Dans l' Angleterre victorienne, Oliver Twist, jeune orphelin angélique, est recueilli par l'assitance ; il est placé chez M. et Mme Sowerberry, fabricant de cercueils et croque-mort de son état. Là, il ne connaît que privations et mauvais traitements. Oliver endure tout, jusqu'au jour où une provocation d'un apprenti le pousse à se battre puis à s'enfuir vers Londres.
Charles Dickens excelle dans l'art de nous dépeindre l'Angleterre du XIXème siècle, sa misère, sa société, avec une ironie très souvent désopilante.
C'est un roman poignant dont l'écriture est simple et retranscrit parfaitement la noirceur du Londres mal famé de l'époque.
David Copperfield ou L'Histoire, les aventures et l'expérience personnelles de David Copperfield le jeune a paru en 1850 sous forme de feuilleton illustré.
Orphelin de père, le jeune garçon rebelle sera séparé de sa sa mère pour l'internat puis envoyé à l'usine et laissé à lui-même mais ses péripéties l'ammènent à faire la rencontre de personnages hauts en couleur et à vivre des aventures pleines de rebondissements. À la fois tragique, humouristique, truffée d'anecdotes et très vivante, l'épopée du héros rencontrera un vif succès dès sa parution. De nombreuses adaptations, cinéma, dessins animés, BD en ont fait une oeuvre à résonnance universelle.
Ebenezer Scrooge is a mean, miserable, bitter old man with no friends. One cold Christmas Eve, three ghosts take him on a scary journey to show him the error of his nasty ways. By visiting his past, present and future, Scrooge learns to love Christmas and the people all around him.
Presents portrayal of the orphan Pip's journey of self-discovery. This title shows how a young man's life is transformed by a mysterious series of events - an encounter with an escaped prisoner; a visit to a black-hearted old woman and a beautiful girl; and, a fortune from a secret donor.
Coketown is dominated by the figure of Mr Thomas Gradgrind, school owner and model of Utilitarian success. Feeding both his pupils and his family with facts, he bans fancy and wonder from young minds. As a consequence his obedient daughter Louisa marries the loveless businessman and bully of humility Mr Bounderby.
The youngest child of debtor William Dorrit, Amy is born in the Marshalsea prison. She is befriended by Arthur Clennam, whose mother employs 'Little Dorrit' as a seamstress. Then, following the discovery of a large and unexpected inheritance, the fortunes of the Dorrits undergo an extreme change and the family moves to Italy.
Paul Dombey is an ambitious, calculating London merchant. He pins all his hopes for the future of his shipping firm on his fragile son whilst his daughter, Florence, goes unnoticed and neglected. It is only when the firm faces ruin, and Dombey is staring at a life of desolate solitude that Florence may finally be valued.
Taking a complex pattern of theme, symbol, comic exuberance, sharp social comment and telling detail, this novel takes a satirical look at wealth and its corrupting power, symbolized by the inheritance of a dust-heap and represented by the changing fortunes of Boffin, the golden dustman.
Wealthy old Martin Chuzzlewit is surrounded by a host of grasping, unscrupulous relatives and suspects the family vices of selfishness and greed are already showing in his grandson. The younger Martin is therefore cast out upon the world to learn to fend for himself.
Gripping full-cast radio dramatisations of four of Charles Dickens' classic masterpieces Charles Dickens is one of the most renowned novelists of all time, and this final volume of the dramatised canon of his work includes some of his most complex and compelling novels.
A Tale of Two Cities Set during the French Revolution, this radio retelling of Dickens' powerful story of love, cruelty, violence and redemptionwon the 2012 Bronze Sony Award for Best Drama.
Great Expectations This classic tale explores the turbulent childhood of orphan Pip, his quest to find his true identity, and his growth to maturity through misfortune and misery.
Our Mutual Friend Charles Dickens' last complete novel is a sweeping satire of wealth and corruption, centred around London's great river Thames.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood In Dickens' unfinished masterpiece, the arrival in Cloisterham of Neville and Helena Landless, twins from Ceylon, sets in motion a chain of events which leads to murder.
With a star-studded cast including Robert Lindsay, Douglas Hodge, Geraldine McEwan, Amanda Redman, Alex Jennings and Ian Holm, these BBC radio adaptations are rich in drama, romance, suspense and tragedy.
Cast and credits Written by Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens..................................................................Robert Lindsay Jarvis Lorry..................................................................Jonathan Coy Miss Pross..................................................................Alison Steadman Lucie Manette..................................................................Lydia Wilson Dr Alexandre Manette..................................................................Karl Johnson Charles Darnay..................................................................Andrew Scott Sydney Carton..................................................................Paul Ready Ernest Defarge..................................................................James Lailey Theresa Defarge..................................................................Tracy Wiles Gaspard/Stryver..................................................................Simon Bubb Jerry Cruncher..................................................................Carl Prekopp Joe..................................................................Rikki Lawton Marquis St Evremonde..................................................................Clive Merrison Barsad..................................................................Gerard McDermott Other parts played by Adam Billington, Christopher Webster, Adjoa Andoh, Daniel Cooper, Paul Moriarty, Alex Rivers Directed by Jessica Dromgoole and Jeremy Mortimer Dramatised by Mike Walker Music by Lennert Busch Sound production by Anne Bunting First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26- 30 December 2011 Great Expectations Pip..................................................................Douglas Hodge Miss Havisham..................................................................Geraldine McEwan Estella..................................................................Amanda Redman Joe Gardgery..................................................................Jim Carter Mrs Joe..................................................................Maggie Steed Jaggers..................................................................John Shrapnel Wemmick..................................................................Timothy Bateson Herbert Pocket..................................................................James Simmons Magwitch..................................................................Robert Lang Uncle Pumblechook..................................................................Norman Jones Aged Parent..................................................................Michael Turner Biddy..................................................................Emma Gregory Bentley Drummle..................................................................Alan Barker Orlick..................................................................Brian Hewlett Other parts played by Fraser Kerr, Gary King, Mark Straker, Norman Jones, Polly Maberley, Terence Edmond, Timothy Carlton, Elizabeth Kelly, Henry Power, Jenny Howe, Auriol Smith, Brett Usher, James Greene, James Simmons, Joanna Myers, Timothy Alcock, Nigel Carrington, Ronald Herdman, Jane Whittenshaw, Stephen Garlick Directed by Sally Avens Dramatised by Ray Jenkins Music by Malcolm Clarke First broadcast BBC Radio 5 Live, 6 October-22 December 1991 Our Mutual Friend Charles Dickens..................................................................Alex Jennings Bella Wilfer..................................................................Daisy Haggard Lizzie Hexam..................................................................Lizzy Watts John Rokesmith..................................................................Carl Prekopp Eugene Wrayburn..................................................................Patrick Kennedy Mortimer Lightwood..................................................................Matt Addis Nicodemus Boffin..................................................................Jason Watkins Mrs Boffin..................................................................Pauline Quirke Pa Wilfer..................................................................Philip Fox Ma Wilfer..................................................................Annabelle Dowler Charlie Hexam..................................................................Adam Arnold Gaffer Hexam..................................................................Malcolm Tierney Silas Wegg..................................................................Lee Ross Aenus Venus..................................................................Stephen Hogan Rogue Riderhood..................................................................Jamie Foreman Other parts played by Paul Rider, Janice Acquah, Lynn Farleigh, Benjamin Askew, Neil Stuke, Nicola Miles-Wildin, Jonathan Tafler Directed by Jessica Dromgoole and Jeremy Mortimer Dramatised by Mike Walker Music by Roger Goula First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 November-4 December 2009 The Mystery of Edwin Drood John Jasper..................................................................Ian Holm Edwin Drood..................................................................Mark Payton The Reverend Crisparkle..................................................................Gareth Thomas Neville Landless..................................................................Simon Treves Helena Landless..................................................................Helena Breck Deputy..................................................................Susan Sheridan Princess Puffer..................................................................Mary Wimbush Miss Twinkleton..................................................................Margaret Courtenay Rosa Bud..................................................................Moir Leslie Grewgious..................................................................John Gabriel Bazzard..................................................................John Samson Durdles..................................................................Gordon Gostelow Jeweller..................................................................John Moffatt Joe..................................................................David Goudge Other parts played by Timothy Bateson, Anna Cropper, Marcia King, Michael Cochrane, Vincent Brimble, Timothy Alcock, Margot Boyd, David King, Burt Kwouk, Noriko Aida, Madeline Smith, Hilda Kriseman, Jo Kendall, Anne Jameson, Michael Graham Cox Directed by Gordon House Concluded by Leon Garfield Dramatised by David Buck Pianist: Nicholas Kok First broadcast BBC Radio 4/BBC World Service 2-30 March 1990 Duration: 21 hours 40 minutes approx.
