Fourble

Alan Garner is an English novelist best known for his fantasy novels and his retellings of traditional British folk tales. Much of his work is rooted in the landscape, history and folklore of his native county of Cheshire, North West England, being set in the region and making use of the native Cheshire dialect.


His first novel, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, was published in 1960. A fantasy novel set on Alderley Edge, it incorporated elements of local folklore in its plot and characters. Garner wrote a sequel, The Moon of Gomrath (1963), and a third book, Boneland (2012). He wrote other fantasy novels, including Elidor (1965) and The Owl Service (1967)


This is a collection of BBC Radio productions of Garner's fantasy dramas; weird and marvellously evocative tale of Celtic mysteries, elves, spirits and strange presences.....


Elidor
Roland, Helen, David and Nicholas Watson have escaped to Manchester to avoid helping out at their house move. After a detour down a creepy backstreet, they come upon a derelict church and a mysterious fiddle player. Little do the children know that chance didn't bring them there, but a prophecy hundreds of years old. Slowly they realise that the church isn't all it seems, as the fabric of time and space opens and they are propelled into the dying and strange world of Elidor...
Roland ...... Mossie Cassidy
Helen ...... Raffey Cassidy
Nicholas ...... William Rush
David ...... Stephen Hoyle
Malebron ...... Toby Hadoke
Mrs Watson ...... Fiona Clarke
Jennifer ...... Sarah McDonald Hughes
The Foreman ...... Gerard Fletcher
Written by Alan GarnerDramatised by Don Webb
Directed by Charlotte Riches
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in April 2011


The Owl Service
When Alison traces owls from the pattern on a dinner service, the paper owls disappear and the plates go blank. Mysterious events become frightening in this classic reworking of the Welsh Blodeuwedd myth.
Alison ...... Siriol Jenkins
Gwyn ...... Steven Meo
Roger ...... Garrie Harvey
Huw ...... Rhodri Hugh
Nancy ...... Sharon Morgan
Clive ...... Simon Armstrong
Taxi driver ...... Philip Harries
Written by Alan Garner
Dramatised by Matthew Bailey.
Directed by Alison Hindell
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2000


The Weirdstone of Brisingamen
Two children, Colin and Susan are on holiday in the North of England where they encounter perilous magical forces. Susan possesses a small tear-shaped jewel held in a bracelet: unknown to her, this is the weirdstone. Its nature is revealed when the children are hunted by the minions of the dark spirit Nastrond who, centuries earlier, had been defeated and banished by a powerful king.
Cadellin ...... Robin Bailey
Gowther Mossock/Narrator ...... James Tomlinson
Susan ...... Andrea Murphy
Colin ...... Mark Kingston
Selina Place ...... Rosalind Knight
Bess ...... Patsy Byrne
Guard/Ticket collector ...... George Parsons
Farmer/Porter ...... Ronald Herdman
Crow ...... Anne Jameson
Written by Alan Garner
Dramatised by David Wade
Directed by Caroline Smith
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 1989


The Moon of Gomrath
Colin and Susan return to the site of their adventure at Alderley Edge, and the strangeness begins again. Susan had been previously been gifted a magical golden bracelet whose powers are now called upon. So, it's back to Fundindelve and a reunion with the wizard Cadellan...
Colin .... Steven Rendall
Susan .... Jenny Luckraft
Cadellin .... Neville Barber
Uthecar .... Cliff Howells
Albanac .... Tom Mannion
Atlendor .... Ronald Herdman
Gowther .... Russell Dixon
Bess .... Judith Barker
Angharad .... Joan Walker
Written by Alan Garner
Dramatised by David Wade
Directed by Caroline Smith
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1989


Boneland
The crowning achievement of Alan Garner's astonishing career, 'Boneland' concludes the story that began over fifty years ago in 'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen'. If the sleeper wakes, the dream dies. . .Professor Colin Whisterfield spends his days at Jodrell Bank, using the radio telescope to look for his lost sister in the Pleiades. At the same time, and in another time, the Watcher cuts the rock and dances, to keep the sky above the earth and the stars flying. Colin can't remember; and he remembers too much. Before the age of twelve years and nine months, everything is a blank. After that he recalls everything, in every minute of every hour of every day. But if he wants to find his sister, Colin will have to unlock his memory of what happened when he was twelve. And the Watcher will have to find the Woman. Otherwise the skies will fall, and there will be only winter, wanderers and moon. . .
Written by Alan Garner
Read by Robert Powell

1. Elidor part 1 (25.3Mb)
2. Elidor part 2 (24.7Mb)
3. Elidor part 3 (24.6Mb)
4. Elidor part 4 (25.9Mb)
5. The Owl Service part 1 (26.7Mb)
6. The Owl Service part 2 (29.1Mb)
7. The Owl Service part 3 (27.6Mb)
8. Weirdstone of Brisingamen part 1 (25.4Mb)
9. Weirdstone of Brisingamen part 2 (24.9Mb)
10. Weirdstone of Brisingamen part 3 (24.8Mb)
11. Weirdstone of Brisingamen part 4 (25.4Mb)
12. The Moon of Gomrath part 1 (13.1Mb)
13. The Moon of Gomrath part 2 (14.3Mb)
14. The Moon of Gomrath part 3 (13.7Mb)
15. Boneland part 1 (27.3Mb)
16. Boneland part 2 (27.6Mb)
17. Boneland part 3 (28.4Mb)
18. Boneland part 4 (25.5Mb)
19. Boneland part 5 (27.7Mb)

MP3 files hosted by archive.org.