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Patricia Highsmith

Strangers on a Train

Strangers on a Train

A BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation

Summary

A suspenseful full-cast BBC radio adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's classic psychological thriller

When Guy Haines meets Charles Bruno in the dining car of a Texas-bound train, they share their secrets in the way that only strangers can. Charles confides his hatred for his controlling father, Guy confesses that he is divorcing his unfaithful wife. As the drink flows and the conversation turns darker, Charles proposes the perfect solution to both their problems - a murder swap - and Guy laughingly agrees.

Back home, he quickly forgets their drunken pact: but Charles does not. Soon Guy is facing a nightmarish choice - fulfil his part of the bargain, or be framed for a murder he didn't commit...

Dramatised for radio by award-winning playwright Craig Warner, this disturbing tale of obsession, blackmail, guilt and fear stars Michael Sheen (Good Omens, Staged) as Guy Haines and Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones, Endeavour) as Charles Bruno.

Credits
Written by Craig Warner, based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith
Original music by Craig Warner
Directed by Andy Jordan

Cast
Charles Bruno.....Anton Lesser
Guy Haines.....Michael Sheen
Anne.....Saskia Reeves
Gerard.....Bill Nighy
Elsie Bruno.....Jane Whittenshaw
Alex.....Denys Hawthorne
Myers.....Roger May
Treacher.....Stephen Critchlow
Cop.....John Hartley
Frear.....Andrew Branch
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 25 January 1996

Strangers on a Train © 1993 by Diogenes Verlag AG Zurich, all rights reserved.
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

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