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Bleak Expectations

The Complete BBC Radio 4 Series

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About this listen

The complete collected series 1-5 of the gloriously daft Victorian romp Bleak Expectations.

Gasp at the evil Mr Gently Benevolent, played by Mr Anthony Head! Weep at the trials of our young hero, Pip Bin, played by Master Tom Allen! Be moved to joy and sorrow by the remarkable narration of Mr Richard Johnson! Swoon at the fragile beauty of Pip's poor mama, played by Miss Celia Imrie! Wonder at the thespian prowess of Mr Geoffrey Whitehead as six different siblings! Follow the remarkable adventures of young Pip Bin as he struggles to rescue himself and his sisters from the schemes of his evil and badly named guardian, Mr Gently Benevolent, and the blood-curdling Hardthrasher family.

Immerse yourself in a timeless epic featuring terrifying schools, even worse prisons, opium dens, disguises, court cases, shipwrecks, underwater squirrels and swashbuckling long-lost aunts. Revel in the many fine quips, characters and scenarios written by Mr Mark Evans and produced by Mr Gareth Edwards, previously renowned for their craftsmanship on the works of Messrs Mitchell and Webb.

Series 1: Televised as The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff on the BBC. Episodes: 'A Childhood Cruelly Kippered', 'An Adolescence Utterly Trashed', 'A Youth Utterly Crocked', 'A Young Adult Bitterly Dismantled', 'A Young Love Mercilessly Dismembered', 'A Life Sadly Smashed Then Happily Restored a Bit'.

Series 2: 'A Happy Life Cruelly Re-Kippered', 'A Re-Kippered Life Smashed Some More', 'A Recovery Made Miserable', 'A Restoration Re-Ruined Only Even Worse', 'An Already Bad Life Made Worse but Sort of on Purpose', 'A Happy Life Broken' and 'Then Mended a Bit'.

Series 3: 'A Lovely Life Re-Kippered Again Once More', 'A Now Grim Life yet More Grimmified', 'A Sort of Fine Life De-Niced Completely', 'A Horrible Life Un-Ruined and Then Re-Ruined Again', 'An Evil Life Sort of Explained', 'Lives Lost', 'Ruined Wrecked' and 'Redeemed'.

Series 4: 'A Tolerable Life De-Happified', 'A New-Spoiled Life Smashed Some More', 'A Wretched Life Made Much, Much Sadder', 'A Painful Life Re-Miserablised', 'A Now Tricky Life Woefully Miseried Up', 'A Life Destroyed then Repaired and Re-Happied'.

Series 5: 'A Pleasant Yet Dull Life Re-Evilled', 'A Re-Excited Life Made Distinctly Dangerous', 'An Alrightish Life Savagely Frozen to Bits', 'A Writerly Life Made Dreadfully Different', 'A Terrifying Life Made Even Scarier a Bit Some More', 'A Loved-Up Life Potentially Totally Annihilated'.

Audio updated as of February 2020.

©2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Classics Funny Thought-Provoking Witty Feel-Good

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I bought this because I thought it included a series 5 as written in the description, as I already own series 1-4. however, if you look at the actual book cover it's Series 1 to 4 not 1-5

misleading description (Fixed)

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This radio series was a lot of fun to listen to, an interesting story and concept with enjoyable voices and characters. I loved how the whole thing was a story making fun of Dickens and victorian life in general. On the whole this was a laugh from beginning to end.

A funny and enjoyable radio series.

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Well written, well acted, excellent entertainment. I would thoroughly recommend this book.
The comic timing and delivery of the dialogue is absolutely brilliant.

Excellent entertainment

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Absolutely loved this, it was hilarious and always found new ways to make me laugh

Brilliant

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This has been my favourite radio series for some time and I'm so glad to have them all in one place!

The best radio comedy since 'The Goon Show'

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Possibly the funiest radio sitcoms I've ever listened too. If you've enjoyed things like Elven Quest and The Castle. This is another gem.

Brilliant

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But with it's own surreal logic. Love all 5 series but glad it didn't carry on and go stale.

Completely bonkers

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Shame some of the editing was so intrusive, and sounded like badly stretched cassette tape.

Swanalicious

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I think i must have listened to this 20 times now. it was played aloud while as a family we painted my sons new flat, while I travelled in a camper van across New Zealand, and with earphones while landscaping my garden, among other times. It is silly and joyous and amazing, all improved massively by the excellent timing of the cast and their incredible acting abilities. Please listen, you will be so glad you did

it's humour and utter stupidity

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes

Who was your favorite character and why?

There are 217 chapters!

Any additional comments?

What were they thinking in using chapter lengths of such short length??? Some chapters are less than 1 minute long while others stretch to a more normal 20+ minutes - the sheer amount of miniature chapters though results in a "blip" in playback , rather like an old record skipping. Really annoying , REALLY ANNOYING! Please fix it so we can download again and enjoy it properly.

Exellent but spoilt by the bizarre chapter length.

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