Arthur

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What to expect

Ben Whishaw and Philip Glenister star in these six plays telling the story of the fabled 5th Century king.

Britain, 493 AD. When 17-year-old stable boy Arran is visited by Merlin, he is forced to confront his true origins and seize his destiny. Pulling the sword from the stone, he is proclaimed King Arthur – but the tribal leaders refuse to acknowledge him, and the country is plunged into civil war. With Merlin’s help, Arthur travels to the Sacred Grove, where the Lady of the Lake presents him with the magical sword Excalibur.

Seven years later, Arthur holds court at Camelot, ruling as King with his Queen, Gwenfar, by his side. The kingdom is at peace – but this fragile stability cannot last, and Arthur’s attempts to usher in a new golden age are thwarted by rebellion, betrayal, treason and his own fatal human weakness…

Written by Sebastian Baczkiewicz and Steve May, these gripping plays take in all the famous Arthurian legends, from Lanslot’s tryst with Gwenfar to the quest for the Holy Grail. Ben Whishaw and Philip Glenister star as Arthur, with Ian McDiarmid as Merlin, Jane Lapotaire as Morgan, Eve Myles as Gwenfar and Andrew Scarborough as Lanslot.

Production credits
Written by Sebastian Baczkiewicz and Steve May
Directed by Gordon House
Produced by Gordon House and Jeremy Mortimer
Music by Zbigniew Preisner, with additional music by Lucinda Mason Brown

Cast
Morgan – Jane Lapotaire
Arthur – Ben Whishaw/Philip Glenister
Merlin – Ian McDiarmid
Young Morgan – Eve Best
Gaura – Pam Ferris
Ector – James Laurenson
Keir – Nicholas Boulton
Bryce – Christian Rodska
Kerwyn/Vespan – Stephen Hogan
Soldiers – Damian Lynch, Robert Hastie & Jason Chan
Bedvere – Shaun Dooley
Lot – Clive Russell
Rhyannon – Emily Wachter
Aidan – Phillip Fox
Young Gwenfar – Alice Ford
Gwenfar – Eve Myles
Leodegrance – Phillip Joseph
Bors/Servant – Robert Hastie
Maura – Alex Tregear
Lanslot – Andrew Scarborough
Elaine – Kaye Wragg
King Pellyn – Gerard McDermott
Mordred – Stuart McLoughlin
Galhot – Liam Garrlgan
Ossa – Damian Lynch

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 October-26 November 2004

© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

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