The Tudor Crown
from archive.org
Nine gripping BBC Radio dramas that delve into the turbulent, thrilling history of Britain's Tudor era.
Affairs and assassinations. Conflict and chaos. Power and plots. The tumultuous Tudor period is one of the most iconic and fascinating chapters in British history. In these atmospheric dramas, we get a glimpse into the inner workings of Tudor England - and rediscover the key characters we have grown to love and hate. Featuring world-renowned actors, these are spellbinding, historically accurate tales, packed with excitement.
A Pattern of Tudors
The story of Cardinal Wolsey who built Hampton Court, and Henry VIII who took it from him.
Henry VIll ...... Michael Bryant
Cardinal Wolsey ...... Michael Hordern
Katherine of Aragon ...... Irene Prador
Builders ...... Anthony Hall
Builders ...... Nigel Anthony
Venetian Ambassador ...... Noel Howlett
Cavendish ...... Allan McClelland
Skelton ...... Henry Stamper
Anne Boleyn ...... Penelope Lee
Lord Percy ...... Henry Stamper
Duke of Suffolk ...... Preston Lockwood
Master Kingston ...... Nigel Anthony
Master Seymour ...... Wilfred Babbage
Thomas Cromwell ...... Ian Thompson
Jane Seymour ...... Beth Boyd
Smeaton ...... Anthony Hall
Written by John Mortimer
Directed by Nesta Pain
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1970
True and Lawful Queen
Katherine of Aragon's refusal to divorce Henry VIII and her insistence that she was his ' true and lawful Queen' sparks a chain of events that leads to the Reformation.
Henry VIII ...... Hector Ross
Francisco Felipez, servant to Katherine ...... Frank Duncan
Don Inigo de Mendoza Imperial Ambassador ...... David March
Thomas Wolsey ...... Francis de Wolff
Cardinal Campeggio ...... Peter Tuddenham
William Warham, Archbishopof Canterbury, ...... Lockwood West
John Fisher, Bishop ofRochester ...... Brian Haines
Mary Tudor ...... Rosalind Shanks
Eustace Chapuys ...... John Pullen
Duke of Norfolk ...... Alan Dudley
Lord Mountjoy ...... Godfrey Kenton
Thomas Cromwell ...... John Graham
Duke of Suffolk ...... Peter Pratt
Griffiths ...... Basil Jones
Written by Alison Plowden
Directed by Joe Burroughs
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1972
Black Queen to King's Castle
On the anniversary of the night of her execution, it is rumoured that Anne Boleyn still haunts her family home in Norfolk. Is it possible that her ghost is trapped within the walls, trying to escape? Anne tells her own story of events leading to her execution.
Anne ..... Katherine Pogson
Henry VIII ..... David Troughton
Percy ..... Christopher Godwin
Guide ..... Christopher Godwin
Wolsey ..... David Timson
Thomas ..... Stephen Critchlow
Mary ..... Suzanne Heathcote
George ..... Peter Darney
Katherine ..... Marlene Sidaway
Written by Peter Wolf
Directed by Cherry Cookson
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2002
The Babington Plot
Told from the perspective of the conspirators, this is an enthralling account of the 1586 plot to assassinate Elizabeth I and return England to Catholic rule under Mary, Queen of Scots. The story is told from the perspective of several of the conspirators - some genuine, some government spies that had infiltrated the group.
Presenter ...... Stephen Greif
Robert Poley ...... Burn Gorman
Thomas Salisbury ...... Sam Barnett
Aloysius Skeres ...... Chris Pavlo
Thomas Phelippes ...... Jonathan Tafler
Robert Bull ...... Stephen Critchlow
Gilbert Gifford ...... Inam Mirza
Don Mendoza ...... Malcolm Tierney
Mistress Bellamy ...... Marlene Sidaway
Jane Tichbourne ...... Janice Acquah
Agnes Lauren ...... Jill Cardo
Shepherd ...... Dan Starkey
Casey ...... Paul Rider
Written by Michael Butt
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2008
La Princesse de Cl?ves
Set in the 16th Century, the play follows the life of a beautiful young lady newly presented to Court. It's the reign of Henri II and Mary Queen of Scots is safely ensconced in France. It's a time of dangerous liaisons when one step out of line could ruin a woman and her family. Quickly married off, the na?ve Princess finds herself admired and taunted by those around her. And, whilst they gossip cruelly, she becomes helplessly and dangerously caught up in matters of love.
La Princesse ..... Melody Grove
Her Mother ..... Candida Benson
Cl?ves ..... Liam Brennan
Nemours ..... Robin Laing
Guise ..... Laurie Brown
Marie Stuart ..... Meg Fraser
Chorus ..... Irene MacDougall, Ralph Riach, Crawford Logan
Written by Jo Clifford
Directed by Kirsty Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in February 2010
Gold's Fool
The true story of how Elizabeth I mounted a reckless foreign adventure, convinced that in the Arctic there was enough gold to make the nation as wealthy as Spain. The finest alchemical technology was used to prove that the black rocks of Baffin Island were rich in precious ore. In a series of voyages, former pirate Martin Frobisher was sent to the frozen wastes to bring back as much of the rock as he could. Unfortunately, the alchemists were mistaken.
Frobisher ...... Roger Lloyd Pack
Michael Lok ...... John McAndrew
Elizabeth I ...... Phyllida Nash
Sir Francis Walsingham ...... Christian Rodska
Williams ...... Peter Ellis
Schutz ...... Kenneth Collard
Hall ...... Chris Donelly
Sarah ...... Susie Riddell
Written by Paul B Davies
Directed by Sara Davies
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2008
Mary Stuart
A thrilling account of the extraordinary relationship between Elizabeth I and her rival cousin Mary Stuart, the imprisoned Scottish queen.
Mary Stuart ...... Meg Fraser
Queen Elizabeth ...... Alexandra Mathie
Mathie Mortimer ...... Matthew Pidgeon
Leicester ...... Robin Laing
Burleigh ...... Richard Greenwood
Jane Kennedy ...... Wendy Seager
Paulet ...... Jimmy Chisholm
Davidson ...... Laurie Brown
Aubespine ...... Grant O'Rourke
Melville ...... John Buick
Written by Friedrich Schiller and David Harrower
Adapted for radio by Robin Brooks
Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane
First broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in September 2012
Edward, Edward
Aged just nine years old, Edward VI becomes King upon the death of his father, Henry the VIII. Together with his cousin Jane, Edward tries to negotiate the vagaries of life at court and to find a freedom when every move he makes is watched over by the tenacious Privy Council.
Edward ...... Oscar Kennedy
Jane ...... Izzy Meikel Small
Other parts played by Paul Stonehouse, David Seddon, Philippa Stanton and Amaka Okafor
Written by Abigail Docherty
Directed by Lu Kemp
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2013
The Nine Days Queen
The tragic story of the trial of Lady Jane Grey, proclaimed Queen of England in 1553 at the age of 16, nine days later locked in the Tower and, within a year, dead.
Jane ...... Loo Brealey
Nurse Ellen ...... Emma Stansfield
Frances ...... Helen Sclesinger
Young Jane ...... Agnes Bateman
Katharine Parr ...... Janice Acquah
Henry ...... Paul Rider
Guilford ...... Robert Lonsdale
Northumberland ...... Stephen Critchlow
Gentleman-Gaoler ...... Malcolm Tierney
Judge ...... Zebedee Soanes
Written by Amanda Whittington
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2009
- A Pattern of Tudors (53.5Mb)
- True and Lawful Queen (80.6Mb)
- Black Queen to King’s Castle (40.4Mb)
- The Babington Plot (40.6Mb)
- La Princesse de Clèves (68Mb)
- Gold’s Fool (40.6Mb)
- Mary Stuart (81.8Mb)
- Edward, Edward (36.3Mb)
- The Nine Days Queen (40.1Mb)
MP3 files hosted by archive.org.