Faye Marsay reads the highly anticipated memoir of England Women's football star and BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022, Beth Mead. Beth was the Player of the Tournament and Golden Boot winner at the 2022 Women's Euros and her memoir recounts the challenges that shaped her, the professional and personal difficulties she faced on the journey to the top of Women’s football, and the life events that made her stronger. From battling the restrictions to playing football in her childhood to the pinnacle of winning England's first major trophy in almost 60 years this memoir is equally honest, inspiring, heart-breaking, and empowering.
A story of love in a time of war, starring Maxine Peake.
Barcelona, 1930s: Natalia, a pretty, naïve shop girl from the working-class quarter of Gracia, is hesitant when a stranger asks her to dance at the fiesta in Diamond Square. But Quimet is charming and forceful and she takes his hand. They marry and have two children, although Quimet proves an unpredictable husband. He gives her the nickname of Colometa, meaning Little Pigeon, and breeds the birds in their apartment.
Set against the backdrop of the turbulent years of the Spanish Republic and Civil War, Natalia experiences the conflict from a city in turmoil as she fights for her and her children’s survival.
Written in exile from Franco’s dictatorship by Mercè Rodoreda, the novel has been translated into 28 languages, produced in Spain as a film and TV series, and is taught as part of the school curriculum. Gabriel García Márquez learnt Catalan just to be able to read it in its original language.
The novel has been adapted for radio by Hattie Naylor, a multi-award winning scriptwriter and audio dramatist. Her gothic thriller Dead Weather won Best Drama, Best Actress and Best Supporting Performance at the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2022. She won the Tinniswood Award for Best Radio Script for Ivan and the Dogs which also picked up an Olivier nomination and has been adapted as a film.
Cast: Natalia (Colometa) ….. Maxine Peake Quimet ….. Will Howard Mateu ….. Luke Jerdy Cintet ….. Liam Garrigan Mrs Enriqueta ….. Jane Slavin Julieta ….. Faye Marsay
Other voices played by the cast
Written by Mercè Rodoreda Adapted for radio by Hattie Naylor from the translation by Peter Bush
Sound Design ….. Adam Woodhams Mix ….. Steve Bond
Executive Producer ….. Sara Davies
Directed and produced by Nicolas Jackson
An Afonica production for BBC Radio 4
Cast: Tess ..... Faye Marsay Angel ..... Matthew Tennyson Alec ..... Robert Emms Marian ..... Bettrys Jones Izzy ..... Kathleen Cranham Felix ..... Hasan Dixon Cuthbert ..... Chris Lew Kum Hoi Joan ..... Maggie Service Jack ..... Roger Ringrose Abraham ..... Aaron Gelkoff Liza Lu ..... Ell Potter Isaac ..... Noah Leggott Lily ..... Tayla Hutchinson Kingsbere Man ..... David Seddon Farmer ..... John Lightbody Labourer ..... Tony Turner Driver ..... David Sturzaker Neighbour ..... Jessica Turner Mrs Brooks ..... Jane Slavin
Be sure to listen to Episode Two, which will be made available today.
Cast: TESS ..... Faye Marsay ANGEL ..... Matthew Tennyson CRICK ..... John Dougall IZZY ..... Kathleen Cranham MARIAN ..... Bettrys Jones RETTY ..... Ell Potter CHARWOMAN ..... Alex Tregear JOAN DURBEYFIELD ..... Maggie Service MRS CRICK ..... Elizabeth Counsell MAN at the Inn ..... Hasan Dixon FARMER ..... John Lightbody STRANGER ..... Chris Lew Kum Hoi JONATHAN ..... David Seddon
New three-part dramatisation of Thomas Hardy's novel about beautiful, poor, young Dorset woman Tess Durbeyfield, told from Tess's point of view. In today's episode, Tess's father is convinced that the family's fortunes are about to improve.
Cast TESS ..... Faye Marsay ANGEL ..... Matthew Tennyson ALEC ..... Robert Emms ROSIE ..... Bettrys Jones CAR D'ARCY ..... Alex Tregear FELIX ..... Hasan Dixon CUTHBERT ..... Chris Lew Kum Hoi JOAN DURBEYFIELD ..... Maggie Service JACK DURBEYFIELD ..... Roger Ringrose ABRAHAM ..... Aaron Gelkoff ELIZABETH/ LIZA LU ..... Ell Potter ISAAC ..... Noah Leggott LILY ..... Tayla Hutchinson MRS D’URBERVILLE ..... Elizabeth Counsell TOM ..... David Seddon PARSON ..... Tony Turner
Author, Thomas Hardy Dramatist, Katie Hims Musical arrangement, Colin Guthrie Hardy adviser, Professor Graham White Director, Mary Peate
NOTES:
During 2021 on Radio 4, Hardy’s Women takes a fresh look at some of the novels of Thomas Hardy through the eyes of his female protagonists. Tess of the D’Urbervilles is the first dramatisation. Later titles include Jude the Obscure, The Woodlanders, The Hand of Ethelberta and Two on a Tower.
Faye is narrating the new book Very Nearly Normal by Hannah Sunderland which comes out in the UK on May 15th. Some info on the book:
Effie's not perfect. Neither is Theo. But together, they're pretty close. Matilda 'Effie' Heaton has always felt like she's swimming against the tide. Everyone around her has life sorted, but Effie's living with her parents and crying into a wine bottle at night. The only thing she loves is her job at a bookshop, where she can lose herself in other people's stories.
But then she meets Theo, who knows only too well that life isn't something to take for granted.
Because Theo has a life-changing secret, and as Effie starts to realise that she's falling in love instead of falling apart, fate steps in and deals her a new hand. And this time, the stakes are high.
A gorgeous, heart-breaking read for fans of Jojo Moyes and Gail Honeyman.
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers ISBN: 9780008365707 Number of pages: 400 Weight: 270 g
Source: twitter.com
Faye speaks with Antony Collins - Starts at the 1:47:20 (For about 1 minute), again at 2:31:00-2:36:00, & finally at 2:39:25-2:42:00
Source: BBC
Faye narrates as Beth in “Hello Stranger” by Michael Hughes
Source: BBC
