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The Complete Barchester Chronicles

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The Complete Barchester Chronicles

By: Anthony Trollope
Narrated by: Alex Jennings, Amanda Root, Anna Massey, Brenda Blethyn, David Haig, Eleanor Bron, Emma Fielding, Full Cast, Kenneth Cranham, Leo McKern, Rosemary Leach, Simon Russell Beale
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About this listen

The acclaimed BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Anthony Trollope's gently satirical tales of provincial life

One of the most respected, successful chroniclers of nineteenth-century life, Anthony Trollope is still widely read and much-loved today. The Barchester Chronicles - witty moral comedies with a wonderful range of characters - are among his most popular tales.

The first in the series, The Warden, finds Rev. Harding forced to question the moral basis of the life he is leading; and in the sequel, Barchester Towers, the Reverend is now plain Mr Harding, bound up in a tale of intrigue, hypocrisy and ambition that will delight the listener.

Dr Thorne is a gripping drama of wealth and wedlock; while Framley Parsonage tells the story of a naive, ambitious young clergyman whose unwise associations bring him to the brink of ruin. The Small House at Allington explores the power of devotion, in the form of Lily Dale’s love for self-seeking Adolphus Crosbie.

Finally, The Last Chronicle of Barset sees the most popular characters from Trollope’s earlier novels, including the Proudies, Lily, Mr Harding and Archdeacon Grantly, reunited in a moving tale of honesty triumphing over hypocrisy.

Nearly twenty hours of ironic, witty and wonderfully written drama is contained in this collection. With a star cast including Brenda Blethyn, Eleanor Bron, Kenneth Cranham, Anna Massey, Leo McKern, Simon Russell Beale, Amanda Root, Alex Jennings, David Haig, Rosemary Leach and Emma Fielding, it is guaranteed to appeal to all fans of Trollope’s comic masterpieces.

© 2008 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P) 2008 BBC Audiobooks Ltd

©2008 BBC Audiobooks Ltd; (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks Ltd Drama & Plays Entertainment & Performing Arts European Literature & Fiction World Literature Witty Funny Thought-Provoking Feel-Good Entertainment Adaptation

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All stars
Most relevant
This dramatisation was pure pleasure from begining to end. The cream of British actors portraying the idosyncrasies of the British character as portrayed by one of this countries best writers - what utter joy! And so funny too, I had no idea that Trollope was laugh out loud funny.
PS However, I did get a little frustrated with a couple of the subserviant women...

PURE PLEASURE

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This is a must read. The dramatisation is brilliant and I simply couldn't put this down. I am now hooked on Anthony Trollope because of this.

The Best Anthony Trollope collection ever

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I hadn't read any Trollope for many years, and then I think I gave up Barchester Towers half way through. After hearing this dramatisation I looked at the books again, and it confirmed my impression that the style is too plain to sustain the average modern reader through such complex (and sometimes repetitive) plots. But this dramatisation was compulsive listening - often very funny (plenty of laugh out loud moments) and often quite moving. I even found myself starting to feel sorry for Mrs Proudie when she was dying - a tribute to the superb character acting - though this sentimental aberration was soon corrected by Archdeacon Grantley's response to the news of her death. If I have a criticism it is that Bishop Proudie was too pathetic and under her control from the start; I couldn't imagine him ever being elected to any position of authority, and he is a rather stronger character in the books. But this is a small blemish on a delightful mixture of satire and sentiment which brilliantly conveys Trollope's ability to create characters who are both of their time and universally relevant: you recognise many people you know today in these stories, despite their very different social circumstances.

Humour and sentiment - and still recognisable.

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One of my earliest Audible purchases and still among the most memorable. I often return to dip into the novels again. A beautiful production catching the humour, drama and poignancy of Thackery. The quality of the acting is superb and an excellent way to enter the span of this classic sequence. Do not hesitate to enjoy this production whether you are already a lover of the major nineteenth century novels or a newcomer to this world.

A classic

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Would you listen to The Complete Barchester Chronicles (Dramatisation) again? Why?

The characters in these gentle stories, centred around the Cathedral town of Barchester, display a fascinating range of emotions and characteristics and for me the stories could easily be listened to again. Although gently paced there is always a very real human dilemma facing someone and you quickly become engrossed in all these little nineteenth century dramas.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Who could forget the honest and tender hearted Mr Harding, Mrs Proudy, the dreadful wife of the Bishop and above all the cringe-making Obadiah Slope! Wonderful!

What does Anna Massey and Alex Jennings bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

It's hard to pick anyone person out because the whole cast is excellent. You really felt as if you were there, sitting in a country parson's house or walking in the deanery gardens. Lovely music too.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to this book mainly when I was driving or out walking. A perfect companion.

Any additional comments?

I may never have actually read these stories but listening to them has made we want to do so- high praise!

Wonderful stories, beautifully performed

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