{"product_id":"book-k22f","title":"The King Must Die","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn epic eleven-part adaptation of Mary Renault’s ‘Theseus’ novels\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWidely considered as one of the finest historical novelists of the 20th century, Mary Renault brought the ancient world alive, turning age-old myths of gods and monsters into compelling human stories. In \u003ci\u003eThe King Must Die\u003c\/i\u003e and its sequel, \u003ci\u003eThe Bull from the Sea\u003c\/i\u003e, she retells the legend of Theseus, one of the greatest heroes of Ancient Greece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis enthralling radio adaptation comprises both classic books, charting Theseus’ journey as he leaves the city of his birth and travels through mainland Greece in a quest to discover his true identity and destiny. Brought up in Trolzen, where his grandfather is king, he believes he was fathered by the god Poseidon. But on his 17th birthday, the secret of his parentage is revealed, and his adventures begin.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCrowned year-king of Eleusis, he escapes certain death and voyages to Athens to meet his father, King Aegeus, and claim his heritage. Instead, he becomes a slave and bull-dancer in Minoan Crete – and finds himself facing the malignant Minotaurus in the Labyrinth deep beneath the Palace of Knossos. Returning to Greece, Theseus becomes High King of Attica, but the Fates are not done with him yet. Ahead of him lie dangerous escapades, life-changing encounters, a treacherous betrayal and the fulfilment of a tragic prophecy...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGary Bond\u003c\/b\u003e stars as Theseus, with an ensemble cast including \u003cb\u003eCarole Boyd, Frances Jeater, Petra Markham, David March, Clifford Rose, Maureen O’Brien\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eSarah Badel\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eText copyright © Mary Renault 1958 (\u003ci\u003eThe King Must Die\u003c\/i\u003e), 1962 (\u003ci\u003eThe Bull from the Sea\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eProduction credits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten by Mary Renault\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDramatised by Michael Bakewell\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDirected by David Spenser\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMusic by Christos Pittas\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eCast\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheseus – \u003cb\u003eGary Bond\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePittheus – \u003cb\u003eJohn Westbrook\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAithra\/Old priestess – \u003cb\u003eCarole Boyd\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheseus (as a boy) – \u003cb\u003eIan Bura\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeiros I\/Man\/Telemon – \u003cb\u003eJohn Webb\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQueen of Eleusis – \u003cb\u003eFrances Jeater\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBias\/Baron – \u003cb\u003eSteve Hodson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKannadls – \u003cb\u003eNigel Graham\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAegeus\/Pholilos – \u003cb\u003eEric Allan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePriestess\/Woman\/Medea – \u003cb\u003eJean Trend\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimo – \u003cb\u003eStewart Wright\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmyntor – \u003cb\u003eAlex Jennings\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePallans\/Kentaur – \u003cb\u003eSpencer Banks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKerkyon – \u003cb\u003eDavid Peart\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHypsenor\/Page – \u003cb\u003eRichard Bates\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eXanthos – \u003cb\u003eJohn Livesey\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePylas – \u003cb\u003ePhilip Sully\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePriestess\/Nephele – \u003cb\u003eFiona Walker\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAntiklaea\/Chryse\/Girl – \u003cb\u003ePauline Siddle\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMenesthes – \u003cb\u003eStuart Organ\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSkopas\/Sirios – \u003cb\u003eDavid Banks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLukos – \u003cb\u003eDavid Gooderson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAriadne – \u003cb\u003ePetra Markham\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAsterion – \u003cb\u003eDavid March\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhormion – \u003cb\u003eJohn Bull\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHippon\/Messenger\/Page – \u003cb\u003eRichard Huw\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMelantho – \u003cb\u003eJane Knowles\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAktor – \u003cb\u003eWilliam Eedle\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThebe\/Macaria – \u003cb\u003eSarah Finch\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHelike – \u003cb\u003eJill Lidstone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRhene\/Girl – \u003cb\u003ePip Mayo\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePylia\/Naxian girl\/Molpadia\/Girl – \u003cb\u003eMoir Leslie\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Corinthian\/Pyilenor – \u003cb\u003eClive Panto\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThalestris – \u003cb\u003eElizabeth Lindsay\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMinos – \u003cb\u003eClifford Rose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIros\/Page\/Charioteer – \u003cb\u003eTrevor Brohier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhaedra – \u003cb\u003eMaureen O’Brien\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePirithoos – \u003cb\u003eJames Kerry\/Malcolm Stoddard\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHippolyta – \u003cb\u003eSarah Badel\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHippolytos – \u003cb\u003eSusan Sheridan\/Christopher Guard\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAkamas – \u003cb\u003ePiers Maxim\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith Rosalind Adams, Peter Baldwin, Sean Barrett, James Bryce, Adrian Egan, Vanessa Forsyth, Kerry Francis, Madi Hedd, Richard Hum, Michael Jenner, Esmond Knight, Trevor Martin, David Peart, Margaret Robertson, Howard Samuels, Danny Schiller, Hilda Schroder, Michael Spice, David Timson, Stephen Thorne, Michael Tudor Barnes and Jane Wenham\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 June-14 August 1983\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin UK","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":49793628307760,"sku":"BDk22f","price":14.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/666815-k22f-Square.jpg?v=1746848844","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-k22f","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}