For the first time on BBC Radio 4 Extra, one of radio’s legendary Sherlock Holmes - Carleton Hobbes - stars in Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless story. It’s also a chance to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of animal impersonator extraordinaire, Percy Edwards.
When the Emperor of China cages the nightingale who sings so beautifully in the palace gardens, he learns that the most precious possessions in the world are worth nothing unless they are shared.
David Wade’s adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale features the unique talents of Percy Edwards (1908-1996), ornithologist who best known as Britain animal impersonator of choice. He died 25 years ago on 7 June 1996.
Hans Christian Andersen jettisoned the conventions of fairy tale logic, giving his characters realistic motivations. He directly links the fantastical with the psychological. In tales from The Little Mermaid, The Ice Maiden to The Red Shoes and The Wicked Prince, he often subverts fairy tale logic where the good are beautiful and the bad, ugly. It’s likely that without him, every fairy tale would end happily ever after and the true power of the genre might never have been realised.
Cast:
The Emperor .... John Pullen
The Nightingale .... Elizabeth Proud
Royal Gardener .... Carleton Hobbs
Imperial Orator .... Peter Woodthorpe
High Minister .... Garard Green
Dowager Empress .... Margot Boyd
Mei Hua .... Helen Worth
Death .... Jack May
Physician .... Michael Deacon
Watchmaker .... David Graham
Song of the Nightingale .... Percy Edwards
Producer: Graham Gauld
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1975
https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArrWZcg2lV80mDLRYMRJ7Oahj31R?e=3KtLCS
Size 50MB, Length 54 minutes, Bitrate 128kbps
Replies
Thanks, William!
Many thanks!
Thanks for sharing