Classic Science Fiction: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Full-cast dramatisations of six seminal sci-fi novels that have shaped the genre

Thrilling and thought-provoking, shocking and satirical; science fiction has long captivated us with its surprising scenarios and subversion of the familiar. Included here are six classics from the past 250 years, each offering a unique exploration of the genre's foundational themes. From monsters, Martians and fantastical machines to rip-roaring adventures, utopian tales and ‘cosy catastrophes’, these stunning dramas introduce us to other worlds – and make us see our own world differently...

Brought to life by an incredible cast, including Bill Nighy, Brigit Forsyth, Jamie Parker, Shaun Dooley, Stephen Critchlow, Blake Ritson, Bill Paterson and more.

Frankenstein – First published in 1818, Mary Shelley’s famous horror story about a scientist who reanimates a living creature in a horrific experiment is widely considered the first science fiction novel.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth – Scientific curiosity sparks an epic quest in Jules Verne’s 1864 novel, as three intrepid explorers venture into the heart of a dormant Icelandic volcano.
Erewhon – Samuel Butler’s 1872 classic centres on the explorer Higgs, who discovers a remote land where the use of machines is forbidden, having a cold is a crime, and the greatest scholarly achievement is the study of unreason.
The War of the Worlds – Following sightings of strange explosions on the surface of Mars, Martian ships begin to arrive on Earth. But scientific excitement quickly turns to horror...
The Disintegration Machine – Indomitable academic Professor Challenger sets out to investigate dastardly Latvian scientist Theodore Nemor, who has invented a startling device capable of disassembling and reforming objects....
The Midwich Cuckoos – The rural idyll of 1950s Midwich is overturned by a mysterious alien force that causes all the fertile women in the area to simultaneously become pregnant...

First published 1818 (Frankenstein), 1864 (JttCotE), 1872 (Erewhon), 1895 (TWotW), 1929 (TDM), 1957 (TMC)

Cast and credits
Frankenstein
Cast: Jamie Parker, Shaun Dooley, Susie Riddell, Alun Raglan, Robert Blythe, Sam Alexander, Christine Absalom, Patrick Brennan, Emma Hook, Joe Sims, Don Gilet, Bruce Alexander
Written by Mary Shelley
Dramatised by Lucy Catherine
Directed by Marc Beeby
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 Oct-4 Nov 2012

Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Cast: Joel MacCormack, Stephen Critchlow, Gudmundur Thorvaldsson, Nicola Ferguson, Elizabeth Bennett, Nick Underwood, Sam Rix, Tom Forrister, Scarlett Brookes
Written by Jules Verne
Dramatised by Moya O’Shea
Directed by Tracey Neale
Composer: Neil Brand
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19-26 Mar 2017

Erewhon
Cast: Graeme Hawley, Jasmine Hyde, Jonathan Taller, Sue Ryding, Brigit Forsyth, Leigh Symonds, David Fleeshman, Stuart Richman
Written by Samuel Butler
Dramatised by Eamonn O'Neill, Martin Shea and James O'Neill
Produced and directed by Gary Brown
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20-27 Aug 2006

The War of the Worlds
Cast: Blake Ritson, Samuel James, John Dougall, Sanchia McCormack, Carl Prekopp, David Sterne, Maeve Bluebell Wells, Finlay Robertson, Nick Murchie, Sarah Ridgeway, Georgie Glen, John Bowler, David Sturzaker
Written by HG Wells
Dramatised by Melissa Murray
Directed by Marc Beeby
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4-11 Mar 2017

The Disintegration Machine
Cast: Bill Paterson, Gunnar Cauthery, Nick Ball, Robert Lloyd Parry, Joanna Monro, Alexandria Everett
Written by Arthur Conan Doyle
Dramatised by Robert Lloyd Parry
Directed by Fiona Kelcher
First broadcast BBC Radio 7, 26 Mar 2011

The Midwich Cuckoos
Cast: Bill Nighy, Sarah Parish, Clive Merrison, Nicholas R Bailey, Katherine Tozer, Mark Chatterton, Barbara Marten, Malcolm Raeburn, Christine Brennan, Rebecca Bridle
Written by John Wyndham
Dramatised by Dan Rebellato
Produced and directed by Polly Thomas
Original music composed and performed by Chris Madin
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 Nov-7 Dec 2003

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