Audiobooks Narrated by Joel MacCormack

The Betrothed: A Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisation

"A full-cast dramatisation of Italy’s iconic novel The Betrothed is a sweeping epic, packed with the passion of Les Misérables, the power of War and Peace and the action of Ivanhoe. Set in 17th century Italy, this is the ultimate story of love, faith, justice and power. Engaged couple, Renzo and Lucia must overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to be together. Lombardy, their region of northern Italy, is under Spanish occupation, and when the Spaniard Don Rodrigo blocks their union, in an attempt to have Lucia for himself, the couple are forced to resist his plots. Their love is thwarted at every turn by the hazards of war, bread riots and the machinations of a nameless crime lord. This gripping listen chronicles their unforgettable romance through tyranny, war, famine and plague. Renzo and Lucia are tested again and again, but can their union endure? Performed by a full cast, this stunning saga is masterfully brought to life and available to download for the first time as a complete listen. First published in 1827 as I Promessi Sposi, this icon of Italian literature as well as the country’s most popular novel, has never been out of print. Groundbreaking in its day, and hugely influential to succeeding generations, Alessandro Manzoni’s masterpiece has long been considered one of Italy’s national treasures. It is so integral to contemporary Italian culture every schoolchild reads it to this day. If you liked Les Misérables, War and Peace or Ivanhoe, then you will love The Betrothed. This is a must listen for any fan of classical literature. The Betrothed is a story that has, thought the centuries, been celebrated by writers, artists and composers such as Verdi, Primo Levi, Natalia Ginzburg, Umberto Eco and Pope Francis. A bona fide canonical classic hiding in plain sight - The Wall Street Journal Cast and credits Written by Alessandro Manzoni Adapted by Eileen Horne Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane Lucia - Hiftu Quasem Renzo - Ian Dunnett Jnr Father Abbondio - Paul Higgins Gabriel/Servant Boy - Joel Maccormack Griso/Officer - Owen Whitelaw Nibbio/Ambrogio - Tunji Kasim Agnese - Maureen Beattie Brother Cristoforo - Ewan Bailey Nameless /Old Friar - Jonathan Forbes Rodrigo/Boss/Boatman/Traveller - Sandy Grierson Gertrude/Gilda - Chloe Pirrie First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5th - 12th November 2023 ©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Alessandro Manzoni (Author), Chloe Pirrie, Ewan Bailey, Full Cast, Hiftu Quasem, Ian Dunnett Jnr, Joel MacCormack, Jonathan Forbes, Maureen Beattie, Owen Whitelaw, Paul Higgins, Sandy Grierson, Tunji Kasim (Narrator)

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Jules Verne: A BBC Radio Drama Collection: Four Full-Cast Dramatisations

"Full-cast contemporary dramatisations of Jules Verne’s best-known work, plus insight into his life and work Often referred to as the father of science fiction, Victorian author Jules Verne is renowned for his fantastical adventures imagining extraordinary voyages to strange new horizons. Prolific and prophetic, he wrote over 50 novels and numerous short stories, in which he foretold the skyscraper, the submarine, space missions and even the Internet. Featured here are contemporary adaptations of four of his most famous tales, as well as a special episode of The Forum examining the long-lasting appeal of his work. These full-cast dramatisations feature a stellar line-up including Jim Broadbent, Leslie Phillips, Sagar Arya, Joel MacCormack, Stephen Critchlow, Gudmundur Thorvaldsson, Neil McCaul, Madeline Hatt, David Seddon, Yves Aubert, Nathan Osgood, Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong and Kerry Gooderson. Journey to the Centre of the Earth – Renowned professor Otto Lidenbrock and his nephew Axel decipher a mysterious cryptogram telling of a pathway to the earth’s core. Determined to find out if such a journey is possible, the intrepid explorers and their guide, Hans, venture into the heart of a dormant Icelandic volcano, where shocks, perils and amazing discoveries await. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – On the hunt for a terrifying sea monster that has been attacking ships, marine scientist Professor Aronnax and his stowaway daughter Connie join whaler Ned Land aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. But what they find is no monster, it’s a submarine: the Nautilus, piloted by the mysterious Captain Nemo… Around the World in Eighty Days – Risking his fortune, eccentric gentleman Phileas Fogg makes a bet that he can circumnavigate the globe in 80 days. Accompanied by his new valet, Passepartout, he sets off on a headlong race – pursued by the energetic Sergeant Fix, who is convinced Fogg is the bank robber he’s seeking. With the clock ticking, can Phileas make it back to the Reform Club in time? The Mysterious Island – Escaping the American Civil War, military engineer Cyrus Smith, his freed slave Neb, and reporter Grace Spilett steal an observation balloon. Following a violent storm, it crashes near a seemingly deserted Pacific island: but the castaways soon realise that they are not alone… The Forum: 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas – Jules Verne’s classic novel is one of the most translated works in publishing history (and yes, the original French title does have the plural 'seas'). Talking to authors, academics and members of the Société Jules Verne, Rajan Datar finds out what makes this boys’ own adventure tale so popular. First published 1864 (Journey to the Centre of the Earth), 1870 (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea), 1872 (Around the World in Eighty Days), 1874 (The Mysterious Island) © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Jules Verne (Author), Full Cast, Jim Broadbent, Joel MacCormack, Kerry Gooderson, Leslie Phillips, Madeline Hatt, Sagar Arya, Stephen Critchlow (Narrator)

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C. S. Lewis: The Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, plus a brand new full-cast BBC

"C.S. Lewis’s allegorical sci-fi trilogy about a philology professor’s adventures on Mars, Venus and Earth Featuring 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 preserve 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? Credits Out 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 Planet Read by Alex Jennings First broadcast BBC 7, 2-18 February 2004 Perelandra Read by Alex Jennings First broadcast BBC 7, 14 February-9 March 2005 That Hideous Strength Jane – Anneika Rose Mark – Joel MacCormack Curry/Ransom – Oliver Hembrough Feverstone/Briers – Simon Armstrong Hardcastle – Jane Slavin Mrs Dimble – Siobhan Redmond Grace – Jane Gurnett Wither – Matthew Bulgo Frost/Hingest – David Menkin Alcasan/Taxi Driver – Kiren Kebaili-Dwyer Merlin – Ifan Huw Dafydd Dramatised by Melissa Murray Production co-ordinators: Lindsay Rees and Eleri Sydney McAuliffe Sound design by Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis Directed by John Norton and Emma Harding A BBC Audio Wales production First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 January – 2 February 2025 © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

C.S. Lewis (Author), Alex Jennings, Anneika Rose, Full Cast, Joel MacCormack, Oliver Hembrough (Narrator)

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