Martin Clunes 
Various roles played by Toyah Wilcox, David Troughton, Nicky Henson, Keith Drinkel, Sue Roderick, Melanie Hudson, Susannah Corbett, David Holt, Geoff McGivern, Steve Hodson/Simon Treves, John Baddeley, Peter Serafinowicz, Rebecca Front, Alistair McGowan, Paul Panting, Matthew Morgan, Jonathan Adams, Bryan Dick, Linda Polan, Philip Anthony, Tilly Vosburgh 
Also featuring Paul Vaughan and Dr Anthony Clare as themselves 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 12 Jan-16 Feb 1993 (Series 1), 16 Aug-20 Sep 1994 (Series 2) 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Older Woman: The Complete Series 1 and 2

A BBC Radio Sitcom

August Strindberg

A comprehensive selection of August Strindberg&rsquo;s finest works, featuring an all-star cast and original music 
 
Hailed by Arthur Miller as &lsquo;the mad inventor of modern theatre&rsquo;, Johan August Strindberg was a Swedish playwright, poet and novelist whose groundbreaking works mingled naturalism and psychology and paved the way for Expressionist drama. A prolific writer &ndash; penning over 60 plays, 19 novels and nine autobiographies &ndash; his turbulent life was marked by emotional conflict. This wide-ranging collection brings together 13 of his most important dramas and a semi-autobiographical &lsquo;occult diary&rsquo;, enhanced through stunning soundscapes and music composed by Strindberg himself. 
 
First up is his debut play, the 1872 historical drama Master Olof. Influenced by Ibsen&rsquo;s Brand, it centres around a revolutionary 16th-century priest&rsquo;s defiance of the Catholic Church and the monarchy. It is followed by The Father, whose focus is paternity and the battle for power between a husband and wife. Sexuality and social class are scrutinised in a retelling of Strindberg&rsquo;s classic play Miss Julie, placed in a Scottish context, while in Creditors, a Swedish seaside resort is the setting for marriage-wrecking revenge. Also set by the sea, Strindberg&rsquo;s black comedy of manners Playing with Fire explores a love triangle between a young couple and their close friend. 
 
Begun in 1898 while Strindberg was recovering from a breakdown, To Damascus is a symbolic synthesis of his marital, religious and existential struggles. Erik XIV portrays the last years of the titular King of Sweden&rsquo;s reign, as the increasingly unstable ruler becomes embroiled in a bitter feud with the nobility. Next is Ingmar Bergman&rsquo;s version of A Dream Play, Strindberg&rsquo;s oneiric fantasy exploring human suffering and life&rsquo;s illusions. Easter tells the redemptive tale of a family fearing ruin who instead find hope, forgiveness and mercy. Performed for the first time in English, The Virgin Bride centres on a wedding that could reconcile two rival families &ndash; but can the bride prove her chastity by wearing a bridal crown? Following their father&rsquo;s death, a brother and sister discover disturbing truths about their mother in The Pelican, and in The Ghost Sonata, adultery, murder and deceit are laid bare in the house of the living dead&hellip; 
 
Our final piece, Strindberg&rsquo;s dark prose poem Inferno, recounts his experiments in alchemy and black magic, his sojourn in hell and his quest for faith and love. It is narrated by Alan Badel. 
 
These outstanding dramas feature star casts including Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Andrew Garfield, Rory Kinnear, Maurice Denham, Martin Jarvis, Trevor Howard, Peggy Ashcroft, Stephen Murray, Judy Bennett, Frank Finlay, Ian Richardson, Janet McTeer and Dorothy Tutin. 
 
First published 1872 (Master Olof), 1887 (The Father), 1888 (Miss Julie), 1889 (Creditors), 1892 (Playing with Fire), 1898-1904 (To Damascus), 1899 (Erik XIV), 1901 (A Dream Play, Easter, The Virgin Bride), 1907 (The Pelican), 1908 (The Ghost Sonata), 1912 (Inferno) 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio, 1968-2005 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The August Strindberg BBC Radio Collection

13 Full-Cast Productions including Miss Julie, The Father and The Dream Play

Simon Bovey

Four gripping sci-fi adventures from acclaimed scriptwriter Simon Bovey 
 
Simon Bovey is an established writer and director who has penned numerous compelling dramas for BBC Radio. Collected here are four of his sensational sci-fi tales, packed with mystery, suspense and terror... 
 
Cold Blood – Recorded in 2005 but set in 2015, this chilling serial follows a group of scientists conducting research in Antarctica. Once the most pristine environment in the world, this icy wilderness has become gold rush country. Biotechnology companies have raced to unravel the secrets of life in a cold climate, drawn by the lure of lightning in a bottle. Now someone’s captured it – and a killer is on the loose… Starring Tom Mannion, Tim McMullan, Ndidi Del Fatti, Helen Longworth and Stuart McLoughlin. 
 
The Voice of God – Investigating a series of mysterious Australian earthquakes, seismologist Sam Rideout and her outback guide, Joshua, make a sinister discovery when they track the tremors to their epicentre inside an old British nuclear test site. Joshua is Aboriginal, and Maralinga is a sacred place to his people. But it also happens to be a top-secret facility, researching a sonic super-weapon that could lead to global catastrophe… Clare Corbett, Matthew Dyktinski, Geoffrey Beevers and David Thorpe star in this tense apocalyptic thriller serial. 
 
Slipstream – It’s 1945, and the Allies are on course to win the war. But then an unidentified Nazi aircraft appears: silver, disc-shaped and capable of astonishing speed. When it shoots down 150 RAF bombers, Major Barton and his British Commando unit are sent on a dangerous mission to investigate… Rory Kinnear, Tim McMullan, Ben Crowe, Joannah Tincey and Rachel Atkins star in this action-packed serial set during World War II. 
 
Hive Mind – Written in 2010, this dystopian eco-drama is set in 2019, in a world where honeybees are officially extinct. Their role now falls to an army of seasonal migrant workers, hired by farmers like Sam Clark to pollinate crops by hand. It’s a costly, labour-intensive process, so when a new technological solution is developed in the form of tiny artificial ‘bees’, Sam jumps at the chance to try it. But the arrival of the Honeybots proves anything but ideal… Starring Tony Bell and Ania Sowinski, with Michael Shelford, Alison Pettitt, David Seddon and Lloyd Thomas. 
 
 
Written by Simon Bovey 
Directed by Marc Beeby 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Cold Blood & other stories

Four Full-Cast BBC Radio Sci-Fi Thrillers

Steven Appleby

All twelve episodes of the absurdist series based on Steven Appleby’s comic strip – plus a Christmas Special'No one is more talented or original' Richard Ingrams, SpectatorCartoonist Steven Appleby asks where reality ends and fantasy begins, as he gives us his distinctly abnormal insights into everyday life. In these two series, he takes a look at a few of life’s fundamental topics, including Love, Death, Science, Truth and Oceanography.From seeking romance when his wife elopes with the electric kettle to searching for the hidden meaning of life, said to be written on a sausage, he takes us on a personal journey through his memories, experiences, dreams and fantasies to reveal his own idiosyncratic version of normality.Along the way, he discovers that his kids are actually alien tourists visiting Earth on a rowdy package holiday; signs a pact with the Devil to to reverse the ageing process (and look more like Richard Burton), undergoes surgery to explore his brain’s inner workings; and proves once and for all that dinosaurs could read, write and ride bicycles. But will his attempts to tell the absolute truth prove to be a less-than-wise career move?Also included is a festive special episode, Steven Appleby’s Normal Christmas, in which Steven meets Santa and learns that Christmas isn’t just about receiving...Paul McCrink and Mark Perry star as Steven, with Steven Appleby as himself and Rachel Atkins, Ewan Bailey, Nigel Betts and Rosalind Paul as the figments of his imagination.CreditsWritten by Steven ApplebyCover drawing by Steven ApplebyProduced by Toby SwiftStarring Paul McCrink and Mark Perry as Steven and featuring Rachel Atkins, Ewan Bailey, Nigel Betts, Rosalind Paul and Steven ApplebyFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 8 August-12 September 2001 (Series 1), 19 February-26 March 2003 (Series 2), 23 December 2004 (Steven Appleby’s Normal Christmas)© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Steven Appleby's Normal Life: The Complete Series 1 and 2

A BBC Radio 4 Sitcom

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

Bruce Chatwin

A collection of full-cast dramas and readings from the giant of travel writing – plus a bonus documentary 
 
Author and adventurer Bruce Chatwin was one of the 20th Century’s most charismatic writers. His first book, In Patagonia, changed the face of travel writing and made him a literary sensation. Collected here are dramatisations and readings of some of his best-known work, as well as a bonus programme shedding light on his relationships and writing. 
 
In Patagonia – Chatwin’s picaresque masterpiece has been described as ‘probably the most influential travel book written since the war’. This transportive dramatisation stars Russell Tovey as a writer on a quest to the very end of the world in search of mythical beasts. 
 
On the Black Hill – Recorded on location in the Black Mountains, this is the moving tale of the lifelong bond between two identical twins, and their unbreakable tie to the land they farm. Ioan Meredith stars as Lewis and Benjamin Jones. 
 
What Am I Doing Here? – Patrick Malahide reads five essential pieces taken from Chatwin’s posthumous collection of essays. In 'The Volga', ‘Your Father’s Eyes Are Blue Again’, ‘The Bey’, ‘The Albatross’ and 'Konstantin Melnikov', we are taken on a cruise down Russia's great brown waterway on the Maxim Gorky, hear of hope regained, and share a toast to fantastic projects realised and unrealised. 
 
The Songlines – Michael Siberry reads this 10-part abridged account of Chatwin’s travels across Australia in search of the Aboriginal ‘songlines’: invisible pathways that are both intricate sources of personal identity and territorial markers. 
 
The Essay: Postcards: Bruce Chatwin – Chatwin’s editor and biographer Susannah Clapp looks through the postcards she received from him over the years, reflecting on what these missives reveal about the iconic writer. 
 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Bruce Chatwin 
 
Text copyright © Bruce Chatwin 1977 (In Patagonia), 1982 (On the Black Hill), 1987 (The Songlines) 
What Am I Doing Here? copyright © The Estate of Bruce Chatwin 1989 
 
In Patagonia 
Cast: Russell Tovey, David Sterne, Noni Lewis, Hasan Dixon, Melissa Vaughan, Ewan Bailey, Florencia Cordeu, Helen Schlesinger, Julio Galán 
Directed by Ciaran Bermingham 
Adapted by Sebastian Bazckiewicz 
Production Co-ordinator: Jenny Mendez 
Piano: Satoshi Kubo 
Sound: Keith Graham and Jenni Burnett 
With thanks to Susannah Clapp 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 Aug 2023 
 
On the Black Hill 
Cast: Ioan Meredith, Gwen Watford, Ian Hogg, Robin Davies, Gerald James, June Barrie, Dorien Thomas, Sue Broomfield, Sue Soames, Peter Howell, Huw Tudor, Matthew Routley, Simon Price, Claire Watkins, Sian Watkins 
Directed on location in the Black Mountains by Adrian Mourby, BBC Wales 
Dramatised by Charles Way with Robert Blythe 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2 Mar 1987 
 
The Volga 
Read by Patrick Malahide 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 11-12 May 1989 
 
What Am I Doing Here? 
Read by Patrick Malahide 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 3 Sep 1990 
 
Konstantin Melnikov 
Read by Patrick Malahide 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 10 Sep 1990 
 
The Songlines 
Abridged in ten episodes by David Buck 
Read by Michael Siberry 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 Jun-3 Jul 1987 
 
The Essay: Postcards: Bruce Chatwin 
Presented by Susannah Clapp 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 1 Jul 2009 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Bruce Chatwin: A BBC Radio Collection

In Patagonia & 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

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

Peter Ackroyd

Stunning all-star adaptations of Ackroyd's intriguing London stories 
 
A superb collection of dramas guaranteed to thrill and entertain from best-selling author Peter Ackroyd. Set in the heart of London, these star-studded adaptations feature parallel investigations into killings across two centuries, black magic, haunted houses, holy ghosts and a stunning performance by Simon Callow as the magnificent Charles Dickens. 
 
Novelist, biographer and critic, Peter Ackroyd, has cemented his place at the heart of the culture and history of London. This fantastic collection is full of vitality from a world-class author and stellar cast. 
 
Hawksmoor - London, 1711: Nicholas Dyer, an 18th-century architect, builds churches to the glory of God, but he is hiding a dreadful purpose. Nicholas Hawksmoor, a detective in contemporary London, is called to investigate a series of brutal murders. The key lies deep in the past, but will the detective be able to solve the case before another life is lost...? Philip Jackson, best known for his role as Chief Inspector Japp in the TV and radio productions of Poirot, stars in the title role. 
 
The House of Doctor Dee - Matthew Palmer is left an old house in London's Clerkenwell. Once owned by an Elizabethan scholar who was reputedly involved in black magic, the house hides dark secrets. Featuring Philip Glenister, best known for his role in Life on Mars and Eastenders' Tracy-Ann Oberman. 
 
The City Speaks - A unique series of dramas based on Ackroyd's short story in which the Virgin Mary makes an appearance in the City of London. The stories range from humorous to highly emotional, from heart-warming to bizarre: Canary Wharf resembles the Emerald City, voodoo goddesses wander the streets of East London casting evil before them, and a tube station exists beneath the capital, but doesn't appear on any map... Featuring Peter Marinker, Adjoa Andoh and Jamie Foreman. 
The City Speaks was a co-production between BBC Radio Drama and Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network (FLAMIN). 
 
The Mystery of Charles Dickens - Simon Callow delivers an outstanding performance of Peter Ackroyd's one-man show portraying both Charles Dickens and many of his best-loved characters. Readings from his novels interweave with Dickens' own words in an incisive, compassionate and unforgettable journey. This collection features an exclusive introduction by Simon Callow. 
 
©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Tales of London: Hawksmoor and others

Four BBC Radio 4 Dramas

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

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

Harriet O'Carroll

Jenny Howarth

Sophia Hillan

Vanessa Rosenthal

Maura Dooley

You've finished all her novels, so where do you go after Pride and Prejudice? 
 
Perfect for Janeites everywhere, this enticing collection brings together for the first time six special recordings that offer a glimpse behind the scenes at the life of the celebrated author. Taking us on a journey from her earliest teenage writings, to her love affair aged 20, to the scandalous arrest of her aunt which shook her family, these fascinating programmes offer a closer look at Jane Austen and those around her, as seen through her letters, writings and final home. 
 
Juvenile Jane - Jane Austen's delightfully precocious and revealing early works are celebrated by Austen expert Janet Todd and writer and illustrator Posy Simmonds. Anna Maxwell Martin reads extracts from three stories: 'Frederick and Elfrida', 'Henry and Eliza' and 'Love and Freindship'[sic]. 
 
Minuet - The story of Jane Austen's real-life romance with an impassioned but impoverished young Irishman, which fueled her desire to become a writer. Helen McCrory stars as Jane Austen and John Light as Tom Lefroy in this original drama by Harriet O'Carroll. 
 
A City Full of Swindlers - 1799, Bath. Accused of shoplifting a piece of lace, Jane Austen's aunt is arrested and imprisoned... Narrated by Cassandra Austen (Lucy Black), this shocking tale reveals Georgian Bath to be a much less decorous place than it appears in her sister Jane's novels. Based on a true story, Jenny Howarth's entertaining drama also stars Tim Pigott-Smith and Pamela Miles. 
 
Portrait of Elizabeth - Inspired by the Portrait of Elizabeth Bridges Austen at the Jane Austen's House Museum, Chawton, Sophia Hillan's short story is told from the point of view of Jane's elder brother Edward's wife. It is 1808, and Elizabeth has just given birth to her 11th child. Suffering from fever and unaware that she is dying, she rails at the thought of having Jane attend her. But why is she so angry with her sister-in-law? Read by Laura Carmichael. 
 
No Ice in Weymouth - This 5-part series is a portrait of the family, social and professional world of Jane Austen, as seen through her letters and novels. Beginning in 1813, when Pride and Prejudice is about to be published, it concludes in 1815 in the months leading up to the publication of Emma. Starring Susannah Harker as Jane and Oona Beeson as Cassandra. 
 
A Quire of Paper: A Poem for Jane Austen and Her House - In 2016, Maura Dooley was poet-in-residence at the Jane Austen's House Museum, where Austen lived for the last eight years of her life. This atmospheric programme interweaves the sounds of the house, garden and village with specially composed poetry set against the rich history of this iconic place. 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jane Austen: A Portrait

Alexander Pushkin

Dramatisations and readings of Pushkin's most famous works - plus biographical programmes and an original play based on his life 
 
One of Russia's most iconic poets, Alexander Pushkin is often described as the 'father of Russian literature'. A gambler, playboy and social reformer, he was exiled by the Tsar for his controversial poetry and died aged 37 in a duel defending his wife's honour. 
 
This BBC Radio anthology opens with full-cast dramatisations of his two masterpieces, Eugene Onegin and The Bronze Horseman, both set against the backdrop of his turbulent life. The former, set the night before the fateful duel, sees Pushkin (Geoffrey Streitfeild) telling his wife the story of St Petersburg socialite Onegin, his best friend, and the woman who loves him. In the latter, starring Max Irons, Pushkin's epic poem symbolising the battle between Tsar and citizen is interspersed with scenes depicting his own parallel struggles with state power. 
 
The inspiration for Rachmaninov's opera Aleko, The Gypsies is a powerful exploration in narrative verse of the conflict between freedom and love. Zemfira brings Aleko, a man running from the law, home to meet her father, but life in a gypsy camp is more challenging than he imagined. Read by Ralph Fiennes, Alex Jennings and Gabrielle Glaister. 
 
Set during the 'Time of Troubles' in the early 1600s, Pushkin's only full-length play, Boris Godunov, is a historical drama about the Russian ruler Boris Godunov, who was Tsar from 1598 to 1605. It features a stellar cast including Alan Howard, Bill Nighy and Jane Lapotaire. 
 
His 'little tragedy', Mozart and Salieri, tells of the rivalry between Mozart and Antonio Salieri, who was rumoured to have been behind Mozart's early death. Starring Paul Scofield as Salieri and Simon Callow as Mozart. 
 
Also included are four superb short stories - 'The Snowstorm', starring Janet Maw and Michael Maloney, 'The Squire's Daughter', read by Hattie Morahan, 'The Queen of Spades', featuring Moira Lister, Greg Wise and Amanda Root, and 'The Golden Cockerel', read by Alec McCowen. 
 
Finally, two bonus features chart Pushkin's extraordinary life and legacy. Soul of Fire: Alexander Pushkin 1799-1837 comprises three hours of music, drama and biography, as presenter Gerard McBurney visits the places that were formative influences on Pushkin, and introduces dramatised excerpts from his work and operatic adaptations by Tchaikovsky, Glinka and Mussorgsky. And in the original drama Cloudberries, starring Linus Roache as Pushkin, poet Elaine Feinstein tells the story of the great Russian author, from his unhappy childhood to his untimely death. 
 
Contents 
Eugene Onegin 
The Bronze Horseman 
The Gypsies 
Boris Godunov 
Mozart and Salieri 
'The Snowstorm' 
'The Squire's Daughter' 
'The Queen of Spades' 
'The Golden Cockerel' 
Soul of Fire: Alexander Pushkin 1799-1837 
Cloudberries 
 
First published 1824 (The Gypsies), 1825 (Boris Godunov), 1830 (Mozart and Salieri), 1831 ('The Snowstorm', 'The Squire's Daughter'), 1833 (Eugene Onegin, The Bronze Horseman), 1834 ('The Queen of Spades', 'The Golden Cockerel') 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Alexander Pushkin BBC Radio Collection

Including Eugene Onegin, Boris Godunov & The Queen of Spades

Sebastian Baczkiewicz

Kate Clanchy

Five dazzling plays showcasing characters from the reign of biblical King David 
 
In these fascinating, moving and insightful plays, a different light is shone on the famous biblical King. From the original mission of King Saul to find the shepherd boy after Samuel's prophecy, to David's final days of sickness and neglect, and taking in his days of war raids and spying as well as his loves and losses as his wives battle for status and attention, the tales bring to life a man who all too often is a figure of myth rather than a flawed and passionate human. 
 
Featuring a rich cast including Sheridan Smith (The Royale Family, Cilla, Gavin & Stacey), Linda Bassett (Call the Midwife, Lark Rise to Candleford), David Calder (The Lovecraft Investigations, Conclave), Claire Rushbrook (Whitechapel, Secrets & Lies), Adam Levy (Industry, The Witcher) and Christopher Godwin (The Dig, The Miniaturist). 
 
True Anointed 
Eleazar - David Calder 
David - Adam Levy 
Goliath - Ewan Bailey 
Saul - Gerard Murphy 
Samuel - John Bennett 
Jesse - David Timson 
Agag - Christopher Godwin 
Michal - Claire Rushbrook 
Other parts were played by Sarah Paul and Carl Prekopp 
Music by Sylvia Hallett 
Musicians - Dirk Campbell, Paul Clarvis, Sylvia Hallett 
Written by Sebastian Baczkiewicz 
Directed by Jeremy Mortimer 
 
Hazar's Chicken 
Bone - Tony Marshall 
David - Adam Levy 
Abner - David Timson 
Hazar - Ewan Bailey 
Abigail - Helen Longworth 
Saul - Gerard Murphy 
Jonathan - Carl Prekopp 
Head Man - Christopher Godwin 
Music by Sylvia Hallett 
Musicians - Dirk Campbell, Paul Clarvis, Sylvia Hallett 
Written by Sebastian Baczkiewicz 
Directed by Jeremy Mortimer 
 
The Loved One 
Anat - Ann Mitchell 
Young Anat - Gemma Saunders 
Saul - Gerard Murphy 
Abaiathar - Ewan Bailey 
Sweet - David Timson 
Samuel - John Bennett 
Eleazar - David Calder 
Music by Sylvia Hallett 
Musicians - Dirk Campbell, Paul Clarvis, Sylvia Hallett 
Written by Sebastian Baczkiewicz 
Directed by David Hunter 
 
Michal, Saul's Daughter 
Eglah - Sheridan Smith 
Michal - Claire Rushbrook 
Abigail - Caroline Langrishe 
Servant - Ewan Bailey 
Music by Sylvia Hallett 
Musicians - Dirk Campbell, Paul Clarvis, Sylvia Hallett 
Written by Kate Clanchy 
Directed by Jeremy Mortimer 
 
 
Abishag the Virgin 
Bathsheba - Linda Bassett 
Abishag - Alison Pettitt 
Nathan - Christopher Godwin 
David - David Timson 
Music by Sylvia Hallett 
Musicians - Dirk Campbell, Paul Clarvis, Sylvia Hallett 
Written by Kate Clanchy 
Directed by David Hunter 
 
Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4: 
15 January - 12 February 2002 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Kings

Five BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramas

The year is 1Q84. This is the real world, there is no doubt about that. But in this world, there are two moons in the sky. Discover the 1Q84 Trilogy by Haruki Murakami.

1Q84

365 Days of Art

A BBC Christmas

A Black Book Thriller

A Box Full of Murders

A Cal Leandros Novel

A Christmas Mystery

The intelligent and capable police commissioner Guido Brunetti confronts crime in and around his home town of Venice.

A Commissario Brunetti Mystery

A DC Smith / Kings Lake Investigation Series

A Daisy Story

Chronicling the lives of over three hundred characters, unrivalled for its scope and humour, this is a unique evocation of life in twentieth-century England.

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