Audiobooks narrated by Simon Russell Beale

Unmade Movies: Harold Pinter's Victory: A BBC Radio 4 adaptation of the unproduced screenplay

Harold Pinter's unproduced screenplay of Joseph Conrad's last great novel, specially adapted for radio by Sir Richard Eyre 'All radio drama should be at this level' Spectator The annals of movie history are full of lost treasures - spectacular scripts from world-renowned writers that could have been classics, had they only been made. Now, for the first time, some of these forgotten gems have been brought to life, fully realised as vivid, cinematic radio productions. Scripted by major 20th Century writers, including Harold Pinter, Arthur Miller, Alfred Hitchcock and Dennis Potter, they star a host of A-list actors and feature richly evocative, atmospheric soundtracks. One of seven of these 'unmade movies' available on audio, Victory is a dark, morally complex drama set in the Dutch East Indies in 1900. It tells the story of Baron Heyst, a mysterious Swedish recluse living alone on a deserted island whose life is changed forever when he visits a neighbouring island, and falls in love with young English violinist Lena. Pursued by predatory older men, Lena is drawn to Heyst, and escapes with him to his island retreat... The foremost playwright of his generation, Harold Pinter was also a celebrated screenwriter, who wrote the scripts for hit movies including The Servant, The Go-Between and The French Lieutenant's Woman. Victory, however, was judged too expensive for Hollywood - but, courtesy of this special adaptation by award-winning director Sir Richard Eyre, it has finally seen the light of day. Bjarne Henriksen (The Killing) stars as Heyst, with Vanessa Kirby (The Crown) as Lena and Mark Strong (Cruella) as Ricardo, while narrator Simon Russell Beale sets the scene with directions and descriptions from Pinter's screenplay, some taken directly from Conrad's original novel. So sit back, grab some popcorn and let this epic production play out on the biggest screen of all - that of your imagination. Production credits Written by Harold Pinter Based on Victory: An Island Tale by Joseph Conrad Directed by Richard Eyre Produced by Laurence Bowen Sound Design: John Leonard and Wilfredo Acosta A Feelgood Fiction production for BBC Radio 4 Cast Narrator - Simon Russell Beale Heyst - Bjarne Henriksen Lena - Vanessa Kirby Davidson - Matthew Marsh Ricardo - Mark Strong Jones - Robert Portal Schomberg - Patrick O'Kane Mrs Schomberg - Helen Schlesinger Pedro - Martin Marquez Chang - Paul Chan Mrs Zangiacomo - Flaminia Cinque First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 February 2015 © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Harold Pinter, Joseph Conrad (Author), Bjarne Henriksen, Full Cast, Mark Strong, Simon Russell Beale, Vanessa Kirby (Narrator)

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The Leo Tolstoy BBC Radio Drama Collection: Full-cast dramatisations of War and Peace, Anna Karenina

BBC Radio adaptations of Tolstoy's three major novels, plus a reading of his profound philosophical memoir, an original drama based on his life and a bonus documentary One of the greatest novelists of all time, Leo Tolstoy is famed worldwide for his masterpieces of realist fiction, War and Peace and Anna Karenina. This comprehensive collection contains both those iconic works, as well as his final novel Resurrection; his autobiographical essay A Confession; Stephen Wakelam's dramatic account of his tempestuous marriage, Mrs Tolstoy; and In Our Time: Tolstoy. War and Peace - 1805, and Napoleon Bonaparte is threatening the peace of Europe. In St Petersburg and Moscow, the lives of three aristocratic families are about to be changed forever... This epic dramatisation stars Simon Russell Beale, Gerard Murphy, Amanda Redman and Emily Mortimer. Anna Karenina - In 19th Century Russia, bored high society wife Anna embarks on an affair with the handsome Count Vronsky - but her passion sets her on a path to self-destruction. Starring Teresa Gallagher and Toby Stephens. Resurrection - Serving on the jury in a murder trial, Prince Dimitri recognises the young prostitute in the dock as Katerina Maslova, the girl he seduced years before. Knowing he is partly responsible for her plight, he attempts to atone for his mistakes and find redemption. Katherine Igoe and Richard Dillane star in this powerful adaptation of Tolstoy's final novel. A Confession - Read by Joss Ackland, this compelling religious testament describes Tolstoy's search for God, faith and the meaning of life. Mrs Tolstoy - In his fifties, Leo Tolstoy has a spiritual crisis. Converting to Christianity, he gives up writing, stops sleeping with his wife, won't see his children and wants to give away all his possessions. But Sofya is ready to fight for her husband and family... Starring Ian McDiarmid and Haydn Gwynne. In Our Time: Tolstoy - Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Tolstoy's life and writings, exploring his urgent desire to represent real life in his work, how he strove to convey truth to the reader - and why he ultimately gave up on literature to concentrate on religious and political philosophy. © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd First published 1869 (War and Peace), 1877 (Anna Karenina), 1879 (A Confession), 1899 (Resurrection)

Leo Tolstoy (Author), Amanda Redman, Emily Mortimer, Hadyn Gwynne, Ian Mcdiarmid, Katherine Igoe, Richard Dillane, Simon Russell Beale, Teresa Gallagher, Toby Stephens (Narrator)

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The Georgette Heyer BBC Radio Drama Collection: Four full-cast dramatisations

BBC Radio adaptations of three of Georgette Heyer’s sparkling Regency romances and a classic comedy thriller The acknowledged ‘queen of Regency romance’, bestselling author Georgette Heyer, also penned a dozen delightful mystery novels. Included here are dramatisations of four of her finest stories from both genres, full of her characteristic wit, charm and period detail. Regency Buck Pretty but shrewd Judith Taverner gallops in from the provinces and daringly defies the gaming, drinking and brawling world of Regency London to claim her rights, her fortune – and who knows, perhaps her happiness? Starring Elizabeth Proud as Judith Taverner and Simon Shepherd as Peregrine Taverner. Friday’s Child ‘I’m going back to London! And I’m going to marry the first woman I see!’ is the cry of young Lord Sheringham when his proposal of marriage is rejected by Isabella, the Incomparable. True to his word, he takes the even younger Hero Wantage as his bride… Starring James Frain as Viscount Anthony Sheringham and Elli Garnett as Hero Wantage, with Simon Russell Beale as Jasper Tarleton. Faro’s Daughter Deborah Grantham’s position in a gaming house makes her utterly unsuitable as a wife for a nobleman, so Max Ravenscar determines to rescue his cousin from her clutches. But the bribe he offers does not go down well, and a battle of wits commences... Starring Sylvestre Le Touzel as Deborah Grantham and Nathaniel Parker as Max Ravenscar, with Anna Massey as Lady Bellingham. Envious Casca An English country Christmas in the 1930s, a Tudor manor house decked with holly, a family gathered for seasonal cheer – and a murder. Inspector Hemingway is on the case, but can he shake off amateur sleuths Toby and Jane French? Starring Peter Kelly as Inspector Hemingway, James Fleet as Toby and Helen Baxendale as Jane.

Georgette Heyer (Author), Anna Massey, Elizabeth Proud, Elli Garnett, Helen Baxendale, James Fleet, James Frain, Nathaniel Parker, Simon Russell Beale, Simon Shepherd (Narrator)

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Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Golden Seahorse

Following the success of their first two adventures, the intrepid pair join Betsy's mum, Myrtle the mermaid, beneath the waves. Crumble cakes! When Betsy joins Myrtle the mermaid in her underwater world, she discovers there may be monsters ... shipwrecks, lost treasure and secret cities. A seapig's prize seahorse, Pudding Pie, has been stolen by a cantankerous giant octopus and Betsy and Mr Tiger must go to the rescue in their new submarine. But what happens when a tiger's whiskers and tail are simply too long to squeeze into forgotten dark caverns where even the moon cannot shine, and Betsy has to take the final steps of the adventure on her own? Praise for the author: "This enchanting new series is an absolute delight ... Striking just the right note of whimsy and magic." THE BOOKSELLER

Sally Gardner (Author), Simon Russell Beale (Narrator)

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Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Sea Dragon

Crumble cakes! A red rogue wind is blowing and a wicked pirate captain and his crew are marauding the seven seas near the island left off the map of the world. A rare egg has gone missing and a very unhappy sea dragon wants it back. A pirate ship, the Kettle Black, is anchored in a secret cove off the island left off the map of the world. Betsy and her mum, Myrtle the mermaid, must dive deep beneath the waves, while Alfonso Glory and Mr Tiger fly high above the clouds in a hot air balloon... It's time for Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Gongalongs to set off on their second adventure... The mysterious Mr Tiger and the inquisitive Betsy K. Glory set off on their second adventure, from bestselling author Sally Gardner.

Sally Gardner (Author), Simon Russell Beale (Narrator)

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Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Blue Moon

An enchanting fairytale about Mr Tiger, and his troupe of acrobats, Betsy K. Glory, the daughter of a mermaid and an ice cream maker. When Betsy K. Glory, the daughter of a mermaid and an ice cream maker, meets the mysterious Mr Tiger they have a giant challenge: a moon to turn blue, berries to collect and wishable-delicious ice cream to create. The sort that makes wishes come true. With Mr Tiger and his troupe of Gongalong circus acrobats, a toad under a spell, a lonely giant, and Mum and Dad, Betsy sets off on her quest. Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Blue Moon made the 2018 Books of the Year round-ups in The Times, Telegraph, Evening Standard, Scotsman and Big Issue.

Sally Gardner (Author), Simon Russell Beale (Narrator)

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Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year

From Allie Esiri, editor of the bestselling A Poem for Every Day of the Year and A Poem for Every Night of the Year, comes this beautiful gift anthology of Shakespeare's works. William Shakespeare wrote at least 37 plays, 154 sonnets and a handful of longer poems and you can discover them all here. Each page of this unique collection contains an extract, which might be a famous poem, quote or scene, matched to the date. Allie Esiri's introductions give her readers a new window into the work, time and life of the greatest writer in the English language. Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year is perfect for reading or sharing and brings you Shakespeare's best-known and best-loved classics alongside lesser known extracts. Esiri's entertaining and insightful thoughts on each entry will fill your year with wonder, laughter, wisdom and wit.

Allie Esiri (Author), Allie Esiri, Ben Allen, Damian Lewis, Hattie Morahan, Helen Mccrory, Jade Anouka, Jot Davies, Paapa Essiedu, Simon Russell Beale (Narrator)

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The Oscar Wilde BBC Radio Drama Collection: Five full-cast productions

The collected BBC radio productions of the major works of Oscar Wilde, plus bonus play by Neil Bartlett Loved for his flamboyant personality, sparkling wit and brilliant epigrams, Oscar Wilde was a comic genius and a literary icon. This collection reflects the many facets of his dazzling talent. Here are dramatisations of his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, a Gothic tale of a gilded aristocrat who makes a dangerous pact, as well as four scintillating social comedies - Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband. Among the distinguished casts are Ian MacDiarmid, Joely Richardson, Edward Fox, Diana Rigg, Martin Clunes, Michael Hordern and Judi Dench. Moving examples of his correspondence are revealed in The Letters of Oscar Wilde and De Profundis, read by Simon Callow and Simon Russell Beale respectively, and his most famous poem, The Ballad of Reading Gaol, is performed live by stars including Ian McKellen, Neil Tennant and Stephen Fry. In addition, a bonus drama, In Extremis by Neil Bartlett, starring Corin Redgrave and Sheila Hancock, reimagines Oscar Wilde's hastily arranged sitting with a society palm reader, a week before the trial that would cost him so dearly.

Oscar Wilde (Author), , Diana Rigg, Ian Mckellen, Judi Dench, Martin Clunes, Martin Jarvis, Michael Sheen, Miriam Margolyes, Simon Russell Beale, Stephen Fry (Narrator)

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The Great Poets: Lord Byron

Today Byron is regarded as the ultimate romantic - a rebel, a Casanova and a man of intense, brooding passion. He was the most famous literary man of his time, and his poetry, endlessly witty and often insightful, was immensely popular and hugely influential. From the delicate romanticism of She Walks in Beauty to the evocative reflections of So We'll Go No More a Roving, Byron's poems were unrivalled in their power and potency. Lesser-known poems such as Destruction of Sennacherib, a reimagining of the biblical story of Sennacherib, Prometheus, a sardonic poem about the Greek gods, and Darkness, an apocalyptic story of the last man on earth, also included here, reveal Byron to be a poet of great range and variety. 'Mad, bad and dangerous to know', Lord Byron was without equal in English literature.

Lord Byron (Author), Simon Russell Beale (Narrator)

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Paradise Lost: A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation

Sir Ian McKellen stars as Milton in this dramatised retelling of John Milton’s epic poem about the fall of Man "devilishly good... I urge you to give it a listen" The Telegraph Milton’s biblical masterpiece, first published in 1667, is one of English literature’s most seminal works. Straddling three worlds – Heaven, Hell and Earth – it tells the gripping story of fallen angel Satan’s rebellion against God, his temptation of Adam and Eve and their subsequent expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Written to ‘justify the ways of God to men’, it aimed to show what caused Mankind's fall and the consequences for the world, both bad and good. By reaching back to the beginning of time, Milton hoped to discover the events that had led to the political and societal upheaval of his own era – as well as using allegory to ask powerful questions about authority, government, tyranny and disobedience. In this brand new dramatisation, Milton himself (Sir Ian McKellen) is the blind narrator grieving the loss of his wife, played by Frances Barber. Also starring Simon Russell Beale as Satan, and adapted by award-winning poet and broadcaster Michael Symmons Roberts, this enthralling drama is a vital piece of storytelling with striking parallels to contemporary events.

John Milton (Author), Ashley Margolis, Conrad Nelson, David Seddon, Emily Pithon, Frances Barber, Ian Mckellen, Jonathan Keeble, Russell Dixon, Simon Russell Beale, Sir Ian McKellen, Various (Narrator)

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A Poem for Every Day of the Year

A Poem For Every Day of the Year is a magnificent collection of 366 poems compiled by Allie Esiri, one to share on every day of the year. The collection is passionately narrated by Helena Bonham Carter and Simon Russell Beale, with introductions read by Allie Esiri and contributions from Damian Lynch and Peter Forbes. Reflecting the changing seasons and linking to events on key dates - funny for April Fool's Day, festive for Christmas - these poems are thoughtful, inspiring, humbling, informative, quiet, loud, small, epic, peaceful, energetic, upbeat, motivating, and empowering! Perfect for listening to with all the family, it is bursting at the seams with familiar favourites and exciting new discoveries. T.S.Eliot, John Betjeman, Lewis Carroll, William Shakespeare and Christina Rossetti sit alongside Seamus Heaney, Ted Hughes, Carol Ann Duffy, and Kate Tempest. This soul-enhancing audiobook is the perfect gift that will last the whole year, with a little bit of magic to hear every day.

Allie Esiri (Author), Allie Esiri, Damian Lynch, Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Forbes, Simon Russell Beale (Narrator)

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The Decameron

The Decameron is one of the greatest literary works of the Middle Ages. Ten young people have fled the terrible effects of the Black Death in Florence and, in an idyllic setting, tell a series of brilliant stories, by turns humorous, bawdy, tragic and provocative. This celebration of physical and sexual vitality is Boccaccio's answer to the sublime other-worldliness of Dante's Divine Comedy.

Giovanni Boccaccio (Author), Alison Pettitt, Carly Bawden, Daisy Badge, David Sturzaker, Flora Spencer-Longhurst, Gunnar Cauthery, Katie Scarfe, Lucy Briggs-Owen, Natalie Simpson, Nigel Pilkington, Simon Russell Beale (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Simon Russell Beale