{"product_id":"book-15gv","title":"Radio Beckett","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBroadcaster Matthew Sweet presents a sequence of radio plays by Samuel Beckett, with star casts including Stephen Rea and Ian McKellen\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSamuel Beckett captured the pathos and irony of modern life like no other dramatist. In the decade following the success of \u003ci\u003eWaiting for Godot\u003c\/i\u003e (1952), he wrote some of his most absorbing work for radio, among them this sequence of short pieces. Suffused with the same musicality as his stage plays, they are increasingly different in tone and conception, giving us insight into the development of Beckett's style and his approach to sound. With the exception of \u003ci\u003eFrom an Abandoned Work\u003c\/i\u003e, they can be heard in binaural surround sound through headphones or earbuds, creating an intimate, immersive audio experience. Matthew Sweet introduces the plays, providing context to the productions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFrom an Abandoned Work\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Developed from the fragments of an unfinished novel, this radio monologue stars \u003cb\u003eStephen Rea\u003c\/b\u003e as the unnamed elderly protagonist, who looks back on three days of his youth spent wandering the rural roads in all weather. As he recalls his mother waving him goodbye, the sight of a white horse and a murderous tribe of stoats, he ponders questions of life and death…\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRough for Radio 1\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cb\u003eMonica Dolan\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eRon Cook\u003c\/b\u003e star in this debut BBC production of Beckett's two-hander centred on a taciturn man, his curious female visitor who has 'come to listen' and his subsequent frantic phone calls… Abstract and experimental, \u003ci\u003eRough for Radio 1\u003c\/i\u003e utilises music and voices, silence and pauses, to explore themes of isolation, the impossibility of communication and the disconcerting nature of audio technology.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRough for Radio 2\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - In this companion piece to \u003ci\u003eRough for Radio 1\u003c\/i\u003e, starring \u003cb\u003eStephen Dillane, Louise Brealey, Brian Protheroe\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eNick Underwood\u003c\/b\u003e, we find ourselves in an interrogation room, where an animator is trying to force his victim, Fox to speak. With them are the stenographer, whose transcription shows that something is fundamentally amiss, and Dick, who has nothing to say…\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWords and Music\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Commanded by the irascible Croak, unwilling collaborators Words and Music (aka Joe and Bob).are forced to improvise on the themes of 'Love', 'Age' and 'The Face' in an attempt to create art. \u003cb\u003eIan McKellen\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eCarl Prekopp\u003c\/b\u003e star in Beckett's absurdist meditation on the limitations of language. featuring a specially-written score by Roger Goula.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCascando\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Story and sound work together once more in \u003ci\u003eCascando\u003c\/i\u003e, controlled and conducted by the Opener who turns them on and off like a radio. In tandem, they try to tell the tale of Woburn, struggling to perfect it so they can finish and sleep… Starring \u003cb\u003eStanley Townsend\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eDavid Seddon\u003c\/b\u003e, with music by Roger Goula, Beckett's 1961 drama delineates the challenges of composition and the writer's desperate search for inspiration.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eProduction credits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten by Samuel Beckett\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFrom an Abandoned Work\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerformed by \u003cb\u003eStephen Rea\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRough for Radio 1\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe - \u003cb\u003eRon Cook\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe - \u003cb\u003eMonica Dolan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRough for Radio 2\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnimator - \u003cb\u003eStephen Dillane\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStenographer - \u003cb\u003eLouise Brealey\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFox - \u003cb\u003eBrian Protheroe\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDick - \u003cb\u003eNick Underwood\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWords and Music\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCroak - \u003cb\u003eIan McKellen\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWords - \u003cb\u003eCarl Prekopp\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCascando\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVoice - \u003cb\u003eStanley Townsend\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpener - \u003cb\u003eDavid Seddon\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDirected by Gaynor Macfarlane\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMusic composed and directed by Roger Goula\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eComposer's assistant: Jessica Jones\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMusic performed by Kit Downes (piano), Georgia Hannant (violin), Oli Langford (viola), Nicola Baigent (bass clarinet), Michael Liu (flute), Raphael Lang (cello), Jessica Jones (synth)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 3, 2 October 2016\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin UK","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":67151016526128,"sku":"BD15gv","price":11.67,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/15gv-Square-cover.jpg?v=1782498531","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-15gv","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}