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Brave New World

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation

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Brave New World

By: Aldous Huxley
Narrated by: Anton Lesser, Jonathan Coy, Justin Salinger, Pippa Bennett-Warner, full cast
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About this listen

A gripping BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Aldous Huxley's classic dystopian novel.

It's 2116, and Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson are token rebels in an irretrievably corrupted society where promiscuity is the norm, eugenics a respectable science, and morality turned upside down. There is no poverty, crime or sickness - but no creativity, art or culture either. Human beings are merely docile citizens: divided into castes, brainwashed and controlled by the state and dependent on the drug soma for superficial gratification.

Into this sterile society comes an outsider, John - a man born into squalor and suffering, but raised on The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, a book which has shaped his entire life. When he discovers that treasured ideals such as love mean nothing in this 'brave new world', where romance is ridiculous, marriage shocking and parenthood shameful, John's world is shattered - and his reaction will show Bernard and Helmholtz what rebellion really means....

Based on Aldous Huxley's 1932 masterpiece, widely considered one of the greatest novels of all time, this chilling dramatisation set in a futuristic totalitarian society stars Jonathan Coy, Justin Salinger, Milton Lopes and Anton Lesser. Running time: 2 hours

©2016 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2016 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd Classics Dramatisations Dystopian Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Science Fiction Emotionally Gripping

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Enjoyed the reading, and I will read the book to flesh it out . It kept buffering which was annoying as my internet connection is very good. But having time, I persevered over a couple of days and suddenly the issue stopped when I ceased to try and rewind or pause. Perhaps it was a coincidence? Will try a second book and see what happens.

Fantastic story but buffering was annoying

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I heard this on R4 when it was first released.I longed to hear it again.It’s an abridged version, which may not please everyone, but it’s done in an exceptional way.First class acting and production values.The original novel goes into the description and values of Brave New World in more depth and the characters are more fully realised.Still,a fine adaptation of this novel.

A Fine Adaptation.

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The telling of Brave New World seemed to lose a little in the Radio 4 dramatisation. I cannot explain why I was thinking more about the houses in leafy Surrey where this would be heard rather than than the morality tale and commentary on a modern society.

Suffice to say the acting was good but for me too staged. I followed the story but was not swept up in it. Perhaps in hindsight a reading of the book would have been better.

A great book but I wanted more

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Brave new world is an ambitious dramatized version of the book. I thought it funny in places, and chillingly realistic in others. The idea of a caste type system of people, is apt in my view, what with the inequality and poverty throughout the world. And sexual relationships with numerous partners the norm. In fact sex is a commodity to be bought and sold, and a recreational activity. The Internet has an abundance of sex/porn/escort websites. Oh how low humanity has sunk, we are animals.!
How long will we last as a species....
The dramatization is well worth listening to, however, I think it should have been called Tragedy of the World...

Oh brave new world.

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you can see this happening slowly but surely , new world order lot that creeps into our so called leader's speech now & again all be it now nano Tec . Huxley must have been privy to some top level info , well worth the listen.

excellent

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Such a difficult book to condense and dramatise but this is a very good radio play adaption.

A good dramatised production

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Definitely pause for thought listening in today's society.

Brave New World is in my favourites.

Excellent Listening.

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Soma could be IPA, Prosecco or TV. Guiltless, empty, unproductive sex is the Pornography explosion. The Brave New World is today. Be vigilent. The adaptation is good but not as good as I hoped for, could be a bit more descriptive in parts but otherwise a good listen.

Amusing ourselves to death

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Revisited this after reading it in the eighties. Like 1984 some of it is strangely prescient, but it also suffers from being pre - web, social media and AI /robotics. But the central message is still powerful.

Truth is stranger than fiction

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When old world meets new with very different values is there truly one better way of living life? Of reproduction and love? An excellent adaptation of Huxley’s vision of a dystopian future.

What if everyone doesn’t belong to everyone else?

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