Warren Mitchell stars with Martin Jarvis, Samuel West and Juliet Aubrey in this BBC Radio 4 production of Shakespeare's thrilling courtroom drama. Shakespeare's classic play explores the eternal themes of love and hate, mercy and justice, with parallel stories centred on the moneylender, Shylock, and the lovers, Portia and Bassanio. Shylock's angry insistence on the repayment of his debt from Bassanio ends in the Venetian courts where he demands his pound of flesh. Portia meanwhile, a wealthy young Venetian woman, must marry one of her many suitors. Her late father's will has set the challenge by means of three caskets, one gold, one silver and one lead. The climax of the play takes place in court, with Portia, now disguised as a man and defending the life of Antonio, imploring Shylock to show mercy. This superb production of Shakespeare's dramatic and complex play is directed by the award-winning Peter Kavanagh and features specially-composed music by the renowned Barrington Pheloung. The Classic Radio Theatre range presents notable radio productions of much-loved plays by some of the most renowned playwrights, and starring some of our finest actors.
David Tennant stars as Benedick with Samantha Spiro as Beatrice in Shakespeare's merry comedy of wit, words & romance.
In Much Ado, the clarity of radio allows the wonderful verbal sparring between Beatrice and Benedick to sparkle as, high comedy and melodrama mix magically in a combination of prose and verse.
BBC radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare. Since 1923, when the newly formed company broadcast its first full-length play, generations of actors and producers have honed and perfected the craft of making Shakespeare to be heard. In the acclaimed BBC Radio Shakespeare series, each play is introduced by Richard Eyre, former Director of the Royal National Theatre. Revitalised, original and comprehensive, this is Shakespeare for the new millennium.
Just as uproariously funny - and terrifically popular - today as when it first began on BBC Radio 4 in 1967, Just a Minute challenges contestants to speak for one minute on a given subject without repetition, hesitation or deviation. Its mix of irreverent fun and ferocious competition has always attracted stellar names from the world of comedy and theatre, all of whom pit their wits and their wit against regular players including Kenneth Williams, Paul Merton, Derek Nimmo, Clement Freud and Peter Jones. Among the guests in these four archive programmes are Maureen Lipman, Geraldine Jones, Sheila Hancock, Alfred Marks, John Junkin and Tim Rice. Nicholas Parsons, who has been at the helm of the series since it began, as chairman and occasionally as player, introduces this sparkling quartet of editions and provides fascinating background information on the game, as well as memories of its players and its devisor, Ian Messiter. The original transmission dates of these episodes are 21st October 1968, 3rd November 1976, 28th August 1982 and 17th March 1990.
BBC Radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare. Since 1923, when the newly formed company broadcast its first full-length play, generations of actors and producers have honed and perfected the craft of making Shakespeare to be heard. In this story of evil cunning perverting a once noble mind, radio captures Iago's sly hints and boasts to the audience with shocking clarity. The listener is led along an emotional path that grips with fascinating horror until the play's inevitably tragic conclusion. Revitalised, original, and comprehensive, this is Shakespeare for the new millennium.
Samuel West stars as Richard II, with Joss Ackland as John of Gaunt in a gripping production of Shakespeare's lyrically tragic history.
BBC Radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare. Since 1923, when the newly formed company broadcast its first full-length play, generations of actors and producers have honed and perfected the craft of making Shakespeare to be heard.
In the acclaimed BBC Radio Shakespeare series, each play is introduced by Richard Eyre, former Director of the Royal National Theatre.
Revitalised, original and comprehensive, this is Shakespeare for the new millennium.
Michael Maloney, Josette Simon and Anne-Marie Duff star in a fast and funny production of Shakespeare's most sparkling and optimistic comedy. BBC Radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare. Since 1923, when the newly formed company broadcast its first full-length play, generations of actors and producers have honed and perfected the craft of making Shakespeare to be heard. In the acclaimed BBC Radio Shakespeare series, each play is introduced by Richard Eyre, former Director of the Royal National Theatre. Revitalised, original and comprehensive, this is Shakespeare for the new millennium.
Global funny man Ross Noble hosts an evening of stand-out stand-up comedians from London's Comedy Store.These two programmes, first heard on BBC Radio 4, feature comedians including Richard Ayoade, Ronnie Golden, Milton Jones, Reginald D Hunter, Boothby Graffoe and Giorgio Serci and Dara O'Briain.
Ross Noble has received a Perrier Award nomination. He was also named Best Stand-up Comedian by Time Out and has stormed the likes of Have I Got News For You and Just A Minute. He has been described as 'the funniest new comedian of the day' by The Daily Mail and has written and presented Ross Noble Goes Global for BBC Radio 4 (also available from BBC Radio Collection).
