Joseph Delaney used to be an English teacher, before becoming the best-selling author of the Spook's series, which has been published in 30 countries and sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. The first book, The Spook's Apprentice, was adapted into a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

Joseph Delaney

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Irène Némirovsky

BBC radio adaptations of four acclaimed works from the bestselling Ukrainian-born author Irène Némirovsky 
 
Best known for her posthumously published novel Suite Française, Irène Némirovsky was born in Kiev in 1903. Her family fled the Russian Revolution for Paris, where she found fame as a novelist. But when the Nazis occupied France, she was arrested as a Jew and sent to Auschwitz, where she died aged just 39. This collection includes four of her best works, dramatised for radio with a full cast. 
 
The Misunderstanding - Scarred by war, Yves returns to the Spanish resort of his childhood. There he meets beautiful, bored Denise, and the duo embark on an affair. But their love is challenged by mutual misunderstanding. Described as Némirovsky's Madame Bovary, this compelling tale of passion and regret stars Sarah Smart and Joseph Kloska. 
 
Jezebel - 1935, and Gladys Eysenach, a beautiful, elegant woman obsessed with her lost youth, is on trial for shooting dead her much younger lover. Delving into her past, she recounts the key events that led to the murder. Frances Barber stars as Gladys, with Anna Francolini as Némirovsky. 
 
Dolce - In 1941, a German regiment is billeted in a French village. In the Angellier household two warring women pack away their valuables and prepare to meet the enemy. An adaptation of the second, standalone volume of Némirovsky's masterpiece, Suite Française, this searing depiction of France under German occupation stars Sian Thomas, Eve Best, Deborah Findlay and James D'Arcy. 
 
The Dogs and the Wolves - Growing up during the Jewish pogroms in Ukraine, Ada falls in love with her rich cousin, Harry Sinner. But her poor cousin, Ben, is in love with her. When both families move to Paris, Ada becomes an artist, while Harry moves in elite French society. Then one day, he sees two of Ada's paintings, and her life is changed forever... Sarah Smart stars as Ada, with Carl Prekopp as Harry and Graeme Hawley as Ben, in Némirovsky's epic tale of family, finance and fate. 
 
First published 1926 (The Misunderstanding), 1937 (Jezebel), 2006 (Dolce), 2009 (The Dogs and the Wolves) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Irène Némirovsky 
Translated by Sandra Smith 
 
The Misunderstanding 
Cast: Joseph Kloska, Sarah Smart, Charlotte Sienna Lee, Jake Ferretti, Evan Jones, Rupert Hill, Emma Gregory 
Dramatised by Lin Coghlan 
Directed by Pauline Harris 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21-25 January 2019 
 
Jezebel 
Cast: Frances Barber, Anna Francolini, Natasha Cowley, David Sterne, Keziah Joseph, Victoria Brazier, Conrad Nelson, Ellen Dryden, John Catterall, Ashley Margolis 
Dramatised by Ellen Dryden 
Produced and directed by Pauline Harris 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7-11 November 2016 
 
Dolce 
Cast: Sian Thomas, Eve Best, Deborah Findlay, James D'Arcy, Alex Tregear, Stuart McLoughlln, Teresa Gallagher 
Adapted by Penny Leicester 
Produced and directed by Di Speirs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14-18 August 2006 
 
The Dogs and the Wolves 
Cast: Anna Francolini, Sarah Smart, Carl Prekopp, Graeme Hawley, Sydney Wade, Ellis Hollins, Ben Hanley, Will Tacey, Olwen May, Fiona Clarke, Natalie Grady, Will Tacey 
Dramatised by Ellen Dryden 
Produced and directed by Pauline Harris 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10-14 June 2013 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Irène Némirovsky: Four BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

The Dogs and the Wolves, Jezebel, The Misunderstanding and Dolce from the Suite Française Series

Robin of Locksley returns from the Crusades to find his people starving and oppressed by the new Sheriff of Nottingham. Under this tyrannical regime, the slightest crime attracts the heaviest punishment, and dissent is impossible. Robin soon discovers that the only way to reason with the Sheriff is with bow and arrow, even if it means sacrificing his lands and becoming an outlaw. 
 
This exciting adventure is read by Richard Armitage, who plays Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood. It also features Robin and his loyal band of brothers, as seen in the hit BBC TV series. 
 
Crammed with action, humour, wit, and romance, this fantastic adaptation of the classic tale brings the legendary outlaw hero to life for a whole new generation.

Robin Hood: The Complete Series 1

Based on the BBC TV series

Mike Walker

Mike Walker's thrilling saga of the Habsburg dynasty, who ruled most of Europe - and much of the New World - for almost 600 years 
 
For almost six centuries, the House of Habsburg was one of the most powerful royal families in Europe - and beyond. They established an empire that began with a castle on a crag, and ended up extending over four continents. In these riveting dramas, Mike Walker traces their rise and fall. 
 
Hawk Rising - Brugg, 1230. Summoned to Duke Rudolf of Habsburg's clifftop fortress to tutor his son, Albert, Turkish scholar Ibrahim finds himself accompanying the young man on a Prussian crusade. Rudolf is determined to become Holy Roman Emperor - but he needs the Pope's backing, and Alexander supports the expedition... Starring Philip Arditti as Ibrahim, Mark Lewis Jones as Rudolf and Kai Owen as Albert. 
 
Hawk Hunting - Enthroned as Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf battles to secure his dynasty. If Albert is to succeed him, various enemies must be removed from the scene, including his onetime ally King Ottokar of Bohemia. Meanwhile, Ibrahim is teaching philosophy to Albert's son, Frederick - and making secret deals. Starring Matthew Aubrey as Frederick and John Telfer as Ottokar. 
 
Hawk Wounded - Albert the One-Eyed of Habsburg has supplanted Norbert as Holy Roman Emperor: but Wenceslas is set on revenge. Disenchanted with Frederick, Albert places his trust in another Habsburg, John of Swabia - and Ibrahim confronts his nemesis. Starring Aled Pugh as John. 
 
Wallenstein - 1618. Wallenstein, a brilliant, rebellious Protestant mercenary, strives for advancement in the Holy Roman Empire's army. Guided by astute widow Katherina, he achieves fame and fortune. But this war wolf is hard to tame - can Katherina rein him in? Richard Harrington stars as Wallenstein, with Anamaria Marinca as Katherina. 
 
Redl - Vienna, 1913. Double agent Colonel Alfred Redl believes he is invincible: as unstoppable as the Habsburgs he purports to serve. A pioneer of modern surveillance techniques and a superb story-spinner, he is almost the perfect spy. But when this arch-traitor is himself betrayed, he falls - and the Empire falls with him... Starring Jonathan Forbes as Redl. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Mike Walker 
Directed by Alison Hindell and John Norton 
Sound design: Nigel Lewis 
A BBC Cymru Wales Production 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Castle of the Hawk: An epic chronicle of the Habsburg dynasty

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast drama

R.D. Blakemore

BBC dramatisation of the classic novel, an enduring romantic love story 
 Experience R.D. Blackmore’s classic novel like never before, in this full-cast adaptation of one of the greatest love stories ever told. Immerse yourself in the world of Lorna and John as they battle their families and their allegiances during the turmoil of the English civil war. This stunning full-cast adaptation brings the story to life for listeners in a rich and deeply rewarding listen.This is an enduring story of love, loss, redemption and revenge. Written in 1869, this adaptation transports the listener to 17th century Exmoor, Devon. Carver Doone and the Doone Clan, once nobles but now outlaws, murder the father of honest and hardworking John Ridd. Granddaughter of the head of the Doone Clan, Lorna meets John and the two fall in love, but can John really turn the other cheek? Murderous Carver has other intentions for Lorna and it turns out that she might not be who she thinks she is. Meanwhile the civil war rages, King Charles is executed and the Monmouth rebellion is not far away. Will John and Lorna, separated by circumstance and family, ever be able to be together…?Since its publication, Lorna Doone (written in the heyday of the great Victorian novels) has proved to be an enduring tale. This brilliant adaptation is perfect for fans of classic romance fiction. If you liked Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South or Mary Ann Evan’s (George Elliot) Middlemarch, then this is a listen you will love.Cast and creditsWritten by R.D. BlackmoreDramatised by Barry LettsDirected by Brian LighthillJohn Ridd - David Schofield 
Lorna Doone - Alison Pettit 
Mother - Janet Dale 
Tom Faggus - Cornelius Garrett 
Uncle Ben - James Warrior 
Carver Doone - Kim Durham 
Young Lorna - Charlotte Grattidge 
Jeremy Stickles - Graham Padden 
Lizzie Ridd - Sunny Ormonde 
Young Lizzie - Laura Berry 
Annie Ridd - Katherine Mount 
Young Annie - Samantha Dowling 
Gwenny - Susan Jeffrey 
John Fry - Ian Brooker 
Counsellor Doone - Graham Colclough 
Charlie Doon - David PerksJudge Jeffries/King James - Johnathan Wyatt First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14th - 28th September 1997©2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Lorna Doone

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisation

Catherine Czerkawska

A stunning family saga set on the banks of the River Clyde 
 Immerse yourself in this beautiful family story set in the heart of Scotland as stories old and new emerge from the banks of the river. Featuring a full-cast, this is a stunning drama from the BBC archives and a treat for any audio fan with a love of rich stories, beautifully told.On a trip home, young Alison Lynn discovers an old wooden boat lying out of the water in the marina, named Isabella. Curious as to the origins of the boat’s name, she sets about finding the story of the elusive Isabella. Discovering that the boat’s namesake is still alive, an elderly lady of eighty-eight, Alison decides to track her down. The journey transports Alison back to the 1880s and she is immersed in her own family history, where the Lynns were a powerful force, building exquisite yachts with great craftsmanship. As a yachting fan herself, Alison is determined to bring Isabella back to her former glory with the help of her new found relative.This is a story full of love and passion, sorrow and death. It weaves a tale of family history against a backdrop of turbulent times that echo down the generations. Will Alison and Isabella be able to find peace and will they be able to save this relic of the past and embrace a new future?This listening treat is perfect for fans of immersive family stories from authors such as Anne Tyler and Joanna Trollope and is available as a complete download for the first time.Cast and creditsWritten by Catherine CzerkawskaDirected by Hamish WilsonIsabella - Sybil Wintrope 
Alison - Louise Beattie 
Adam/Stirling - Allan Sharpe 
David - Alec HeggiePaolo - John Buick Hetty - Monica GibbIan - Liam BrennanMaclehose/Luke - Gibert Martin 
Annie - Sheila Donald 
Sadie - Anne Downie 
Malcolm - Alec MonteathDavid - Mark McDonnellForeman/ Alexander - Tom Smith 
Emily - Irene MacDougallJessie/Receptionist - Astrid Wilson 
Archivist/Archie - William ArmourMatron/Young James - Mary Riggans 
Nurse/Midwife - Susie MaguireCook - Ceit Kearney Kitchen maid - Wendy Ronald 
Young Hetty - Isabel Wright 
James Lynn - James MacPhersonBosun/Gardener - Stuart Davids OldMan/Paolo’s Papa - Douglas StivenEpisode titles 1. Casting Off2. Hoisting the Sail 3. Still Waters 4. Weathering the Storm First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16th March - 6th April 1994©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Running Before the Wind

A BBC Radio Full-Cast Drama

Sir Walter Scott

Full-cast BBC adaptations of five of Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Waverley’ novels, plus a play adapted from his journal starring Alec Guinness, and a documentary about Scott and his legacyPoet, novelist, critic and campaigner Walter Scott invented the historical novel and shaped the world’s image of Scotland. His tales of heroism, romance and adventure were hugely successful, outselling Jane Austen and Lord Byron, and are still popular today. Included here are adaptations of five of the best-loved books in his ‘Waverley’ series, as well as two bonus programmes.Waverley – Sent to Scotland with his regiment, young English soldier Edward Waverley becomes embroiled in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. Torn between love and duty, he falls in with Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebel army – and finds himself accused of treason… Richard Greenwood stars in this adaptation of Scott’s groundbreaking debut novel.Rob Roy – Francis Osbaldistone, the son of a rich London merchant, is banished to his family seat in the North. There, he meets the beautiful, high-spirited Diana Vernon and his villainous cousin Rashleigh, and befriends the enigmatic Scot, Robert Campbell – hero, chieftain of the clan MacGregor and wanted outlaw… Starring Liam Brennan, this thrilling drama is set during the Jacobite rising of 1715.The Heart of Midlothian – Edinburgh, 1737, and young Effie Deans is arrested for child murder and sentenced to death. Convinced of her innocence, her sister Jeanie decides to walk to London to plead for her sister’s life. Gerda Stevenson and Irene Allen star in this adaptation of Scott’s gripping novel, widely considered to be the finest of the ‘Waverley’ books.The Bride of Lammermoor – Edgar Ravenswood has sworn vengeance on the Ashton family who have destroyed his honour and ruined his fortune – but Lucy Ashton will come to mean more to him than honour, fortune and life Itself… This tragic tale of a doomed love affair stars David Rintoul and Gerda Stevenson.Woodstock – England, 1651. Charles Stuart’s army has been defeated at Worcester, and he is on the run. Suspecting that he will take refuge at Woodstock Manor, Oliver Cromwell sets a trap for him there – but he has reckoned without the wily King and his loyal Cavalier supporters… John Rowe and Brian Hewlett star in this epic Civil War tale.My Own Right Hand Shall Do It – Suffering a terrible reversal of fortune late in life, Sir Walter Scott determines to recover from financial ruin. Sir Alec Guinness stars in this moving portrait of tragedy and ultimate triumph.The Man Who Made Scotland – James Naughtie makes the case for a reappraisal of Sir Walter Scott, arguing that his branding of Scotland is the mark of a thoroughly modern thinker.NB: Due to the age of the recordings, the sound quality may varyFirst published 1814 (Waverley), 1817 (Rob Roy), 1818 (The Heart of Midlothian), 1819 (The Bride of Lammermoor), 1826 (Woodstock)© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Sir Walter Scott: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Five Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations including Waverley and Rob Roy

Rudyard Kipling

Kipling's chilling adventure about two men who set out to be kings of a remote region of Afghanistan. 
 
Kipling, our narrator, tells this strange story: he was running a newspaper in a big Indian city. In the hot stillness of one night when he was putting the paper to bed, two men come into his office. They are red-bearded giant Daniel Dravot and his friend Peachy Carnehan. These two "gentlemen at large" as they call themselves, lately of the British army, have put together an insane and dangerous plan: they want to be Kings of Kafiristan, a mountainous region of Afghanistan. 
 
Three years later, a crippled man in rags comes into Kipling's office. He is Peachy Carnehan, and he relates the chilling story of their adventure. 
 
A thrilling and haunting story about the folly and glory of imperial ambition, yet at its heart this is also a story of friendship. 
 
Cast 
Rudyard Kipling - Blake Ritson 
Daniel Dravot - Richard Ridings 
Peachey Carnehan - Samuel James 
Timuk - Peter Polycarpou 
Tribesmen - Joseph Ayre, Stephen Hogan, Ryan Early, Ryan Whittle 
Young woman/Bride - Lauren Cornelius 
Wounded man - John Lightbody 
 
Produced by Abigail le Fleming

The Man Who Would Be King

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Hugh Walpole

A BBC Radio adaptation of Hugh Walpole's historical novel, set in the Lake District during the 18th Century 
 
1730. Driven by a wild romantic impulse, Francis Herries uproots his family from Doncaster to the lakeland valley of Borrowdale. Accompanied by his housekeeper/mistress, Alice, they settle in his tumbledown ancestral home, Herries, in the shadow of the Cumberland fells. 
 
Proud, stubborn and temperamental, Francis cuts himself off from his brother, spurns his long-suffering wife and becomes embroiled in drink and debauchery. When he sells Alice at Keswick Fair, his reputation is ruined, and the locals dub him 'Rogue' Herries. His fate is sealed when he falls for the flame-haired Mirabelle Starr. They are both vagabonds, both outcasts - but she is thirty years his junior, and does not love him. 
 
As Francis struggles with his feelings for Mirabelle, his son David and daughter Deborah have battles of their own to fight. Meanwhile, the Jacobite rising has begun, and Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebel army is at the gates of Carlisle... 
 
Described by John Buchan as 'the greatest English novel since Jude the Obscure', Rogue Herries is a sweeping family saga full of romance and drama. This powerful adaptation stars Gavin Muir as Francis, Mark Bonnar as David, Jane Slavin as Alice, Deborah Berlin as Mirabelle and Jane Whittenshaw as Deborah, with a full cast including Stephen Thorne, Hugh Dickson and Gerard McDermott. 
 
Written by Hugh Walpole 
Dramatised by Eric Pringle 
Technical presentation by Rosamund Mason, Colin Guthrie and Andy Garrett 
Directed by David Blount 
 
Cast 
Francis - Gavin Muir 
David - Mark Bonnar 
Margaret - Janet Maw 
Deborah - Jane Whittenshaw 
Alice Press - Jane Slavin 
Pomfret/Greenship - Stephen Thorne 
Jannice - Shirley Dixon 
Roche/Harcourt/Whitfield - Hugh Dickson 
Statesman Peel/George Endicott/Harness - Gerard McDermott 
Pedlar/Adam Beatty - Ioan Meredith 
Benjamin/Anthony Thorne - Chris Pavlo 
Young Deborah - Katie Clarke 
Young David - George Maguire 
Razeley - Joseph Head/Robert Harper 
Prince - Robert Harper 
Mirabelle - Deborah Berlin 
Cumberlege - Gordon Reid 
Mrs Cumberledge - Carolyn Jones 
Hetty - Alison Pettitt 
Sunwood/Bann/Reverend - Christopher Scott 
Denburn - Keith Drinkel 
Sarah - Becky Hindley 
Mrs Henny - Linda Polan 
Others parts played by Alex Lowe and members of the company 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 April-11 May 1997 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Rogue Herries

Vasily Grossman

A two-part radio dramatisation of Vasily Grossman's dark, honest account of the battle of Stalingrad; a prequel to Life and Fate – plus Stalingrad: Destiny of a Novel 
 
Epic BBC serial Life and Fate stunned radio audiences in 2011, garnering rave reviews for its powerful depiction of a family torn apart by war in Soviet Russia. Now, with this astonishing prequel published in its first ever English translation by Richard and Elizabeth Chandler, we are transported back to the very beginning of Vasily Grossman’s panoramic tale, as the ‘harsh whirlwind’ of war approaches the city of Stalingrad. 
 
As Stalingrad opens, we are introduced to the many lives of the Shaposhnikov family and their partners. Atomic scientist Viktor Shtrum struggles with his work for the State and with his own conscience, while his family live, love and work (despite swirling rumours) to run the city’s power stations, factories and hospitals. 
 
Meanwhile, at the Front, we meet old-school Bolshevik Commissar Nikolai Krymov in the thick of the Russian army’s pell-mell retreat before Operation Barbarossa, and follow the 'unknown' soldiers giving their lives to hold the line at the Volga. 
 
This vivid, gripping drama features many of the same acclaimed cast as Life and Fate, including Kenneth Branagh as Viktor Shtrum and Greta Scacchi as Lyuda Shaposhnikova. 
 
Accompanying this stellar dramatisation is Stalingrad: Destiny Of A Novel; featuring extracts from Grossman's private journal, translated here for the first time, and chronicling Stalingrad’s tortuous gestation and long, tormented passage to print. Written and presented by author and historian Catherine Merridale, with readings by Anton Lesser, this five-part series reveals the dramatic backstory behind the classic novel and explores the beginnings of Grossman’s own journey towards Soviet heresy. 
 
Written by Vasily Grossman 
Translated by Robert and Elizabeth Chandler 
Dramatised by Mike Walker (Part One) and Jonathan Myerson (Part Two) 
 
Part One produced and directed by Jonquil Panting 
Part Two produced by James Robinson and directed by Jonathan Myerson 
Series Producer: Alison Hindell 
 
Original music composed by John Hardy, with Rob Whitehead, and performed by Oliver Wilson-Dixon, Tom Jackson, Stacey Blythe and Max Pownall 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 November-1 December 2019

Stalingrad

James Fenimore Cooper

BBC Radio drama adaptations of two action-packed adventures by James Fenimore Cooper 
 
A founding father of American literature, James Fenimore Cooper was one of America's first professional novelists, and a pioneer of both the Western and the historical romance. Included here are his 1826 masterpiece The Last of the Mohicans and his 1821 classic The Spy, widely considered the world's first espionage novel. 
 
The Last of the Mohicans - 1757, and Britain and France are struggling for control of the New World. Caught between them are the tribes of the First Nations... Hawkeye is an American scout who lives with the American Indians and fights for the British. When the daughters of a British army officer are captured by a vengeful Huron chief while travelling to join their father, Hawkeye and his Mohican friends set out on a rescue mission... This gripping dramatisation of James Fenimore Cooper's epic is narrated by Garrick Hagon, stars Michael Feast as Hawkeye and Helen McCrory as Cora. 
 
The Spy - New York State, 1778. Henry Wharton, a young soldier for the British in the American Revolutionary War, sneaks into no-man's land in disguise to spend an evening with his family. But their happy reunion is cut short when American troops surround the house. Can the mysterious peddler Harvey Birch provide Henry with a means of escape? Burn Gorman and Rose Leslie star in this thrilling tale of double agents and divided loyalties. 
 
First published 1821 (The Spy) and 1826 (The Last of the Mohicans) 
 
Production credits 
Written by James Fenimore Cooper 
 
The Last of the Mohicans 
Narrator - Garrick Hagon 
Hawkeye - Michael Feast 
Major Heyward - Philip Franks 
Cora - Helen McCrory 
Alice - Naomi Radcliffe 
General Munro - Russell Dixon 
Chingachgook - Okon Jones 
Uncas - Clarence Smith 
Magua - Alfredo Michelsen 
General Montcalm - John Jardine 
David - Robert Whelan 
Tamenund - Joe Speare 
 
Dramatised by David Calcutt 
Produced and directed by Michael Fox 
Music: Trevor Allan Davies 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5-12 November 1995 
 
 
The Spy 
Harvey Birch - Burn Gorman 
Frances - Rose Leslie 
Henry - Alex Waldmann 
Mr Wharton - James Lailey 
Sarah - Francine Chamberlain 
Mr Harper - Timothy Watson 
Caesar - Richard Pepple 
Peyton Dunwoodie - Simon Bubb 
Captain Lawton - Gerard McDermott 
Colonel Wellmere/Skinner - Adam Billington 
Isabella Singleton - Victoria Inez Hardy 
Colonel Martin - Paul Moriarty 
 
Dramatised by DJ Britton 
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22-29 January 2012 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Last of the Mohicans & The Spy

Two BBC Radio full-cast dramatisations

James Hilton

Full-cast adaptations of James Hilton’s two most famous novels 
 
English author and screenwriter James Hilton is best remembered for his hugely successful novels Lost Horizon – which gave the world the term ‘Shangri-La’ – and Goodbye, Mr Chips. The books made him a household name, and were both adapted as Oscar-winning films. Now, those two classic stories have been brought together on audio, dramatised with full casts including Derek Jacobi, Carol Marsh and John Church. 
 
Lost Horizon – May, 1931. Evacuated from war-torn Baskul, four passengers are plunged into adventure when their plane is hijacked and subsequently crash-lands in the Himalayan mountains. Out of the Tibetan wilderness, a man approaches, and leads British consul Hugh Conway and his fellow travellers to the hidden lamasery of Shangri-La. There, they find an idyllic haven, lost to the outside world – but this mystical utopia is hiding an astonishing secret... 
 
Goodbye Mr Chips – Ensconced in comfortable retirement at Mrs Wickett's, gentle old headmaster Mr Chipping has a thousand tangled memories of his long tenure at his beloved Brookfield School. Looking back, he recalls his arrival as a shy, nervous novice; how he won the respect and adoration of his pupils; and how he found – and lost – his one great love, the beautiful, kind-hearted Kathie. Spanning over 60 years, from the Franco-Prussian War to the rise of Hitler, this is a touching, nostalgic tale of a life well-lived. 
 
Text copyright James Hilton 1933 (Lost Horizon), 1934 (Goodbye, Mr Chips) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by James Hilton 
Produced by Graham Gauld 
 
Lost Horizon 
Hugh Conway – Derek Jacobi 
Mallinson – Andrew Branch 
Barnard – Alan Tilvern 
Miss Brinklow – Carol Marsh 
Rutherford – John Livesey 
Wyland – Sion Probert 
Hilton – Alaric Cotter 
Sanders – Gary Cady 
Doctor – John Bull 
Chang – Garard Green 
High Lama – Alan Wheatley 
Lo-Tsen – Pik-Sen Lim 
American – Crawford Logan 
Dramatised by Barry Campbell 
 
Goodbye Mr Chips 
Mr Chipping – John Church 
Mrs Wickett – Katherine Parr 
Kathie – Lolly Cockerell 
Dr Merivale – Lewis Stringer 
Wetherby – Godfrey Kenton 
Lucy – Hilda Schroder 
Rowden – Alaric Cotter 
Barker – John Bott 
Whitby – John McAndrew 
Meldrum – John Forbes-Robertson 
Bryce – Haydn Wood 
Brookfield boys – Adrian Breeze, Matthew Emerson, Ian Land, Adam Bass & Adam Landor 
Mission boys – Paul Beardshaw, Colin McDonagh & Stuart Sampson 
Sutton – Gordon Reid 
Ralston – Nigel Anthony 
Chatteris – Walter Hall 
Staefel – Graham Faulkner 
Williams – Christopher Scott 
Wadham – Harold Reese 
Deakin – John Gray 
Midwife – Sonia Fraser 
Linford – Arthur Haycraft 
Dramatised by Margaret Simpson 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Lost Horizon & Goodbye Mr Chips

Two BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

Judith Kerr

The BBC radio adaptations of Judith Kerr's internationally acclaimed trilogy - plus bonus documentary 
Based on her own childhood experiences, Judith Kerr's When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit is a timeless classic loved by children and adults alike. By turns heart-rending and heart-lifting, it is even more resonant today than when it was first published in 1971. This story of a Jewish family who escape Germany just as the Nazis come to power is seen through the eyes of their young daughter Anna, and traces their perilous journey - splintered by conflict, driven by fear and eventually rewarded with reunion. The two sequels, Bombs on Aunt Dainty and A Small Person Far Away, follow Anna as she grows up, settles in London - and, many years later, returns to Berlin to confront the past. 
 
These three radio plays are the very first dramatisations of Kerr's trilogy, and feature a stunning cast including Anna Madeley, Paul Moriarty and Adjoa Andoh. Also featured is a bonus edition of World Book Club, in which Harriett Gilbert talks to Judith Kerr about her life and work. 
 
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit 
1933. Leaving her beloved Pink Rabbit behind, nine-year-old Anna leaves her Berlin home to flee with her family across the Swiss border. As they cross Europe in search of sanctuary, she quickly adapts to being a refugee - but will she ever feel she belongs anywhere? 
Bombs on Aunt Dainty 
 
1940. Teenage Anna is enjoying her new life in London, and looking forward to embarking on a secretarial course. But then her brother Max is interned as an enemy alien - and as the Blitz begins in earnest, she fears for the future of her family. 
A Small Person Far Away 
 
1956. Happily married and living in West London, Anna gets a worrying telegram. Her mother, who has been living back in Berlin for seven years, has pneumonia, and Anna must go to her at once. With the Cold War heating up, can Anna bear to return to the city of her birth? 
World Book Club: Judith Kerr - When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit 
The German-born author talks to Harriet Gilbert about her much-loved novel, answering questions from the audience about writing from a child's perspective, assimilating into British society, and staying happy despite the hardships she endured. 
 
Production credits 
 
Written by Judith Kerr 
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit text copyright © Kerr-Kneale Productions Ltd 1971 
Bombs on Aunt Dainty first published in Great Britain as The Other Way Round by William Collins Sons &amp; Co. Ltd in 1975. Text copyright © Kerr-Kneale Productions Ltd 1975 
A Small Person Far Away text copyright © Kerr-Kneale Productions Ltd 1978, 1989 
Dramatised by Beaty Rubens 
Directed by David Hunter 
 
Cast 
 
Young Anna - Lauren Mote 
Older Anna - Anna Madeley 
Young Max - Hugo Docking 
Older Max - Adam Billington 
Mama - Adjoa Andoh 
Omama - Eleanor Bron 
Papa - Paul Moriarty 
Elsbeth - Xenia Mainelli 
Julius/Ken - James Lailey 
Aunt Sarah - Sheila Steafel 
Fraulein Lambeck/Barbara - Tracy Wiles 
Herr Rosenfeld/Cotmore - Gerard McDermott 
Other cast: Alex Rivers, Christopher Webster, Thelma Ruby, Susan Engel, Joanna Monro, Ann Beach, Harry Livingstone, Jack Holden, Malcolm Tierney, Simon Treves, Carl Prekopp, Sara Kestelman, Emerald O'Hanrahan, Peter Hamilton Dyer 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11-25 March 2012 
 
World Book Club: Judith Kerr - When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit 
Presented by Harriett Gilbert 
With Judith Kerr 
Produced by Karen Holden 
 
First broadcast BBC World Service, 6 March 2016

Out of the Hitler Time: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, Bombs on Aunt Dainty, A Small Person Far Away

BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of the complete trilogy

Robert Louis Stevenson

A thrilling collection of dramatisations from the classic Scottish master of tales 
 
Robert Louis Stevenson was a novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer, and created some of the most famous and influential characters in modern literature. From Long John Silver and David Balfour to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, his figures swiftly became the shorthand for piracy, monstrous medicine, and the slave trade in America. A master of atmosphere and an enthusiast of foreign travel, Stevenson wrote countless stories which have been enjoyed in film, television and theatre adaptations throughout the years. 
 
In this fantastic collection, enjoy the ripping adventures of Treasure Island, with young Jim Hawkins discovering a treasure map in a pirate's chest and soon finding himself drawn into a world of danger and high seas adventure with the charismatic Long John Silver. The next two stories are introduced by David Tennant (Doctor Who, Good Omens): Kidnapped, the thrilling tale of one young man's escape from the Jacobite rebellions, only to be press-ganged onto a slave ship heading for the plantations of America, and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the terrifying story of a scientist experimenting on himself, and the terrible dark discovery he makes, featuring Stuart McQuarrie (The Crown, Shetland) and John Dougall (The Girl on the Train, Holby City). 
 
Five further stories follow: 'The Bottle Imp', a twisted tale about a magic bottle, The Master of Ballantrae, a buccaneering tale of two rival brothers, and Weir of Hermiston, Stevenson's unfinished novel of passion and rebellion in the Lowlands. In 'Olalla', a family is hiding a terrible secret in the Spanish hills, and in 'Markheim', an unusual stranger is suspiciously helpful. 
 
Finally, two fascinating pieces of non-fiction: Travels with a Donkey, Stevenson's account of attempting to travel the French mountains with only a donkey for company and Great Lives, an episode of the series featuring Stevenson as the examined life. 
 
Starring such acclaimed actors as David Tennant, Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey, Lovejoy), Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Mary Queen of Scots) and Alan Cumming (The High Life, The Good Wife), this is a collection not to be missed by any fan of literature or adventure. 
 
Contents List 
 
Treasure Island 
 
Kidnapped 
 
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 
 
'The Bottle Imp' 
 
The Master of Ballantrae 
 
Weir of Hermiston 
 
'Olalla' 
 
'Markheim' 
 
Travels with a Donkey 
 
Great Lives - Robert Louis Stevenson 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Robert Louis Stevenson: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Treasure Island, Kidnapped, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and more

Dan Freedman

Nick Romero

The swashbuckling exploits of Edwardian occultist and adventurer Lord Zimbabwe, written by and starring Nick Romero and Dan Freedman Laugh out loud at this 2000s sitcom featuring the outrageous time travelling Edwardian Lord Zimbabwe (Nick Romero), and his friend the German inventor Doctor Lilac (Dan Freedman). This pacy comedy has the travelling duo racing across space and time solving mysteries and thwarting evil enemies with the help (or lack thereof) of Zimbabwe’s butler, Theremin, who refuses to carry out any of his instructions, and Schrödinger, a semi-corporeal cat that exists in a superposition of quantum states of life and death.First stop on the adventure is Ancient Egypt, where Lord Zimbabwe must swash a buckle or two! The tackiest Pharaoh civilisation ever created experiences an untimely death and unwittingly unleashes an evil curse on humanity - will the intrepid adventurers be able to save the day as well as the damsel? There is barely time for a hot buttered crumpet and a cup of tea when a mysterious Countess begs Lord Zimbabwe to win back her soul from the Lord of the Underworld. The stakes are high – if the soul is not retrieved, the Countess is destined to become a Barry Manilow fan for eternity… Soon after, the beautiful Miss Clanton summons the occultist over the seas of time to the Wild West and the town of Tombstone, where her evil uncle, the Waffle Barron is set on dastardly acts. Despite his trusty butler Theremin, refusing to carry out any of his commands, Lord Zimbabwe presses on and faces his greatest challenge yet when an American heiress is subject to a cruel alien abduction and taken into space - will Zimbabwe and Dr Lilac successfully be able to reach the moon and save her? And more importantly, will they be back in time to feed Schrödinger?This delightful comedy, written by award-winning duo Nick Romero and Dan Freedman, famous for their fast jokes and clever puns, will have you laughing from here to there and back again.Cast and creditsWritten by Dan Freedman and Nick RomeroProduced by Helen WilliamsLord Zimbabwe - Nick RomeroDr Lilac - Dan FreedmanTheremin/Ringo - Peter DonaldsonProfessor Cockcroft/Contessa Del Monte/Miss Clanton - Sophie AldredPriest/Vicar - Colin GuthrieIke Clanton/Cletus - Owen OakeshottOther parts played by the cast.First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 Jul - 1 Aug 2000©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Ectoplasm

A BBC Radio Sitcom

Noel Streatfeild

Full-cast dramatisations of three of Noel Streatfeild's classic children's books 
 
Rising to fame with her 1936 novel Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfeild soon became one of the most popular authors of her day. She was one of the first winners of the Carnegie Medal and was awarded an OBE in 1983. She died in 1986, but her stories continue to captivate children today. Included here are three of her very best - Ballet Shoes, The Growing Summer and When the Siren Wailed. 
 
Ballet Shoes - Adopted by Great Uncle Matthew on his archaeological expeditions, Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil grow up as sisters, and vow to make their name famous. When they enrol at the Children's Academy of Dancing, the Fossil girls share a future of a dazzling life onstage, where their dreams and fears will soon come true.... Rosemary Leach, Alexandra Mathie, Victoria Shalet and Lucy Curtis star in this delightful dramatisation. 
 
The Growing Summer - It is 1965, and the young Gareth children's lives are about to change for ever. When their father falls dangerously ill, they are sent to Ireland to stay with their eccentric Great-Aunt Dymphna for the summer. There, in her crumbling mansion on the west coast, they face dangers and adventures they could never have imagined... Starring Ann Rye, Holly Grainger, Will Haigh, Emily Fleeshman and Paul Herriott. 
 
When the Siren Wailed - When World War Two breaks out, Laura, Andy and Tim Clark are evacuated to the countryside. Brought up in poverty, they find a happy, comfortable home with the Colonel - but then tragedy occurs, and the children decide to run away back to London. Caught up in an air raid, can they make their way through the blackouts and bombed-out streets to find their mother? Narrated by Wendy Richard, this gripping, moving adventure story stars Norman Bird, John Church, Nicholas Courtney and Keeley Hawes. 
 
Text copyright © Noel Streatfield 1936 (Ballet Shoes), 1966 (The Growing Summer), 1974 (When the Siren Wailed) 
Copyright © Beneficiaries of Noel Streatfeild 1986 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Noel Streatfeild 
 
Ballet Shoes 
With Rosemary Leach, John Ringham, Alexandra Mathie, Victoria Shalet, Lucy Curtis, Lia Williams, Charles Edwards, Abigail Thaw, Alison Skilbeck, Olivia Breeze, Max Digby, Jonathan Dryden Taylor and Miriam Berry 
Adapted by Ellen Dryden 
Directed by Don Taylor 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27-31 Dec 1999 
 
The Growing Summer 
With Ann Rye, Holly Grainger, Will Haigh, Emily Fleeshman, Paul Herriott, James Caplin, Catherine Keane, Vincent Patrick 
Dramatised by Julie Wilkinson 
Directed by Sue Sutton Mayo 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 Aug 2000 
 
When the Siren Wailed 
Narrated by Wendy Richard 
With Norman Bird, John Church, Nicholas Gatt, David Goudge, Keeley Hawes, Joan Matheson, Marc Murphy, Judy Parkin, Christopher Scott, Joan Walker, Melinda Walker, Howard Ward, Nicholas Courtney, Malcolm Hebden and Eva Stuart 
Dramatised by Richard Pinner 
Produced by Mary Kalemkarian 
Researcher: Lis Roberts 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 Jan-19 Mar 1989 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Noel Streatfeild: Ballet Shoes & more

A BBC Radio 4 Children’s Drama Collection

H. Rider Haggard

Tim McInnerny stars as Allan Quatermaine in this dramatic full-cast BBC Radio 4 adaptation of H Rider Haggard's classic Victorian novel. 
 
A chance meeting with Sir Henry Curtis and his friend John Good leads professional game hunter Allan Quatermaine on a dangerous expedition to the uncharted, hostile heart of Africa. Curtis’s brother disappeared while searching for the legendary diamond mine of King Solomon, and he needs Quatermaine’s expertise to re-trace his brother’s journey. Quatermaine agrees to Curtis’s generous terms, on the condition that the money is paid to his son if he does not survive. 
 
Joined by the imposing, mysterious Zulu Umbopa, the trio set off into the unknown. As they journey from the barren desert to the precipitous mountains, they discover clues from a past adventurer, now dead – and come close to death themselves. 
 
They encounter fierce Kukuana warriors, the beautiful Foulata, the blood-thirsty King Twala and his ancient, evil witch-finder Gagool – but will they find the mine and the treasure that is rumoured to lie within it? And if they do, will they make it out alive? 
 
This vivid dramatisation of Haggard’s popular adventure story is a combination of thrilling treasure hunt, suspenseful mystery and gripping psychological drama. 
 
Among the cast are Sope Dirisu and Adjoa Andoh. 
 
Duration: 2 hours approx.

King Solomon's Mines

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

James Joyce

The young poet Stephen has been recalled from Paris to Dublin to be at his mother’s deathbed. But he refuses her dying wishes: to kneel and pray for her. Now, holed up in his Martello tower outside the city walls, he has to suffer the taunts of Buck Mulligan by day and, by night, the vision of ‘her eyes, shaking out of death to shake and bend my soul.’ Timelessly evocative, Ulysses is far more than the story of Stephen Dedalus’ journey through Dublin. It is a huge, rich portrayal of human life. In this magnificent, highly accessible, part reading part dramatisation - which includes the famous Molly Bloom soliloquy - the power and truth of Joyce’s vision is as potent as ever. Ulysses stars Stephen Rea and Sinead Cusack, with an introduction by Seamus Heaney. ‘The best book at bedtime’ - Sunday Telegraph.

Ulysses

Nick Revell

An epic six-part comedy saga with a star cast, from master storyteller and satirist Nick Revell 
 
When Tony Hardstaff breaks the bank playing ‘Snap!’ at the St Petersburg Casino, he is swept up in a maelstrom of romance and adventure. Seduced by the sultry Natassia Fillipovna Karamazov – a woman with curves so perfect they could make a geometry professor spontaneously combust – Tony is caught in flagrante by the Russian mafia, and flees for his life. 
 
Taking the first plane out, Tony returns to his ancestral home in Grimesdale, and to the bosom of the family he left a decade earlier. But the prodigal son is not welcomed with open arms. His ruthless 183-year-old father Obadiah is less than thrilled to see him, his sister Jane is so shocked, she suffers a nosebleed, and his mother Alice is so upset, she drops dead on the spot. 
 
To cap it all, Tony’s Brontë-obsessed ex-sweetheart has gone round the bend, his best mate Dave is now leader of the Morris Dancing Survivalist Militia, and the town he grew up in is under threat… Forced to grapple with wandering corpses, canine spirit guides, old flames and eastern European heavies, Tony goes on the run once again. But can he escape the clutches of the past? 
 
Magical realism meets Northern family saga in this surrealistic comedy, told in flashback and travelling between Venezuela, Russia and west Yorkshire. Written by and starring Nick Revell as Tony, it features a stellar cast including Morwenna Banks, Alistair McGowan, Peter Serafinowicz, Alison Steadman and Claire Skinner. 
 
NB: Contains some dated attitudes and language 
 
Production credits 
Written by Nick Revell 
Produced by Paul Schlesinger 
Music composed by Paul Mottram 
 
Cast 
Tony – Nick Revell 
Natassia Fillipovna – Morwenna Banks/Tracy-Ann Oberman 
The Narrator – Alistair McGowan 
Mrs Yepanchin/Mrs Womersley – Joanna Brooks 
Ivan – Jonathan Kydd 
Sergei/Jeff – Peter Gunn 
Kropotkin/Dave/Carl – Peter Serafinowicz 
Vladimir/Elder/Shrink – Chris Pavlo 
Obadiah – David Swift 
Alice – Maggie Steed 
Jane – Alison Steadman 
Joanna – Natalie Walter 
Emily – Claire Skinner 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1 May-5 June 1997 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The House of the Spirit Levels

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Comedy

Nick Perry

A child in an East End garden plays with an imaginary friend. One day she goes to the bottom of the garden and never returns. A homeless man desperately tries to stay awake, believing that whenever he falls asleep he wakes up in a different century. A London Underground maintenance engineer walks the two miles between adjacent stations in less than four minutes. 
 
While travelling on the London Underground one afternoon, Alice meets the gaze of a man standing on the platform of a mysterious "ghost station". As her train hurtles into a tunnel, he's gone. She's convinced that the man was her brother Alan who has been missing presumed dead for the past five years. 
 
 This fleeting encounter is the beginning of Alice's increasingly bizarre, desperate and labyrinthine search for her missing brother, a journey that leads her back through time into London's past. 
 
 As Alice soon discovers, London is not one but many cities, a city of curious anomalies and dark secrets, of hidden portals to other dimensions, a city so vast and varied that the weird and the uncanny blend seamlessly with the ordinary, where the person sitting next to you on the bus, or walking beside you on the pavement, may in fact be a visitor from another time. 
 
Alice . . . . . Scarlett Brookes 
Alan . . . . . Ian Dunnett Jnr 
Mum/Jackie . . . . . Jane Whittenshaw 
Lizzie . . . . . Emma Handy 
Dorian/Doctor/Churchill . . . . . Roger Ringrose 
Simon/Morris . . . . . Joseph Ayre 
Kelechi/Jack . . . . . Stefan Adegbola 
Stefania/Jill . . . . . Charlotte East 
Child/Isaac . . . . . Aaron Gelkoff 
Pianist: Peter Ringrose 
 
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko

London Particular

A BBC Radio sci-fi drama

Henry Green

A trio of dramas based on Henry Green’s most notable novels 
 
Born Henry Yorke, aristocrat and industrialist Henry Green led a double life as a managing director of an engineering firm and one of the finest English modernists of the 20th century. A contemporary and friend of Evelyn Waugh and Anthony Powell, he penned nine novels before giving up writing in 1952 at the age of 47. Three of them are dramatised here, with casts incuding Pauline Quirke, Amanda Root, Mark Straker, Fenella Fielding and Paul Herzberg. 
 
Loving – In their employers’ absence, the servants at Castle Tennant have enjoyed free run of the manor house, at liberty to indulge in romance, gossip, squabbles and battles over authority. Then an insurance man arrives, enquiring about Mrs Tennant’s missing diamond ring, and their habitual routine is thrown into disruption. Adapted by Booker Prize-winning author John Banville, this charming dramatisation of Green’s 1945 fairytale depicts life above and below stairs in an Anglo-Irish country house during the Second World War. 
 
Doting – Stuck in a humdrum marriage, middle-aged civil servant Arthur Middleton suddenly finds himself besotted with a much younger woman: pretty, 19-year-old Annabel Paynton, whom he has known since she was a child. As he pursues her, his wife Diana embarks on her own romantic adventure with family friend Charles Addinsell – who is in turn courting Annabel’s friend Claire… Set in postwar London, Henry Green’s final novel is a sophisticated social comedy exploring the subtle distinction between doting and loving. 
 
Party Going – Travelling by train to the South of France, a party of wealthy ‘Bright Young Things’ are delayed by heavy fog at Victoria Station. As they wait for the weather to lift, they take refuge in a hotel – but over the course of their stay, their lives change imperceptibly. Listed as one of the Guardian’s 100 best novels, this wry, dazzling, tale of self-absorbed socialites on the eve of war is adapted by veteran radio dramatist Neville Teller. 
 
First published 1939 (Party Going), 1945 (Loving), 1952 (Doting) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Henry Green 
 
Loving 
Charley Raunce – Martin Kemp 
Edith – Leanne Rowe 
Miss Welch – Pauline Ouirke 
Mrs Tennant – Joanna David 
Violet – Claudia Harrison 
Miss Burch – Amanda Root 
Kate – Zoe Tapper 
Capt Davenport – Mark Straker 
Bert – Harry Eden 
Albert – Johnny Brennan 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
 
Doting 
Mr Arthur Middleton – Frederick Treves 
Mrs Diana Middleton – Fenella Fielding 
Master Peter Middleton – Stephen Pacey 
Mr Charles Addinsell – James Villiers 
Miss Annabel Paynton – Illona Linthwaite 
Miss Claire Belaine – Mary-Claire Nash 
 
Party Going 
Angela Crevy – Amanda Murray 
Robin Adams – Paul Herzberg 
Miss Fellowes – Renee Asherson 
Claire Hignam – Rosalind Shanks 
Robert Hignam – Martin Connor 
Evelyn Henderson – Penelope Lee 
The Stranger – Sean Arnold 
Julia Wray – Selina Cadell 
Amabel – Frances Jeater 
Max Adey – David McAlister 
Edwards – Haydn Wood 
Alex Alexander – Geoffrey Bateman 
Thomson – Nick Brimble 
Station announcer/Porter – Graham Faulkner 
Driver/Porter – Alexander John 
Clerk/Driver – John Livesey 
Mr Roberts – Alan Dudley 
Mr Wray/Floor waiter – John Forbes-Robertson 
Cloakroom attendant – Sonia Fraser 
Mr Ogilvie/Stationmaster/Doctor – David Graham 
Counter Assistant/Receptionist – Jane Knowles 
Counter Assistant/Room service – Vanessa Knox-Mawer 
Embassy Richard/Passer-by – Rupert Everett 
 
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Loving, Doting & Party Going

Three Full - Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

George Meredith

BBC Radio 4 adaptations of George Meredith’s classic tragicomic novel and his picaresque romantic comedyNovelist and poet George Meredith is widely regarded as the last great Victorian author. He influenced writers including Thomas Hardy, Robert Louis Stevenson and Henry James, and was nominated for the Nobel Prize seven times. This BBC collection features dramatisations of his most famous novel, The Egoist, and his witty bildungsroman The Adventures of Harry Richmond.The Egoist – Self-absorbed aristocrat Sir Willoughby Patterne wants a wife – and naturally assumes that whoever he chooses will want him. But when his chosen fiancée, Constantia, elopes, he is forced to look for another potential bride. Torn between the sentimental Laetitia and the strong-willed Clara, he finally pins one down to an engagement – only to find that she, too, has doubts… James Wilby stars as Sir Willoughby, with Keeley Hawes as Clara, in this satirical look at the Victorian marriage market.The Adventures of Harry Richmond – On a cold morning in February 1846, Richmond Roy arrives at Riversley Grange to claim his infant son, Harry, from the child’s grandfather, Squire Beltham. It is the beginning of a journey of self-discovery for the young boy, as he is rescued and abandoned by his charismatic father, escapes from a London boarding school, embarks on a Grand Tour of Europe and succumbs to the charms of a German princess… This lively coming-of-age tale stars James Aubrey, Anthony Newlands, Sebastian Shaw, Gina Bellman, Joanna David and Maev Alexander.First published 1871 (The Adventures of Harry Richmond), 1879 (The Egoist)Production creditsWritten by George MeredithThe EgoistSir Willoughby – James WilbyClara Middleton – Keeley HawesMrs Mountstuart-Jenkinson – Hannah GordonLaetitia Dale – Nickie RainsfordVernon Witford – Simon LuddersHorace de Craye – Robert PattersonDr Middleton – Bill WallisCrossjay – Leo BrightmoreLady Busshe – Lawmary ChampionLady Culmer – Christine PritchardConstantia – Anna NorthDr Corney – Giles ThomasLady Patterne – June BarrieMr Dale – Paul NicholsonCrossjay – Leo BrightmoreDramatised by Jane DaunceyDirected by Alison HindellFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 April-3 May 1998The Adventures of Harry RichmondHarry Richmond – James AubreySewis – Brian CarrollRichmond Roy – Anthony NewlandsSquire Beltham – Sebastian ShawHarry, as a boy – Howard TaylorAunt Dorothy – Gwen WatfordJanet, as a girl – Katherines HughesTemple, as a boy – David WilsonFlo – Jacqui BurinAmy – Jo Manning WilsonJoe Double – Ronald BaddileyCapt Welsh – Haydn JonesClara Goodwin – Roberta SymesColonel Goodwin – :Garard GreenOttilia, as a girl – Gina BellmanThe Margravine von Rippau – Brenda BruceBurgomeister – Milo SperberMiss Sibley/Frau von Dittmarsch – Elaine MitchellPrincess Ottilia – Joanna DavidMrs Waddy – Margot BoydCaptain de Witt – Michael DeaconLady Wilts – Petra DaviesAnna Penrhys – Liza FlanaganJanet Ilchester – :Maev AlexanderMr Burgin – James ThomasonMr Peterborough – Jonathan ScottBaroness Turckems – Hilda KrisemanPrince Ernest – George PravdaProfessor von Karsteg – Steve PlytasPrince Otto – Philip SullyLieschen – Tammy UstinovCountess Czezedy – Eva StuartKiomi/Lady Sampleman – Josie KiddAugustus Temple – John BullMarquis of Edbury – David McAlisterYachtsman – Gregory de PolnayAdapted by D.G. BridsonDirected by John CardyFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3 June-15 July 1979© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Egoist & The Adventures of Harry Richmond

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

JG Farrell

BBC Radio 4 productions of JG Farrell's celebrated historical novels - plus bonus material 
 
Acclaimed author JG Farrell came to fame with his Empire Trilogy, exploring the collapse of British colonialism and its repercussions in three different countries. The first book in the series, Troubles, won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize and the Lost Man Booker Prize, while the second, The Siege of Krishnapur, was awarded the Booker Prize for Fiction. Included here are three BBC Radio adaptations of the trilogy, plus an edition of Witness History exploring Farrell's tragic accidental death. 
 
Troubles - 1919, and Major Brendan Archer travels to Kilnalough in Ireland to visit his accidental fiancée, Angela. Arriving at her father's once-grand hotel, the Majestic, he finds it a dilapidated wreck, overrun by vegetation and hordes of feral cats. And outside its walls, a violent storm is brewing - one that will sweep him, and the Majestic, away... Jim Norton reads Farrell's tragicomic novel set during Ireland's struggle for independence. 
 
The Siege of Krishnapur - It is 1857 and British rule in India is under threat. At first the colonists are confident that their 'superior culture' will prevail, but when the Indian mutineers attack the Residency in Krishnapur, the Collector is unsure whether his defences can hold out... This thrilling adaptation of JG Farrell's masterpiece stars Alex Jennings, Shiv Grewal and Jasmine Hyde. 
 
The Singapore Grip - 1937. Young Matthew Webb arrives in Singapore to join the family rubber business, and becomes embroiled in a love triangle with two beautiful women. But as the Japanese invasion grows closer, Matthew's comfortable expat world is about to crumble... Robert Glenister, Jonathan Cake and Samantha Spiro star in this gripping dramatisation of Farrell's satirical tale of the fall of Singapore. 
 
Witness History: The Death of JG Farrell - The Booker Prize-winning author drowned off the south-west coast of Ireland in 1979, aged just 44. Vincent Dowd talks to those who knew him, and hears an eyewitness account of his death. 
 
Text copyright © JG Farrell 1970 (Troubles), 1973 (The Siege of Krishnapur), 1978 (The Singapore Grip) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by JG Farrell 
 
Troubles 
Read by Jim Norton 
Abridged by Doreen Estall. Produced by Heather Larmour 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8-19 November 2010 
 
The Siege of Krishnapur 
Hopkins, The Collector - Alex Jennings 
Fluery - Ben Askew 
Prince Hari - Shiv Grewal 
Harry Dunstaple - Matt Addis 
Louise Dunstaple - Jasmine Hyde 
Dr Dunstaple - Malcolm Tierney 
Mrs Dunstaple - Caroline Guthrie 
Willoughby - Sam Dale 
Miriam - Janice Acquah 
Dr MacNab - Stephen Hogan 
The Padre - Philip Fox 
Cutter - Jonathan Tafler 
Lieutenant Peterson - Paul Rider 
Lucy Hughes - Lizzy Watts 
Dramatised by Shelagh Stephenson. Directed by Eoin O'Callaghan 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10-17 May 2009 
 
The Singapore Grip 
JG Farrell - Robert Glenister 
Matthew - Jonathan Cake 
Joan - Samantha Spiro 
Monty/Mr Smith - David Thorpe 
Vera - Su-Lin Looi 
Major Archer - John Rowe 
Walter - Timothy Bateson 
Jim - Kenny Blyth 
Air Marshall Brook-Popham - Terence Edmond 
Brigadier - Karl Johnson 
Governor - John East 
Captain Sinclair - Alex Tender 
Percival - Barry Foster 
ADC - Thomas Arnold 
Dramatised by Mike Walker. Directed by Peter Kavanagh. Music: Felix Jay 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 October-12 November 2000 
 
Witness History: The Death of JG Farrell 
Presented by Vincent Dowd 
With Lavinia Greacen, Hilary Spurling, Jerry Daly, Pauline Foley 
First broadcast BBC World Service, 17 October 2017 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Empire Trilogy: Troubles, The Siege of Krishnapur, The Singapore Grip

3 BBC Radio 4 productions

Adrian Bean

A gripping series about one family's journey into the unknown aboard the Mayflower, starring Louise Brealey 
 
What do you do when your beliefs are condemned by the rest of society? 
 
Sarah Hargreaves doesn't share her husband Matthew's desire to join the Puritan exiles, but when their son Benjamin is arrested on a trumped-up charge, they have little choice but to go. Things go rapidly from bad to worse, and they decide to leave everything behind. Hoping to find peace and like-minded souls in a new religious community in America, they spend everything they have left on a ticket to sail on the Mayflower. 
 
Safely aboard ship their adventure really begins. But conditions are cramped, storms blast the ship, and their daughter Elizabeth is very sick. Halfway across the vast Atlantic, there is no turning back… 
 
Also included in this release is a bonus programme, ‘The Mayflower – 400 years’, in which Emily Buchanan explores the Pilgrims’ journey, their relationship with Native Americans, and how their political and religious beliefs helped shape modern America. 
 
Cast: 
Sarah Hargreaves - Louise Brealey 
 Matthew Hargreaves - Trystan Gravelle 
 Ben - Joel MacCormack 
 Elizabeth - Megan McInerney 
Saul Tregarron - Matthew Gravelle 
 Captain Jones - John Cording 
Reverend Kerswell/Ghost Sailor/Minister - Marc Danbury 
Woman/Blackbird – Ashleigh Haddad 
Samoset – Daniel Taylor 
 
Directed by John Norton 
 A BBC Cymru Wales Production 
 
'The Mayflower - 400 years' was produced by David Cook and Dan Tierney

Exile: Journey on the Mayflower

A gripping BBC Radio full-cast drama

Barbara Taylor Bradford

A powerful billionaire who appears to have everything. The woman that holds the key.When a beautiful piece of music stirs mega-tycoon, Maximilian West, he remembers the women who have loved him and shaped his life. So begins a dazzling tale, taking us from the streets of London to the suites of New York, from the rise of Nazi Germany to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Strong, powerful, enigmatic, aloof, and adoring - many women made Maximilian the man with everything, but there is only one woman who can make him feel truly alive&hellip;Hear an unforgettable journey of sacrifice, secrets, love and redemption. Be mesmerised across all eight episodes of this sumptuous full-cast adaptation that will have you gripped from start to finish.Barbara Taylor Bradford is one of the world&rsquo;s greatest storytellers, her books have sold over 92 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 40 languages. Her debut, A Woman of Substance, was an instant bestseller and she has established herself as one of the best-known writers of compelling stories with heart. Bert Coules has written several hugely successful radio and TV adaptations including the Brother Cadfael novels, works by Val McDirmid, Ian Rankin and The Further Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes series.&ldquo;Few novelists are as consummate as Barbara Taylor Bradford at keeping the reader turning the page. She is one of the world&rsquo;s best at spinning yarns.&quot; The Guardian&ldquo;Queen of the genre.&rdquo; Sunday TimesCast and creditsWritten by Bert CoulesOriginal story by Barbara Taylor BradfordDirected by Enyd WilliamsPianist Michael HaslamMaximilian West - Robin EllisPrincess Irina Troubetzkoy - Dorothy TutinAnastasia &ndash; Alexandra BastedoCamilla Galland - Nicola PagettAdriana Macklin - Joanna MunroBlair Martin &ndash; Alice Arnold Theodora/Teddy - Emma FieldingUrsula Westheim - Susannah CorbettFrau Westheim - Sonia FraserSister Constanza &ndash; Sian Phillips Aunt Ketti &ndash; Maria CharlesAlix West - Elaine Pyke Michael West - Nicholas FletcherAlan Trenton &ndash; Simon WilliamsMargot Derevenko &ndash; Pauline Jameson Willy Herzog - Kim WallMark Lewis &ndash; Christopher Scott Little Maxim - William Nichols RoseYoung Maxim &ndash; Jonathan Kitchens Teenage Maxim- Robert Harper Teenage Alan &ndash; Alex LoweOther parts played by Janet Maw, Chris Pavlo, Shirley Dixon, Jonathan Adams, Sean Baker, Colleen Prendergast, Rory Jennings, Denys Hawthorne, Joan Meredith First Broadcast BBC Radio 2, 22 Oct &ndash; 10 Dec 1996&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Women in His Life

A BBC Radio Dramatisation

Lucy Catherine

Beyond the forests, beyond the valleys, beyond the mountains... there's another world. 
 
From the Red Book of Hergest, these are the tales of the Mabinogi. Tales of of romance, tragedy, comedy and fantasy, of a mythical pre-Saxon era of Medieval Wales: a land of magic, of dragons, fairies and giants. 
 
Pryderi, Prince of Dyfed, heads to Harlech in North Wales to impress King Bran the Blessed of Gwynedd and win the hand of Princess Branwen. But what starts out as a straightforward journey with his companion, Brigid, quickly becomes upturned by strange magic and the threat of war with the Irish. Can they survive? And what mysteries yearn to be unravelled in the Otherworld? 
 
The world we see, the world of the mountains and the valleys, the villages and the farms, is nothing more than a veneer. Our world is no more than a painted shroud, masking what lies beneath. For most of the living, the barrier between the worlds is impossible to breach. For very few, it is as easy to pierce as the still black waters of a mountain lake. Step into the Otherworld. 
 
Starring Darragh Mortell (The Bill) and Aimee Ffion Edwards (Peaky Blinders, The Detectorists). 
 
 Award-winning writer Lucy Catherine (The Master and Margherita, Being Human, Vanity Fair) gives these stories a modern flavour while remaining true to the vivid magic of Celtic mythology. 
 
Cast and credits: 
 
Brigid - Aimee Ffion Edwards 
 Pryderi - Darragh Mortell 
 Arawn - John Cording 
 Roisin - Fiona O'Shaughnessy 
 Bran the Blessed/Pwyll - Robert Pugh 
 Manawydan/Dewi - Matthew Gravelle 
 Branwen - Rhian Blythe 
 Matholwch - Stephen Hogan 
 Efnysien - Richard Elfyn 
 Nysien - Rhodri Meilir 
 Pwca/Wyn - Sion Pritchard 
 Deryn - Saran Morgan 
 Mam/Rhiannon - Eiry Thomas 
 
Adapted by Lucy Catherine. 
 Sound design by Nigel Lewis. 
 Directed by James Robinson and John Norton. 
 A BBC Wales and BBC Radio 3 Commission. 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Mabinogi: Lost Legends and Dark Magic

A BBC Radio full-cast fantasy adventure

Laurence Mason

Laurence 'Lol' Mason's spin-off homage to Dick Barton, following the adventures of the unretirable special agent and his doctor son 
 
A thrilling saga of criminal masterminds, espionage and adventure, Edward J. Mason's Dick Barton: Special Agent was a huge hit on the BBC Light Programme between 1946 and 1951. Together with his mates Jock Anderson and Snowy White, ex-Commando Dick faced dastardly villains and deadly peril - but always triumphed ('With one bound, Dick was free!') Half a century later, Edward J's son Lol paid affectionate tribute to the much-loved radio hero with this sparkling pastiche, featuring the joint escapades of father-and-son duo Dick and Richard Barton. 
 
Recuperating after an operation, the elderly crimefighter comes to stay with his GP son and daughter-in-law Sally in their sleepy rural village. Peace and quiet is what the doctor orders, so Dick settles down to get some rest and write his memoirs. But soon, mysterious parallels emerge between past and present, as Dick's old adventures start to echo events in Appledon... 
 
Robert Bathurst stars as Richard Barton, with Sally Phillips and Matilda Ziegler as Sally, Moray Watson as Dick Barton, Julian Dutton as his younger self and Iain Cuthbertson as Jock. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Lol Mason 
Produced by Jo Clegg 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 October 1997 (Pilot), 17 April-15 May 1998 (Series 1) 
 
Cast 
Richard Barton - Robert Bathurst 
Old Dick/Old Leslie - Moray Watson 
Jock - Iain Cuthbertson 
Young Dick/Young Leslie - Julian Dutton 
Sally Barton - Sally Phillips/Matilda Ziegler 
Mrs Cadwalladder - Ann Beach/Doreen Mantle 
Fassbinder - Kim Wall 
Colin Meadows - Wayne Forester/Julian Dutton 
Kenwood-Gore/Gordini - David Daker 
Dr Willoughby - Joss Ackland 
Marge - Carolyn Jones 
Dr Adebile - Adjoa Andoh 
 
With Roger Blake, Tim Whitnall and Fiona Allen 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Richard Barton: General Practitioner!

A BBC Radio 4 Crime Drama: Another Dick Barton Adventure

Oscar Wilde

Arthur Conan Doyle

Virginia Woolf

A treasure chest of timeless short stories by some of the world's greatest authors 
 
Suspense and horror 
1 The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire - Arthur Conan Doyle 
2 The Signalman - Charles Dickens 
3 Lost Hearts - MR James 
4 The Sealed Room - Arthur Conan Doyle. 
5 Mrs Badgery - Wilkie Collins 
6 Wailing Well - MR James 
7 The Open Window - Saki 
8 How it happened - Arthur Conan Doyle 
9 The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe 
10 The Cone - HG Wells 
11 A Haunted House - Virginia Woolf 
12 Rats - MR James 
13 The Oval Portrait - Edgar Allan Poe 
14 Tarquin of Cheapside - F. Scott Fitzgerald 
15 One Crowded Hour - Arthur Conan Doyle 
16 The Mezzotint - MR James 
17 The Masque of the Red Death - Edgar Allan Poe 
 
Love 
18 The Kiss - Kate Chopin 
19 Eleonora - Edgar Allan Poe 
20 About Love - Anton Chekhov 
21 The Lovers - Hans Christian Anderson 
22 Love - Guy De Maupassant 
23 The Sphinx Without a Secret - Oscar Wilde 
24 A Wedding Gift - Guy De Maupassant 
25 Kew Gardens - Virginia Woolf 
26 The District Doctor - Ivan Turgenev 
27 Happiness - Guy De Maupassant 
28 A Blunder - Anton Chekhov 
29 The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky - Stephen Crane 
30 In a Far-Off World - Olive Schreiner 
31 The Cook's Wedding - Anton Chekhov 
32 The Recruit - Honore de Balzac 
33 The Nightingale and the Rose - Oscar Wilde 
34 Pyramus and Thisbe - Ovid 
35 Aunt Hetty on Matrimony - Fanny Fern 
36 A Country Cottage - Anton Chekhov 
37 Marriage a la Mode - Katherine Mansfield 
38 The Statue of Limitations - Ernest Dowson 
39 The Dilettante - Edith Wharton 
 
Humorous 
40 Tobermory - Saki 
41The Mesmeric Mountain - Stephen Crane 
42 The Children's Joke - Louisa May Alcott 
43 At The Siren - Anton Chekhov 
44 The Garden Party - Katherine Mansfield 
45 The Cask of Amontillado - Edgar Allan Poe 
46 The New Dress - Virginia Woolf 
47 How I Built Myself A House - Thomas Hardy 
48 The Model Millionaire - Oscar Wilde 
49 A Pair of Silk Stockings - Kate Chopin 
50 At The Barbers - Anton Chekhov 
51 A Respectable Woman - Kate Chopin 
 
Folk &amp; Fable 
52 The Happy Prince - Oscar Wilde. 
53 The Elves and the Shoemaker - The Brothers Grimm 
54 The Emperor's New Clothes -Hans Christian Andersen 
55 The Tongue Cut Sparrow - Yei Theodora Ozaki 
56 Finn and the Scottish Giant - Harold F. Read 
57 The Postmaster - Rabindranath Tagore 
58 The Toys of Peace - Saki 
59 The Selfish Giant - Oscar Wilde 
60 The Flower Gatherer - Edward Thomas 
61 Araby - James Joyce 
62 The Interlopers - Saki 
63 Tom Thumb - The Brothers Grimm 
64 The Kabuliwalah - Rabindranath Tagore 
65 The Monkey's Paws - WW Jacobs 
 
Christmas 
66 The Little Match Girl - Hans Christian Andersen 
67 Papa Panov's Special Christmas - Leo Tolstoy 
68 Christmas Storms and Sunshine - Elizabeth Gaskell. 
69 The Gift of the Magi - O'Henry 
70 At Christmas Time - Anton Chekhov 
71 A Dill Pickle - Katherine Mansfield 
 
Classic Tales 
72 The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman 
73 The Fall of Lord Barrymore - Arthur Conan Doyle 
74 The Necklace - Guy De Maupassant 
75 Holiday Group - EM Delafield 
76 Three Questions - Leo Tolstoy 
77 The Cop and the Anthem - O'Henry 
78 The Fly - Katherine Mansfield 
79 The Christening - DH Lawrence 
80 After the Race - James Joyce 
81 The String Quartet - Virginia Woolf 
82 Two Friends - Guy De Maupassant 
83 An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge - Ambrose Bierce. 
84 A Gentleman Friend - Anthon Chekhov 
85 Ma'ame Pelagie - Kate Chopin 
86 Second Best - DH Lawrence 
87 El Verdugo - Honore de Balzac 
88 The Story of an Hour - Kate Chopin 
89 The Man of No Account - Bret Hart 
90 The Piece of String - Guy De Maupassant 
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

BBC Classics: Ultimate Story Collection

90 unmissable tales

Rosamunde Pilcher

Rosamunde Pilcher's beloved saga of one family's passions and heartbreaks &ndash; plus an interview with the author&lsquo;A deeply satisfying story written with love and confidence&rsquo; Maeve BinchyRecovering from a heart attack, Penelope Keeling discharges herself from hospital and returns to her cosy Cotswolds cottage. Fiercely self-sufficient, she values her independence above everything &ndash; but fears that others wish to take it from her&hellip;Penelope has one treasured possession &ndash; &lsquo;The Shell Seekers&rsquo;, painted by her artist father Lawrence Stern. A comforting reminder of a precious bygone time, it sparks memories of her bohemian Cornish childhood and her wartime romance with the love of her life. But when her self-centred adult children, Noel and Nancy, find out that Stern&rsquo;s work is now worth a fortune, they urge Penelope to sell up and give the money to them. Only her daughter Olivia &ndash; who has also known love and loss &ndash; respects her mother&rsquo;s freedom to make her own decisions. As Penelope searches her heart, and recalls the passions, tragedies and secrets of her past, she knows what she must do&hellip; but will it rip her family apart?One of the best-selling and most famous sagas of the last four decades, The Shell Seekers is an enduring classic which has touched the hearts of millions worldwide. Set in Gloucestershire, London, Cornwall and Ibiza, and shifting between 1939 and 1985, this poignant drama explores themes of memory, fate, trauma and connection.Also featured is a fascinating episode of Bookshelf, in which Nigel Forde talks to Rosamunde Pilcher about her life and novels.Production creditsWritten by Rosamunde PilcherDramatised by Lin CoghlanDirected by Tracey NealeCastThe Narrator, Rosamunde Pilcher &ndash; Jessica TurnerPenelope &ndash; Emma FieldingOlivia &ndash; Emily BerringtonNancy &ndash; Jasmine HydeYoung Penelope &ndash; Kitty O'SullivanRichard &ndash; Carl PrekoppNoel/Ambrose &ndash; Will KirkCosmo/Mr Brookner/Soldier &ndash; John LightbodyAntonia &ndash; Imogen FrontDanus &ndash; Ian Dunnett JnrLawrence &ndash; Michael BertenshawDoris &ndash; Debra BakerMiss Pawson &ndash; Anna SpearpointMrs Enderby &ndash; Juliana LiskFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14-21 April 2024The Shell Seekers copyright &copy; 1987 Rosamunde Pilcher&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Shell Seekers

A Full-Cast BBC Radio 4 Dramatisation

Dramatised by Julia Stoneham

Samantha Bond stars in two captivating stories set around a hostel for Land Girls during World War Two 
 
Based in Devon in the 1940s, these two dramas follow the lives and loves of a group of young women, all from different backgrounds, but all determined to do their bit for King and country in the Land Army. Billeted in a hastily-converted farmhouse, they face cramped conditions and gruelling work - but there's always dances at the village hop and the chance of romance with a GI... 
 
The Cinderella Service 
It's 1943, and Alice Todd has just separated from her husband. With a ten-year-old son to care for, she accepts the position of Warden at a hostel for Land Girls: but is she up to the job? Looking after ten lively, independent women is hard, and when Alice's competence is questioned, she doubts her ability to cope. Will the loyalty and friendship of her girls persuade her to stick it out? 
 
Cinderella D-Day 
1944. Alice is still busy running the Women's Land Army hostel, as well as taking tentative steps in her new career and a fledgling relationship. But the girls in her care are finding that life in wartime does not run smoothly. As the hostilities rumble on, there is happiness and heartbreak in store, and the hostel residents face danger and some stark personal choices... 
 
Created by Julia Stoneham - a regular writer on hit TV show The House of Elliott - these evocative wartime dramas star Samantha Bond as Alice, with a cast including June Barrie, Tilly Vosburgh, Becky Hindley and Deborah McAndrew. 
 
 
Directed by Tracey Neale 
Theme tune: 'This Time the Dream's On Me' by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc 
 
The Cinderella Service 
Alice - Samantha Bond 
Edward-John - James Cohen 
Rose - June Barrie 
Annie - Tilly Vosburgh 
Mabel - Cathy Murphy 
Marian - Becky Hindley 
Winnie - Deborah McAndrew 
Martha - Rachel Lewis 
Taffy - Elaine Claxton 
Georgina - Annabel Mullion 
Chrissie - Teresa Gallagher 
Margery Brewster - Tessa Worsley 
Roger Bayliss - Peter Yapp 
Christopher Bayliss - Andrew Wlncott 
Ferdie - Bill Wallis 
Oliver Maynard/Fred - Ian Masters 
Ron Chapman - David Collings 
Mrs Bowden - Jilly Bond 
Nora - Abigail Docherty 
Andreas - Walter Van Dyke 
Ruben - David Antrobus 
Alec/John Boyce - Matthew Morgan 
James Todd - David Jarvis 
Mary Brewer - Eva Stuart 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5-19 April 1995 
 
Cinderella D-Day 
Alice - Samantha Bond 
Rose - June Barrie 
Georgina - Louise Lombard 
Christopher - Adrian Lukis 
Annie - Tilly Vosburgh 
Marian - Becky Hindley 
Winnie - Deborah McAndrew 
Taffy - Elaine Claxton 
Martha - Rachel Lewis 
Mabel - Cathy Murphy 
Edward-John - Sam Collings 
Roger Bayliss - Ioan Meredith 
Margery Brewster - Tessa Worsley 
Ferdie - Bill Wallis 
Lionel Brewer - Alex Lowe 
Mary Brewer - Ann Beach 
Ruben - David Antrobus 
Marvin - Robert Harper 
Joan - Elaine Pyke 
Kiwi - Joanna Monro 
James - David Jarvis 
Dave - Dominic Taylor 
Eleanor - Abigail Docherty 
Beryl/Mrs Tucker/Fran - Janet Maw 
Lionel - Alex Lowe 
Fred - Denys Hawthorne 
Italian POW - Chris Pavlo 
Arthur - William Howard 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 September-2 October 1996

The Cinderella Service & Cinderella D-Day

Two BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

Lewis Grassic Gibbon

Gerda Stevenson

Gerda Stevenson's dramatisation of the 1932 novel by Lewis Grassic Gibbon, set in north-east Scotland before and during the First World War. Episode 1: Chris Guthrie is torn between her love of the land and her ambition to become a teacher. As Chris' domineering father struggles with the harshness of the land, her mother's fear of childbirth leads her to despair. A full cast dramatisation. Directed by David Ian Neville.Episode 2: After her father's death, Chris is determined to stay and work the farm alone if need be. Joined by Ewan Tavendale in marriage and on the farm, Chris gives birth to a son. But the outbreak of the First World War brings devastating change to her family, the rural landscape and the community. A full cast dramatisation. Directed by David Ian Neville.

Sunset Song

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