Episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20120116 | Why does Ethan Frome walk with a limp? And what is the tragedy that befell him over twenty years earlier? A visitor to the town attempts to find out. Ethan Frome - Dominic Mafham Mattie .....Jessica Raine Zeena .....Laurel Lefkow Denis Eady - Christopher Webster Post Mistress - Adjoa Andoh Andrew Hale - Paul Moriarty Edith Wharton - Fenella Woolgar written by Edith Wharton Dramatised by Lin Coghlan Directed by Sally Avens Ethan Frome is one of Edith Wharton's most enduring and powerful stories. Set against the cold, grey, bleakness of a New England winter. Ethan Frome scrapes a living from his woodlot whilst trapped in an unhappy marriage with his hypochondriac wife, Zeena. A ray of light enters Ethan's life when his wife's cousin Mattie arrives to help. His life is transformed as he falls in love with Mattie but their fate is determined by their circumstances and the stifling conventions of the time. Ethan Frome was deemed shocking when first published as it appeared to condone infidelity. What many readers did not know was that many of the novella's themes mirrored real events in the life of Edith Wharton. Her own story is told in an accompanying play 'The Jinx Element' that explores her own sexless marriage and a passionate affair that begun when she was 47. Why does Ethan Frome walk with a limp? What tragedy befell him over 20 years before? Classic and contemporary original drama and book dramatisation |
| 02 | 20120117 | Zeena goes away to visit a Doctor and Ethan and Mattie are left alone together for the first time. Ethan Frome - Dominic Mafham Mattie - Jessica Raine Zeena - Laurel Lefkow Andrew Hale - Paul Moriarty Edith Wharton - Fenella Woolgar written by Edith Wharton Dramatised by Lin Coghlan Directed by Sally Avens Ethan Frome is one of Edith Wharton's most enduring and powerful stories. Set against the cold, grey, bleakness of a New England winter. Ethan Frome scrapes a living from his woodlot whilst trapped in an unhappy marriage with his hypochondriac wife, Zeena. A ray of light enters Ethan's life when his wife's cousin Mattie arrives to help. His life is transformed as he falls in love with Mattie but their fate is determined by their circumstances and the stifling conventions of the time. Ethan Frome was deemed shocking when first published as it appeared to condone infidelity. What many readers did not know was that many of the novella's themes mirrored real events in the life of Edith Wharton. Her own story is told in an accompanying play 'The Jinx Element' which explores her own sexless marriage and a passionate affair that begun when she was 47. Zeena goes away to see a doctor, so Ethan and Mattie are left alone for the first time. Classic and contemporary original drama and book dramatisation |
| 03 | 20120118 | Ethan and Mattie's idyll is shattered by the return of Zeena. Ethan Frome - Dominic Mafham Mattie - Jessica Raine Zeena - Laurel Lefkow Jotham Powell - Adam Billington Denis Eady - Christopher Webster Widow Homan - Victoria Inez Hardy Edith Wharton - Fenella Woolgar Written by Edith Wharton Dramatised by Lin Coghlan Directed by Sally Avens Ethan Frome is one of Edith Wharton's most enduring and powerful stories. Set against the cold, grey, bleakness of a New England winter. Ethan Frome scrapes a living from his woodlot whilst trapped in an unhappy marriage with his hypochondriac wife, Zeena. A ray of light enters Ethan's life when his wife's cousin Mattie arrives to help. His life is transformed as he falls in love with Mattie but their fate is determined by their circumstances and the stifling conventions of the time. Ethan Frome was deemed shocking when first published as it appeared to condone infidelity. What many readers did not know was that many of the novella's themes mirrored real events in the life of Edith Wharton. Her own story is told in the play 'The Jinx Element' which explores her own sexless marriage and a passionate affair that begun when she was 47. Classic and contemporary original drama and book dramatisation |
| 04 | 20120119 | Ethan becomes determined to escape his marriage and runaway with Mattie. Ethan Frome - Dominic Mafham Mattie - Jessica Raine Zeena - Laurel Lefkow Edith Wharton - Fenella Woolgar Written by Edith Wharton Dramatised by Lin Coghlan Directed by Sally Avens Ethan Frome is one of Edith Wharton's most enduring and powerful stories. Set against the cold, grey, bleakness of a New England winter. Ethan Frome scrapes a living from his woodlot whilst trapped in an unhappy marriage with his hypochondriac wife, Zeena. A ray of light enters Ethan's life when his wife's cousin Mattie arrives to help. His life is transformed as he falls in love with Mattie but their fate is determined by their circumstances and the stifling conventions of the time. Ethan Frome was deemed shocking when first published as it appeared to condone infidelity. What many readers did not know was that many of the novella's themes mirrored real events in the life of Edith Wharton. Her own story is told in a play 'The Jinx Element' which explores her own sexless marriage and a passionate affair that begun when she was 47. Ethan becomes determined to escape his marriage and run away with Mattie. Classic and contemporary original drama and book dramatisation |
| 05 | 20120120 | Mattie and Ethan take desperate measures not to be separated. Ethan Frome - Dominic Mafham Mattie - Jessica Raine Zeena - Laurel Lefkow Mrs Hale - Tracy Wiles Edith Wharton - Fenella Woolgar by Edith Wharton dramatised by Lin Coghlan Directed by Sally Avens Ethan Frome is one of Edith Wharton's most enduring and powerful stories. Set against the cold, grey, bleakness of a New England winter. Ethan Frome scrapes a living from his woodlot whilst trapped in an unhappy marriage with his hypochondriac wife, Zeena. A ray of light enters Ethan's life when his wife's cousin Mattie arrives to help. His life is transformed as he falls in love with Mattie but their fate is determined by their circumstances and the stifling conventions of the time. Ethan Frome was deemed shocking when first published as it appeared to condone infidelity. What many readers did not know was that many of the novella's themes mirrored real events in the life of Edith Wharton. Her own story is told in 'The Jinx Element' that explores her own sexless marriage and a passionate affair that begun when she was 47. Classic and contemporary original drama and book dramatisation |