Bill Nighy

That morning, Jim Sams, clever but by no means profound, woke from uneasy dreams to find himself transformed into a gigantic creature. Jim Sams has undergone a metamorphosis. In his previous life he was ignored or loathed, but in his new incarnation he is the most powerful man in Britain - and it is his mission to carry out the will of the people. Nothing must get in his way: not the opposition, nor the dissenters within his own party. Not even the rules of parliamentary democracy. With trademark intelligence, insight and scabrous humour, Ian McEwan pays tribute to Franz Kafka's most famous work to engage with a world turned on its head.

On a dark winter's night in 1970, Horley and Grinstead huddle for warmth in the Senior Common Room of a college in Oxford. Conversation turns to the two impressive works of art that Horley has recently added to his collection. What the two men don't know is that these pieces are connected in mysterious and improbable ways; and they are about to be caught in the cross-fire of a story which has travelled time and worlds.

Eight incisive dramas by the internationally-renowned playwright - plus bonus interview

Writer and director David Hare is one of England's leading political dramatists, celebrated for his many award-winning plays analysing the morality of contemporary Britain. This collection comprises some of his most acclaimed pieces, as well as a fascinating radio interview with Hare himself.

It opens with his two acknowledged masterpieces: Plenty and Amy's View. These mesmerising dramas, both spanning several decades, present vivid portraits of strong women diminished by circumstance, metaphorically evoking the changing values and collapsing ideals of the postwar period. These are followed by Knuckle, a fast-paced parody of the American hardboiled thriller set in the Home Counties; and Pravda, co-written with Howard Brenton, a satirical comedy about a monstrous media tycoon.

Also included are The Bay at Nice, set in 1950s Russia and exploring the nature of art and freedom; Skylight, about the reunion between a Thatcherite entrepreneur and his onetime mistress; Racing Demon, the first in a trilogy of plays about British institutions, focusing on the Church of England in crisis; and the play in which Hare made his acting debut: the powerful monologue Via Dolorosa, a meditation on his extraordinary 1997 trip to Israel and Palestine.

Among the stellar cast: Jane Lapotalre, Zoë Wanamaker, Judi Dench, Samantha Bond, Anthony Hopkins, Bill Nighy, Robert Glenister, Stephen Tompkinson, Ronald Pickup, Geoffrey Palmer, Stella Gonet & Paul McGann.

In an interview for the World Service arts programme Meridian, David Hare talks about why he enjoys writing good parts for women, what he believes plays can achieve that other media cannot, and the capacity of art to change society.

Production credits
Written by David Hare.
Pravda written by David Hare and Howard Brenton.
Text copyright © David Hare 1974 (Knuckle), 1978 (Plenty), 1986 (The Bay at Nice), 1990 (Racing Demon), 1995 (Skylight), 1997 (Amy's View), 1998 (Via Dolorosa). Pravda text copyright © David Hare and Howard Brenton 1985.
All rights reserved.
Special thanks to The British Library and Keith Wickham for sourcing audio files.

Content list


1. Plenty
2. Amy's View
3. Knuckle
4. Pravda
5. The Bay at Nice
6. Skylight
7. Racing Demon
8. Via Dolorosa

Bonus interview
Meridian: David Hare
First broadcast BBC World Service, 21 October 1991

A funny rhyming story about a reluctant Koala who finds change just a little bit worrisome.

In a wonderful place, at the breaking of dawn, where the breezes were soft and the sunshine was warm, a place where the creatures ran wild and played free . . . a koala called Kevin clung to a tree.

Kevin likes to keep things the same. Exactly the same. But when change comes along uninvited one day, Kevin discovers that life can be new and wonderful!

The Koala Who Could was the winner of the Evening Standard's Oscar's Prize and the Sainsbury's Book Prize.

A funny rhyming story about a meek little Mouse who sets out on a journey to find his roar.

In a dry dusty place where the sand sparkled gold, stood a mighty flat rock - all craggy and old. And under that rock in a tinyful house, lived the littlest, quietest, meekest brown mouse.

Fed up of being ignored by the other animals, Mouse wishes he could roar like Lion. But, as he discovers, even the biggest, bossiest people are scared sometimes . . . and even the smallest creatures can have the heart of a lion!

A modern classic, The Lion Inside has sold over 200,000 copies in the UK alone and been translated into over 30 languages worldwide.

He's a self-made millionaire, head of the Moonraker rocket programme and loved by the press. So why is Sir Hugo Drax cheating at cards? Bond has just five days to uncover the sinister truth behind a national hero.

Consisting of four novels - Some Do Not..., No More Parades, A Man Could Stand Up and The Last Post - Parade's End is the story of Christopher Tietjens and his progress from the secure world of Edwardian England into the First World War and beyond. Both a portrait of a love triangle - between Tietjens, his beautiful and reckless wife Sylvia, and the suffragette Valentine - and a depiction of life on the Western Front, Parade's End is one of the greatest fictional works of the twentieth century. Ranging from the drawing rooms of England to the trenches of France, and moving between past and present, it is a haunting exploration of identity, loss and memory.

A funny rhyming story about two greedy squirrels.

Cyril and Bruce both have their sights on a very special prize: The Very Last Nut of the Season. As the nut bounces crazily though the forest, the squirrels race after it.

Between trees, over boulders, down the river and - ARGH! - right to the edge of a waterfall! Working together might be the only way to save themselves now . . .

A laugh-out-loud tale about friendship and sharing from the bestselling creators of The Lion Inside and The Koala Who Could.

A feel-good tale of friendship set in the snowy Arctic from the creators of the bestselling, multi-award-winning The Lion Inside and The Koala Who Could.

Wilf is as strong and independent as a wolf cub can be. He doesn't need help from his friends and family - whatever it is, he can do it ALL BY HIMSELF. But when Wilf finds himself lost and alone in the snow and chill of an Arctic night, he discovers something important - sometimes we all need the help of a friend to keep us safe and show us the way.

A stunning undersea tale of friendship, community and discovery from the bestselling creators of The Lion Inside.

Under glittering waves of a vast ocean blue, a beautiful world is hidden from view.
And there, in the cool and the quiet of the deep, a great, gentle giant was stirring from sleep . . .

Humphrey the whale is on a quest: to find the one perfect object that will make him feel complete. He roams far and wide, gathering endless undersea treasure as he goes. Yet, no matter how many goodies he accumulates, Humphrey still doesn't feel content. Could it be friendship, not possessions, that will really make Humphrey's heart sing?

A sparkling rhyming tale that encourages sharing and kindness, this heartwarming story of friendship is perfect for listening to with family and friends.