Pygmalion A Brand New BBC Radio 4 Drama Plus the Story of the Play's Scandalous Opening Night

by Unknown

• ISBN13: 9781787531529
• ISBN10: 178753152X
• Format: CD
• Copyright: 2018-08-02
• Publisher: BBC Physical Audio

Summary

A star-studded BBC radio production of Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion – plus bonus drama The ‘B’ Word, telling the story of the play’s scandalous opening night

Irascible phonetics professor Henry Higgins makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can train Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle to talk ‘like a lady’ and pass as a duchess at the Ambassador’s Ball. As the day of reckoning approaches, can Eliza convince the assembled aristocrats that she’s one of them? And what will become of her afterwards?

This effervescent radio version of Shaw’s classic comedy features a stellar cast, including award-winning comedians Alistair McGowan as Henry Higgins, Morgana Robinson as Eliza Doolittle and Al Murray as Alfred Doolittle.

Also featured on this release is The ‘B’ Word, written by and starring Alistair McGowan as Bernard Shaw. Centring on the shocking opening night of Pygmalion – the first time that the word ‘bloody' was used on the British stage – it also explores the passionate love-hate relationship between Shaw; his leading man, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree (Richard McCabe) and his leading lady, Mrs Patrick Campbell (Charlotte Page), who played the 19-year-old Eliza Doolittle at the age of 49.

Cast and credits

Pygmalion
Henry Higgins……………………Alistair McGowan
Eliza Doolittle……………………Morgana Robinson
Alfred Doolittle……………………Al Murray
Colonel Pickering……………………Hugh Fraser
Mrs Higgins……………………Siân Phillips
Mrs Pearce/Maid……………………Charlotte Page
Mrs Eynsford-Hill……………………Georgie Glen
Clara Eynsford-Hill……………………Maeve Bluebell Wells
Freddy Eynsford-Hill.....……………………Tom Forrister
Nepommuck……………………David Sturzaker
Ambassador……………………John Dougall
Ambassador's wife……………………Sarah Ridgeway
Bystander……………………David Sterne
Written by Bernard Shaw
Produced and directed by Emma Harding

The ‘B’ Word
Bernard Shaw……………………Alistair McGowan
George Alexander……………………David Sturzaker
Mrs Patrick Campbell.....……………………Charlotte Page
Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree……………………Richard McCabe
Charlotte Shaw……………………Georgie Glen
Merivale……………………Philip Fox
Gurney/Fishman……………………Simon Ludders
Bell……………………Charlie Clements
Maid……………………Sarah Ridgeway
Written by Alistair McGowan
Produced and directed by Emma Harding
Production Coordinator: Jenny Mendez
Studio Managers: Alison Craig, Caleb Knightley and Thomas Glasser

Duration: 2 hours 45 mins approx.

Author Biography

George Bernard Shaw was one of the greatest 20th Century dramatists. He wrote over 60 plays, including Arms and the Man (1894), Man and Superman (1903), Pygmalion (1912-13) and Saint Joan (1923). In addition, he also authored five novels and two collections of short stories. He is the only person to have been honoured with both a Nobel Prize for Literature (1925) and an Academy Award (1938, for Pygmalion). Shaw was offered a knighthood, but turned it down, as he refused most awards. He died in 1950, aged 94.

Al Murray is one of the most successful and recognisable comedians in the UK and best known for his stand-up persona, The Pub Landlord. He has won the Perrier Award in 1999, the British Comedy Award for Al Murray's Happy Hour in 2007 and My Gaff, My Rules was short-listed for a Laurence Olivier Award in 2002.