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A study of Albert Camus'' life and works which draws together both dramatisations of his novels and documentaries about his life.One of postwar France’s most influential writers, Albert Camus was fêted for his masterful exploration of the absurdity of the human condition. Included here are adaptations of his three iconic existential novels – The Plague, The Outsider and The Fall – alongside four bonus pieces shining a light on the man and his work.La Peste – When plague strikes a French port on the Algerian coast in the late 1940s, the devastating effects are seen through the eyes of three characters: the town doctor, a Parisian journalist, and a mystery man seeking peace…The Outsider – Camus’ masterpiece introduces us to Meursault, a Frenchman living in Algiers, who refuses to pretend and is prepared to face the universe’s indifference alone.The Fall – A former Parisian lawyer, now an Amsterdam barfly, meets a compatriot and recounts his life story – confessing his guilt, his hypocrisy, and the hope that, when judged, he be judged innocent.Carnets – Compiled from the literary journal that Camus kept from 1935 until his death in 1960, this 3-part series features his reflections on love, death, art and loneliness, as well as overheard conversations and notes on future works. Read by John Shrapnel.The Insider – Leila Aboulela''s powerful drama takes two key Arab characters from The Outsider – left unnamed and unspeaking by Camus – and reimagines their lives, giving them a voice and an identity.Albert Camus: Inside the Outsider – With contributions from friends, family and fellow writers, and archive readings by Camus himself, this piece uncovers the real Camus behind the public face, exploring his early life, his friendship with Sartre, his relationships with women and his mysterious death.Centurions: Albert Camus: The Outsider – Biographer Olivier Todd and critic Ray Davison discuss the profound impact of Camus’ pioneering novel on European thought and literature.Featuring Ronald Pickup, John Shrapnel, Clive Merrison, Alex Lanepikun, Paul Scofield, Souad Faress, Sirine Saba, Dhaffer L''Abidine and Amir El-Masry.Cast and creditsWritten by Albert Camus “The Plague” © Editions Gallimard for the original work, 1947”/ “The Outsider” © Editions Gallimard for the original work, 1942”/ “The Fall” © Editions Gallimard for the original work, 1956”/ “Carnets I and II” © Editions Gallimard for the original work, 1962” ContentsLa PesteThe OutsiderThe FallCarnetsThe InsiderWritten by Leila AboulelaAlbert Camus: Inside the OutsiderPresented by Professor Andrew HusseyWith Jeff Dyer, David Walker, M J Hyland, Damon Galgut, Sandra Smith, Roger Grenier, Jean Daniel, Catherine Camus, Andy Martin, Olivier Todd, Elizabeth Hawes, Patricia Blake, Catherine Sellers, Jean Camus, Hamid Grine, Giovanni Catelli and archive clips of Albert CamusProduced by Karen HoldenWorks used to research this programme:Albert Camus: A Life by Olivier ToddThe Outsider by Albert Camus. Translated by Sandra SmithL’Exil et le Royaume (Exile and the Kingdom) by Albert Camus. Edited by David WalkerThe Boxer and The Goal Keeper: Sartre versus Camus by Andy MartinCamus Deve Morire (Camus Must Die) by Giovanni CatelliCamus, A Romance by Elizabeth HawesCenturions: Albert Camus: The OutsiderWith Ray Davison and Olivier ToddProduced by Sara Davies© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Maggie Smith stars in this BBC radio adaptation of Alan Bennett''s highly acclaimed autobiographical stage playAn eccentric old lady moves into a quiet street in Camden Town. There she remains, installed in her van in glorious self-sufficiency, until the council instructs her to move on. Then a kind homeowner invites her to move her van into his garden – where she stays for the next fifteen years. This is the fascinating story of the genteel vagrant who found a unique place in Alan Bennett''s life and writing.But the drama is as much about the author himself as Miss Shepherd. Why did Alan Bennett let her commandeer his driveway? Was he acting out of kindness, weakness, or hidden guilt over not spending enough time with his own mother? Did he always subconsciously plan to exploit Miss Shepherd for literary profit? Thought-provoking and moving, The Lady in the Van tackles profound questions about social responsibility, homelessness and mental illness with a lightness of touch characteristic of Bennett the master storyteller.With a full cast including Adrian Scarborough, Marcia Warren and Alan Bennett, this bitter-sweet comic tale stars Maggie Smith as Miss Shepherd.Now a major BBC feature film, starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings.

Benedict Cumberbatch reads Franz Kafka''s famous story of man-turned-insect, MetamorphosisWinner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018After a night of troubled dreams, Gregor Samsa wakes to discover that he has turned into a huge, monstrous, cockroach-like creature, with an armour-plated back and multiple limbs.Gradually, he comes to terms with his new state - but his parents and sister are horrified and increasingly revolted. To them, Gregor is unclean, verminous and entirely repellent, and as he becomes more and more of a burden, their horror turns to a terrible indifference...First published in 1915, Kafka''s surreal existential novella explores concepts such as the absurdity of life, alienation and the disconnect between mind and body. Read by Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek, The Imitation Game), this tale - often described as one of the greatest in the history of fiction - is chilling, captivating and darkly comic.©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A rollicking collection of six fully dramatised Jeeves & Wooster novels, starring Michael Hordern and Richard Briers.In The Inimitable Jeeves, Aunt Agatha is forcing Bertie to get engaged to the formidable Honoria Glossop. Can Jeeves save the day?Right Ho, Jeeves sees mayhem breaking out at Brinkley Court, but there are more brains in the Wooster household than just Jeeves...In The Code of the Woosters, who would think that a silver cow-creamer could cause so much trouble? Uncle Tom wants it and Aunt Dahlia is blackmailing Bertie to steal it.In Joy in the Morning, Steeple Bumphleigh is a village to be avoided for Bertie, as it contains the appalling Aunt Agatha. Still, there are good deeds to be done.Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit finds Jeeves in for a few surprises when returns from his annual shrimping holiday in Bognor Regis.In Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves, Madeline Bassett and Gussie Fink-Nottle’s engagement is on the rocks, and poor Bertie''s next in line for the fair maiden’s hand.Publisher’s note: As of January 2025, the dramatisations have been re-ordered into their correct order, by original broadcast date.Track Listing:

Cast and creditsWritten by P.G. WodehouseAdapted for radio by Chris Miller & Richard UsborneProduced by Simon Brett & David HatchBertie Wooster — Richard BriersJeeves — Michael HordernRecurring cast: Jonathan Cecil, Joan Sanderson, Miriam Margolyes, Andrew Cruickshank, Vivian Pickles, Rex Garner, Bridget Armstrong, Aimi MacDonald, Ray Cooney, James Villiers, Paul Eddington, Bronwen Williams, Liza Goddard, Patrick Cargill, John Le Mesurier and Denise CoffeyWith appearances from David Jason, Maurice Denham, Ronald Fraser, Jonathan Lynn, Douglas Blackwell, Edwin Apps, John Graham, Jennie Goossens, Peter Woodthorpe, Denise Bryer, Rosalind Adams, Michael Kilgarriff, James Villiers, Norman Bird, Diana King, Ann Davies, Liza Goddard, David Tate, Percy Edwards and Graham Faulkner.First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1973-1981©2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Rory Sutherland explores the stories and psychology behind the most influential marketing campaigns in history, and smashes apart received wisdom with a look at iconoclastic ideas.Advertising guru Rory Sutherland is a world-leading proponent of behavioural economics. In Hacking the Unconscious, he looks at how this emerging science is used by marketers to influence us and challenges us to reassess which ideas we hold dear.In Part 1, Marketing, Rory asks why certain ad campaigns, such as Nike''s ''Just Do It'' and the MND Ice Bucket Challenge, cast such a spell over us. Looking at ten all-time great campaigns - including Coke''s iconic ''Hilltop'' ad, Dove''s ''Campaign for Real Beauty'' and De Beers'' ''A Diamond is Forever'' - he discusses their success with the creative minds that conceived them.Along the way, he ponders the allure of altruism, asks whether ads can be art, considers what ''Big Data'' means for the future of marketing, and shows how a powerful health campaign transformed attitudes, and saved lives.Part 2, Thought Cages, sees Rory confounding conventional wisdom with his intriguing, subversive and controversial concepts. Is education always a good thing? Would we be better off selecting our MPs by lottery? Plus, he looks at the dilemma the NHS faces - to be successful, or to be loved; speculates if we''re really as rational as we think; exposes the fallacy of market research; shows how businesses play on our susceptibility to commitment; and wonders whether online retail will ever replicate the magic of the traditional shopping experience.As he explores how ''psycho-logic'', behavioural quirks and mind hacks could drive change, he formulates a magical series of radical ideas that may provide new solutions to society''s problems.Contributors include novelist Fay Weldon, onetime CEO of Cambridge Analytica, Alexander Nix, New York Times bestseller Bryan Caplan, MP Jess Philips and Nassim Nicholas Taleb, statistician and author of The Black Swan.Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution LtdPresented by Rory SutherlandProduced by Steven Rajam and Michael SurcombeHacking the UnconsciousFeaturing: Shelina Janmohamed, Steve Henry, Roger Greenaway, Nicola Raihani, Sara Pascoe, Geoffrey Miller, Daryl Fielding, J Courtney Sullivan, Fay Weldon, Scott Bedbury, Liz Dolan, Byron Sharp, Alexander Nix, Nick Hall, Lord Norman Fowler, Sammy Harari, Sir Nick Partridge, Jacqueline Gold, Jennifer Jacquet, Matt BrosnanFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1-12 May 2017Thought CagesFeaturing: Natalie Perera, Bryan Caplan, Nicholas Gruen, Jess Philips, Diana Fleischman, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Helena Cronin, Dave Trott, Ben Page, Nichola Raihani, Robin Hanson, Oliver Payne, Natalie Nahai, Leigh Caldwell, Jonathan Haidt, Owain Service, Sue Benson, Dan Ariely, Katherine Lewis, David DalzielFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 19-30 November 2018

BBC radio productions of the finest works of Wilkie Collins: sensation novelist, early master of the mystery story, and pioneer of detective fictionWilkie Collins was one of Victorian England''s best-loved and best-selling authors, and a crime fiction pioneer. His enthralling ''sensation novels'' such as The Woman in White paved the way for today''s thrillers, and his tour de force The Moonstone is one of the first, and greatest, modern detective stories.This collection features dramatisations of these two masterpieces, with star casts including Toby Stephens (The Woman in White) and John Sharp (The Moonstone). Also included are adaptations of three of Collins'' other major novels: No Name, The Law and the Lady and The Haunted Hotel, starring Sophie Thompson, Abigail Docherty and Henry Lloyd respectively.Collins was a prolific short story writer, and included here are a number of his shorter tales, such as a full-cast dramatisation of the ghost story ''Mad Monkton'', starring Gary Bond, and readings of five tales of suspense: ''The Dream Woman'' (read by David Suchet), ''The Biter Bit'' (read by John Rowe), ''A Terribly Strange Bed'' (read by Paul Daneman), ''The Stolen Letter'' (read by Garard Green) and ''The Dead Hand'' (read by Peter Marinker). Plus, the darkly comic ''Mrs Badgery'' is read by Christopher Harper, while Ronald Pickup reads the murder mystery ''Who Killed Zebedee?'', taken from the 1887 short story collection Little Novels. There are also dramatisations of five additional Little Novels tales: ''Miss Jeromette and the Clergyman'', ''Mr Marmaduke and the Minister'', ''Miss Bertha and the Yankee'', ''Miss Morris and the Stranger'' and ''Mr Percy and the Prophet'', all starring Ronald Pickup as Wilkie Collins.A lifelong friend of Charles Dickens, Collins collaborated with him on several works including ''A House to Let'', which was co-written by Collins, Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell and Adelaide Anne Proctor. Marcia Warren stars in an adaptation of this exciting tale of secrets and intrigue.Finally, in Night Waves: The Woman in White, Matthew Sweet joins Simon Callow, Kate Summerscale, Paul Lewis and Lisa Appignanesi to discuss the groundbreaking novel that catapulted Collins to literary stardom, exploring its lasting influence and asking how it stands up today.Contents1. The Woman in White2. No Name3. The Moonstone4. The Law and the Lady5. The Haunted Hotel6. ''Mad Monkton''7. ''The Dream Woman''8. ''The Biter Bit''9. ''A Terribly Strange Bed''10. ''The Stolen Letter''11. ''The Dead Hand''12. ''Mrs Badgery''13. ''A House to Let''14. ''Who Killed Zebedee?''15. ''Miss Jeromette and the Clergyman''16. ''Mr Marmaduke and the Minister''17. ''Miss Bertha and the Yankee''18. ''Miss Morris and the Stranger''19. ''Mr Percy and the Prophet''20. ''Night Waves: The Woman in White''(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

C.S. Lewis’s allegorical sci-fi trilogy about a philology professor’s adventures on Mars, Venus and EarthFeaturing a reluctant hero’s extraordinary journey through the cosmos, C. S. Lewis’s classic trilogy contains all the magic, invention, humour and big ideas of his Narnia novels. Thrilling, mystical and evocative, it mixes theology and mythology to tell the epic story of an interplanetary struggle between good and evil. This collection includes Alex Jennings’ unabridged readings of Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra, and a stunning full-cast adaptation of That Hideous Strength, starring Anneika Rose and Joel MacCormack.Out of the Silent Planet – While out on a walk, Cambridge academic Dr Ransom calls at a mysterious house to take shelter, only to find himself captive on a spaceship headed for Malacandra – the red planet he knows as Mars. His intended fate is to be a human sacrifice, but he escapes, meets the various alien inhabitants – and learns how Earth, the ‘silent planet’, was corrupted and cut off from the rest of the Solar System...Perelandra – Returned from Mars, Ransom is sent on a mission to the beautiful paradise planet of Perelandra, or Venus. There, he encounters floating islands, bubble trees and The Green Lady, an Eve figure tempted by Satan in the form of Ransom’s old enemy, Dr Weston. Forced into a desperate confrontation, can Ransom preserved the purity of this Eden-like world?That Hideous Strength – Set in an exhausted Britain in the late 1940s, this ‘modern fairy tale for grown-ups’ warns of a world where technocrats are kings. The newly established National Institute for Coordinated Experiments seems to promise a bright future. But Jane is tormented by terrible nightmares about a severed head that speaks. She tries to talk to her husband Mark, but he is preoccupied with his work at the University. Then Mark''s college sell Bragdon Wood to NICE, and he is offered a job at the organisation. An ancient myth claims that Merlin is buried under the wood – could that be why NICE is so keen to own it?CreditsOut of the Silent Planet by CS Lewis © 1938 CS Lewis Pte Ltd., Perelandra by CS Lewis ©1944 CS Lewis Pte Ltd., That Hideous Strength by CS Lewis © 1945 CS Lewis Pte Ltd. Out of the Silent PlanetRead by Alex JenningsFirst broadcast BBC 7, 2-18 February 2004PerelandraRead by Alex JenningsFirst broadcast BBC 7, 14 February-9 March 2005That Hideous StrengthJane – Anneika RoseMark – Joel MacCormackCurry/Ransom – Oliver HembroughFeverstone/Briers – Simon ArmstrongHardcastle – Jane SlavinMrs Dimble – Siobhan RedmondGrace – Jane GurnettWither – Matthew BulgoFrost/Hingest – David MenkinAlcasan/Taxi Driver – Kiren Kebaili-DwyerMerlin – Ifan Huw DafyddDramatised by Melissa MurrayProduction co-ordinators: Lindsay Rees and Eleri Sydney McAuliffeSound design by Catherine Robinson and Nigel LewisDirected by John Norton and Emma HardingA BBC Audio Wales productionFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 January – 2 February 2025© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

For the first time in one audio collection, all sixteen Yes Minister radio episodes plus six further TV episodes, fourteen Yes Prime Minister episodes and two bonus sketches.Between 1980 and 1988 on BBC television and radio, the exploits of the Rt Hon Jim Hacker MP (Paul Eddington) - later Prime Minister - kept the British nation enthralled. Helped - and hampered - by his diligent Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne) and his Principle Private Secretary Bernard Woolley (Derek Fowlds), Hacker and his department became synonymous with government bureaucracy and administrative double dealing.Presented here, for the first time in one collection, are the complete radio series of Yes Minister and the complete BBC television soundtracks of Yes Prime Minister. Also included are six TV soundtracks of Yes Minister and two special bonus mini-episodes: The PM’s Plan, recorded in 1984 with Margaret Thatcher as herself, and a special segment created for The Funny Side of Christmas in 1982.Also featuring; Moira Stewart, Diana Hoddinot, Bill Nighy, Peter Cellier, Tenniel Evans, Richard Vernon, Richard Davies, Arthur Cox, Gerry Cowper, John Nettleton, Graham Crowden, William Fox, Peter Jeffrey, Norman Bird, Ellen McIntosh, Brenda Blethyn, Freddie Earle, Jerome Williams, Ian Lavender, Judy Parfitt, Selina Scott, Anton Rodgers and Graeme Garden.

In interviews ranging from 1968 to 2009, Paul McCartney talks about touring the UK with Wings (which was then a new band); a mid-70s offer to re-form the Beatles; the early days of the Beatles, and their final break-up. He also discusses his solo albums; receiving the freedom of the City of Liverpool; Christmas with his family; his love of music, and his career since the break-up of the Beatles up to 2009. Interviews include: The World at One, BBC Radio 4 (first broadcast 24 March 1968); Woman''s Hour, BBC Radio 4 (first broadcast 24 February 1972); archive interview, BBC Radio (first broadcast 1 June 1972); Insight, BBC Radio 1 (11 April 1976); Rock On, BBC Radio 1 (first broadcast 23 December 1978); archive interview, BBC Radio (first broadcast 18 April1982); The World at One, BBC Radio 4 (first broadcast 28 November 1984); archive interview, BBC Radio (first broadcast 15 December 1985); archive interview, BBC Radio (first broadcast 12 May 1989); archive interview, BBC Radio (first broadcast 15 December 1982); Parkinson Meets Paul McCartney, BBC 1 (first broadcast 3 December 1999); Sold on Song, BBC Radio 2 (first broadcast 17 September 2005); Johnnie Walker''s Sounds of the Seventies, BBC Radio 2 (first broadcast 30 August 2009). Due to the age and nature of this archive material, the sound quality may vary.©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Toby Stephens reads three thrilling unabridged novels by Francis Durbridge.In Paul Temple Intervenes, the murder of a well-known American heralds a spate of celebrity deaths that become known as the Marquis murders. The police are baffled, and the Home Secretary is calling for Paul Temple to intervene...In Paul Temple and the Geneva Mystery, Paul faces danger once again as he and Steve must find the answer to one vital question: is Carl Milbourne, supposedly killed in a motor accident in Switzerland, dead or alive?In Paul Temple and the Margo Mystery, a brand of expensive designer coats sparks the latest mystery, when Steve goes missing and another woman is brutally strangled and thrown into the Thames. A trip to the funfair yields further clues...Toby Stephens, known for roles including Gustav Graves in Die Another Day, reads these stories based on some of the most popular BBC radio serials of the Twentieth Century.(P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Paul Temple swings into the Sixties in these five complete radio dramas starring Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury – plus bonus archive material.Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case (1960) A dead girl''s father is sure the police have placed the wrong man in the gallows. This 1960s remake version is published for the first time. Paul Temple and the Margo Mystery (1961) The suave sleuth tries to connect his wife''s kidnapping with a body dressed in an expensive designer coat. Paul Temple and the Jonathan Mystery (1963) After meeting an American couple on a flight, Paul Temple is soon investigating another murder in this 1963 remake. Paul Temple and Geneva Mystery (1965) A woman thinks her late husband is still alive – and someone would prefer Paul Temple dead... Paul Temple and the Alex Affair (1968) The debonair detective investigates three murders, all linked to the mysterious and elusive ''Alex''. This volume also includes the bonus 2005 radio feature Peter Coke and the Paul Temple Affair, introducing the man behind radio''s smoothest and most sophisticated sleuth. Actor Peter Coke talks to Michaela Saunders about how he got the part, what he thinks of his famous catchphrase and more. Duration: 18 hours approx.

Paul Temple lives again in five BBC Radio 4 remakes of classic adventures, starring Crawford Logan as Paul and Gerda Stephenson as Steve. Paul Temple and the Sullivan Mystery (2006) A pair of spectacles spells danger for the suave sleuth and his wife as they embark on a trip to Egypt.Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery (2008) A murdered millionaire and a mysterious watch-chain sets the Temples on the trail of an international counterfeiting gang. Paul Temple and Steve (2010) On the hunt for notorious criminal mastermind Dr Belasco, Paul and Steve find trouble at every turn... A Case for Paul Temple (2011) Braving booby traps, bullets and blazing houses, Paul pursues a shadowy drug dealer known only as ‘Valentine’. Paul Temple and the Gregory Affair (2013) When a young woman disappears, Paul is drawn into a ruthless kidnapping racket run by the murderous ‘Mr Gregory’. These five dramas were originally broadcast in the late 1940s, but are now missing from the BBC archives. Using the same scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the original incidental music, these remakes have been engineered to sound as much like the lost serials as possible.

A comprehensive selection of August Strindberg’s finest works, featuring an all-star cast and original musicHailed by Arthur Miller as ‘the mad inventor of modern theatre’, 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 – penning over 60 plays, 19 novels and nine autobiographies – his turbulent life was marked by emotional conflict. This wide-ranging collection brings together 13 of his most important dramas and a semi-autobiographical ‘occult diary’, 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’s Brand, it centres around a revolutionary 16th-century priest’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’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’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’s reign, as the increasingly unstable ruler becomes embroiled in a bitter feud with the nobility. Next is Ingmar Bergman’s version of A Dream Play, Strindberg’s oneiric fantasy exploring human suffering and life’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 – but can the bride prove her chastity by wearing a bridal crown? Following their father’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…Our final piece, Strindberg’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© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Four BBC radio dramatisations starring Michael Hordern as Tolkien – plus a special archive compilation exploring Tolkien’s life and workThe tales in this collection all reflect an aspect of what Tolkien himself called ‘the perilous realm of Faerie’. Adapted for radio by Brian Sibley, co-writer of the acclaimed BBC radio production of The Lord of the Rings, they are rich in myth, magic and adventure. Among the supporting cast are Brian Blessed, Nigel Planer, Sorcha Cusack, Paul Copley and James Grout.In Farmer Giles of Ham, having accidentally shot a giant, Farmer Giles’ brave reputation is tested by Chrysophylax the dragon. In Smith of Wootton Major, a young boy eats a piece of cake containinga silver star, and is granted access to the magical land of Fäerie. Leaf by Niggle is a thought-provoking allegory of the creative process, and The Adventures of Tom Bombadil features Tom and the Hobbits in scenes from The Lord of the Rings which were not included in the BBC Radio 4 dramatisation.Also included is J R R Tolkien: An Audio Portrait, in which Brian Sibley draws together interviews from radio and television programmes featuring the author himself, his original publisher Rayner Unwin, his biographer Humphrey Carpenter and many others torelate the story of both Tolkien the man and the worlds he created.Duration: 5 hours 50 mins

Don’t Panic! Reissued for the first time in 40 years, two unique recordings of Douglas Adams''s sci-fi comedy drama.When Earthman Arthur Dent learns that first his house and then his planet are about to be bulldozed, it’s the beginning of an interplanetary adventure for him and his friend, Ford Prefect. After fleeing Earth they hitch a lift with hoopy frood Zaphod Beeblebrox, who hurtles from one improbability to another - literally. With Trillian and Marvin the Paranoid Android in tow, the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is soon revealed: 42. But what was the question…? Following the success of the BBC radio series, Douglas Adams adapted his scripts for these two full-cast albums, with incidental radiophonic music provided by Paddy Kingsland. First released by Original Records in 1980, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe star Peter Jones as The Book, Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, Geoffrey McGivern as Ford Prefect and Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox. Produced by Geoffrey Perkins and Tim Souster, the cast also includes Cindy Oswin, Stephen Moore, Richard Vernon, Valentine Dyall, David Tate, Jim Broadbent, Bill Wallis, Roy Hudd, Frank Middlemass, Stephen Greif and others. Hang onto your towel – it’s going to be the ride of a lifetime.

The brand new BBC Radio 4 full-cast series based on And Another Thing… the sixth book in the famous Hitchhiker’s Guide “trilogy”.Winner of the 2019 Audie Award for Science Fiction.Forty years on from the first ever radio series of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Arthur Dent and friends return in six brand new episodes, in which they are thrown back into the Whole General Mish Mash in a rattling adventure involving Viking Gods and Irish Confidence Tricksters, with our first glimpse of Eccentrica Gallumbits and a brief but memorable moment with The Ravenous Bugblatter Beast Of Traal.Starring John Lloyd as The Book, with Simon Jones as Arthur, Geoff McGivern as Ford Prefect, Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox, Sandra Dickinson and Susan Sheridan as Trillian, Jim Broadbent as Marvin the Paranoid Android and Jane Horrocks as Fenchurch, the cast also includes Samantha Béart, Toby Longworth, Andy Secombe, Ed Byrne, Lenny Henry, Philip Pope, Mitch Benn, Jon Culshaw and Professor Stephen Hawking.First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2018, the series is written and directed by Dirk Maggs and based on And Another Thing… by Eoin Colfer with additional unpublished material by Douglas Adams. This edition also includes over 50 minutes of unbroadcast bonus material.Listeners are reminded that the relaxed attitude to danger provided by Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril Sensitive Sunglasses is no substitute for running around, screaming.Music by Philip PopeProduction research by Kevin Jon DaviesWritten and directed by Dirk MaggsBased on the novel And Another Thing… by Eoin Colfer, with additional material by Douglas AdamsRecorded at The Soundhouse Ltd. by Gerry O''RiordanSound Design by Dirk MaggsProduced by Dirk Maggs, Helen Chattwell and David MorleyA Perfectly Normal Production for BBC Radio 4

The complete BBC radio adaptations of Alexander McCall''s bestselling series Inspired by Armistead Maupin''s Tales of the City, 44 Scotland Street started life as a serial in The Scotsman. It was a huge hit, and was soon novelised, adapted on stage and dramatised for BBC Radio 4. Collected here are all five radio series, in which we follow the interconnected lives of the residents of adjoining flats in a tenement in Edinburgh''s Georgian New Town.There''s Pat, a young tenant who arrives at 44 Scotland Street to flat-share with handsome surveyor Bruce (a man with more of an eye for the ladies than for a sound property); Matthew, setting up the Something Special Gallery with little knowledge of art; and child prodigy Bertie Pollock, who wants the life of an ordinary little boy, but instead has psychotherapy, yoga and Italian conversation lessons. And at the local café, owner Big Lou is looking for love - but seems doomed to romantic disappointment...Their chance day-to-day criss-crossings, quirky foibles and comic adventures are all observed by Number 44''s longest-term resident, anthropologist Domenica MacDonald, her painter friend Angus Lordie - and Angus'' dog, Cyril, the only canine in Scotland with a gold tooth.Full of charm, humour and empathy, these delightful dramas star Carol Ann Crawford and Crawford Logan, with a superb cast including James Mackenzie, Samuel Keefe, Belle Jones and Anita Vettesse.Also included is an edition of Radio 4''s Bookclub, in which Alexander McCall Smith talks about his novel 44 Scotland Street with James Naughtie and readers.Written and dramatised by Alexander McCall SmithProduced and directed by David Ian NevilleMusic by Tom CunninghamCastDomenica/Mrs MacGillvray - Carol Ann CrawfordRaeburn Todd/Dr Fairbairn/Angus Lordie/Glasgow Man/Dr Fairbairn - Crawford LoganBruce - James Mackenzie/James RottgerIan Rankin - James MackenzieIrene - Rosalind Syndney/Emma CurrieBertie - Euan Lee/Simon KerrMatthew - Samuel KeefePat - Belle JonesStuart - Tom Freeman/David Jackson YoungBig Lou/Antonia/Miss Harmony/Glasgow Woman/Stewardess/Fiona/Claire/Barmaid - Anita VettesseMarkus/Lawyer - Matthew ZajacSocial Worker - Molly InnesOlive - Sophie LawrenceAlec/Gerry - Simon DonaldsonLard O''Connor - Iain AgnewThe New Pretender - David Jackson YoungSecretary/Mr Lawrence - Richard ConlonTorquil MacLean/Hotel Clerk - James BryceEdinburgh Man - David Jackson YoungAndy - Daniel AitkenKatie - Helen MackayMiss Campbell - Nicola RoyNeill - Gavin Jon WrightFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4: 30 April-4 May 2012 (Series 1), 9-13 February 2015 (The Blue Spode Tea Cup), 30 May-3 June 2016 (Edinburgh for Pretenders), 20-24 February 2017 (Series 4), 20-24 August 2018 (Series 5)© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A gripping BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Aldous Huxley''s classic dystopian novel It''s 2116, and Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson are token rebels in an irretrievably corrupted society where promiscuity is the norm, eugenics a respectable science, and morality turned upside down. There is no poverty, crime or sickness - but no creativity, art or culture either. Human beings are merely docile citizens: divided into castes, brainwashed and controlled by the state and dependent on the drug soma for superficial gratification. Into this sterile society comes an outsider, John - a man born into squalor and suffering, but raised on The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, a book which has shaped his entire life. When he discovers that treasured ideals such as love mean nothing in this ''brave new world'', where romance is ridiculous, marriage shocking and parenthood shameful, John''s world is shattered - and his reaction will show Bernard and Helmholtz what rebellion really means... Based on Aldous Huxley''s 1932 masterpiece, widely considered one of the greatest novels of all time, this chilling dramatisation set in a futuristic totalitarian society stars Jonathan Coy, Justin Salinger, Milton Lopes and Anton Lesser. Running time: 2 hours "...outstanding, right from the cheery music that kicks the thing off through to all the subtle sound effects that help to set the scenes perfectly"

The full-cast BBC Radio adaptation of C. P. Snow''s epic series about the English establishment across the twentieth century ''A vivid portrait of British academic, political and public life'' Guardian''A very considerable achievement... It brings into the novel themes and locales never seen before (except perhaps in Trollope)'' Anthony BurgessIn 1920s Leicester, Lewis Eliot must escape the drudgery of a council clerk''s office and his provincial lower class background to begin his decades-long rise to power. As the years pass, and Lewis progresses to successful London lawyer, to Cambridge don, to wartime service in Whitehall, to senior civil servant and finally retirement, he faces in his own life and the lives of those around him collapsing marriages, terrible illness, the politics of academia, Nazism, nuclear weapons, the price of power, and the ever-present realities of war. The New York Times praised the book series, saying, ''through [them] as in no other work in our time we have explored the inner life of the new classless class that is the 20th century Establishment''. John Betjeman claimed the books were ''as full of life as life itself''. The Strangers and Brothers series captures perfectly the ever-present battle between political and personal integrity Lewis must face, as well as all the upheaval and social change of the two world wars and the decades that followed. This adaptation stars David Haig and Adam Godley as Lewis Eliot, Bill Wallis as George Passant, Juliet Aubrey as Margaret Davidson, Stephen Moore as Herbert Getliffe, and Danny Webb as Percy Hall, with a full cast including Jeremy Swift, David Tennant, Anne-Marie Duff, Iain Glen, Claire Skinner and Tim McInnerny. Directed by Jeremy Howe and Sally AvensDramatised by Jonathan HollowayFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, January-June 2003Full cast:Narrator/Lewis Eliot - David HaigYoung Lewis Eliot - Adam GodleyGeorge Passant - Bill WallisMarion - Laura DoddingtonSheila Knight - Anastasia HilleHerbert Getliffe - Stephen MoorePercy Hall - Danny WebbCharles March - Jamie GloverLeonard March - John StandingKatherine March - Carla SimpsonAnn Simon - Emma WoolliamsMrs Getliffe - Suzanna HamiltonRevd Knight - Brett UsherYoung Francis Getliffe - Andy TaylorWinslow - Clive MerrisonYoung Brown - Philip FranksRoy Calvert - Adam LevyYoung Jago - David CalderNightingale - Jeremy ChildChrystal - Matthew MarshCrawford - Hugh QuarshieMrs Jago - Joanna MonroeSir Horace Timberlake - Ian HoggYoung Hector Rose - Rupert VansittartHouston Eggar - Peter MarinkerWilly Romantovski - Kenneth CollardGilbert Cooke - Anthony CalfMargaret Davidson/Margaret Eliot - Juliet AubreyRosalind - Anne-Marie DuffBetty Vane - Carla SimpsonMartin Eliot - Tim McInnernyWalter Luke - Jeremy SwiftIrene - Claire SkinnerDavid Rubin - Rolf SaxonSawbridge - Adrian ScarboroughEdgar - Andrew WincottCaptain Smith - Sean BakerSir Hector Rose - John CarlisleSir Thomas Beville - Robert LaingAustin Davidson - David CollingsJago - Sean BarrettDawson Hill - Peter BlytheSkeffington - David ActonFrancis Getliffe - Geoffrey WhiteheadBrown - Jonathan CoyDonald Howard - David TennantRoger Quaife - Iain GlenLord Collingwood - Ronald PickupCaro Quaife - Julia WatsonLord Gilbey - John WoodvineDiana Skidmore - Avril ClarkPhillips - Richard FirthOsbaldiston - David LeonardBrodzinski - Christopher RozyckiEllen Smith - Emma BownMonteith - Paul VenablesTrafford - Stephen Critchlow© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jemma Redgrave, Clare Higgins, Nicola Bryant and Dan Starkey are among the readers of this exclusive collection of nine original audio adventures. Join the Twelfth Doctor, as played on TV by Peter Capaldi, as he meets friends and enemies new and old on these journeys in Time and Space. In the interlinked Winter quartet (The Gods of Winter, The House of Winter, The Sins of Winter and The Memory of Winter) the Doctor is served with a Calling Card that means he and Clara can be summoned for assistance at any time or place. In the Lost quartet (The Lost Angel, The Lost Planet, The Lost Magic and The Lost Flame) the Time Lord becomes embroiled in a mystery involving the Weeping Angels and the Sisterhood of Karn. In Rhythm of Destruction he encounters the deadliest jazz quartet in the universe, and in Death Among the Stars the Doctor sees some oddly familiar figures on Jupiter''s sixth moon. With readers also including David Schofield, Robin Soans and Kerry Shale, these exciting stories are written by George Mann, Cavan Scott, James Goss, Darren Jones and Steve Lyons. (P) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Major public figures go back to their beginnings and uncover where they really startedJohn Wilson (acclaimed arts and culture reporter and journalist, and presenter of Front Row, Newsnight Review and Pick of the Week) meets up with a variety of public figures from such diverse fields as food, mathematics, politics, writing and music, and takes them back to the influential schools, teachers, and early workplaces they may have forgotten, but which have not forgotten them. His guests include the first Black trade union leader, Lord Bill Morris; classical violinist Tasmin Little; the late restaurateur and television chef, Gary Rhodes; Lord Digby Jones, former Minister of State for Trade and Investment; the late Women''s Prize and Costa Book Award winning author, Andrea Levy; veteran journalist, broadcaster and former politician Michael Portillo, and many more. The locations too are widely varied and richly formative - from car component manufacturers and specialist vocational institutions to grammar and private schools. Top of the Class is a fascinating look beneath the usual façade of a public figure, perfect for anyone wanting to see the human face behind a successful life story, as well as the teachers, mentors, best friends and rivals who helped them grow into the person they became.Episode guideFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates:Bill Morris 28 July 2008Tasmin Little 4 August 2008Lauren Child 11 August 2008Gary Rhodes 18 August 2008 Marcus du Sautoy 28 December 2010Rachel Portman 18 January 2011Lord Digby Jones 25 January 2011 Michael Portillo 19 July 2011Andrea Levy 26 July 2011Production creditsPresented by John Wilson Produced by Sarah Taylor © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Nicholas Briggs and Camille Coduri are the readers of these three original novels featuring the Ninth Doctor and Rose, as played on TV by Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper. Join the Doctor and Rose on these journeys in Time and Space as they encounter faceless killers in 1920s London, get trapped in an alien prison camp, and discover something very sinister behind the latest video game craze. The stories are The Clockwise Man by Justin Richards, The Monsters Inside by Stephen Cole, and Winner Takes All by Jacqueline Rayner. Based in the hit BBC TV series. Nicholas Briggs has provided the voices of the Daleks, Cybermen, Ice Warriors and numerous other alien characters in the Doctor Who TV series. Camille Coduri played Jackie Tyler in several episodes of the series from 2005 onwards.

Welcome to Fawlty Towers, where attentive hotelier Basil Fawlty and his charming wife Sybil will attend to your every need - in your worst nightmare. With hapless waiter Manuel and long-suffering waitress Polly on hand to help, anything could happen during your stay - and probably will.John Cleese’s special introductions to each episode are included in this collection of all 12 TV soundtrack episodes: A Touch of Class The Builders The Wedding Party The Hotel Inspectors Gourmet Night The Germans Communication Problems The Psychiatrist Waldorf Salad The Kipper and the Corpse The Anniversary Basil the Rat Co-starring with John Cleese as Basil are Prunella Scales (Sybil), Andrew Sachs (Manuel) and Connie Booth (Polly), with a supporting cast including Ballard Berkeley, Bernard Cribbins, Joan Sanderson, Geoffrey Palmer, Nicky Henson and Ken Campbell.