Charles Dickens: The BBC Radio Drama Collection: Volume One

Charles Dickens: The BBC Radio Drama Collection: Volume One

Classic Drama from the BBC Radio Archive

Summary

Powerful full-cast radio dramatisations of four of Charles Dickens' most famous novels

Charles Dickens is one of the most renowned novelists of all time, and this first volume of the dramatised canon of his work includes four of his best-loved stories.

The Pickwick Papers
Mr Samuel Pickwick, founder of the Pickwick Club, forms a Corresponding Society for members to report back about their travels. So begins the chronicle of their hilariously comic journeys.

Oliver Twist
Born and brought up in the workhouse, orphan Oliver escapes to London - only to fall into the hands of the notorious Fagin and his gang of child pickpockets.

Nicholas Nickleby
Left penniless after his father's death, nineteen-year-old Nicholas Nickleby takes a teaching position at Dotheboys Hall, where the brutal Wackford Squeers presides.

The Old Curiosity Shop
Pretty, innocent Little Nell's childhood is shattered when evil moneylender Quilp discovers her grandfather is in debt. The duo are forced to leave their curiosity shop and go on the run...

With an all-star cast including Pam Ferris, Tim McInnerny, Alex Jennings, Anna Massey, Ken Campbell, Tom Baker, Julia McKenzie and Sandi Toksvig, these BBC radio adaptations bring out all the humour, romance, pathos and tragedy of Dickens' four classic masterpieces.

About the author

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was born in Hampshire on February 7, 1812. His father was a clerk in the navy pay office, who was well paid but often ended up in financial troubles. When Dickens was twelve years old he was send to work in a shoe polish factory because his family had been taken to the debtors' prison. His career as a writer of fiction started in 1833 when his short stories and essays began to appear in periodicals. The Pickwick Papers, his first commercial success, was published in 1836. The serialisation of Oliver Twist began in 1837. Many other novels followed and The Old Curiosity Shop brought Dickens international fame and he became a celebrity in America as well as Britain. Charles Dickens died on 9 June 1870. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
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