Audiobooks Narrated by Diana Olsson

Racine’s Tragedies: A BBC Radio Drama Collection: Four Classic Full-Cast Productions including Phaedra & Berenice

"Four neo-classical tragedies from the renowned French dramatist, with star-studded casts including Timothy West, Prunella Scales and Geraldine McEwan Jean-Baptiste Racine stands with Molière and Corneille as one of the three premier dramatists of 17th-century France. A foundational figure in both Western and world literature, he is chiefly known for his tragic masterpieces. Mingling Ancient Greek myth with French classical flair, the four works in this collection are among his finest. Phaedra – First performed in 1677 and based on Euripides’ Hippolytus, this gripping drama tells the tale of the eponymous queen, married to Theseus, who is consumed by an obsessive passion for her stepson Hippolytus. When her illicit love is revealed, the consequences are catastrophic. Barbara Jefford, Christopher Guinee and Paul Daneman star alongside Prunella Scales and Timothy West in Racine’s tragic tale of desire, madness, guilt and remorse. Andromache – Set in the aftermath of the Trojan War, this fatalistic tale revolves around unrequited love. Pyrrhus, Achilles’ son, is in love with Andromache, whom he has brought as a captive to his court in Epirus. But Pyrrhus is betrothed to Hermione, who adores him, while she is likewise idolised by Orestes, who has been sent by the Greeks to demand the killing of Andromache’s son, Astyanax. The devastating force of their emotional conflict leads to murder, suicide and madness… Starring Suzanne Bertish, Sarah Collier, Alec Heggie and David Rintoul. Mithridates – Nymphaeum, 70 BC. When King Mithridates returns unexpectedly after being reported dead in battle, he finds his two sons, Pharnaces and Xiphares, vying for his throne and the heart of his betrothed Queen, Monima. Suspecting treachery, he devises a trap to test their loyalties – only to find his worst fears confirmed… Geraldine McEwan, Marius Goring, Clifford Norgate and Martin Jarvis star in this masterful portrait of forbidden passion, sibling rivalry and betrayal. Berenice – Famously described by Racine himself as possessing a ‘majestic sadness’, this heartbreaking drama focuses on a love triangle between Titus, the Roman Emperor, Berenice, Queen of Palestine and Antiochus, King of Commagene. Titus longs to marry Berenice, but knows the people of Rome would never accept a foreign consort. Antiochus, meanwhile, hopes against hope that Berenice will one day return his devotion. Torn between duty and happiness, all three must decide whether to follow their hearts, or accept their fates. Starring Peter Egan, Rachel Gurney and John Rye. Phaedra Phaedra – Barbara Jefford Hippolytus – Christopher Guinee Theseus – Paul Daneman Oenone – Sheila Allen Aricia – Prunella Scales Theramenes – Timothy West Panope – Madi Hedd Ismène – Alexa Romanis Andromache Andromache – Suzanne Bertish Hermione – Sarah Collier Orestes – Alec Heggie Pyrrhus – David Rintoul Pylades – Paul Young Cleone – Beth Robens Cephisa – Diana Olsson Phoenix – James Cairncross Mithridates Mithridates, King of Pontus – Marius Goring Monima. affianced to Mithridates and already proclaimed Queen – Geraldine McEwan Arbates Governor of Nymphaeum fort – William Fox Phaedima– Joan Haythorne Arcas– John Forrest Sons of Mithridates Pharnaces – Clifford Norgate Xiphares – Martin Jarvis Berenice Antiochus, King of Commagene – John Rye Arsaces - Michael Kilgarriff Berenice, Queen of Palestine – Rachel Gurney Phoenissa, confidante of Berenice – Margaret Wolfit Titus, Emperor of Rome – Peter Egan Paulinus, confidant of Titus – William Eedle Rutilus, a Roman – Nigel Lambert © 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. ? 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Jean Racine (Author), Alec Heggie, Barbara Jefford, David Rintoul, Diana Olsson, Full Cast, Paul Young, Prunella Scales, Sheila Allen, Timothy West, William Fox (Narrator)

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R.D Wingfield: Post-Mortem Shock and other thrillers: 14 Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramas

"A collection of RD Wingfield’s finest thrillers from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties Best known for his ‘Inspector Jack Frost’ series of novels, RD Wingfield also penned a string of gripping thrillers for BBC Radio. Initially thought lost, many of the 14 dramas in this collection were recovered and restored by Keith Wickham and the Radio Circle, and thanks to their careful preservation, are now available to enjoy once more. Credit Risk is a robbery comedy caper about a man with a cunning plan to defraud a credit card company of a quarter of a million pounds. Cleft Stick sees the police investigating an attack on a woman, and the dramatic way she chose to defend herself. In The Last Escape, a mugging ends in murder, and Superintendent Dawson must find the perpetrator – a patient who has escaped from a private nursing home after 35 years. And in The Alternative Plan, a frightened ex-Army captain and a dying ex-Nazi hold the key to preventing a political assassination. In A Second Class Risk, when a man dies in a car crash the same week he insures his life for £50,000, the widow’s claim must be investigated. A Test for Destruction finds a Security Supervisor at the Department of Scientific Warfare facing an agonising crisis when his son’s safety is at stake. Our West Ladyton Branch centres around a bank manager recovering from a nervous breakdown, whose new assignment in a sleepy Devon town is not at all what he expected. In Letter of the Law, Detective Inspector Nash wants nothing to do with his newly arrved (and newly demoted) Sergeant, but with seven unsolved robberies on his plate, Nash needs all the help he can get…Cover Up features another demoted ex-Inspector, kicked out of the Division but brought back to investigate a bank raid. Post Mortem Shock concerns a man who appears to have been shot dead by an intruder – but the post mortem reveals he died of a heart attack. Who, or what, really killed him? In Sins of Commission, made redundant after 19 years’ faithful service with a firm?of?diamond merchants, Mr Fletcher is willing to take on almost any job – as long as it’s legal. It’s double or quits when £15,000 goes missing from a safe in Double Entry, and in Adequate Reasons, when a child is abducted, there’s a complex interplay between police, parents and kidnapper. Finally, in Moveable Assets, a crafty crook comes up with an ingenious scheme to rob a supposedly burglar-proof bank – but will it work, and will he get away with it? With ensemble casts including John Rowe, Diana Olsson, Roger Delgado, Robert Lang, Frederick Treves, Jill Bennett and Patricia Gallimore, these clever, artfully plotted dramas are full of twists, turns and surprises. With warm thanks to Keith Wickham and the Radio Circle Cast and credits Written by RD Wingfield Contents Credit Risk Cleft Stick The Last Escape The Alternative Plan A Second-Class Risk A Test to Destruction Our West Ladyton Branch Letter of the Law Cover Up Post Mortem Shock Sins of Commission Double Entry Adequate Reasons Moveable Assets © 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

R.D Wingfield (Author), Alan Tilvern, Anthony Hall, Antony Viccars, Christopher Scoular, Christopher Venning, Diana Olsson, Douglas Blackwell, Full Cast, Irene Sutcliffe, John Rowe, Lockwood West, Patrick Tull, Penelope Lee, Sam Dastor (Narrator)

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The Men from the Ministry: The Early Years: Selected Episodes from Series 1-3 of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

"The original ‘Yes Minister’- 32 episodes of the beloved Civil Service sitcom Featuring the hilarious exploits of the bumbling bureaucrats of the General Assistance Department, the show starred Wilfrid Hyde-White and later Deryck Guyler as the hapless ‘Number One’, with Richard Murdoch as his hare-brained sidekick ‘Number Two’. Together, they muddled their way through Whitehall, creating chaos with their mix-ups, misunderstandings and mismanagement – to the consternation of their boss, the self-serving Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Gregory Pitkin (Roy Dotrice and Ronald Baddiley). The fantastically funny radio forerunner to 'Yes Minister', The Men from the Ministry ran for 15 years and 13 series between 1962 and 1977, with a final fourteenth series made in 1980 for transmission abroad. This volume contains 32 specially selected episodes from Series 1-3, in which – among many other misadventures – the panic-stricken pen pushers bungle in Britain’s space race; get bogged down in a building project; tackle traffic trouble and town planning and come face to face with some little green men… Co-starring as their loyal (but incompetent) secretary Mildred Murfin is Norma Ronald, and taking notes for Wilfrid Hyde-White’s ‘Number One’ is April Adams, played by Diana Olsson. Guest stars include John Laurie, Betty Marsden, Joan Sanderson, June Whitfield, Warren Mitchell, Hugh Paddick and Roger Delgado. NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. Please note, the final minute of Series 3, Episode 10 (‘Getting the Bird’) is missing. Cast and credits Written and produced by Edward Taylor, with contributions from John Graham, Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke Theme music: Top Dog by Ivor Slaney With thanks to Keith Wickham ‘Number One’ (Roland Hamilton Jones) – Wilfrid Hyde-White (Series 1-2) ‘Number One’ (Deryck Lennox-Brown) – Deryck Guyler (Series 3) ‘Number Two’ (Richard Lamb) – Richard Murdoch Mildred Murfin – Norma Ronald Sir Gregory Pitkin – Roy Dotrice (Series 1-2), Ronald Baddiley (Series 3) April Adams – Diana Olsson Mr Dougal – John Laurie Other parts played by John Graham With guest stars including: June Whitfield, Patricia Hayes, Edwin Apps, David Graham, Percy Edwards, Betty Marsden, Julian Somers, Joan Sanderson, Rowena Gregory, Frederick Treves, Brian Oulton, Pat Coombs, Fred Yule, Austin Trevor, John Cazabon, Warren Mitchell, David Nettheim, Charlotte Mitchell, Graham Stark, Hugh Paddick, Jack Watson, Brandon Hawkins, Felix Felton, Bruce Beeby, Peter Bartlett, Ronnie Stevens, Gordon Clyde, Clive Dunn, Roger Delgado, Carol Allen, Hugh McDermott, David Healy and David Fallon First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme 30 Oct 1962 – 8 Jan 1963 (series 1), 1 Aug – 17 Oct 1965 (series 2), 25 Dec 1966 – 12 Mar 1967 (series 3). © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Edward Taylor (Author), Deryck Guyler, Diana Olsson, Norma Ronald, Richard Murdoch, Ronald Baddiley, Roy Dotrice, Wilfrid Hyde-White (Narrator)

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