Audiobooks Narrated by John Hewitt

Brendan Behan: Borstal Boy, The Quare Fellow and The Hostage: Three BBC Radio Full-Cast Productions

"A collection of some of the rockstar playwright’s finest work Brendan Behan is widely remembered as a hard-drinking, wise-cracking writer who turned up roaring drunk for interviews and cared little for authority. But he was more than just a hell-raising celebrity. His wit, expressive use of language and understanding of human nature made his writing famous around the world, and his masterpieces The Quare Fellow, Borstal Boy and The Hostage rank among the greatest works of 20th century Irish literature. Dramatisations of all three appear here, alongside a short interview with Behan himself and a fascinating biographical programme celebrating his genius. Charting Behan’s journey from shy, passionate young man to larger-than-life literary superstar, Borstal Boy tells the story of a stammering IRA rebel who finds true friends and first love in an English borstal. Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey) stars as Behan in this fresh take on his honest, tender 1958 memoir. Behan’s debut play, The Quare Fellow, first produced in 1954, was based on his own prison experiences. A darkly funny drama about a group of inmates awaiting the imminent execution of a fellow prisoner, it is performed here by players from the Arts Theatre, Lyric Theatre, and Ulster Theatre Company, Belfast. And finally, translated from the Gaelic by acclaimed writer Lorcán Ó Treasaigh, An Giall (The Hostage) revolves around a British soldier held hostage by the IRA in a Dublin brothel. This 1988 Radio 3 version is the first English production of Behan’s Irish tragicomedy, which formed the basis of Joan Littlewood 's 1958 Theatre Workshop hit. Also included is a 1959 clip from BBC Television’s Tonight, featuring Brendan Behan in conversation with Derek Hart, and an episode of Great Lives in which Joan Littlewood talks to Humphrey Carpenter about her long-time friend and collaborator. Note: Due to the age of the recordings, the sound quality on The Quare Fellow and Tonight may vary. Cast and credits Written by Brendan Behan Text copyright © Brendan Behan 1954 (The Quare Fellow), 1958 (Borstal Boy, The Hostage) Borstal Boy Cast: Brendan Coyle, Jonny Holden, Joseph Ayre, Leah Marks, Ewan Bailey, Connor Curren, Samuel James, Gerard McDermott Dramatised by Martin McNamara Directed by Anne Isger Production Co-ordinator: Jonathan Powell Sound: Anne Bunting, Jenni Burnett, Ali Craig and Cal Knightley A BBC Audio Production for BBC Radio 4 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16 Apr 2023 The Quare Fellow Cast: John McBride, Louis Rolston, Michael Duffy, Sam McCready, Maurice O’Callaghan, Michael Lynch, Charles Witherspoon, Bill Hunter, Peter Adair, Barry Cowan, Brian Cullen, Harold Goldblatt, Joe McPartland, J.J. Murphy, Patrick Brannigan, Jack McQuoid, Jeremy Jones, George Mooney Adapted and produced by David A. Turner First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 Sep 1969 The Hostage Cast: Michael Baguley, Brian Kidd, Kieron Smith, Ann Callanan, John Hewitt, Anne Kent, Anthony Finigan, Stephen Ryan, Sean Kearns, Tom Jordan Translated by Lorcán Ó Treasaigh Directed by Jeremy Howe Bagpipes played by Brian Kidd First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 12 Aug 1988 Brendan Behan interview from Tonight Presented by Derek Hart With Brendan Behan First broadcast BBC Television Service, 21 Apr 1959 Great Lives: Brendan Behan Presented by Humphrey Carpenter With Joan Littlewood Produced by Peter Everett First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2 Nov 2001 © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Brendan Behan (Author), Ann Callanan, Anne Kent, Brendan Coyle, Brian Kidd, Ewan Bailey, Full Cast, Gerard Mcdermott, John Hewitt, Jonny Holden, Joseph Ayre, Leah Marks, Louis Rolston, Michael Baguley, Michael Duffy, Samuel James (Narrator)

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Ballylenon: The Complete Series 1-8: A BBC Radio 4 comedy drama

"All eight series of the comedy drama series set in a Donegal town in the 1950s and '60s 'Christopher Fitz-Simon's writing is a delicious mix of gentle and sharp' The Guardian Ireland in the fifties, and the days of mass tourism and indoor plumbing have not yet come to rural Co. Donegal. But in the small, sleepy town of Ballylenon, change is coming, and trouble is brewing. A power struggle is under way for control of the town, with two rival forces aligned against each other. Seeking to rule the roost are hotel owner and undertaker Phonsie Doherty and his allies, sisters Muriel and Vera McConkey. These two formidable ladies are in charge of the corner shop/Post Office and Telephone Exchange, and are known as the eyes and ears of Ballylenon - while the voice is provided by local newspaper The Vindicator. Between them, they seem to have the means of communication sewn up - but the opposing faction, led by primary teacher Vivienne Boal, the Reverend Samuel Hawthorne, and police officer Guard Gallagher, are determined to have their say. A supporter of cultural causes, such as music festivals and architectural conservation, Vivienne is bright, breezy and apparently straightforward - but she manages to achieve certain aims by devious means... The antagonism between the two camps is thinly veiled - and the causes for dissension range from a proposal to demolish the Georgian courthouse to build a car park, to arguments over a ramshackle cottage that may have belonged to the family of US President Herbert Hoover. But as the Sixties dawn, the town faces a threat that unites the whole community in moral outrage: the arrival of television... Christopher Fitz-Simon's playful yet cynical look at Irish village life stars TP McKenna, Gerard Murphy, Margaret D'Arcy and Stella McCusker. Production credits Written by Christopher Fitz-Simon Directed by Eoin O'Callaghan (Series 1-5,7,8) and Peter Kavanagh (Series 6) Music arranged and performed by Stephanie Hughes Pianist: Michael Harrison First broadcast BBC Radio 4: 8 June-13 July 1994 (Series 1), 18 July-8 August 1995 (Series 2), 4-25 June 1996 (Series 3), 3-24 December 1997 (Series 4), 15 June-20 July 1998 (Series 5), 18 June-23 July 1999 (Series 6), 25 November 2009-6 January 2010 (Series 7), 26 January-2 March 2011 (Series 8) Cast Phonsie Doherty - TP McKenna/Gerard Murphy Muriel McConkey - Margaret D'Arcy Vera McConkey - Stella McCusker Vivienne Boal/Mrs McFinney - Aine McCartney Guard Gallagher - John Hewitt/Frankie McCafferty Reverend Samuel Hawthorne - Gerard Murphy/Miche Doherty/Dermot Crowley RL Watson - Roma Tomelty O'Brollochain/Joe MacMonagle/Canon Friel- Kevin Flood Kevin 'Stumpy' Bonnar - Gerard McSorley Eithne Ni Phartalain/Primrose ffrench O'Dowd/Sister Gabriel - Marcella Riordan Aubrey Frawley - Dominic Letts/Matthew Addis/Chris McHallem Peg Sweeney - Anna Manahan/Marcella Riordan Post Office engineer - Robert Patterson Jonathan ffrench O'Dowd - Wesley Murphy Packy McGoldrick - Charlie Bonnar/Tim Loane Josie Doherty - Ciara McKeown/Cathy White/Ali White Mr Mawhinney - Harry Towb Father O'Flatley - John Guiney Bohunkus Smith - BJ Hogg Terry Black - Mark Lambert Consuela Dooley - Cathy Belton Daniel O'Searcaigh - James Greene Monsignor McFadden - Niall Cusack Polly Acton - Joanna Munro Eamonn Doyle - Patrick Fitzsymons Mr Boylan - Derek Bailey with Ruairi McAteer, Catriona O'Reilly, Danielle Costigan and Fabio Aprile"

Christopher Fitz-Simon (Author), Aine Mccartney, Full Cast, Gerard Murphy, John Hewitt, Margaret D'arcy, Stella Mccusker, Tp Mckenna (Narrator)

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