Warhorses of Letters: Complete Series 1-3 cover art

Warhorses of Letters: Complete Series 1-3

The Poignant BBC Radio 4 Comedy

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About this listen

Stephen Fry, Daniel Rigby and Tamsin Greig star in all three series of the poignant BBC Radio 4 comedy drama.

Warhorses of Letters is the world's finest and best-loved equine, military, epistolary romance, comprising the newly discovered love letters between two horses united by passion but cruelly divided by conflict.

Set against the sweeping backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, these 12 episodes introduce us to Copenhagen, the Duke of Wellington's frisky young racehorse, and his hero, Marengo, the seasoned, famous and just-a-little-bit-short mount of Emperor Napoleon.

From the early days of the Peninsular Campaign to the Battle of Waterloo and its aftermath, we follow our horse heroes as their romance blossoms, their fortunes fluctuate and uncertainty and jealousy put strains on their burgeoning relationship. Can they ever be truly together, or are they doomed to remain sundered by fate?

Written by Robert Hudson and Marie Phillips, this moving, surreal comedy stars Stephen Fry as Marengo and Daniel Rigby as Copenhagen, with Tamsin Greig as the narrator. Totally unique and utterly entertaining, it will appeal to all lovers of horses, history and humour.

Duration: 2 hours, 50 mins approx.

©2016 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2016 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd Fiction Historical Fiction Comedy Funny Witty Romance
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An hilarious, moving and clever story that I'll definitely listen to again and again. Absolutely loved it and the actors were the perfect choices.

Loved it!

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I love the history of the Napoleonic wars, and the secret correspondence of Marengo and Copenhagen is just hilarious, full of wit and caustic commentary. For history enthusiasts and anyone who enjoys British humour.

Had me in stitches all along

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I love listening to this over and over! it's comforting to know horses have the same relationship struggles as us. amazing performances from both!

super funny, really touching and perfectly phrased

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Very cleverly written and the performances are amazing - one of the funniest things I have listened to in a very, very, long time. Bizarre concept and initially I thought "what?!" but reading the reviews and being a fan of both Fry and Rigby I thought I try, and man was I glad I did. Highly recommended!

Increadibly funny

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Oh my horsey god - this must sit alongside the greatest R4 comedies - funny, intelligent, and beautifully voiced by Stephen Fry and Daniel Rigby the writers have managed to sustain the most unlikely premise for close on three hours. Stephen Fry in particular turns in an incredibly nuanced performance as Marengo with deft pauses and changes of pace that highlight just how clever the script is and what a superb voice actor he is.

Although it's very funny to read other Audible reviews that are 'disgusted' about the horse sex (not graphic or perverted horse sex) it is nothing to frighten the... ...well... horses. In fact you kind of think that the writers themselves might have written that one as a wheeze.

My favourite moment came at the end with Marengo slyly taking the piss out of Copenhagen with a reference to Marcel Proust's 'In Search of Lost Nuts'. And cheers to the R4 commissioning editor who gave it the green light. Would that there were more idiosyncratic brilliance like this on Radio 4.

The very best of radio comedy

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