Audiobooks narrated by Robert Hardy

Colette: Gigi, Cheri and more: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

"Writer Colette’s classic works brought to life in a unique audio collection Listen for the first time to this stunning collection of five of Colette’s most celebrated works, compiled and created by BBC Radio. French author and woman of letters, Colette is best known for her 1944 novella Gigi, which became the stage musical launching the career of Audrey Hepburn. Known for her frank, direct and honest way of writing about women and female friendships, Colette’s stories champion the female perspective and all feature strong women protagonists. Considered immoral and shocking at the time, her works are now cherished as a fresh insight into the female experience of the era and she is celebrated for the sheer quality of her writing. This exclusive collection includes, Gigi, Cheri, Claudine at School, The Vagabond and Sido and features performances from Lindsay Duncan (Sherlock, Starter for 10, Doctor Who), Paul Ritter (Friday Night Dinner), Frances Barber, Brigit Forsyth and Dame Peggy Ashcroft. Also included is a bonus edition of In Our Time, hosted by Melvyn Bragg as he and guests discuss Colette, her life, her works and her significant cultural impact. In the classic Gigi, we follow the story of a young woman in Paris, who is being groomed by her grandmother for the life of a courtesan. Cheri is a semi-autobiographical story following an enduring love affair between a courtesan and a man half her age. Claudine at School is heavy with erotic over tones, and this full cast dramatisation explores the life of the enchanting Claudine as she navigates her journey to womanhood. The Vagabond tells the story of a divorcée dancer in a Paris music hall, she is pursued by a wealthy admirer. Will she allow herself to fall in love a second time? Finally, Dame Peggy Ashcroft narrates Sido, based on Colette’s memories of her own mother. Text copyright © Colette 1900 (Claudine at School), 1910 (Vagabond), 1920 (Cheri), 1929 (Sido), 1944 (Gigi) Gigi Translated from the French and adapted by Barbara Bray Produced by Raymond Raikes Cast: Margaret Robertson, Margaret Rawlings, Carol Marsh, Robert Hardy, Hilda Kriseman, Ian Thompson, Isabel Jeans Cheri Directed by Pauline Harris Cast: Lindsay Duncan, Joseph Millson, Frances Barber, Brigit Forsyth, Laura Harding, Conrad Nelson, Judith Davis Claudine at School Adapted by Yvonne Mitchell Produced and directed by Liane Aukin Cast: Fidelis Morgan, Rosalind Adams, Anne Rosenfeld, Jean Rogers, Nigel Lambert, Diana Bishop, Joan Matheson, Carole Hayman, Haydn Jones, Pamela Moiseiwitsch, Shane Briant, Michael Harbour, Peter Howell, Timothy Bateson, Edward Kelsey The Vagabond Dramatised by Charlotte Cory Directed by Mary Peate Cast: Clare Higgins, Paul Ritter, Allan Corduner, David Thorpe, Jasmine Hyde Sido Abridged by B. J. Salmon Read by Dame Peggy Ashcroft In our Time – Colette Presented by Melvyn Bragg. Text copyright © Colette 1900 (Claudine at School), 1910 (Vagabond), 1920 (Cheri), 1929 (Sido), 1944 (Gigi) ©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Colette Avital (Author), Brigit Forsyth, Clare Higgins, Frances Barber, Full Cast, Joseph Millson, Lindsay Duncan, Melvyn Bragg, Paul Ritter, Robert Hardy (Narrator)

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Kingsley Amis: A BBC Radio Drama Collection: I Spy Strangers, I Want It Now, All Free Now based on G

"Adaptations of Kingley Amis’s great novels and acclaimed short stories Novelist, poet and critic Kingsley Amis was one of Britain’s greatest post-war writers. A master of comic fiction, he came to fame in 1954, and won the 1986 Booker Prize for The Old Devils. Included in this collection are dramatisations of seven of his short stories and two novels, all imbued with his characteristic wit and social satire. We begin with ‘To See the Sun’, a tantalising tale of vampires, a mad Scots librarian, a handsome Englishman and a Countess, set in 1920s Dacia. In ‘Moral Fibre’, a Welsh librarian tangles with a social worker determined to save a young girl from sin, while in ‘All the Blood Within Me’, Alec attends the funeral of the only woman he has ever loved: and faces some uncomfortable truths. Tensions run high in ‘I Spy Strangers’ as a group of soldiers in 1945 hold a mock parliament; poet A E Potter questions the value of his art in ‘Dear Illusions’ and in ‘Affairs of Death’, the confessions of the Scottish King Macbeth trouble the conscience of Pope Leo X. Set in the late ’60s, I Want It Now centres around ambitious TV personality Ronnie Appleyard, who pursues wealthy Simona Quick for her money, only to fall in love. And recently recovered in the BBC’s Treasure Hunt, ‘Something Strange’ features four inhabitants of a space capsule, who have unusual experiences to report. Based on Amis’s classic novel Girl, 20 and written by Tony Bilbow, All Free Now is a hilarious observation of the Sixties’ permissive society. Please note: I Want It Now is an archive dramatisation from 1977, and the language used reflects some of the attitudes of that time. Due to the archive nature of some of the pieces, the sound quality may vary. Cast and credits Written by Kingsley Amis All Free Now written by Tony Bilbow, based on Kingsley Amis’s novel Girl, 20 To See the Sun Cast: Christopher Cazenove, Gayle Hunnicutt, Graham Crowden, Alan Dudley, Jennifer Piercey, Zelah Clarke Dramatised by John Scotney Directed by Jane Morgan Moral Fibre Cast: Sion Tudor Owen, Julie Berry, Thelma Whiteley, Victoria Carling, Steve Hodson, Jennifer Piercey, Simon Cuff, Susan Sheridan Dramatised by John Scotney Directed by Jane Morgan All the Blood Within Me Cast: Tom Watson, David Sinclair, Mia Soteriou, Jonathan Tafler, Caroline Gruber, Jill Lidstone, Alan Dudley, Brian Hewlitt, Kim Hughes Dramatised by John Scotney Directed by Jane Morgan Piano: Mary Nash I Spy Strangers Cast: Iain Cuthbertson, Steve Hodson, Anthony Jackson, Philip Fox, Kim Wall, Michael Deacon, Paul Sirr, John Samson Dramatised by John Scotney Directed by Jane Morgan Dear Illusion Cast: Freddie Jones, Carolyn Pickles, Shaun Prendergast, Brian Hewitt, Alan Dudley, Michael Deacon Dramatised by John Scotney Directed by Jane Morgan Affairs of Death Cast: Peter Jeffrey, Ken Stott, Olivier Pierre, Kim Wall Dramatised by John Scotney Directed by Jane Morgan I Want It Now Cast: Nigel Anthony, David March, Irene Sutcliffe, Bruce Beeby, Anna Calder-Marshall, Margaret Robertson, William Fox, Alaric Cotter, Jonathan Scott, Penelope Reynolds, William Eedle, Heather Bell, Harry Towb, Harold Kasket, Rod Beacham, Michael Harbour Adapted by Frederick Bradnum Directed by Betty Davies Something Strange Cast: Noel Johnson, Garard Green, Nerys Hughes, Olive Gregg, Charlotte Mitchell, Frank Duncan, David Garth, Tom Watson, Brian Wilde and members of the BBC Drama Repertory Company Produced by Christopher Holme All Free Now Cast: Robert Stephens, Christopher Timothy, Eva Stuart, Geoffrey Whitehead, Kim Thomson, Anna Mazzotti, Okon Jones, Michael Graham Cox, Adrian Egan, Richard Pearce, Joan Walker, Michael Dean Produced by Matthew Walters Text copyright © The Estate of Kingsley Amis 1958 (‘Moral Fibre’), 1960 (‘Something Strange’), 1962 (‘All the Blood Within Me’, ‘I Spy Strangers’), 1968 (I Want It Now),1972 (‘Dear Illusion’), 1980 (‘To See the Sun’), 1982 (‘Affairs of Death’) All Free Now copyright © Tony Bilbow 1989 © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Kingsley Amis (Author), Alan Bennett, Anna Calder-Marshall, Christopher Cazenove, Freddie Jones, Full Cast, Gayle Hunnicutt, Iain Cuthbertson, Ken Stott, Nigel Anthony, Peter Jeffrey, Robert Hardy, Tom Watson (Narrator)

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His Master’s Voice: A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Comedy Drama

"Robert Hardy stars in this political satire from the writer of Absolute Power and In the Red Media mogul Lord Malan is the billionaire owner of The Blue Touch Paper, an old-fashioned, hard-right weekly magazine with traditional Conservative values. But the paper is so true blue, it’s losing its touch. Sales are falling and circulation is down – mainly because its core readers are either on the brink of death or foam-flecked with rage. It’s time for a new editor, and political commentator Anna is sure she’s a shoo-in for the position. Much to her disappointment, however, Malan picks a different candidate: Keith, the Guardian’s token Tory, who champions compassionate Conservatism. Nicknamed ‘Toynbee’, he’s tasked with turning the paper around. If he doesn’t succeed, he’ll be out of a job – and Anna and her friends on the Tory back bench are determined to make sure he fails… With the help of the rest of his team – PA Katrina and posh gossip columnist Giles, a.k.a. ‘Louche’ – can Keith set The Blue Touch Paper alight, or will his career fizzle out like a damp squib? Created and written by Mark Tavener in collaboration with Steve Punt, this sparkling sitcom was his final radio series before his death in 2007. It stars Robert Hardy as Lord Malan, Tony Gardner as Keith, Amelia Bullmore as Anna, Michael Maloney as Giles and Rachel Atkins as Katrina. Written by Mark Tavener and Steve Punt Produced by Dawn Ellis Cast Lord Malan – Robert Hardy Keith – Tony Gardner Anna – Amelia Bullmore Giles – Michael Maloney Katrina – Rachel Atkins Beverly – Saskia Wickham With Beth Chalmers, Simon Treves, Eve Webster and Stephen Critchlow First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4-25 July 2007 © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Mark Tavener, Steve Punt (Author), Amelia Bullmore, Full Cast, Michael Maloney, Robert Hardy, Tony Gardner (Narrator)

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Thornton Wilder: Our Town, The Bridge of San Luis Rey & More: A BBC Radio full-cast drama collection

"Four of Thornton Wilder's most acclaimed works, adapted for BBC Radio - plus bonus material exploring his life and career Thornton Wilder is one of America's most important literary figures. He won the Pulitzer Prize three times - for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and the plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth - and is the only person to be awarded the Pulitzer for both fiction and drama. Included here are four of his key works, set in different times and places, but sharing the same fundamental motifs - the universality of human experience and our search for life's meaning. Our Town, his timeless tale of love, marriage, birth and death in a small American community, stars Ed Bishop, William Roberts and Liza Ross. It is preceded by a 10-minute introductory extract from Free Thinking, in which presenter Anne McElvoy and actor/director David Cromer discuss the play's themes and techniques. Wilder's masterpiece, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, tells the story of the five victims of a bridge collapse, and the eyewitness who sets out to understand why they were fated to die. A poignant philosophical fable, it features a stellar cast including Annette Badland, Robert Glenister, Tom Goodman-Hill and Helen McCrory. Adapted from the play by Jerome Kilty, The Ides of March is based on Wilder's epistolary novel centred around the last days of the Roman republic, and stars Robert Hardy as Julius Caesar. Next, Ed Bishop reads from Heaven's My Destination, the comic tale of an amateur philosopher who leaves a trail of chaos wherever he goes. Finally, in a fascinating episode of Front Row, Mark Lawson, theatre director David Lan and New York Times theatre critic Mel Gussow discuss how Wilder became a literary icon, and launched a quiet revolution in American theatre. Cast and credits Written by Thornton Wilder Copyright © by The Wilder Family LLC 1927 (The Bridge of San Luis Rey), 1935 (Heaven's My Destination), 1938 (Our Town), 1948 (The Ides of March) Free Thinking Presented by Anne McElvoy With David Cromer Produced by Zahid Warley First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 16 October 2014 Our Town Stage Manager - Ed Bishop Dr Gibbs - William Roberts Mrs Gibbs - Liza Ross George Gibbs - Ben Fairman Rebecca Gibbs - Teresa Gallagher Mr Webb - Garrick Hagon Mrs Webb/Dead Woman - Shelley Thompson Emily Webb - Barbara Barnes Joe Crowell/Si Crowell - Tom Bevan With Vincent Marzello, Peter Whitman, John Evitts and Frances Jeater Directed by David Hitchinson First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 July 1995 The Bridge of San Luis Rey Madre Maria del Pilar - Annette Badland Uncle Pio - Michael Feast Jaime/Boy - Frederick Forge Brother Juniper/Captain Alvarado - Robert Glenister Esteban/Manuel - Tom Goodman-Hill Pepita/Dona Clara - Jasmine Hyde Camila, la Perichole - Helen McCrory Marquesa de Montemayor - Sian Phillips Dramatised by Judith Adams Directed by Gaynor MacFarlane First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 May 2002 The Ides of March Narrator - Patrick Tull Caesar - Robert Hardy Brutus - Sean Barrett Clodia - Margaret Robertson Cleopatra - Elizabeth Proud Pompeia, Caesar's wife - Patricia Gallimore Julia, Caesar's aunt - Betty Hardy Clodius - Nigel Lambert Catullus - David Spenser Adapted for radio by Nesta Pain from the play by Jerome Kilty Produced by Nesta Pain First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 August 1970 Heaven's My Destination Read by Ed Bishop First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 17 April 1997 Front Row Presented by Mark Lawson With David Lan and Mel Gussow Produced by Nicki Paxman First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 March 2004 Copyright © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd."

Thornton Wilder (Author), Annette Badland, Barbara Barnes, Elizabeth Proud, Full Cast, Helen Mccrory, Robert Glenister, Robert Hardy, Sean Barrett, Tom Goodman-Hill (Narrator)

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The Adventure Of Shoscombe Old Place: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Robert Hardy (Narrator)

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The Adventure of the Yellow Face: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Robert Hardy (Narrator)

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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: A Curated Collection

"William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. This curated collection of Arthur Conan Doyle’s most beloved Sherlock Holmes tales is read by the incredible Robert Hardy, known to many for playing Cornelius Fudge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This collection includes 15 stories: - The Adventure of the Dying Detective - The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton - The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter - The Adventure of the Stockbroker’s Clerk - The Adventure of the Empty House - The Adventure of the Gloria Scott - The Adventure of the Final Problem - The Adventure of the Three Students - The Adventure of the Three Garridebs - The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire - The Adventure of the Retired Colourman - The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual - The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane - The Adventure of the Yellow Face - The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place"

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Robert Hardy (Narrator)

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The Lost World

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Robert Hardy (Narrator)

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The Adventure of the Final Problem: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure

"William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. Sherlock Holmes meets his most impressive adversary yet: criminal mastermind Professor James Moriarty. Holmes has been tracking Moriarty for months, determined to bring him to justice. Yet Moriarty is as determined to bring about the downfall of Holmes. Their battle to defeat each other ends up in Switzerland – and on the brink of a cliff overlooking a perilously high and powerful waterfall… Acclaimed actor Robert Hardy, known to many for playing Cornelius Fudge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, is the captivating reader."

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Robert Hardy (Narrator)

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The Adventure of the Gloria Scott: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure

"William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. Chronologically, the earliest of the beloved Sherlock Holmes stories – and the first time he uses those now-famous powers of deduction. Sherlock Holmes visits his friend Victor out in the Norfolk countryside. There, he meets his friend’s wealthy father, Mr Trevor – and soon finds out that the old man has plenty to hide…Murder, embezzlement and violence at sea come together into a classic tale of double-crossing and subterfuge. Acclaimed actor Robert Hardy, known to many for playing Cornelius Fudge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, is the reader who brings it all to vivid, thrilling life."

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Robert Hardy (Narrator)

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The Adventure of the Retired Colourman: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Robert Hardy (Narrator)

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The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Robert Hardy (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Robert Hardy

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