Audio Theatre Audiobooks | Drama

Six plays from the Olivier, Tony and Moliere Award winning playwright Alan Ayckbourn: The legendary The Norman Conquests trilogy; as well as a brand new recording of his play Henceforward… starring Mad Men’s Jarred Harris alongside Anne Heche; Just Between Ourselves starring Alfred Molina; and a remaster of L.A. Theatre Works’ recording of Man of the Moment. Ayckbourn’s celebrated trilogy The Norman Conquests - three hilarious and poignant plays depicting the same six characters in one house over one weekend, namely Norman and his romantic follies. Table Manners (The Norman Conquest part 1): England’s famous seducer of other men’s wives lays siege to his sister-in-law in the first “battle”. A middle-class family trying to have a pleasant country weekend is no match for Norman, who horrifies everyone by doing exactly as he likes. Living Together (The Norman Conquest part 2): In the second “battle” Norman gets drunk on homemade wine – and all hell breaks loose. He unleashes his merry brand of manipulative charm on the hapless guests and even his most formidable opponents go down in defeat on the drawing room rug. Round and Round the Garden (The Norman Conquest part 3): In the third “battle” the setting is Mother’s overgrown English garden, where something more troublesome than brambles lurks among the roses. Havoc ensues as this satirical masterpiece makes its way to a hilarious conclusion. Cast: Rosalind Ayres as Sarah, Kenneth Danziger as Reg, Martin Jarvis as Norman, Jane Leeves as Annie, Christopher Neame as Tom, and Carolyn Seymour as Ruth. Directed by Dennis Erdman. Just Between Ourselves: Starring Alfred Molina, this is the first of Ayckbourn’s darkly comic masterpieces involves a relentlessly cheerful handyman in a disastrously fractured marriage. Two couples develop an unlikely friendship in this painfully funny portrait of British suburban life. Cast: Gia Carides as Pam, Kenneth Danziger as Dennis, Judy Geeson as Vera, Miriam Margolyes as Marjorie and Alfred Molina as Neil. Directed by Waris Hussein. Henceforward... Writers block, divorce and a female robot. These are the ingredients for the hilarious Henceforward. Alan Ayckbourn writes about the not so distant future of what lengths a man will go to be inspired again, gain the love of his daughter and redress the pain of his past. Cast: Jared Harris as Jerome, Anne Heche as Nan (act I) and Corrina, Jack Davenport as Mervyn, Paula Jane Newman as Geain, Moira Quirk as Zoe and Nan (act II) and Darren Richardson as Lupus. Directed by Martin Jarvis. Man of the Moment: The price of accidental fame is hashed out in this comedy, insired by the Great Train Robbers such as Edwards and Ronnie Biggs, about a famous bank robber and the clerk who foiled his biggest heist. Ayckbourn’s 1988 play anticipates the popularity - and absurdity - of reality TV. Cast: Rosalind Ayres as Jill Rillington, Jane Carr as Trudy Parks, Kenneth Danziger as Douglas Beechey, Martin Jarvis as Vic Parks, Ian Oglivy as Kenny Collins and Yeardley Smith as Sharon Giffin. Directed by Robert Robinson.

Alan Ayckbourn (Author), Various Performers (Narrator)

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The Alchemist (Unabridged)

The Alchemist by Ben Jonson - is a comedy by English playwright Ben Jonson. First performed in 1610 by the King's Men, it is generally considered Jonson's best and most characteristic comedy; Samuel Taylor Coleridge believed that it had one of the three most perfect plots in literature. The play's clever fulfilment of the classical unities and vivid depiction of human folly have made it one of the few Renaissance plays (except the works of Shakespeare) with a continuing life on stage, apart from a period of neglect during the Victorian era Synopsis An outbreak of plague in London forces a gentleman, Lovewit, to flee temporarily to the country. He leaves his house under the sole charge of his butler, Jeremy. Jeremy uses the opportunity given to him to use the house as the headquarters for fraudulent acts. He transforms himself into 'Captain Face,' and enlists the aid of Subtle, a fellow conman, and Dol Common, a prostitute. The play opens with a violent argument between Subtle and Face concerning the division of the riches which they have, and will continue to gather. Face threatens to have an engraving made of Subtle with a face worse than that of the notorious highwayman Gamaliel Ratsey. Dol breaks the pair apart and reasons with them that they must work as a team if they are to succeed. Their first customer is Dapper, a lawyer's clerk who wishes Subtle to use his supposed necromantic skills to summon a 'familiar' or spirit to help in his gambling ambitions. The tripartite suggest that Dapper may win favour with the 'Queen of Fairy,' but he must subject himself to humiliating rituals in order for her to help him. Their second gull is Drugger, a tobacconist, who is keen to establish a profitable business. After this, a wealthy nobleman, Sir Epicure Mammon, arrives, expressing the desire to gain himself the philosopher's stone, which he believes will bring him huge material and spiritual wealth. He is accompanied by Surly, a sceptic and debunker of the whole idea of alchemy. He is promised the philosopher's stone and promised that it will turn all base metal into gold. Surly however, suspects Subtle of being a thief. Mammon accidentally sees Dol and is told that she is a Lord's sister who is suffering from madness. Subtle contrives to become angry with Ananias, an Anabaptist, and demands that he should return with a more senior member of his sect (Tribulation). Drugger returns and is given false and ludicrous advice about setting up his shop; he also brings news that a rich young widow (Dame Pliant) and her brother (Kastril) have arrived in London. Both Subtle and Face in their greed and ambition seek out to win the widow. The Anabaptists return and agree to pay for goods to be transmuted into gold. These are in fact Mammon's goods. Dapper returns and is promised that he shall meet with the Queen of Fairy soon. Drugger brings Kastril who, on being told that Subtle is a skilled match-maker, rushes to fetch his sister. Drugger is given to understand that the appropriate payment might secure his marriage to the widow. Dapper is blindfolded and subjected to 'fairy' humiliations; but on the reappearance of Mammon, he is gagged and hastily thrust into the privy.

Ben Jonson (Author), Abby Pugh, Alan Mapstone, Arielle Lipshaw, Elizabeth Klett, Kevin Johnson, Nathanial Higgins, Teddy Hodge, Thomas Leigh Moore, Tricia G (Narrator)

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The Alchemist (Unabridged)

This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. In the belly of London, where shadows twist and secrets fester, Face, a cunning rogue with a wink and a jest, sees opportunity in his master's absence. He transforms the grand house into a den of trickery, a playground for the desperate and the gullible. With his motley crew - the flamboyant Subtle, a master of illusions, and the sly Dol Common, a woman of many guises - Face concocts schemes to exploit the yearnings of the foolish and the greedy. Love potions simmer, fortunes are foretold, and the promise of gold turns men mad. But as their web of deceit grows, whispers of truth begin to slither through the city, threatening to expose their elaborate masquerade. Will Face and his partners escape with their pockets lined and their freedom intact? Or will their fantastical alchemy of lies crumble under the weight of truth? Dive into Ben Jonson's 'The Alchemist,' a whirlwind comedy where laughter and deceit dance a captivating jig.

Ben Jonson (Author), Digital Voice Marcus G (Narrator)

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The Aldrich Family

Yes, here comes radio's favorite teenager, stumbling and bumbling his way through 16 classic episodes. Ezra Stone stars as Henry Aldrich, a likeable sort of kid who managed to turn everything he touched into catastrophe. With a constantly cracking voice and a head full of absurdities he confronts the awkwardness of adolescence with hilarious results. Henry's mother (Katharine Raht) keeps him well taken care of; his father (House Jameson) keeps him on the straight-and-narrow; and his buddy Homer Brown (Jackie Kelk) keeps him on his toes! Come and listen in on a perfect slice of mid-twentieth-century small town Americana with one of medium's most beloved and enduring family situation comedies.

Clifford Goldsmith (Author), Ensemble Cast (Narrator)

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The Aldrich Family, Collection 1

The Aldrich Family was a popular teenage situation comedy that was heard on radio and seen in films, television and comic books. The creation of playwright Clifford Goldsmith, teenager Henry Aldrich was an endearingly bumbling kid growing awkwardly into adolescence. Episodes revolved around Henry’s misadventures with girls, his family and his friends. Portrayed on radio by 20-something Ezra Stone, The Aldrich Family launched as a summer replacement program for Jack Benny in NBC’s Sunday night lineup, July 2nd, 1939, sponsored by Jell-O. Stone kept the lead role until 1942, when he entered the Army for WWII. Several actors took over until Stone returned to his signature role, including Bobby Ellis who became the last Henry Aldrich in 1952. House Jameson and Katharine Raht portrayed Henry’s parents, Sam and Alice. Mary Shipp played Henry’s usual girlfriend, Kathleen Anderson. Jackie Kelk played the role of Henry’s best friend, Homer Brown, for most of the run. In 1949, the program made the leap to television while continuing to air on radio with a different cast. 10/10/39 “Henry’s Engagement” 5/28/40 “Cross Country Race” 1/29/42 “Henry’s Secret Admirer” 2/11/43 “Valentine’s Day Party” 2/25/43 “Henry’s Love Note Goes to His Teacher” 10/7/48 “Henry Rents Out Mary’s Room” 10/14/48 “The Great Weiner Roast” 10/28/48 “Detention or Basketball Game?” 11/11/48 “The Broken Toy” 12/16/48 “Homer’s Party” 2/17/49 “The Antique Chairs” 5/5/49 “Engaged to Agnes”

Black Eye Entertainment (Author), Full Cast (Narrator)

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The Amos n' Andy Show, Collection 1

Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll made their radio debut January 12, 1926, as the comedic, blackface characters Sam 'n' Henry. On March 19, 1928 they introduced Amos 'n' Andy, which went on to become one of the most popular and longest running programs in radio history. During the height of its popularity, almost the entire country listened to the 15-minute, Monday through Friday adventures of Amos 'n' Andy. Department stores open in the evening piped in the broadcasts so shoppers wouldn't miss an episode; movie theaters scheduled their features to end just prior to the start of Amos 'n' Andy so they too could pipe it in. The characters were members of The Mystic Knights of the Sea Lodge, of which George Stevens was "The Kingfish". Amos and Andy ran the Fresh-Air Taxi Company, with the more stable, married Amos doing most of the work while Andy chased girls. One of the best-remembered sequences was the time Andy almost married Madame Queen. In 1943, after 4,091 quarter-hour episodes, it switched to a half-hour weekly comedy. While the five-a-week show often had a quiet, easygoing feeling, the new version was a brassy Hollywood-style production, complete with studio audience, full cast of supporting actors and full orchestra. Many of the half-hour programs were written by Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher, later the writing team for Leave It to Beaver and The Munsters. In the new version, Amos became a minor character to the more dominant Andy and Kingfish duo. 2/2/45 Breach of Promise 2/9/45 Phony Soldier 2/16/45 Insulting Valentine 2/23/45 Jealous of Floyd Wilson 3/2/45 Income Tax Pt. 1 3/9/45 Income Tax Pt. 2 3/16/45 Lecture Bureau 3/23/45 Prentice Clothing Company 3/30/45 French Hat Designers at Easter 4/6/45 Andy Moves in with the Kingfish 4/20/45 Dead Body in the Trunk 4/27/45 Married or Not Married?

Black Eye Entertainment (Author), Full Cast (Narrator)

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The Apology of Socrates: A Socratic Dialogue

The Apology of Socrates by Plato is the Socratic dialogue that presents the speech of legal self-defense which Socrates presented at his Athenian trial in 399 BC. Specifically, the Apology of Socrates is a defense against the legal charges of 'corrupting Athen's youth' and 'not believing in the same gods the city believes in, but rather in other daimonia that are foreign' to Athenian life. This version was translated by Benjamin Jowett. The e-text was prepared by Sue Asscher. The text is a Project Gutenberg e-text, which is a public domain work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart through the Project Gutenberg Association at Carnegie Mellon University. The text and the translation are in the public domain. *** Narrator Frank Marcopolos (1972-) is the founder of The Whirligig literary magazine, a novelist, voice-over artist, podcaster, and Learning Ally volunteer. He was with the 82nd Airborne Division in the 1990s. He currently lives at The Bookquarium. Praise from listeners for Frank's distinctive narrative style and voice includes the following: 'The vocals on this are fabulous. I loved listening and you will too! Great voice on this guy.' - From Scribd.com 'Thee perfect voice for audiobooks. It is SO listenable!' - From YouTube

Plato (Author), Frank Marcopolos (Narrator)

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The Archers: The Ambridge Players: Six BBC full-cast drama productions including Blithe Spirit, Cale

Classic plays and ghost stories, as performed by the residents of Ambridge and friends - plus bonus drama Dead Girls Tell No Tales Borsetshire's queen of amateur theatricals, Lynda Snell, never misses the chance to put on a Christmas show. Her productions are always a big hit with Ambridge audiences - and now, Archers fans can enjoy these top-notch performances alongside them (as well as eavesdropping on the shenanigans backstage). In Blithe Spirit, the Ambridge Am-Dram Society and guest star Julian Rhind-Tutt recreate Noël Coward's ghostly masterpiece, and Lynda finds herself in sympathy with eccentric medium Madame Arcati as she attempts to conjure some festive high spirits. Calendar Girls sees the group taking on Tim Firth's comedy of jam and Jerusalem, along with honorary resident Siân Phillips (who starred in the original West End show). Will the intrepid cast really bare all? And in the 2-parter The Canterbury Tales, the company present barnstorming adaptations of Chaucer's classic stories of courtly love, deadly rivalry and boisterous sex - with a little bit of magic thrown in. In Ambridge Ghost Stories, it's a cold December night, in the darkened attic of Lower Loxley. Then Jim Llloyd (John Rowe) takes to the stage to recount three spine-chilling supernatural tales from the turn of the last century - 'The Room in the Tower' by E. F. Benson, 'Lost Hearts' by M. R. James and 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs. Prepare to be enthralled - and terrified... Also included are two special seasonal pageants, The Ambridge Mystery Plays- The Nativity and The Passion and a stunning original drama by Joanna Toye. Starring Eleanor Tomlinson and Ysette Churchman and Miles Jupp Dead Girls Tell No Tales explores the real story behind the death of Grace Archer: a watershed moment in the history of broadcasting and one of the defining cultural events of the 1950s. Production credits Blithe Spirit Written by Noël Coward Adapted and directed by Sean O'Connor First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 December 2014 Calendar Girls The accompanying pianist was Simon Taranczuk Written by Tim Firth and based on the motion picture Calendar Girls written by Tim Firth and Juliette Towhidi. Adapted and directed by Sean O'Connor First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 December 2015 The Canterbury Tales, Parts 1 & 2 Tellers of the Tales The Knights Tale The Miller's Tale The Wife of Bath's Tale The Sailor's Tale The Pardoner's Tale The Friar's Tale The Franklin's Tale The Bailiff's Tale Written by Geoffrey Chaucer Dramatised by Nick Warburton. Directed by Kim Greengrass. Produced by Alison Hindell First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 December 2018-5 January 2019 The Ambridge Mystery Plays The Nativity The Passion First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26th December 2021 & 2nd January 2022 Ambridge Ghost Stories Abridged by Jeremy Osborne 'The Room in the Tower' written by E F Benson Produced and directed by Charlotte Davey 'Lost Hearts' written by M. R. James Produced and directed by Mel Ward 'The Monkey's Paw' written by W. W. Jacobs Produced and directed by Charlotte Davey First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 December 2019-1 January 2020 Dead Girls Tell No Tales Cast: Jon Culshaw, Pam Ferris, Lex Shrapnel, Eleanor Tomlinson, Georgie Fuller, Geoffrey Streatfeild, Sally Bretton, Simon Russell Beale, John Hopkins, Claudie Blakley, David Reed, Miles Jupp, Zeb Soanes, Paddy O'Connell, Ysanne Churchman - Herself, David Hounslow, Sam Dale, Chris Pavlo, Jessica Turner and Alex Tregear Written by Joanna Toye. Directed by Sean O'Connor First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 September 2015 ©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

E.F.Benson, M.R.James, Noel Coward, Tim Firth, W.W.Jacobs, William Chaucer (Author), Eleanor Bron, Felicity Finch, Full Cast, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Miles Jupp, Pam Ferris, Sian Philips, Timothy Bentinck, Trevor Harrison (Narrator)

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The Armchair Detective and the Manor-House Mystery

A missing girl... The manipulative aristocrat, Marcus Dreadbury. A local gangster with a drug-dealing problem. The Manor's locked room, with a dusty handle. Stables, but with no sign of any horses. A subterranean stream. Marcus' madcap father. And a Manor-House full of surprises. Trench and Old Tom must somehow make the connection, if they are to succeed at playing find-the-lady...

Ian Shimwell (Author), Kevin Theis, Sarah Nichols (Narrator)

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The Armchair Detective Mystery Double Bill

Ian Shimwell (Author), Kevin Theis, Sara Nichols (Narrator)

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The Arthur Miller Collection

After the Fall Miller drew on his own life to tell the story of Quentin, who's haunted by a disastrous affair with a needy sex symbol - a character said to be based on Marilyn Monroe. All My Sons Julie Harris stars in Miller’s classic about a prosperous family with tragic secrets. Broken Glass Set in 1938, Sylvia Gellburg mysteriously loses her ability to walk after hearing about Kristallnacht in Nazi Germany. The Crucible Stacy Keach and Richard Dreyfuss lead an all-star cast in Miller’s searing play about witchcraft that famously mirrors the anti-Communist hysteria that held the United States in its grip. Death of a Salesman Willy Loman (Stacy Keach) is the iconic traveling salesman, whose family is torn apart by his desperate obsession with greatness. Incident at Vichy In Nazi-occupied France, nine men are detained under a shadowy pretext and face a terrifying fate. The Man Who Had All the Luck An early Miller gem about the random nature of fate The Price Two long estranged brothers reunite as they sell off an attic full of furniture, their last link to a family and a world that no longer exist. The Ride Down Mt. Morgan Brian Cox stars as Lyman Felt, who’s managed to keep his two wives unaware of each other's existence until they meet in Lyman’s hospital room. A View from the Bridge Longshoreman Eddie Carbone’s devotion to his niece Catherine turns into a dangerous obsession.

Arthur Miller (Author), Emily Bergl, Kevin Chamberlin, Various (Narrator)

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The Assembled Parties

It's Christmas 1980, and inside a sprawling Upper West Side apartment, Faye Bascov is about to throw an opulent Christmas dinner-a tradition for this secular, well-educated Jewish family. But any family gathering is an invitation for old resentments to boil over, as Faye's sister-in-law Julie and the extended family have plenty to hash out. Flash-forward to 2000, and the apartment, now much shabbier, reflects how the family's fortunes have changed, and the Bascovs now have to reckon with the legacy of their family discord. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Matthew Arkin as Ben Wilson Bethel as Scotty/Tim Dana Delany as Julie Seamus Dever as Jeff Zoe Perry as Shelley/Timmy Susan Sullivan as Faye Peter Van Norden as Mort with Justin Huen as the Voice of Hector Directed by JoBeth Williams. Recorded in Los Angeles before a live audience at The James Bridges Theater, UCLA in November of 2016.

Richard Greenberg (Author), Dana Delany, Justin Huen, Matthew Arkin, Peter Van Norden, Seamus Dever, Susan Sullivan, Wilson Bethel, Zoe Perry (Narrator)

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Audio Theatre Audiobooks in Drama