Unseen Academicals cover art

Unseen Academicals

An Audible Original Drama

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About this listen

Football has come to the ancient city of Ankh-Morpork - not the old fashioned, grubby pushing and shoving but the new, fast football with pointy hats for goalposts and balls that go gloing when you drop them. And now, the wizards of Unseen University must win a football match, without using magic, so they're in the mood for trying everything else.

The prospect of the Big Match draws in a street urchin with a wonderful talent for kicking a tin can, a maker of jolly good pies, a dim but beautiful young woman who might just turn out to be the greatest fashion model there has ever been, and the mysterious Mr Nutt (and no one knows anything much about Mr Nutt, not even Mr Nutt, which worries him, too).

As the match approaches, four lives are entangled and changed for ever. Because the thing about football - the important thing about football - is that it is not just about football.

This Audible Original multicast dramatisation is directed by the multiaward-winning Dirk Maggs, best known for his adaptations of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere for the BBC.

Starring Tom Alexander, Samantha Béart, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Mark Benton, Stephen Briggs, Stephen Critchlow, Jon Culshaw, Phil Davis, Ray Fearon, Tony Gardner, Edward Harrison, David Holt, Mathew Horne, David Jason, Josie Lawrence, Toby Longworth, Harry Myers, Maggie Service, Andrew Spooner, Steven Webb, Keith Wickham and Jaime Winstone.

©2018 Terry and Lyn Pratchett (P)2018 Audible, Ltd
Audio Performances & Dramatisations Dramatisations Fantasy Fiction Adaptation Magic Funny Witty Sports Entertainment

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Behind the scenes with the cast of Unseen Academicals

We talked to the cast of Unseen Academicals
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I quite enjoyed this adaptation of the book although the story is changed somewhat from the original. Well performed although the music got bit annoying after a while. Overall not bad I think Terry Pratchett would have been happy with the result.

Entertaining

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I was sceptical of this production based on other reviews, but I really enjoyed it.
I'm a huge Pratchett fan and was ready to critique, and did notice a few changes to characters which raised an eyebrow, and felt the narrator's comic timing was lacking at times. But despite being a rather loose interpretation of the book I really enjoyed it.
if you are a fan of radio drama and don't mind that the plot has been switched about then have at :)
But, I quite like adaptations that are unique unto themselves. Like every incarnation of the hitch hikers guide to the galaxy.
That's the major caveat. if you want this to be a true and unadulterated telling of the book. you probably won't like it.

Different from the book but a good listen

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Another masterpiece by Pratchett brought to life with David Jason, i hadn’t read the book (I’ve read most) but pre ordered this and couldn’t wait for it to be released.

Brilliant storyline, cleverly crafted and very well performed by all performers in fact it’s so well done I’m worried about listening to other books which don’t have full casts.

I only wish it was longer, I could listen to this cast for ever performing Pratchetts work!

Totally recommended

Perfect Pratchett for existing fans and new

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This is a brilliant book and the audio is truly amazing. It’s well worth the money. I have never been so inthralled. This is a master piece In the writing and in the audio.

Brilliant

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Well made and good cast. all in all a very good example of a dramatisation and hopefully the whole series is done.

captivating

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This remake of Unseen Academicals is a true treat for any Terry Pratchett fan. I've read (or rather listened) to the original book several times but nonetheless found this Drama version truly absorbing. Hopefully more will follow.

Utterly brilliant

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love all of Terry pratchett books wish more of his books could be give the radio 4 audio full cast dramatization.
His characters are so deep and mysteriosly twisted, you think youve just about su.med up a characters role in the book and DAM IT the Author completely switches his personality, his ethos even his elegances.
The football match went on a little long for me but I'm no fan of football.

Totally enthralling

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Love Terry Pratchett's book anyway but this audio book was superb. David Jason and all the cast are excellent. Enjoyed it so much so happy I found it.

Superb

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omg loved it, it was like theatre, I'm a huge pratchett fan, I have everything ever written & also many narrated by Nigel planner but this was epic

Pratchett at his finest

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I've been a Pratchett fan since the days of Strata and I didn't listen to this for a while as I'd forgotten I bought it and reading the reviews here made me think I'd hate it. The reality is very different.

Yes, it totally diverts from the book (which I'd read a long time before) and I started rereading the book before writing this review. If you are one of the people who didn't like the Lord of the Rings movies and was further angered by the Hobbit, this will cause you apoplexy. It is *very* different.

But - and this is a big but - it's still a great story, well acted, expertly narrated by David Jason and good fun. Highly recommended.

Ignore the bad reviews. A splendid remix

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