Audiobooks narrated by Norman Shelley

Ivan Turgenev: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Drama Collection: First Love, Father and Sons, A Month in the C

Nine classic works by the Russian literary giant, adapted for BBC Radio Ivan Turgenev stands alongside Tolstoy and Dostoevsky as one of the three great Russian novelists of the 19th century. He was also a consummate short story writer, poet and playwright, and the first Russian author to become popular in the West. This specially curated collection showcases his key works, from the most celebrated to the undeservedly underrated. Described as ‘one of the most perfect things ever written’, the lyrical novella First Love tells the story of 16-year-old Vladimir, whose longing for the capricious Zinaida informs his whole life. Dramatised for Radio 4, it stars Simon Cadell, Rosalind Ayres and Bill Nighy. Succeeding it is Turgenev’s masterpiece, Fathers and Sons, an exploration of the eternal conflict between the reactionary older generation and the revolutionary younger one. John Castle stars as youthful nihilist Bazarov, with Maurice Denham as his father Nikolai. First published in 1855 as Two Women, Turgenev’s best-known play A Month in the Country centres around a landowner’s wife who finds herself attracted to her son’s tutor. Translated by Isaiah Berlin, our Radio 3 version stars Maureen O’Brien and Gerard Murphy. Written a few years before A Month in the Country, the little-known play The Poor Gentleman is an emotional comedy about an elderly man’s devotion to a daughter he can never recognise publicly. It stars Frank Finlay, Morag Hood and Colin Baker. Next up is Smoke, Turgenev’s only novel not to be set in Russia. Baden Baden is the setting for a tale that blends poignant love story and searing political satire, starring Garard Green, Rachel Gurney and Patricia Leventon. Meanwhile, in the short story ‘The Dog’, a mild Hussar (Timothy West) is the subject of a bizarre haunting… Turgenev’s debut novel, Rudin, features that archetypal character in Russian literature, the ‘superfluous man’. Ian Holm stars as the eponymous hero, an idealistic intellectual who is incapable of taking action: and suffers for it. Set just before the Crimean War, the romantic novella On the Eve has passion and patriotism as its themes. Amanda Root stars as the upper-class Elena, who embarks on a doomed affair with Bulgarian revolutionary Insarov (Philip Franks). We conclude as we began, with a tale of first love – Spring Torrents, one of Turgenev’s greatest and most autobiographical novellas. Adapted for Radio 4’s ‘Book at Bedtime’, it is read by David Horovitch. First published 1848 (The Poor Gentleman), 1855/1872 (A Month in the Country), 1857 (Rudin), 1860 (First Love, On the Eve), 1862 (Fathers and Sons), 1866 (‘The Dog’), 1867 (Smoke), 1872 (Spring Torrents) Production credits Written by Ivan Turgenev With thanks to Keith Wickham Contents List First Love Fathers and Sons A Month in the Country The Poor Gentleman Smoke The Dog Rudin On the Eve Spring Torrents © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Ivan Turgenev (Author), Amanda Root, Bill Nighy, David Horovitch, Full Cast, Hugh Dickson, Ian Holm, Maureen O'brien, Norman Shelley, Patrick Troughton, Rosalind Ayres, Tim Pigott-Smith, Timothy West (Narrator)

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Sherlock Holmes Carleton Hobbs Further Collection

Carleton Hobbs established the 'sound' of Sherlock Holmes, with Norman Shelley as his superb Watson. Now these unique recordings are available together for the first time ever, with specially commissioned introductions by Nicholas Utechin, who edited The Sherlock Holmes Journal from 1976-2006. This collection contains: 'The Copper Beeches'; 'Thor Bridge'; 'The Sussex Vampire'; 'The Three Garridebs'; 'The Three Gables'; 'The Retired Colourman'; 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'; 'The Crooked Man'; 'The Cardboard Box'; 'A Case of Identity'; 'The Naval Treaty' and 'The Noble Bachelor'. Twelve stories - available as a collection for the first time - as heard on BBC Radio.

Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Carleton Hobbs, Norman Shelley (Narrator)

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The Man Born To Be King: A BBC Radio 4 drama collection

Dorothy L. Sayers' classic play cycle based on the life and times of Jesus Dorothy L. Sayers was best known for her mystery novels featuring aristocratic amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. But she was also a poet, playwright and committed Christian, and in The Man Born to Be King she combined art and evangelism to powerful effect, making the story of Christ accessible, relevant and every bit as thrilling as her detective fiction. Written specially for the BBC Radio, the play cycle caused huge controversy for its depiction of Christ as a character, and its use of contemporary speech instead of Biblical language. However it proved extremely popular with listeners, who wrote in to thank Sayers for making Jesus real to them and reigniting their interest in his remarkable story. Based on the four Gospels, it includes one story of the Nativity, six plays about Jesus' life and ministry, and five Passion Plays telling of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, Jesus' arrest and trial before Pontius Pilate, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. Backed up with a sweeping musical score, these immersive dramas surprise and shock us anew and provide fresh, illuminating insight into 'the greatest story ever told'. The plays included are Kings in Judea, The King's Herald, A Certain Nobleman, The Heirs to the Kingdom, The Bread of Heaven, The Feast of Tabernacles, The Light and The Life, Royal Progress, The King's Supper, The Princes of This World, King of Sorrows and The King Comes to His Own. Cast and credits Written by Dorothy L Sayers Adapted by/Producer: Raymond Raikes The Evangelist (John Bar-Zebedee): Gabriel Woolf Jesus: John Westbrook Joseph/ Jacob Ben-Issachar: Norman Shelley Simon Bar-Jonah (Simon Peter): Stephen Jack Judas Iscariot: Alan Wheatley Matthew: Nigel Stock Herod The Great: Robert Eddison Nicodemus: John Wyse Ephraim: Denys Blakelock Shadrach: Malcolm Hayes Rabbit Solomon: John Gabriel Phoebe: Caroline Monkhouse Flavius: Trader Faulkner Calpurnia: Penelope Lee Mary Virgin: June Tobin Mary Magdalen: Mary Wimbush Martha: Marjorie Westbury Lazarus: Richard Hurndall Benjamin Ben-Hadad: Ralph Truman Joseph, kinsman to Jesus: Haydn Jones Simeon, kinsman to Jesus: Wilfrid Carter Baruch the Zealot: Francis de Wolff Baruch's Wife: Vivienne Chatterton Gestas: John Laurie Dysmas: Russell Napier Simon of Cyrene: Rodney Dias Proclus, a Roman Centurion: Trevor Martin Roman soldier: Bruce Beeby Roman soldier: Harvey Hall Joseph of Arimathea: Howieson Culff Calaphas, High Priest of Israel: Heron Carvic Salome, mother to James and John: Henzie Raeburn Mary Cleophas: Molly Rankin Balthazar, King of Ethiopia: Paul Danqdah Melchior/ A Zealot: Michael Kilgarriff Casper: James Dale Philip: Rolf Lefebvre Thomas Didymus/ Father: Philip Leaver Mother: Wynne Clark Miriam, child: Elizabeth Proud Isaac, child/a slave boy: Daniel Rose Hannah: Hester Paton-Brown James Bar-Zebedee: John Glen Andrew Bar-Jonah: John Boxer Hezekiah, secretary/ Roman Soldier: John Baker Annas, father-in-law to Caiaphas: Edward Atienza Pontius Pilate, Governor of Judaea: Alec Clunes Claudia Procula: Mary Law Captain Elihu: Keith Alexander Eunice, a Syro-Phoenician: Elizabeth Morgan Cleophas: Harry Hutchinson Portress at the High Priest's House: Miriam Margolyes Zillah, her daughter: Jo Manning-Wilson Issacher, servant: Hugh Dickson Susannah, mother to the Bride groom: Betty Baskcomb Rebecca, friend to Susannah: Gladys Spencer/ Janet Burnell Other cast: Ian Frost, Janette Richer, Nan Marriott-Watson, Janette Richer, Peter Marinker, Raf de la Torre, James Thomason, John Forrest, Michael Goldie First broadcast BBC Home Service 19th, 26th Jan, 2nd, 9th , 16th, 23rd Feb, 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 28th, 30th March 1975 ©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Dorothy L. Sayers (Author), Full Cast, Gabriel Woolf, John Laurie, John Westbrook, Mary Wimbush, Miriam Margolyes, Norman Shelley (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Norman Shelley