At the age of ten, shy, vulnerable Fanny Price leaves behind her impoverished family in Portsmouth to go and live with her rich relatives at Mansfield Park. Growing up with her cousins she is aware that she is different from them and that her place in society cannot be taken for granted. When Mary Crawford and her brother Henry arrive at Mansfield Park, they succeed in dazzling everyone but Fanny. She sees through their shallow veneer and through the dramatic events that follow it is Fanny who is able to bring back some stability to the ruptured lives of those around her.

Emma Woodhouse is clever, rich, with a comfortable home and a happy disposition. She's also always convinced that she's right. She learns the hard way that pride comes before a fall, but the brotherly figure of Mr Knightley takes it upon himself to help her correct the flaws in her character.

Elizabeth Bennet is a spirited young woman with four sisters and a mother obsessed with getting them all married off. When she first meets Fitzwilliam Darcy she thinks he's arrogant and conceited, and he is completely indifferent to her charms. Will they ever see past the prejudices of their first impressions?

These four works - all for solo voices - show Samuel Beckett at his most penetrating. All express Beckett's trademark concerns of introspection, memory and hopelessness in different ways - yet always with sympathy for the human condition.

The play opens on a country road, where two tramp-like figures, Vladimir and Estragon, exchange words. They pull off their boots and munch root vegetables as two other curious characters and a boy enter the scene. Time passes. Samuel Beckett's strange yet familiar masterpiece casts a powerful spell and is considered by many to be one of the most outstanding plays of the 20th century.

Until the time of her death in 2003, actress Thora Hird worked regularly with the playwright Alan Bennett. In this audiobook, Bennett recalls his work and friendship with Thora, and introduces three examples of their collaboration.

Performed by the author and five of Britain's leading actresses, Alan Bennett's tales are full of quirky, insightful detail and wry observation. This audiobook contains the following monologues: 'A Chip in the Sugar' with Alan Bennett; 'A Lady of Letters' with Patricia Routledge; 'Bed Among the Lentils' with Anna Massey; 'Soldiering On' with Stephanie Cole; 'Her Big Chance' with Julie Walters and 'A Cream Cracker Under the Settee' with Thora Hird.

Treated badly as a child by both her aunt and school, Jane leaves to become a governess to the daughter of the mysterious Mr Rochester. Gradually she falls in love with him, but things are not what they seem and life is not straightforward for the rebellious heroine.

The new tenant of Thrushcross Grange, on the bleak Yorkshire moors, is forced to seek shelter one night at Wuthering Heights, the home of his landlord. There he discovers the history of the tempestuous events that took place years before, the intense passion between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, and her betrayal of him. A classic tale of obsessive love.

The first series of 'Journey Into Space', originally broadcast in the 1950s and set in the then futuristic 1965. It tells of the conquest of the moon by Jet Morgan and his crew Doc, Mitch and Lemmy.

The second series of 'Journey Into Space', broadcast originally in the 1950s. Set in the early-1970s, a high-tech space-age future, the plot centres on what happens after a space fleet led by Jet Morgan sets off on the 35-million-mile journey to Mars.

When Miss Marple comes up from the countryside for a holiday in London, she finds what she's looking for at Bertram's Hotel: traditional decor, impeccable service and an unmistakeable atmosphere of danger behind the highly polished veneer.

The tranquility of a cruise along the Nile is shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway has been shot through the head. She was young, stylish and beautiful - a girl who had everything. Hercule Poirot recalls an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger - 'I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger'.

The brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot becomes involved in an unusual case after a member of an archaeological expedition is murdered at an ancient site in the Iraqi desert.

Hercule Poirot joins an international cast of characters on the glamorous Orient Express, and is approached by a wealthy American who offers the detective 'big money' to protect him. The next day the man is found dead in his cabin, stabbed twelve times. There are no lack of clues for Poirot - but which are real and which a clever plant? One thing is certain - the murderer is still aboard the train and waiting to strike again...

When novelist Charles Condomine invites a medium to his house in order to learn about the occult for his new book, the last thing he or his second wife dream is that the seance will bring back his first wife, Elvira, who wants Charles all to herself.

Dramatisation of a documentary novel covering 24 hours in the life of a bomber crew and the German town that is their target in 1943.

Little Nell cares for her grandfather in the gloomy surroundings of his curiosity shop. Reduced to poverty, the pair are forced to flee London and Nell finds herself uprooted from a secure and innocent childhood and cast into a world where evil takes the form of characters such as Swiveller, Nubbles and the grotesque and lecherous Quilp. This dramatisation also stars Julia McKenzie, Anna Massey and Sandi Toksvig.

This partly autobiographical story, by turns magical, frightening and grimly realistic, charts the trials of young David Copperfield's life from poverty to literary fame, starring such unforgettable characters as David's stepfather, the abusive Mr. Mudstone; the charming sociopath Steerforth; the snivelling clerk Uriah Heep; and slow-witted Dora, with whom David falls in love.

Grim Mr Dombey dreams of a son to run his business. Instead he has a daughter who must fight to win his love, but when the firm faces ruin, and Dombey's second marriage ends in disaster, only his daughter Florence has the strength and humanity to save her father from desolate solitude.

A mysterious benefactor provides Pip with the chance to escape his poor upbringing. Aspiring to be a gentleman, and encouraged by his expectations of wealth, he abandons his friends and moves to London. However, not everything lives up to his dreams.

Disinherited by his grandfather, Martin is thwarted in his desire to marry Mary Graham. Instead he sets sail for America to seek his fortune.

A tale of comical misadventure with Mister Pickwick and his companions - the amorous Tupman, the 'poetic' Snodgrass and the `sporty' Winkle - all battling to extricate themselves from a seemingly endless succession of comic trials and tribulations.

Across the foyer of a crowded theatre, a handsome young man, Armand Duval, catches sight of one of the most desirable courtesans of Paris, Marguerite Gautier. When they meet, a mutual obsession is ignited - one that tears both their worlds apart. Set amidst the glittering splendours of 19th century Paris, the story was inspired by Dumas' own love affair with courtesan Marie Duplessis.

Medea, in which a spurned woman takes revenge upon her lover by killing her children, is one of the most shocking and horrific of all the Greek tragedies. Dominating the play is Medea herself, a towering and powerful figure who demonstrates Euripides' unusual willingness to give voice to a woman's case.

Radio dramatisations of classic films, performed live by many of the original film stars. Set in 1915 on the treacherous rivers of war-torn Africa, Humphrey Bogart plays the gin-sodden river trader Charlie Allnut, who reluctantly agrees to help the prim missionary Rose Sayer, played in this radio version by Greer Garson, to travel down river on a hazardous journey and destroy a German gun boat.

The theme of 'Room with a View' is the undeveloped heart of the English middle classes, who are represented here by a group of tourists and expatriates in Florence. They include the young and unaffected Lucy Honeychurch, whose heart has been captivated by both Italy and a dashing young man - and her dismal cousin Charlotte.

When the Mischievous Tony Lumpkin directs two young gentlemen in need of accommodation to his parents' house, telling them that it is an inn, his practical joke leads to a night of misunderstanding, embarrassment and confusion for all concerned.

Radio dramatisations of classic films, performed live by many of the original film stars. Holly Martins (played here by Joseph Cotton) arrives in post war Vienna to discover that his old friend Harry Lime has just died in a car accident. On hearing from Major Calloway of his criminal activities and racketeering, Martins vows to clear his friend's reputation and uncover the truth to discover what really happened to Harry Lime.

Dame Judi Dench and Timothy West perform extracts from all of Shakespeare's plays from 'Hamlet' to 'Pericles'. This audiobook also includes commentary, music, songs and sonnets.

In a fit of drunken anger, Michael Henchard sells his wife and baby daughter for five guineas at a country fair. Over the course of the following years, he manages to establish himself as a respected and prosperous pillar of the community of Casterbridge, but behind his success there always lurks the shameful secret of his past and a personality prone to self-destructive pride and temper.

Hedda Gabler, a deceased General's daughter, marries dull George Tesman and foresees a life of tedium ahead. Increasingly she is drawn into the clutches of her admirer, Judge Brack. Then a former flame arrives to rival her husband for an academic post. Stars Juliet Stephenson as the passionate Hedda.

An elegantly observed journal of a year in the life of the musical play 'By Jeeves', written and directed by two theatre geniuses, Alan Ayckbourn and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Beginning in January 2001, the production travels from Pittsburgh to Toronto - but will it make it to Broadway?

A Radio 4 dramatisation of a Stephen King horror novel. Dr Louis Creed and his wife chose rural Maine to settle their family and bring up their children. It was a better place than smog-covered Chicago - or so they thought before they became acquainted with the old pet cemetary. CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT AND STRONG LANGUAGE.

A Radio 2 dramatisation of the Second World War novel. Set during the Second World War over a period of four days in Yugoslavia, this classic thriller tells of the daring efforts made by a small group of specialists to silence the German guns at the Greek fortress of Navarone, to facilitate a planned invasion.

This modern tragedy tells the story of Willy Loman, an ageing salesman, who is a failure in both his business and private life. Fired by his firm and ignored by his children, Loman faces a rising tide of humiliation which is ultimately more than he can bear.

Set in Salem, Massachusetts, 1692, a community stands accused of witchcraft, and in the mood of fear and recriminations that develops, men denounce their neighbours and truth is perverted by superstition.

Radio dramatisations of classic films, performed live by many of the original film stars. 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' was first broadcast in 1938 starring Leslie Howard as the foppish English aristocrat Sir Percy Blakeney, who assumes a secret identity to free members of the French aristocracy for the guillotine. With Olivia de Havilland as Lady Marguerite.

Pepys' world famous diary was written between 1660-1669. In it he reveals his life in honest detail. As well as personal anecdotes he records his reactions to major events such as the Great Plague, the Great Fire of London and the restoration of the Monarchy. This audiobook is a dramatisation of Pepys' witty account of life in 17th century England featuring Bernard Hepton, Bill Nighy, Ronald Hines, Michael Kitchen and Charlotte Attenborough.

This classic of British theatre opens with the engagement party of Sheila Birling and Gerald Croft, son of a prosperous businessman, in the imaginary city of Brumley. Into these celebrations enters Inspector Goole, who announces an unpleasant suicide: a young woman named Eva Smith has swallowed disinfectant and died. One by one he implicates all of the party guests in her death. But who is responsible?

Rita is a 26-year-old hairdresser who feels that life has passed her by. Her husband wants her to have a baby but she decides she wants an education. Joining the Open University she is assigned the world weary Dr Frank Bryant, a professor of literature with a penchant for the odd drink or six, but does Frank really have anything to teach her?

This comedy takes place largely in a wood where Hermia and her lover Lysander have escaped to marry. They are now in a domain of the fairies where strange and wonderful transformations are magically brought about by the spells of Oberon and his mischievous servant, Puck.

An anthology of Shakespeare's best-known speeches, delivered by actors Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave, Peggy Ashcroft, Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Richard Burton, Derek Jacobi, Edith Evans, Paul Scofield and Dorothy Tutin.

The play deals with the complicated relationship between Helena, the daughter of a famous physician, and Bertram, the arrogant son of the Countess of Roussillon. Helena is secretly in love with Bertram, and when she miraculously cures the ailing King, she asks for Bertram's hand in marriage, to which the grateful King happily agrees. Bertram, however, is not so delighted as he believes Helena to be socially inferior. He flees to Italy and what follows is Helena's increasingly desperate and complex attempts to retrieve her errant husband.

Mark Antony, one of the three rulers of the Roman World, has become the thrall of the fascinating Cleopatra. Affairs of state call him to Rome, but the attractions of the Queen of Egypt prove impossible to resist. From one of history's greatest love stories Shakespeare builds this magnificent tragedy of the clash between love and duty.

'As You Like It' follows the discontented Orlando as he is exiled from the tyrannical French court of Duke Frederick. By chance Frederick also banishes Rosalind, daughter of the usurped Duke Senior. The play then moves to the Forest of Arden, where chaos and misrule ensue. `As You Like It' is a tale of fraternal intrigue and tangled romance.

Steven Berkoff's Macbeth was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 to great critical acclaim. It is a powerful, chilling interpretation of Shakespeare's tragedy, supported by Mark Glentworth's evocative music to create an atmosphere of madness, magic and horror.

Based on the Roman chronicles of 'Plutarch's Lives' and Livy's 'History of Rome', the play is set in the early years of the Roman Republic. Caius Marcus is a proud Roman General who gains the name Coriolanus when, successful in battle against the Volscians, he captures the town Corioli. When his subsequent arrogance prevents him receiving the consulship in Rome, Coriolanus allies himself to his former adversary, the Volscian general Aufidius, and with him marches on Rome to effect revenge for this insult. Yet although deaf to the appeal of emissaries and old friends, finally Coriolanus is persuaded to spare the city by his mother's eloquance. Having made a treaty favourable to the Volscians, Coriolanus is nevertheless suspected by Aufidius of betraying Volscian interests, and publicly killed.

Shakespeare's speeches are among the most famous in the English language. This celebration of his greatest speeches contains a wide range of readings from the tragedies, comedies and histories, interspersed with music performed on period instruments. With an introductory poem read by John Gielgud, the speeches are read by Glenda Jackson, Nathan Metcalfe, Peter Orr, Denis Quilley, Prunella Scales, Loveday Smith, Timothy West and Michael Williams.

The death of King Hamlet has resulted in his brother Claudius becoming the new king of Denmark. Alarmed by his father's death and his mother's hasty marriage to the new king, Prince Hamlet seeks to discover the truth about his father's death.

While King Henry's England is threatened by rebellion, the king's son Hal haunts the taverns of London with the dissolute knight, Sir John Falstaff. The Earl of Northumberland and his fiery son Hotspur scheme to overthrow the crown. Can Hal be brought to a sense of his duty as Prince of Wales? The cast includes Dame Edith Evans and Sir Anthony Quale.

Written in 1598, this play completes Shakespeare's portrayal of the troubled reign of Henry IV. Rebellion has apparently been quelled, but dissension still permeates the country, and Henry is disillusioned, sick and dying. The drama focuses on Henry's difficult relationship with his son Prince Hal, and the latter's gradual emergence as a charismatic sovereign, shedding his image as a prodigal wastrel and assuming the title of King Henry V in the closing scenes.

Henry V, the climax of Shakespeare's sequence of English history plays, is an inspiring, often comic celebration of a young warrior-king. It follows Henry from the time of his father's death, through the Battle of Agincourt to his taking of the French crown and conquest of the French king's daughter Katherine. The play is also a study of the costly exhilarations of war, and of the penalties, as well as the glories, of human greatness.

Julius Caesar has become the most powerful man in Rome, but a conspiracy is hatched, one that will have fatal consequences not only for Caesar but for the future of the Ancient World. At its heart is the noble Brutus, caught in a tragic conflict between private affection and public duty.

The play begins with King John struggling to retain his throne, under attack from rebellious courtiers and Philip, the king of France. As the quarrel escalates into war with France, the play begins to take on a contemporary Elizabethan flavour - the feared invasion from a foreign (Catholic) nation, and the extent to which such an invasion is based on the questionable paternity of King John

When foolish King Lear abdicates both his kingdom and his responsibilities, and makes unreasonable demands of his children, his world is turned upside down. This is a play of uncompromising bleakness, where the principles of poetic justice are contravened.

'Now is the winter of our discontent', intones Richard, Duke of Gloucester at the beginning of Shakespeare's Richard III, one of his most abidingly popular plays, and one of the most chilling portrayals of political tyranny ever seen on stage. The series of murders and conspiracies that Richard masterminds confirms his claim that 'I am determined to prove a villain'.

The play opens with King Ferdinand of Navarre and his courtiers taking a vow of study and sexual abstinence for a period of three years. However, their vows are soon placed under strain with the arrival of the Princess of France and her ladies in waiting.

The brave warrior Macbeth allows himself to be persuaded by his wife, Lady Macbeth, to slay good King Duncan and seize the throne of Scotland for himself. Macbeth achieves his ambition, but one murder proves not to be enough. Sinister supernatural forces are at work in this tragedy of guilt and retribution.

While temporarily governing Vienna, Angelo sentences Claudio to death for making his betrothed Julietta pregnant. When Claudio's sister Isabella, a nun, begs for his release, the seemingly virtuous Angelo offers to spare his life only if Isabella will consent to be his mistress.

When Claudio falls in love with the governor's daughter Hero he is eager for his friend Benedick to also find love. However, when Benedick is introduced to the fiery and independent Beatrice the only sparks that fly between them stem from her witty put-downs. Meanwhile the course of true love isn't running smoothly for Claudio either...

Othello is a 'noble Moor', a North African Muslim who has converted to Christianity and is deemed one of the Venetian state's most reliable soldiers. However, his ensign Iago harbours an obscure hatred against his general, and when Othello secretly marries the beautiful daughter of the Venetian senator Brabanzio, Iago begins his subtle campaign of vilification, which will inevitably lead to the deaths of more than just Othello and Desdemona.

This play marks a turning away from realism and the exploration of human tragedy towards mysticism and calmer, symbolic realms. Miracle, myth and symbol pervade the action where Pericles experiences evil and innocence, guilt and atonement, birth, death and regeneration in his search for happiness.

The sensitive and poetic Richard II is undoubtedly the rightful king of England but he is unscrupulous and weak. When his cousin Henry Bolingbroke returns from banishment and mounts a challenge to his authority, Richard is forced to abdicate. But as his power is stripped away he gains in dignity and self-awareness and he meets his death heroically.

As Romeo and Juliet come from opposing families, their love must be concealed until after their marriage. But having slain Juliet's cousin Tybalt, Romeo is banished and despite the well-meaning intervention of Friar Laurence, fate ensures that the marriage is never truly celebrated. Dramatisation of the New Cambridge version of the text.

This remarkable collection contains some of William Shakespeare's most famous speeches, soliloquies and sonnets, as performed by Sir John Gielgud. Selections dealing with youth, manhood and age include scenes from 'Hamlet', 'Macbeth', 'Julius Caesar' and 'King Lear'.

This comedy follows the shipwreck and mistaken identity of two long-separated identical twin brothers, with identical twin slaves each bearing the same name.

Bassanio, a feckless young Venetian, asks his wealthy friend, the merchant Antonio, for money to finance a trip to woo the beautiful Portia in Belmont. Reluctant to refuse his friend, Antonio borrows the money from the Jewish moneylender Shylock. If he reneges on the deal, Shylock jokingly demands a pound of his flesh. When all Antonio's ships are lost at sea, Shylock calls in his debt, and the love and laughter of the first scenes of the play threaten to give way to death and tragedy.

An anthology of Shakespeare's work selected by the HRH the Prince of Wales and performed by such figures as John Gielgud, Glenda Jackson, Alan Bates, Maggie Smith and Juliet Stevenson. The selections are divided into categories such as extraordinary people, public life and humour.

The city of Padua holds many suitors for the hand of fair Bianca, but Bianca may not be married until her spitfire sister Kate is wed. Could any man be rash enough to take Kate on? The witty adventurer Petruchio undertakes the task and sets about transforming Kate from a foul-tempered woman to a loving wife.

Prospero, wise duke of Milan, has been deposed by Antonio, his wicked brother, and exiled with his daughter Miranda to a mysterious island. But Prospero posseses supernatural powers. Aided by the spirit Ariel, Prospero uses his magical art to bring his enemies under control again.

The play dramatises the entangled relations between the two gentlemen of the play's title, Valentine and Proteus. Valentine leaves Verona for Milan to seek his fortune, whilst Proteus stays to be near his love, Julia. Spurned by Julia, Proteus heads for Milan, where he finds himself a rival of Valentine for the hand of Silvia, the Duke's daughter. Julia then reappears, disguised in boy's clothes as Proteus' page. The lovers flee to the forest, where confusion and conflict is finally resolved, and the two gentlemen are reunited not only with their `correct' lovers, but also with each other.

Palamon and Arcite, cousins and close friends, are taken prisoner by Duke Theseus of Athens. While in captivity, they spy the beautiful Emilia - Theseus' sister-in-law. Both become rivals for Emilia's hand, incurring the wrath of Theseus. The cousins prepare to duel over Emilia, but are interrupted by Theseus, who delays the duel for one month, and announces that whoever wins the duel will marry Emilia, whilst the loser will be executed.

A classic tale of obsessive love and jealousy. Leontes, King of Sicilia, mistakenly believes that his friend, Polixenes, is having an affair with his wife, Hermione. In his jealousy he tries to murder Polixenes and accuses his wife of adultery. A series of tragic events follow and Leontes is left to face the consequences of his actions. One of Shakespeare's final plays.

The fabulously rich Timon believes all his friends to be as open-hearted and as generous as himself. When his wealth suddenly evaporates, his altruism turns to a bitter hatred of mankind. Stirred by the cynical Apemantus, Timon retreats to the woods where he plots the destrucion of Athens.

The noble Titus returns victorious to Rome bringing Tamora, Queen of the Goths, as his captive. When one of Tamora's sons is condemned to die, she vows revenge and, aided by the villainous Aaron, she exacts a terrible retribution, inaugurating a grim cycle of rape, murder and cannibalism.

Viola and her twin brother Sebastian are separated in a storm that washes them both up at different points on the shores of Illyria. Believing each other to be dead, both attempt to survive by using their wits. One of Shakespeare's most complex and inventive comedies.

Professor Henry Higgins believes he can transform Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl, into a Duchess at ease in polite society. The one thing he overlooks is that his 'creation' has a mind of her own.

Set in British trenches during the First World War, this play deals with the horror and futility of trench warfare, as Captain Stanhope and his officers await attack in their dugout.

The anguished tale of a man fated to kill his father and marry his mother remains as shocking today as it was 2,500 years ago when it was first performed in the theatre at Athens.

When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula with the purchase of a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries about his client and his castle. Soon afterwards, a number of disturbing incidents unfold in England: an unmanned ship is wrecked at Whitby; strange puncture marks appear on a young woman's neck; and the inmate of a lunatic asylum raves about the imminent arrival of his `Master'. In the ensuing battle of wits between the sinister Count Dracula and a determined group of adversaries, Bram Stoker created a masterpiece of the horror genre.

The 1963 radio dramatisation, with Richard Burton as the narrator, of Dylan Thomas's play for voices, about the inhabitants of a small Welsh village.

A funny and touching account of a mythical village and it's people as seen through their own thoughts and conversations. 'Under Milk Wood' recreates a spring day in the lives of the people of Llareggub, a Welsh village situated under Milk Wood. There is no plot, but a wealth of characters who dream aloud.

The aristocratic Anna Karenina is a sophisticated woman who seems to have everything - beauty, wealth, popularity and an adored son. Yet she becomes increasingly aware of the emptiness of her life and exchanges her privilaged existence as the wife of Karenin for a passionate affair with the impetuous Count Vronsky - with tragic consequences.

Tolstoy's epic story of a Russian family torn apart and rejuvenated by love and war. The war in question is Napoleon's Russian campaign in the early 19th century, which provides the background to the personal and public lives of Tolstoy's characters.

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the third and fourth of Trollope's satirical tales of morality versus motivation set amongst the Victorian country clergy.

Lily is the niece of Squire Dale, an embittered old bachelor entrenched in the Great House at Allington. His sister-in-law lives at the adjacent Small House with her two daughters and the action centres on the relations between the two houses and on the romantic entanglements of the girls.

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the first and second of Trollope's satirical tales of morality versus motivation set amongst the Victorian country clergy.

Radio dramatisations of classic films, performed live by many of the original film stars. 'Brief Encounters' tells the story of an illicit love affair between the housewife Laura Jesson (Lia Johnson) and the charming doctor Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard) - and their regular meetings in a small cafe every Thursday afternoon. 'Goodbye Mr Chips' stars Ronald Coleman as teacher Mr Charles Chipping, known to all as 'Mr Chips', who looks back over his long career, remembering pupils, friends and above all, the charming Katherine Ellis who was to transform his life.

The original radioplays of the 1940s, broadcast in front of a live audience with Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre.

Radio dramatisations of classic films, performed live by many of the original film stars. The irresistible and heart-warming story of George Bailey, prevented from committing suicide by the elderly angel Clarence who takes him on a journey back through his life to show him how the town of Bedford Falls would have been had he never lived. Performed for radio by James Stewart and Donna Reed, recreating their original roles.

A collection of extracts from Gielgud's radio performances spanning many years. They include 'The Importance of Being Earnest' with Edith Evans, 'Arms and the Man', 'Richard II' and 'Measure for Measure', as well as poetry readings and conversations. Commentary by Gielgud links the extracts.

Radio dramatisations of classic films, performed live by many of the original film stars. 'Mrs Miniver' stars Greer Garson in the title role with Walter Pidgeon as Clem Miniver, her architect husband. Winner of seven Oscars, 'Mrs Miniver' tells the story of a middle-class British housewife and her family as they experience the first few months of the Second World War.

The original radioplay broadcast in front of a live audience in the 1950s. Alan Ladd and Van Heflin tell the story of a retired gunslinger forced into a violent range war.

Radio dramatisations of classic films, performed live by many of the original film stars. Starring Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, 'Sunset Boulevard' tells the story of a silent movie star and her attempt to stage a comeback to the silver screen through her friendship with an opportunistic young screenwriter, played by William Holden.

Radio dramatisations of classic films, performed live by many of the original film stars. 'The Philadelphia Story' is one of Hollywood's most sophisticated and sparkling romantic comedies and tells the story of Philadelphia heiress Tracy Lord, who is preparing for her second marriage when Dexter Haven, her first husband, re-enters her life, determined to spoil things. Starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. 'Holiday Inn' is a classic Irving Berlin musical and features popular songs such as 'White Christmas' and 'Easter Parade'. It features Bing Crosby as Jim Hardy, who is head over heels in love with Linda Mason, played by Dina Shore.

The original radio play of the 1930s broadcast in front of a live audience with Gary Cooper in the lead role. A classic Western.

Two episodes from the popular Radio 4 series 'Thriller Playhouse'. Simon Callow is Max Carrados, the celebrated blind detective in 'The Eyes of Max Carrados' whilst Christopher Cazenove is Norman Conquest, a dashing hero with a nose for danger in 'Killer Conquest'.

Forbidden to remarry by her two brothers, the Duchess of Malfi finds herself attracted to her steward, Antonio. They go through a form of marriage and the Duchess bears three children. When her brothers uncover the truth, the fate of the Duchess and her family is sealed.

Devilishly attractive Lord Illingworth is notorious for his skill as a seducer. Nevertheless, he is invited to all the best houses while his female conquests must hide their shame in seclusion. In this devastating drawing room comedy, Wilde uses his celebrated wit to expose English society's narrow view of everything - from sexual mores to Americans.

In this dramatisation of Wilde's witty, yet deeply cynical play, Sir Robert Chiltern's secret is discovered: he is accused of having exploited government secrets for his own gain. With this revelation comes the threat of blackmail, yet in order to be a successful blackmailer, one's own reputation must be beyond reproach.

Lady Windermere is jealous of her husband's interest in an older woman. The fact that the older woman just happens to be Lady Windermere's long-presumed-dead mother is just the beginning of this divinely funny comedy.

Wilde's `trivial comedy for serious people' makes fun of the English upper classes with light-hearted satire and humour. The plot centres on the lives of Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff who have both taken to bending the truth in order to add a dash of excitement to their lives. It all seems harmless enough but their deception is eventually discovered and threatens to put an end to their romantic pursuits of Gwendolin Fairfax and Cecily Cardew.

Who would have thought that an 18th-century cow-creamer could cause so much trouble? Add to the mix Madeleine Bassett, Gussie Fink-Nottle, Stiffy Byng and Harold 'Stinker' Pinker and there's only one thing to say - What Ho, Jeeves!