Showing results by narrator "Alison Steadman" in All Categories

David Edgar is among the UK’s leading contemporary dramatists, well known for his powerful plays chronicling Britain's changing political landscape over the past 50 years. More than 60 of his original plays, adaptations and translations have been performed around the world, and in 2023 he was honoured with a Writers’ Guild Outstanding Contribution award for his service to British playwriting. This radio anthology contains some of his most notable work.

One of the 21st century's most celebrated authors, Hilary Mantel won the Booker Prize twice: for 2009's Wolf Hall, the first in her phenomenally successful Thomas Cromwell trilogy, and its 2012 sequel Bring Up the Bodies. The third novel in the series, 2020's The Mirror and the Light, won the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. This collection includes three of her best works of contemporary fiction, ranging from the Gothic to the blackly comic.

A true rags-to-riches tale, Jonah's journey spans the breadth of human experience, from the intricacies of Edward III's political intrigues to the cutthroat world of international trade, from the triumphs of war to the agonies of personal loss - love, friendship, joy, heartbreak and glory. Set largely in London - the Scarlet City - the centre of medieval England, this is a thrilling portrait of the age and the people who made it so rich, colourful and extraordinary.

Meet Brooke: a bisexual Bridget Jones, a millennial Meg Ryan, a girl standing in front of a boy asking him—wait, it doesn’t have to be a boy? For Brooke, ‘The One’ could be anyone. As long as it’s the type of (actually highly problematic) movie love she’s watched on repeat since she was a little girl. Brooke writes algorithms for a dating app, which is odd given what a hopeless romantic she is.

Forerunner to the renowned operas, The Figaro Plays by Pierre Augustin Caron De Beaumarchais are a celebration of how intelligence and wit can bring any servant level with their aristocratic masters. Considered scandalous in their time, the plays went on to be adapted by Rossini (The Barber of Seville) and Mozart (The Marriage of Figaro) to become some of the most popular and acclaimed operas of all time. These original plays show us the stories behind these popular operas.

Hamish and Dougal, two elderly Scotsmen played by Barry Cryer and Graeme Garden, have for many years been a popular feature of the the hit BBC Radio 4 comedy show I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. Now they've got their own series.

Since 2013, Tweet of the Day has been a daily delight for early risers, with its 90 seconds of beautiful birdsong and fascinating ornithological stories. But what of the people who tune in to this avian chorus? In this collection, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of an array of wildlife enthusiasts, all eager to recount their encounters with birds.

When Tony Hardstaff breaks the bank playing ‘Snap!’ at the St Petersburg Casino, he is swept up in a maelstrom of romance and adventure. Seduced by the sultry Natassia Fillipovna Karamazov – a woman with curves so perfect they could make a geometry professor spontaneously combust – Tony is caught in flagrante by the Russian mafia, and flees for his life.

Recorded in front of a live audience, these wry, funny tales introduce us to the varied creatures who make their homes on the shoreline, in garden ponds and in our attics. In 18 comic monologues, they reveal the truth about what life is really like in their respective habitats - and it's much more eventful than you might think.

This hilarious, fast-paced parody sketch show sends up classic BBC radio shows, travels through time and brings you Shakespeare as you've never heard it before. Tune in to Desert Island Discs with a twist, appreciate an orange-inal version of Hamlet and discover Tolstoy with a peel good factor. A spoof show like no other, The Long Hot Satsuma is a laugh out loud comedy packed with quick-witted lines and the trademark dry humour of veteran comedians Alison Steadman, Barry Cryer and Graeme Garden.

Ten comic dramatisations based on the stories and plays of WS Gilbert. Sir William Schwenck Gilbert is best known for his operatic collaborations with Sir Arthur Sullivan, which captivated 19th-century audiences and continue to delight today. But he also created numerous solo works, among them these 10 pieces, dramatised for radio by Stephen Wyatt and featuring Jonathan Coy as WS Gilbert.

A warm, funny look at one of the most fascinating mini-beasts, by award-winning actor and national treasure Alison Steadman OBE. 'I hate spiders!' says Rafael. At least he thinks so. But when he really gets to know the big, hairy, scary spider he finds a new, eight-legged friend. This hilarious, action-packed look at spiders will enthral both children and parents, with plenty of spider facts and figures to entertain and delight.