Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Bloody Chamber | 20180924 | 20210801 (BBC7) 20230915 (BBC7) 20230916 (BBC7) 20250427 (BBC7) | 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. Dramatised by Olivia Hetreed. Anne ....... Sophie Cookson The Marquis ....... Jasper Britton Mother ....... Rakie Ayola Jean Yves ....... Nigel Pilkiington Sound Design: Lucinda Mason Brown When a young pianist marries a wealthy aristocrat she discovers a grisly secret. 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. A young pianist marries a wealthy aristocrat, much older than her, and with three previous wives. Stars Sophie Cookson. |
| 02 | The Erl-king | 20180925 | 20210808 (BBC7) 20230922 (BBC7) 20230923 (BBC7) 20250504 (BBC7) | 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. Erl-King - Ariyon Bakare Lover - Rakie Ayola Goblin - Jasmine Jones 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. Sound Design: Lucinda Mason Brown Director / Producer: Fiona McAlpine In the forest, a girl encounters the bewitching Erl-King and finds him irresistible. A girl encounters the bewitching Erl-King in the forest, willingly enters his woodland lair to lie with him. Stars Ariyon Bakare. |
| 03 | Wolf-alice | 20180926 | 20210815 (BBC7) 20230929 (BBC7) 20230930 (BBC7) 20250511 (BBC7) | 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. 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 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. A young girl found in a wolf's den goes to work for a dreadful patron. A young girl found in a wolf's den is sent to work for the Duke in his ancient castle. Stars Lily Lesser and Jonathan Tafler. |
| 04 | The Tiger's Bride | 20180927 | 20210822 (BBC7) 20231006 (BBC7) 20231007 (BBC7) 20250518 (BBC7) | 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. Beauty Beauty - Hannah Genesius Valet - Jonathan Tafler Father - Ariyon Bakare Clockwork Doll - Jasmine Jones With their feisty heroines and orgiastic mash-up of beasts, shape-shifters and ghouls, Carter's 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. A father stakes his daughter in a game of cards. His adversary is known as the Beast. When Beauty refuses to let her new master see her naked, he reveals his true nature. Stars Hannah Genesius and Jonathan Tafler. |
| 05 LAST | The Company Of Wolves | 20180928 | 20210829 (BBC7) 20250525 (BBC7) | 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. 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. 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. The final episode from one of Angela Carter's subverted fairy stories. Preparing to enter the forest to visit her granny, a girl is warned not to stray from the path. |
| OMNI | 20180929 | 20180930 (BBC7) | Five stories to gobble you up. Angela Carter's iconic collection of fairy stories, adapted for radio by Olivia Hetreed. With their feisty heroines and orgiastic mash-up of beasts, shape-shifters and ghouls, Angela Carter's 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. The Bloody Chamber Anne - Sophie Cookson Marquis - Jasper Britton Mother - Rakie Ayola Jean Yves - Nigel Pilkington The Erl-King Lover - Rakie Ayola Erl-King - Ariyon Bakare Goblin - Jasmine Jones Wolf-Alice Angela Carter..... Fiona Shaw Wolf-Alice - Lily Lesser Duke - Jonathan Tafler Head Nun - Phoebe Fildes Main Hunter - Nigel Pilkington Mother Superior - Adjoa Andoh Nun - Susan Wooldridge Novice - Grace Englert Novice..... Jalleh Alizadeh Hunter...... Tre Gordon Hunter - Tom Clegg The Tiger's Bride Beauty..... Hannah Genesius Valet - Jonathan Tafler Clockwork Maid..... Jasmine Jones The Company of Wolves Wise Woman - Adjoa Andoh Bawdy Woman - Susan Wooldridge Pushy Woman - Tessa Wojtczak Red - Lily Lesser Huntsman..... Alexander Vlahos Granny - Phyllida Law Girl - Jalleh Alizadeh Girl - Grace Englert Director / Producer - Fiona McAlpine Sound Design - Lucinda Mason Brown An Allegra Production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in September 2018. Angela Carter's iconic collection of fairy stories starring Sophie Cookson and Rakie Ayola |