Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Bloody Chamber | 20180924 | The first of five stories to gobble you up from Angela Carter's iconic collection of fairy stories. Angela begins by re-telling of the story of Bluebeard. A young pianist marries a wealthy aristocrat, a Marquis, much older than herself and with three previous wives, all mysteriously deceased. Finding herself alone in the empty castle, with nothing to do but play the piano, she cannot resist entering the one room the Marquis has forbidden to her. At the time of writing The Bloody Chamber in the late 1970s, Carter was disaffected by both sides of the feminist debate. She re-worked traditional fairy tales from her own unique, literary outsider's point of view, putting women at the centre of the stories. With their feisty heroines and rgiastic mash-up of beasts, shape-shifters and ghouls, her extraordinary tales are the most perfect example of her style, not just for her incomparable prose, but also in the dizzying twists and turns of perception, fantasy and myth. Controversially influenced by De Sade, she embraced the erotic, explored our deepest and darkest urges, and subverted the roles of hunter and prey, master and mistress so that, instead of male sexuality, it is the female that becomes transgressive and powerful. Dramatised by Olivia Hetreed. Anne ....... Sophie Cookson The Marquis ....... Jasper Britton Mother ....... Rakie Ayola Jean Yves ....... Nigel Pilkiington Sound Design: Lucinda Mason Brown Director: Fiona McAlpine An Allegra production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2018. When a young pianist marries a wealthy aristocrat she discovers a grisly secret. Five stories from Angela Carter's collection of fairy tales, dramatised by Olivia Hetree. |
| 02 | The Erl-king | 20180925 | A hapless maid wandering deeper into the woods encounters the bewitching presence of the Erl-King, the presiding spirit of the forest. She willingly enters his woodland lair and lies with him. But when she discovers that he plans to turn her into a bird and imprison her with the rest of his aviary, she must somehow break the spell. Another of Angela Carter's iconic collection of fairy stories - dramatised by Olivia Hetreed. Erl-King - Ariyon Bakare Lover - Rakie Ayola Goblin - Jasmine Jones At the time of writing The Bloody Chamber in the late 1970s, Angela Carter was disaffected by both sides of the feminist debate. She re-worked traditional fairy tales from her own unique, literary outsider's point of view, putting women at the centre of the stories. With their feisty heroines and orgiastic mash-up of beasts, shape-shifters and ghouls, her extraordinary tales are the most perfect example of her style, not just for her incomparable prose, but also in the dizzying twists and turns of perception, fantasy and myth. Controversially influenced by De Sade, she embraced the erotic, explored our deepest and darkest urges, and subverted the roles of hunter and prey, master and mistress so that, instead of male sexuality, it is the female that becomes transgressive and powerful. Sound Design: Lucinda Mason Brown Director / Producer: Fiona McAlpine An Allegra production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2018. In the forest, a girl encounters the bewitching Erl-King and finds him irresistible. Five stories from Angela Carter's collection of fairy tales, dramatised by Olivia Hetree. |
| 03 | Wolf-alice | 20180926 | Wolf-Alice is more wolf than girl. Brought up by wolves and taken in by nuns, she is sent to work for the Duke in his ancient castle. But he has no reflection, and a nasty habit of robbing graves. Stars Lily Lesser, Jonathan Tafler and Fiona Shaw. Another of Angela Carter's iconic collection of fairy stories - dramatised by Olivia Hetreed. Angela Carter - Fiona Shaw Wolf-Alice - Lily Lesser The Duke - Jonathan Tafler First Nun - Phoebe Fildes Second Nun - Susan Wooldridge Mother Superior - Adjoa Andoh Main Hunter - Nigel Pilkington Hunter - Tre Gordon Hunter - Tom Clegg Novice - Grace Englert Novice - Jalleh Alizadeh At the time of writing The Bloody Chamber in the late 1970s, Angela Carter was disaffected by both sides of the feminist debate. She re-worked traditional fairy tales from her own unique, literary outsider's point of view, putting women at the centre of the stories. With their feisty heroines and orgiastic mash-up of beasts, shape-shifters and ghouls, her extraordinary tales are the most perfect example of her style, not just for her incomparable prose, but also in the dizzying twists and turns of perception, fantasy and myth. Controversially influenced by De Sade, she embraced the erotic, explored our deepest and darkest urges, and subverted the roles of hunter and prey, master and mistress so that, instead of male sexuality, it is the female that becomes transgressive and powerful. Director: Fiona McAlpine An Allegra production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2018. A young girl found in a wolf's den goes to work for a dreadful patron. Five stories from Angela Carter's collection of fairy tales, dramatised by Olivia Hetree. |
| 04 | The Tiger's Bride | 20180927 | A father loses his daughter to the Beast in a game of cards. In his ruined palazzo, her new master asks her to disrobe. When she refuses, he reveals his own true nature - the beast beneath the mask. But she discovers he is far more frightened of her than she is of him. Another of Angela Carter's iconic collection of fairy stories - dramatised by Olivia Hetreed. Beauty |
| 05 | The Company Of Wolves | 20180928 | Five stories to gobble you up. From Angela Carter's iconic collection of fairy stories and dramatised for radio by Olivia Hetreed. Episode 5: The Company of Wolves It's Christmas Eve, and a young girl is on her way to visit her granny in the forest. She has been warned not to stray from the path but, on her way, she meets a charming huntsman who has other ideas. At the time of writing The Bloody Chamber in the late 1970s, Angela Carter was disaffected by both sides of the feminist debate. She re-worked traditional fairy tales from her own unique, literary outsider's point of view, putting women at the centre of the stories. With their feisty heroines and rgiastic mash-up of beasts, shape-shifters and ghouls, her extraordinary tales are the most perfect example of her style, not just for her incomparable prose, but also in the dizzying twists and turns of perception, fantasy and myth. Controversially influenced by De Sade, she embraced the erotic, explored our deepest and darkest urges, and subverted the roles of hunter and prey, master and mistress so that, instead of male sexuality, it is the female that becomes transgressive and powerful. Dramatist Olivia Hetreed is a noted screen-writer, whose work includes the multi-award winning, BAFTA and Oscar nominated Girl with a Pearl Earring, starring Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson and the award-winning, critically-acclaimed radical adaptation of Wuthering Heights directed by Andrea Arnold. Cast : Wise Woman ........................Adjoa Andoh Bawdy Woman ....................Susan Wooldridge Pushy Woman .....................Tessa Wojtczak Red ..................................... Lily Lesser Huntsman ...........................Alexander Vlahos Granny ................................Phyllida Law Girl ......................................Grace Englert Girl .....................................Jalleh Alizadeh Sound Design: Lucinda Mason Brown Director / Producer: Fiona McAlpine An Allegra production for BBC Radio 4 Red is a brave girl but she is warned not to stray from the path to her granny's house. Five stories from Angela Carter's collection of fairy tales, dramatised by Olivia Hetree. |