Description

Fullcast BBC adaptations of Oliver Goldsmiths two most famous works

AngloIrish author Oliver Goldsmith was one of the most accomplished writers of the 18^th century A novelist playwright poet and essayist he came to fame with his novel The Vicar of Wakefield and comic play She Stoops to Conquer Both those classics are included here with star casts including Julia McKenzie Amanda Root Peter Jeffrey and Sunny Ormonde

She Stoops to Conquer Misunderstandings and mistaken identity are at the heart of this funny farcical comedy of manners in which a London gentleman looking for love finds himself the butt of a mischievous prank Shy young Marlow comes to court Kate Hardcastle at her fathers house in the Yorkshire Dales but is fooled into believing that Liberty Hall is an inn and his prospective bride a barmaid Luckily for both while Marlow is tonguetied in the presence of a lady he can be his charming confident self with a commoner and the sassy independent Kate is happy to pretend if it means she can win his heart

The Vicar of Wakefield Part morality tale part satire of the sentimental novel Goldsmiths 1766 masterpiece recounts the humorous adventures of the naive everoptimistic Rev Charles Primrose who lives contentedly in the countryside with his wife and six children When he loses his fortune to a swindler he sets off with his despairing family through storms and floods to embrace a life of poverty in a rural Pennine parish But as disaster piles upon calamity the vicar finds his faith severely tested can he face up to adversity and come through unscathed

She Stoops to Conquer
Mrs Hardcastle Julia McKenzie
Mr Hardcastle Clive Francis
Kate Hardcastle Amanda Root
Tony Lumpkin Adrian Scarborough
Sir Charles Marlow Norman Rodway
Young Marlow Martin Ball
Hastings Jonathan Cake
Constance Neville Cathy Sara
Landlord/Jeremy Terry Molloy
Diggory/Master Muggins Ian Brooker
Pimple/Barmaid Naomi Harris
Roger/Master Slang Richard Neale
Adapted and directed by Sue Wilson
Music composed and performed by Anthea Gomez piano with Martha Ann Brooks trombone and Katherine Gittings violin
First broadcast BBC Radio 3 18 June 2000

The Vicar of Wakefield
Rev Charies Primrose Peter Jeffrey
Deborah Primrose Sunny Ormonde
Squire Thornhill Michael Cochrane
Burchell Anthony Pedley
Lady Blarney Tina Gray
Miss Skeggs Sara Coward
Ephraim Jenkinson Christopher Scott
Olivia Primrose Susan Jeffrey
George Primrose Iwan Thomas
Arabella Wilmot Lisa Kay
Sophia Primrose Laura Strachan
Moses Primrose James Richard
Farmer Flamborough Terry Molloy
Actor/Innkeeper John Webb
Actress/Landlady Gillian Goodman
Gaoler Kim Durham
Adapted by Christopher Denys
Directed by Sue Wilson
First broadcast BBC Radio 4 317 October 1999

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