Art audiobooks

God's President Mugabe Of Zimbabwe (BBC Radio 4 Friday Play)

By: Kwame Kwei-Armah

Narrated by: Lucian Msamati & Danny Sapani

Length: 56 minutes

Abridged: No

In 2010, the 30th anniversary year of the Independence of Zimbabwe, BBC Radio 4 commissioned two Friday Plays from leading writers. The first play, ‘God's President: Mugabe of Zimbabwe’ by Kwame Kwei-Armah, tells the story of the tense negotiations around the Lancaster House Conference, and the road to Zimbabwe's Independence. On 4th March 1980... Read more

The Gospel of Luke

By: Various

Narrated by: Sheila Hancock

Length: 2 hours 4 minutes

Abridged: No

'The Gospel of Luke': Sheila Hancock reads St Luke's account of the life and teachings of Jesus. Specially composed music is included. The readings were part of BBC Radio 4's series of 341 daily episodes of the Bible, broadcast in 1991 and 1992. Abridged by Hugh Hayes. 'The New Testament': These abridged readings of the New Testament are... Read more

La Princesse De Clèves (BBC Radio 3 Drama On 3)

By: Madame de Lafayette

Narrated by: Melody Grove, Liam Brennan, Candida Benson & Fu...

Length: 1 hour 14 minutes

Abridged: No

Madame de Lafayette's classic tale of intrigue and love, ‘La Princesse de Clèves’, dramatised for BBC Radio 3 and originally broadcast in the ‘Drama on 3’ slot on 28 February 2010. Set in the 16th Century, the play follows the life of a beautiful young lady newly presented to Court. It's the reign of Henri II and Mary Queen of Scots is safely... Read more

On The Ceiling (BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play)

By: Nigel Planer

Narrated by: Full Cast & Phil Daniels

Length: 57 minutes

Abridged: No

High up on the wooden scaffolding tower of the Sistine Chapel, two fresco plasterers get on with the day’s work preparing the ceiling for their boss Michelangelo who has not bothered to turn up for work again. As they do so, they bemoan the uselessness of the great master. Pope Julius and Cardinal Alidosi visit the chapel to inspect the... Read more

Perpetual Light (BBC Radio 3 Drama On 3)

By: Melissa Murray

Narrated by: Claire Price & Sian Thomas

Length: 1 hour 28 minutes

Abridged: No

A BBC Radio 3 Sci-Fi drama by Melissa Murray set in the very-near future. When William Hellier dies, his wife creates an avatar of him and has it uploaded onto a cyberspace memorial site. But is he software? Or is his soul trapped in the machine? ‘Perpetual Light’ was originally broadcast in the ‘Drama on 3’ slot on 5 December 2010. A new way... Read more

An Unchoreographed World

By: Frances Byrne

Narrated by: Richard McCabe & Sophie Jerrald

Length: 43 minutes

Abridged: No

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of an event in the life of ballerina Margot Fonteyn, written by Frances Byrne and starring Sophie Jerrold and Richard McCabe. Originally broadcast as the ‘Afternoon Play’ on 22 May 2008 and repeated on 19 November 2010. 'An Unchoreographed World' explores a dramatic formative event in the life of one of the... Read more

Paul's Letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, Phillippians, Colossians, Thessalonians & Timothy

By: Various

Narrated by: Timothy West

Length: 1 hour 43 minutes

Abridged: No

'Paul’s Letters to The Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians & The Epistles of Timothy': Timothy West reads 'Paul’s Letters to The Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians', and Denis Quilley reads his two 'Letters to Timothy'. Specially composed music is included. The readings were part of... Read more

The Gospel of John

By: Various

Narrated by: Tony Britton

Length: 1 hour 44 minutes

Abridged: No

'The Gospel of John': Tony Britton reads St John's account of the life and teachings of Jesus. Specially composed music is included. The readings were part of BBC Radio 4's series of 341 daily episodes of the Bible, broadcast in 1991 and 1992. Abridged by Penny Leicester. 'The New Testament': These abridged readings of the New Testament are... Read more

The Custom Of The Country

By: Edith Wharton

Narrated by: Barbara Barnes, Full Cast & Rebecca Night

Length: 2 hours 49 minutes

Abridged: No

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Edith Wharton’s 1913 satire of marriage and money in early-20th century American society. The play follows the beautiful Undine Spragg as she arrives in New York and sets her sights on Ralph Marvell, then travels to Paris where she meets a charming French aristocrat. Will Undine ever find real happiness? ... Read more

The Acts of the Apostles

By: Various

Narrated by: Michael Williams

Length: 1 hour 50 minutes

Abridged: No

'The Acts of the Apostles': Michael Williams reads the fifth book of the New Testament, in which Luke describes how early Christianity spread throughout the world. Specially composed music is included. The readings were part of BBC Radio 4's series of 341 daily episodes of the Bible, broadcast in 1991 and 1992. Abridged by Sue Reid. 'The New... Read more

Paul's Letters to the Romans

By: Various

Narrated by: Roger McGough

Length: 57 minutes

Abridged: No

'Paul’s Letter to the Romans': Roger McGough reads the first of the 'Letters of Paul', in which he explains how salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Specially composed music is included. The readings were part of BBC Radio 4's series of 341 daily episodes of the Bible, broadcast in 1991 and 1992. Abridged by Delia Paton. ... Read more

Paul's Letters to the Corinthians 1 & 2

By: Various

Narrated by: Peter Jeffrey

Length: 1 hour 26 minutes

Abridged: No

'Paul’s Letters to The Corinthians 1 & 2': Peter Jeffrey reads the second and third of Paul’s Letters, in which he writes to the Christian community in Corinth, Greece. Specially composed music is included. The readings were part of BBC Radio 4's series of 341 daily episodes of the Bible, broadcast in 1991 and 1992. Abridged by Elizabeth... Read more

Confessions Of A Medium

By: Alison Kennedy

Narrated by: Bill Nighy, Full Cast & Robert Glenister

Length: 56 minutes

Abridged: No

A BBC Radio 4 dark comedy by Alison Kennedy, set in 1870s London and based on a true story. Mr Parker is a sincere and kind man who, in search of a higher meaning to life, has moved from conventional religion to séances and spiritualism. He believes he has met his saviour in the guise of Mr Thomson, a charming, erudite and utterly mesmerising... Read more

On the Field: On Leave

By: Annie Caulfield

Narrated by: Carl Prekopp, Hakan Silahsiz, Osi Okerafor, Pau...

Length: 43 minutes

Abridged: No

Mahmoud the barber has exchanged Basra for Istanbul where his old friend Sergeant - now Captain - Billy has ended up as Military Attaché. After witnessing a traumatic attack on duty in Kabul, squaddies Kev and Damon opt for a bit of escapism. Damon fancies himself as a secret agent and is obsessed with James Bond. He persuades his mate to join... Read more

Atching Tan

By: Dan Allum

Narrated by: Dean Loveridge, Maryanne Loveridge & Sharon Lov...

Length: 44 minutes

Abridged: No

A BBC Radio 4 drama by Dan Allum, ‘Atching Tan’ was recorded on location on a Traveller site, with all Traveller parts cast from the Traveller community. Originally broadcast as the ‘Afternoon Play’ on 23 November 2010. Lovvie Arkley is torn. Does she marry childhood sweetheart Nelius and live a traditional yet isolated Traveller life? Or does... Read more

Pattern Of Painful Adventures, The (BBC Radio 3 Drama On 3)

By: Stephen Wakelam

Narrated by: Antony Sher, Stephen Critchlow & Will Keen

Length: 1 hour 28 minutes

Abridged: No

A BBC Radio 3 full-cast drama by Stephen Wakelam on a period in the life of Shakespeare, ‘The Pattern of Painful Adventures’, originally broadcast in the ‘Drama on 3’ slot on 23 November 2008 and repeated on 25 April 2010. Business is going well, but the playwright urgently needs a collaborator for his latest play. His daughter is getting... Read more

NPR American Chronicles: The Civil War

By: NPR

Narrated by: Neal Conan

Length: 2 hours 59 minutes

Abridged: No

NPR captures the battlefield action, the personal struggles, and the moral dilemmas of the war that pitted brother against brother (and sometimes sister) and friend against friend. This revealing collection of Civil War stories features gripping history, expert commentary, and unforgettable voices:

Shelby Foote reflects on the southern... Read more

Torchwood Ghost Train

By: James Goss

Narrated by: Kai Owen

Length: 2 hours 18 minutes

Abridged: No

It’s not easy being Rhys Williams. You’re married to the sexiest woman in Torchwood. She saves the world for a living, you move lorries round in a timely fashion. Suddenly, you’ve got a mystery of your own. Oh, it starts off being about missing fridges. But it leads to a midnight train pulling into an abandoned platform at Cardiff Station.... Read more

Torchwood Department X

By: James Goss

Narrated by: Kai Owen

Length: 2 hours 13 minutes

Abridged: No

G.R. Owen is the last of Cardiff’s old department stores. Times are hard and the ancient firm has gone into administration. But who are the Administrators? What goes on behind the shutters at night? And why are customers disappearing? Torchwood are already investigating; G.R. Owen is the site of their oldest unsolved cases, and Jack is... Read more

We Happened to Be Passing

By: David Nobbs

Narrated by: Hugo Chandor, James Nickerson, Kerry Shale, Mag...

Length: 43 minutes

Abridged: No

A wonderfully perceptive BBC Radio 4 comedy of manners and international relations written by David Nobbs (writer of 'The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin' and 'A Bit of a Do'). Originally broadcast as the ‘Afternoon Play’ on 24 September 2010. It is a quiet Saturday morning in the Hinchcliffe home. Tony and Sal, tired after a week of work,... Read more

Hay Fever (Classic Radio Theatre)

By: Noël Coward

Narrated by: Full Cast, Peggy Ashcroft & Tony Britton

Length: 1 hour 27 minutes

Abridged: No

Judith Bliss is a famous actress who, after a string of successful roles, has retired to her country retreat. Missing the adulation of her public, she has has invited a fan over for a weekend of uninterrupted adoration - unaware that the rest of her family has company arriving too. Hoping for a delightful weekend, the four unwitting visitors... Read more

The Far Pavilions

By: M.M. Kaye

Narrated by: Blake Ritson & Full Cast

Length: 4 hours 33 minutes

Abridged: No

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of M.M. Kaye’s epic novel of love and war. M.M. Kaye’s masterwork is a vast, rich and vibrant tapestry of love and war that spans over twenty years, moving from the foothills of the Himalayas, to the burning plains, to the besieged British Mission in Kabul. It begins in 1857 when, following the Indian... Read more

Hamlet (Classic Radio Theatre)

By: William Shakespeare

Narrated by: Angela Pleasence, Full Cast, Maxine Audley & Ro...

Length: 3 hours 7 minutes

Abridged: No

Written over four hundred years ago, ‘Hamlet’ still remains one of the most powerful, influential and thrilling tragedies in the English language. The story of Prince Hamlet and his quest for vengeance has been interpreted countless times on stage, film and television. With its riveting plot featuring murder and supernatural horror; and... Read more

Untied

By: Meredith Baxter

Narrated by: Meredith Baxter

Length: 7 hours 57 minutes

Abridged: No

“I remember Sarah asking me, when I’d just begun therapy with her, what I looked for in a man.  After a few moments of silent, tense deliberation I had it.  ‘Hair,’ I blurted. ‘He has to have hair.’”
 
Meredith Baxter is a beloved and iconic television actress, most well-known for her enormously popular role as hippie mom, Elyse Keaton, on Family... Read more