Audiobooks narrated by Hadyn Gwynne

Molière: Don Juan, The Miser and more: Six BBC Radio Full-Cast Productions

"A collection of Molière's finest comedies, farces and tragicomedies Jean-Baptiste Pocquelin, better known by his pen-name Molière, was France's greatest satirical dramatist. Such was his influence on the French language that it is often referred to as 'the language of Molière', and he has been dubbed 'the French Shakespeare'. A leading 17th Century comic actor and director, his genius encompassed all aspects of stage comedy, and his plays continue to appeal to audiences today. Included here are six of his masterpieces, as heard on BBC Radio. The Miser - The tale of selfish miser Harpagon, his scheming children and their desperate pursuit of love, marriage and money. Toby Jones, Holli Dempsey and Mathew Baynton star in this rumbustious adaptation of Molière's classic comedy of secrets, lies and obsessive greed. Don Juan - Discarding his new bride, legendary womaniser Don Juan sets out in search of more romantic conquests. But eternal damnation awaits him if he does not repent his sins... Kenneth Haigh stars in this famous tragicomedy. The Misanthrope - Disgusted with the hypocrisy of French society, poet Alceste embarks on a crusade against fakery, frippery and forked tongues. But could the woman he adores be the worst culprit of them all? Colin Tierney stars in Molière's comedy of manners and morals. The School for Wives - Middle-aged Arnolphe plans to wed his innocent young ward, Agnes - but handsome Horace is also smitten with her, and proceeds to teach her the art of love... Starring Geoffrey Bayldon, Rosalind Shanks and Nicholas Pennell. The Sisterhood - Henriette's engagement is threatened as her bluestocking mother Philaminte tries to marry her off to the foppish poet Trissotin. Can true love triumph over pretentiousness? Benjamin Whitrow, Brenda Blethyn and Simon Russell Beale star in this sparkling assault on pseudo-intellectualism. The Imaginary Invalid - Elderly hypochondriac Argan plans to marry his daughter to a doctor to save on medical bills. There's just one problem - she is in love with someone else... Starring Maurice Denham and Jane Lapotaire. First published 1662 (The School for Wives), 1665 (Don Juan), 1666 (The Misanthrope), 1668 (The Miser, Amphitryon), 1672 (The Sisterhood), 1673 (The Imaginary Invalid) NB: Due to the age of the source material, the sound quality of The School for Wives may vary Cast and credits Written by Molière The Miser Cast: Toby Jones, Holli Dempsey, François Pandolfo, Mathew Baynton, Keiron Self, Cecilia Noble, Grace Cooper Milton, Don Gilet, Jasmine Hyde, Michael Begley, Neil McCaul First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 16th Jan 2022 Don Juan Cast: Kenneth Haigh, Bill Fraser, Sheila Grant, Patrick Tull, David Bailie, John Rye, Rolf Lefebvre, Kate Binchy, Penelope Lee, Brian Hewlett, Geoffrey Wincott, David Timson, James Thomason, Patrick Tull, Leslie Heritage, Penelope Lee First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 2nd Jan 1972 The Misanthrope Cast: Neil Caple, Simon Coates, Leander Deeny, Daniel Goode, Alison Pargeter, George Potts Zara Tempest-Walters, Colin Tierney, Harvey Virdi First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 10th Mar 2013 The School for Wives Cast: Geoffrey Bayldon, Haydn Jones, Terry Scully, Jane Knowles, Rosalind Shanks, Nicholas Pennell, Peter France, Alba, Rolf Lefebvre First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 21st Jan 1973 The Sisterhood Cast: Benjamin Whitrow, Jean Both, Haydn Gwynne, Judy Parfitt, Brenda Blethyn, Simon Russell Beale, Christopher Scott, James Greene, Jane Whittenshaw, Nicholas Boulton First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 26th May 1996 The Imaginary Invalid Cast: Maurice Denham, Jane Lapotaire, Tina Marian, Charlotte Attenborough, Norman Rodway Stratford Johns, John Moffatt, Philip Sully, Peter Craze, Cara Kelly, John Warner, Michael Graham Cox First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 29th Dec 1988 © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Molière (Author), Brenda Blethyn, Full Cast, Hadyn Gwynne, Holli Dempsey, Matthew Baynton, Maurice Denham, Simon Russell Beale, Toby Jones (Narrator)

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J. Sheridan Le Fanu: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Gothic Horror Collection: Carmilla, Uncle Silas, Shalker

"Dramatisations and readings of Sheridan Le Fanu's best-known Gothic masterpieces One of the leading ghost story writers of the Victorian era, Sheridan Le Fanu is renowned for his chilling tales of mystery and horror. His pioneering lesbian vampire novella Carmilla was a major influence on Bram Stoker's Dracula, and spawned numerous film adaptations including Hammer Horror's Karnstein Trilogy. Opening this anthology is a dramatisation of that classic tale, starring Anne-Marie Duff as Laura, the lonely girl living in a solitary Austrian castle, who strikes up a dangerous friendship with the mysterious, bewitching Carmilla. It is followed by Ian MacDiarmid's reading of 'Schalken the Painter', the eerie story of a 17th Century Flemish artist in love with his master's daughter. Le Fanu's suspenseful Gothic thriller, Uncle Silas, about a young heiress placed under the guardianship of her father's disgraced brother, is dramatised with a full cast including Teresa Gallagher, George Cole, Joan Sims and Dorothy Tutin. Also featured is The Le Fanu Ballads, a supernatural portmanteau drama bridging Le Fanu's era and our world today. Based on the short stories 'The Watcher', 'Madam Crowl's Ghost', 'Schalken the Painter' and 'Mr Justice Harbottle', and set in a basement nightclub in Dublin, it stars Paul Chahidi, Haydn Gwynne and Jonathan Forbes. One unabridged readings conclude our collection. In 'The Ghost and the Bonesetter', read by Sean Barrett, a terrified house-sitter receives an unusual request from the tyrannical spirit of a local squire. Cast and credits Written by Sheridan Le Fanu First published 1838 ('The Ghost and the Bonesetter'), 1839 ('Schalken the Painter'), 1847 ('The Watcher'), 1864 (Uncle Silas), 1871 ('Madam Crowl's Ghost'), 1872 (Carmilla, 'Mr Justice Harbottle') Carmilla Cast: Anne-Marie Duff, Brana Bajic, David Warner, Celia Imrie, Jacqueline Pearce, Nigel Anthony, Roger May, Kenneth Cranham Dramatised by Don McCamphill. Produced by Lawrence Jackson First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 June 2003 Schalken the Painter Read by Ian McDiarmid. Produced by Lawrence Jackson First broadcast BBC Radio 7, 29-30 May 2006 Uncle Silas Cast: Teresa Gallagher, Graham Crowden, Dorothy Tutin, Joan Sims, Kathleen Byron, Tessa Worsley, John Hartley, Jonathan Keeble, Roger May, Geoffrey Whitehead, Stephen Critchlow, George Cole, Jane Whittenshaw, George A Cooper, Becky Hindley, Pauline Letts, David Collings, John Evitts, Linda Regan, Joan Littlewood Dramatised by Alan Drury. Directed by Enyd Williams First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8-22 October 1995 The Le Fanu Ballads Cast: Paul Chahidi, Haydn Gwynne, Jonathan Forbes, Ruth Everett, Matthew Durkan, Alexandra Hannant, Rebecca Crankshaw, Chris Jack, Michael Begley, Neil McCaul. Sheridan Le Fanu's ghost stories adapted by Neil Brand Directed by Tracey Neale. Music composed and played by Neil Brand, with 'Nuala's Ballad' sung by Ruth Everett First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 April 2022 The Ghost and the Bonesetter Read by Sean Barrett. Produced by Gemma Jenkins First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 September 2001 © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Sheridan Le Fanu (Author), Anne-Marie Duff, Celia Imrie, David Warner, Full Cast, Hadyn Gwynne, Joan Sims, Paul Chahidi, Roger May, Teresa Gallagher (Narrator)

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The Leo Tolstoy BBC Radio Drama Collection: Full-cast dramatisations of War and Peace, Anna Karenina

"BBC Radio adaptations of Tolstoy's three major novels, plus a reading of his profound philosophical memoir, an original drama based on his life and a bonus documentary One of the greatest novelists of all time, Leo Tolstoy is famed worldwide for his masterpieces of realist fiction, War and Peace and Anna Karenina. This comprehensive collection contains both those iconic works, as well as his final novel Resurrection; his autobiographical essay A Confession; Stephen Wakelam's dramatic account of his tempestuous marriage, Mrs Tolstoy; and In Our Time: Tolstoy. War and Peace - 1805, and Napoleon Bonaparte is threatening the peace of Europe. In St Petersburg and Moscow, the lives of three aristocratic families are about to be changed forever... This epic dramatisation stars Simon Russell Beale, Gerard Murphy, Amanda Redman and Emily Mortimer. Anna Karenina - In 19th Century Russia, bored high society wife Anna embarks on an affair with the handsome Count Vronsky - but her passion sets her on a path to self-destruction. Starring Teresa Gallagher and Toby Stephens. Resurrection - Serving on the jury in a murder trial, Prince Dimitri recognises the young prostitute in the dock as Katerina Maslova, the girl he seduced years before. Knowing he is partly responsible for her plight, he attempts to atone for his mistakes and find redemption. Katherine Igoe and Richard Dillane star in this powerful adaptation of Tolstoy's final novel. A Confession - Read by Joss Ackland, this compelling religious testament describes Tolstoy's search for God, faith and the meaning of life. Mrs Tolstoy - In his fifties, Leo Tolstoy has a spiritual crisis. Converting to Christianity, he gives up writing, stops sleeping with his wife, won't see his children and wants to give away all his possessions. But Sofya is ready to fight for her husband and family... Starring Ian McDiarmid and Haydn Gwynne. In Our Time: Tolstoy - Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Tolstoy's life and writings, exploring his urgent desire to represent real life in his work, how he strove to convey truth to the reader - and why he ultimately gave up on literature to concentrate on religious and political philosophy. Please note that the chapter headings have been updated as of 10th February 2022. © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd First published 1869 (War and Peace), 1877 (Anna Karenina), 1879 (A Confession), 1899 (Resurrection)"

Leo Tolstoy (Author), Amanda Redman, Emily Mortimer, Full Cast, Hadyn Gwynne, Ian Mcdiarmid, Katherine Igoe, Richard Dillane, Simon Russell Beale, Teresa Gallagher, Toby Stephens (Narrator)

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Behind the Author's Desk: Dramas of Famous Writers' Real Lives: A BBC Radio 4 drama collection

"18 biographical dramas based on the lives and loves of celebrated writers These surprising, revealing dramas take a behind-the-scenes look at some of our best-loved authors, mingling fact and fantasy to explore their extraordinary hidden lives. From love affairs, friendships and family relationships to traumas, tragedies and journeys of self-discovery, we glimpse the unwritten worlds that shaped their unforgettable fiction. Among the star casts are Andrew Scott, Toby Jones, Richard Dormer, Glenda Jackson, Bella Ramsey, Julia Davis, Ian McDiarmid, Haydn Gwynne, David Threlfall, Alistair McGowan, Tom Goodman-Hill, Hattie Morahan, Rosie Cavaliero, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Paul Ritter and Lia Williams Jane and Tom - Writing to her sister, Jane Austen describes her love for Tom Lefroy - a love that would lead to Pride and Prejudice. When Fanny Met Germaine - A delightful romp through the passionate, scandalous friendship between two 18th Century writers: Fanny Burney and Mme de Stael. Comrade Ackland - Dorset, 1936. Newly returned from an illicit trip to Civil War Spain, Sylvia Townsend Warner and her lover Valentine Ackland have an unexpected visitor.... Tongues of Fire - 1913. When a Nobel laureate visits Dublin's Abbey Theatre, fireworks erupt between WB Yeats and Sean O'Casey. A Year at the Races - Approaching the end of his career, Groucho Marx meets a wisecracking fan determined to teach him new comedy tricks. Spike and the Elfin Oak - A comic fantasy inspired by Spike Milligan's madcap attempts in the mid-1960s to preserve a curious sculpture in Kensington Gardens. Everybody's Got Conditions - Casting Bette Davis in his play The Night of the Iguana proves the biggest mistake in Tennessee Williams' career... I Believe I Have Genius- Humble and obscure, young Charlotte Brontë travels to Brussels to study at a girls' school. Marian and George - Marian Evans (aka George Eliot) must choose between her adored brother and the love of her life... Lying Low - An intriguing drama imagining what happened to Samuel Beckett during his mysterious three weeks in Folkestone in 1961. A Terrible Beauty - WB Yeats travels to France to propose to beautiful Maud Gonne, soon after her husband's execution in the 1916 Easter Rising. The Watcher on the Wall - Dramatised from his letters, this is the story of Louis MacNeice's transatlantic love affair and the poetry it inspired. Edith Sitwell in Scarborough - Returning to her birthplace, Edith Sitwell sets out to wreak revenge. Mrs Tolstoy - A five-part drama charting the tempestuous marriage between Leo and Sofya Tolstoy. The 'B' Word - The opening night of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion causes a scandal and sparks a passionate love/hate triangle... The Rules of Palship - The young Noël Coward demanded fierce loyalty from his friends - but did he live up to his own high standards? The Lost Road - A playful tribute to the long friendship between CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien and how it influenced their respective masterpieces. Luxembourg Gardens - Re-imagined from Katherine Mansfield's stories, letters and journals, this Mansfieldesque play explores her last day in Paris, where she is dying of consumption aged 34. Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Alistair Mcgowan, Anna Linstrum, David Pownall, Elizabeth Lewis, Frances Bingham, Ian Billings, Jonathan Tafler, Judith Adam, Katie Hims, Lucy Caldwell, Mary Cooper, Robin Brooks, Sarah Wooley, Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre, Stephen Wakelam (Author), Alistair Mcgowan, Andrew Scott, Full Cast, Glenda Jackson, Hadyn Gwynne, Ian Mcdiarmid, Paul Ritter, Richard Dormer, Toby Jones, Tom Goodman-Hill (Narrator)

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The Little Ottleys: A BBC Radio full-cast drama: The Complete Series 1-5

"A witty and wonderful comedy of love and jealousy in high society Edwardian London, based on Ada Leverson's sparkling trilogy of novels London, 1908. Pretty, delightful Edith Ottley is married to pompous, patronising Bruce. She adores her son, Archie, and thinks herself content with life in her very new, very concise, very white flat in Knightsbridge. But when she meets the clever, charming and very handsome Aylmer Ross, the physical attraction between the two is electric and they fall madly in love. They could be the perfect couple, but Edith can't dismiss the fact she is Mrs Ottley... Over the course of 25 episodes, Bruce, Edith and Aylmer become locked in a curious, yet delightful, triangle. As Bruce embarks on his own amorous adventures, and Aylmer chafes at having to share Edith, can the trio resolve their romantic entanglements to everyone’s satisfaction? Adapted by acclaimed radio writer and dramatist Martyn Wade, this enchanting comedy drama stars Haydn Gwynne as Ada Leverson, Juliet Aubrey as Edith, Bertie Carvel and Ifan Meredith as Bruce and Jonathan Firth as Aylmer."

Martyn Wade (Author), Bertie Carvel, Full Cast, Hadyn Gwynne, Juliet Aubrey (Narrator)

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The Portrait Of A Lady (Classic Serial)

"Henry James's novel, dramatised by Rachel Joyce. Young and beautiful, Isabel Archer thinks that she is in control of her fate. Little does she know, however, that others behind the scenes are pulling the strings. The beautiful and free-spirited Isabel Archer is now a very rich woman. Two men have declared their love for her but she does not want to be married. Resolved to enjoy her fortune, she begins her travels. Starring Anna Maxwell Martin, Haydn Gwynne, Robert Bathurst, Gayle Hunnicutt and full cast. Pianist Duncan Walsh Atkins. Directed by Tracey Neale."

Henry James, Rachel Joyce (Author), Anna Maxwell Martin, Gayle Hunnicutt, Hadyn Gwynne, Robert Bathhurst (Narrator)

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The Merchant of Venice

"In Shakespeare’s most controversial play, the opposing values of justice and mercy must be resolved. Antonio promises money to help his friend Bassanio woo Portia. He borrows the sum needed from the cruel Shylock, but there will be a dreadful penalty if the loan is not repaid. The golden world of Portia’s Belmont calls forth some of Shakespeare’s most lyrical love poetry. But the dark shadow of Shylock is never far from the heart of this brilliant comedy as it moves toward its courtroom climax. Portia is played by Hadyn Gwynne and Shylock by Trevor Peacock. Julian Rhind-Tutt is Bassanio, and Bill Nighy is Antonio."

William Shakespeare (Author), Alison Reid, Bill Nighy, Colin Salmon, David Tennant, Geoffrey Whitehead, Hadyn Gwynne, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Sarah-Jane Holm, Trevor Peacock, Will Keen, a full cast (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Hadyn Gwynne

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