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Judi Dench and Michael Williams: With Great Pleasure
- Narrated by: Judi Dench, Michael Williams
- Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Poetry
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In 1911, in the Scottish Border village of Sprouston, the young parish minister wrote to the Daily Mail for entry forms for its sweet pea competition. The top prize was a staggering £1000 and organisers predicted that as many as 15,000 would enter. He could not foretell that the paper's estimate of the number of competitors would be more than doubled, or that a fortnight before the deadline a nation-wide drought would threaten the very existence of the sweet peas he was so painstakingly cultivating.
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And Furthermore
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From the moment Judi Dench appeared as a teenager in the York Mystery Plays, it was clear that acting would be her career. Trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama it was her performance in her twenties as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's memorable Old Vic production that turned her into a star. In the theatre since she has played every classic role from Titania (three times, most recently in 2010) to Cleopatra.
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A must listen biography
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Summary
Two archive BBC Radio programmes in which Judi Dench and Michael Williams, accompanied by friends John Moffatt and Alec McCowen, read a cornucopia of poetry and prose.
In this enchanting pair of programmes from 1991 and 1996, Dame Judi Dench and husband Michael Williams shared an eclectic selection of pieces that they loved, admired or simply found entertaining.
'With Great Pleasure' saw Judi Dench and Michael Williams joined by fellow actor Alec McCowen to read some of the literature that shaped their lives. Among the poems included are
- Sylvia Plath’s ‘Morning Song', ‘Fern Hill’ by Dylan Thomas, and Charlotte Mitchell’s ‘Just in Case’, and there are extracts from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, Alan Bennett’s The Lady in the Van, and Alec McCowen’s Young Gemini.
Fond and Familiar was a true variety show featuring Dench, Williams, and acclaimed actor John Moffatt. Together they performed verses, ballads, limericks, stories, nursery rhymes, and epitaphs, ranging from the comic to the deeply moving.
Featuring old favourites such as ‘The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God', ‘Mandalay', and ‘Billy’s Rose', as well as less well-known gems that are nonetheless remembered with affection, this collection of ‘party pieces’ will surprise, inspire and delight.
What listeners say about Judi Dench and Michael Williams: With Great Pleasure
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Arlene
- 01-05-16
Sublime
Absolutely fabulous performance. It is funny, moving, entertaining and thought provoking. I'm grateful it's forever preserved in my Audible.
2 people found this helpful
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- Sallie50
- 30-03-15
Great to hear these voices again!
Can't go wrong with Judi Dench!
Great variety, even singing.
I want more -- wishing for 2007 Xmas show on BBC.
2 people found this helpful
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- Lucy B
- 12-08-18
Beautiful performances but disappointing content
I bought this hoping for an entire collection of poetry and Shakespeare and there is both but there is also quite a few limericks and that bawdy English stuff I really don’t like - and had I known I wouldn’t have bought it. So just be aware of that when you purchase it.
1 person found this helpful
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- MYRA
- 26-06-18
Just what I needed to brighten my day.
I feel like two friends came for drinks and dinner then launched into a back and forth reading! They gave just the right amount of commentary between wonderful selections from all over the map. Thank you, Judi and Michael. I will be listening to this many more times.