The Guy de Maupassant BBC Radio Drama Collection
Full-Cast Dramatisations of Un Vie, Bel Ami & More
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About this listen
BBC Radio adaptations of selected novels and short stories by the great 19th century French writer - plus bonus programmes
Guy de Maupassant is renowned as one of the fathers of the modern short story. A protégé of Flaubert, he was celebrated for his naturalistic fiction, and wrote over 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books and one volume of verse in his short but highly productive lifetime. He died in an asylum aged just 43.
This collection brings together dramatisations of some of his finest works. Adapted by Sony Award-winning dramatist Frances Byrnes, Bel Ami chronicles the corrupt rise of charming, ruthless journalist Georges Duroy (Jonathan Slinger). It is followed by Maupassant's most famous short story, 'The Dumpling', a satirical tale of a group of coach travellers fleeing occupied Rouen during the Franco-Prussian war. Dramatised for the first time on radio, it stars Miriam Margolyes.
Set in Le Havre, Pierre et Jean centres around the jealousy that springs up between two brothers when a family secret is uncovered. Benedict Sandiford stars as Pierre, with Tim Treloar as Jean. Maupassant's tragicomic debut novel, Une Vie, starring Aimee Ffion Edwards, tells the story of Jeanne, a naive convent-educated aristocrat who dreams of romance, but finds marriage and adulthood treacherous and rotten. The haunting wintry tale 'The Inn' is next, in which young mountain guide Ulrich (Robin Laing) finds himself in sole charge of a remote Alpine hotel.
A hidden past is also at the heart of 'Mademoiselle Pearl', a poignant love story starring Claire Neilson and Frank Middlemass. Alongside it is 'The Hand', the macabre supernatural tale of an English aristocrat, his gruesome trophy and his vengeful nemesis. Denis Quilley stars as Sir John Rowell.
Also featured are two bonus dramas and a documentary about the great author. Confessions of a Hedonist is a phantasmagorical journey through five of Maupassant's most personal stories: 'A Strange Night Out', 'Mouche', 'Laid To Rest', 'Cockcrow' and 'Le Horla'. Adapted and translated by Simon Scardifield, it stars Elliot Cowan and Holli Dempsey. How an Umbrella Changed Everything, written by Shirley Cooklin and based on an idea by Maupassant, tells of a childless couple whose obsessive frugality has fateful repercussions. Nigel Lambert and Sheila Grant star as Charles and Clothilde Oreille. Finally, Meridian: Guy de Maupassant - Master of the Short Story explores Maupassant's life, work and lasting legacy.
First published 1880 ('The Dumpling'), 1883 (Une Vie, 'The Hand'), 1885 (Bel-Ami), 1886 ('The Inn', 'Mademoiselle Pearl'), 1887 (Pierre et Jean, 'Le Horla'), c1890 ('Mouche', 'A Queer Night in Paris', 'Laid to Rest', 'Cockcrow')
Production credits
Written by Guy de Maupassant
Contents:
Bel Ami
The Dumpling
Pierre and Jean
Une Vie
The Inn
Mademoiselle Pearl
The Hand
Maupassant's Confessions of a Hedonist
How an Umbrella Changed Everything
Meridian: Guy de Maupassant - Master of the Short Story
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- Length: 20 hrs and 24 mins
- Original Recording
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The definitive collection of full-cast BBC radio dramatisations of Henry James’ classic novels - plus a bonus documentary about his life and work. One of the greatest and most influential American novelists, Henry James is loved for his compelling storytelling, vividly realised characters and perceptive exploration of the shifting relationships between Europeans and Americans. But he also possessed extraordinary insights into the secrets of the human heart, as shown in the 10 dramas in this collection.
By: Henry James
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Banned Books: A BBC Radio Drama Collection
- Four Full-Cast Dramatisations of Modern Classics
- By: James Joyce, Radclyffe Hall, Aldous Huxley, and others
- Narrated by: Andrew Scott, Niamh Cusack, Valerie Edmond, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
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Deviant. Depraved. Dangerous. Denounced for their transgressive themes and inflammatory ideas, these 20th-century classics have all been considered so seditious that they had to be suppressed. Find out what made these iconic works so threatening to governments worldwide in these superlative dramatisations, featuring stellar casts and specially composed music.
By: James Joyce, and others
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Goethe: A BBC Radio Drama Collection
- Six Full-Cast Dramatisations Including Faust, The Sorrows of Young Werther and More
- By: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Narrated by: Simon Callow, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jack Farthing, and others
- Length: 17 hrs and 5 mins
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Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a colossus of German literature and a true Renaissance man. A novelist, dramatist, poet, humanist, scientist and philosopher, he wrote the first international bestseller, The Sorrows of Young Werther, and his epic masterpiece Faust is one of the most famous and celebrated dramas of all time.
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Anthony Trollope: A BBC Radio Drama Collection
- Seven Full-Cast Dramatisations Including The Pallisers
- By: Anthony Trollope
- Narrated by: Tim Pigott-Smith, Samantha Bond, Dan Starkey, and others
- Length: 24 hrs and 34 mins
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Anthony Trollope was one of Victorian England’s most popular and prolific authors. He worked for the Post Office while establishing himself as a writer, and is credited with introducing the pillar box to Britain. Best known for his ‘Barsetshire’ and ‘Palliser’ novels, he wrote over 50 works in total, including short stories, travel books, biographies and a posthumously published autobiography. Collected here are a selection of superb adaptations of his much-loved novels, as well as a fascinating documentary and an original radio play by Patricia Cumper.
By: Anthony Trollope
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Eugene O’Neill: A BBC Radio Drama Collection
- 9 Full-Cast Productions including Long Day’s Journey into the Night, The Hairy Ape, The Iceman Cometh & more
- By: Eugene O'Neill
- Narrated by: Dominic West, Shaun Dingwall, Anthony Jackson, and others
- Length: 18 hrs and 50 mins
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Eugene O'Neill’s revolutionary 20th century dramas changed the direction of American theatre, introducing European realism and experimental techniques to the US stage. He wrote more than 50 plays, portraying characters on the margins of society and tackling controversial issues, winning a Nobel Prize, and four Pulitzer Prizes.
By: Eugene O'Neill
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Sophocles’ Greek Tragedies: A BBC Radio Drama Collection
- Oedipus, Antigone, Electra and More
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Fiona Shaw, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Kenneth Cranham, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
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One of the three great tragic playwrights of ancient Greece, Sophocles wrote over 120 plays during his 60-year career, though only seven survive today. The most famous of these are the Theban Plays, all three of which are included in this collection alongside adaptations of Electra and Philoctetes, brought to life by celebrated writers, poets, and playwrights.
By: Sophocles
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The Henry James BBC Radio Drama Collection
- 10 Full-Cast Dramatisations
- By: Henry James
- Narrated by: full cast, Henry Goodman, Jodie Comer, and others
- Length: 20 hrs and 24 mins
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The definitive collection of full-cast BBC radio dramatisations of Henry James’ classic novels - plus a bonus documentary about his life and work. One of the greatest and most influential American novelists, Henry James is loved for his compelling storytelling, vividly realised characters and perceptive exploration of the shifting relationships between Europeans and Americans. But he also possessed extraordinary insights into the secrets of the human heart, as shown in the 10 dramas in this collection.
By: Henry James
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Unmade Movies: The Collection
- Seven BBC Radio 4 Adaptations of Unproduced Screenplays
- By: Alfred Hitchcock, Ernest Lehmann, Mark Gatiss, and others
- Narrated by: Michael Sheen, Peter Serafinowicz, Mark Strong, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
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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, they star a host of A-list actors and feature richly evocative, atmospheric soundtracks.
By: Alfred Hitchcock, and others
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The Virginia Woolf BBC Radio Drama Collection
- Seven Full-Cast Dramatisations
- By: Virginia Woolf
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert Glenister, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 33 mins
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The collected BBC dramatisations of the fiction of Virginia Woolf, with star casts including Kristin Scott-Thomas, Vanessa Redgrave, Juliet Stevenson, Laura Fraser, Robert Glenister and Fenella Woolgar....
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Updated with Chapter Titles!
- By Vickie Wang on 05-16-19
By: Virginia Woolf
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Franz Kafka: The Trial, Metamorphosis, Amerika & more
- A BBC Radio 4 full-cast drama collection
- By: Franz Kafka
- Narrated by: David Tennant, Miriam Margolyes, Tom Basden, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
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By day Franz Kafka worked as a lawyer for an insurance company, but he spent his nights writing visionary stories and novels exploring bureaucracy, power and alienation – iconic fiction that gave the world the adjective ‘Kafkaesque’. This BBC anthology showcases his most famous works, dealing with ordinary men caught up in impossible situations.
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Best Kafka Collection
- By Nati Yakobovich on 10-31-24
By: Franz Kafka
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BBC Classics: Ultimate Story Collection
- 90 Unmissable Tales
- By: Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle, Virginia Woolf, and others
- Narrated by: Sam Dale, Joseph Ayre, Carolyn Pickles, and others
- Length: 26 hrs and 4 mins
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A treasure chest of timeless short stories by some of the world's greatest authors.
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These are not full cast audio dramas
- By Mollie on 03-25-23
By: Oscar Wilde, and others
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Tales of London: Hawksmoor and Others
- Four BBC Radio 4 Dramas
- By: Peter Ackroyd
- Narrated by: Philip Jackson, Norman Rodway, Adjoa Andoh, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
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A superb collection of dramas guaranteed to thrill and entertain from best-selling author Peter Ackroyd. Set in the heart of London, these star-studded adaptations feature parallel investigations into killings across two centuries, black magic, haunted houses, holy ghosts and a stunning performance by Simon Callow as the magnificent Charles Dickens. Novelist, biographer and critic Peter Ackroyd has cemented his place at the heart of the culture and history of London. This fantastic collection is full of vitality from a world-class author and stellar cast.
By: Peter Ackroyd
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The 39 Steps and Other Richard Hannay Adventures
- A BBC Radio Collection of Full-Cast Dramatisations
- By: John Buchan
- Narrated by: Clive Merrison, David Robb, full cast, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
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Five BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of John Buchan’s espionage thrillers featuring gentleman spy Richard Hannay. The forerunner to James Bond, Secret Agent Richard Hannay is a thoroughly British action hero, pursuing ruthless villains, foiling deadly plans and risking life and limb for his country. This gripping collection encompasses all five of Hannay’s adventures, adapted for radio with superb casts including Tom Baker, Clive Merrison, Stuart Milligan, Jasmine Hyde and Patrick Malahide.
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Fun 1910s-1930s espionage tales
- By Carissa B on 05-15-21
By: John Buchan
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The Alexander Pushkin BBC Radio Collection
- Including Eugene Onegin, Boris Godunov & The Queen of Spades
- By: Alexander Pushkin
- Narrated by: Alex Jennings, Geoffrey Streatfeild, Ralph Fiennes, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
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One of Russia's most iconic poets, Alexander Pushkin is often described as the 'father of Russian literature'. A gambler, playboy and social reformer, he was exiled by the Tsar for his controversial poetry and died aged 37 in a duel defending his wife's honour. This BBC Radio anthology includes dramatisations and readings of Pushkin's most famous works - plus biographical programmes and an original play based on his life.
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The Forsytes: The Complete Series
- BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation
- By: John Galsworthy
- Narrated by: full cast, Jessica Raine, Joseph Millson, and others
- Length: 15 hrs
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Jessica Raine stars in all four BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of John Galsworthy's Forsyte novels. An irresistible family saga of love, money and betrayal, The Forsytes: The Complete Series encompasses four acclaimed BBC Radio 4 productions of Galsworthy's perennially popular epic, spanning 50 years from 1886 to 1936.
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Exceptional
- By Anonymous User on 06-13-19
By: John Galsworthy
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Classic Dystopias: A BBC Radio Drama Collection
- The Time Machine, We, The Trial, Brave New World, Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Chrysalids
- By: H. G. Wells, Yevgeni Zamyatin, Franz Kafka, and others
- Narrated by: Robert Glenister, Anton Lesser, Don Warrington, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
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Full-cast dramatisations of six masterpieces from the founding fathers of dystopian fiction. Dark and disturbing, provocative and prescient, dystopian literature has long captured our imagination with its nightmarish visions of forbidding future worlds. Included here are six classic novels of time-travel, totalitarianism and terror, written by some of the masters of speculative fiction and adapted for radio with all-star casts.
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The BBC DRAMA NEVER FAILS
- By Nati Yakobovich on 10-01-23
By: H. G. Wells, and others
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The Man Born to Be King
- A BBC Radio 4 Drama Collection
- By: Dorothy L. Sayers
- Narrated by: full cast, Gabriel Woolf, John Westbrook, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
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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.
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I would like a bit less dynamic range
- By Adam Shields on 02-23-23
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The Christopher Marlowe BBC Radio Drama Collection
- Seven Full-Cast Productions Including Doctor Faustus, Tamburlaine & The Jew of Malta
- By: Christopher Marlowe
- Narrated by: Conn O'Neill, Kenneth Cranham, Paterson Joseph, and others
- Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
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Christopher Marlowe was most celebrated writer of his generation, surpassing even William Shakespeare during his lifetime. A playwright, poet, hellraiser, rebel and spy, he lived fast and died young, stabbed to death in a Deptford lodging house aged only 29. This definitive collection comprises all six of his groundbreaking plays.
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Marlowe wrote the plays - all of them
- By Charles Matheson on 12-06-22
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The August Strindberg BBC Radio Collection
- 13 Full-Cast Productions including Miss Julie, The Father and The Dream Play
- By: August Strindberg
- Narrated by: Fiona Shaw, Andrew Garfield, Maurice Denham, and others
- Length: 19 hrs and 59 mins
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Hailed by Arthur Miller as ‘the mad inventor of modern theatre’, Johan August Strindberg was a Swedish playwright, poet and novelist whose groundbreaking works mingled naturalism and psychology and paved the way for Expressionist drama. A prolific writer – penning over 60 plays, 19 novels and nine autobiographies – his turbulent life was marked by emotional conflict. This wide-ranging collection brings together 13 of his most important dramas and a semi-autobiographical ‘occult diary’, enhanced through stunning soundscapes and music composed by Strindberg himself.
What listeners say about The Guy de Maupassant BBC Radio Drama Collection
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 10-25-23
First Class
Maupassant is an inspiration to writers worldwide! This BBC production is a wonderful introduction- reading his works is even more delightful!
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