Christopher Isherwood: A BBC Radio Collection

Full-cast dramatisations of three insightful novels by Christopher Isherwood, plus a bonus interview

Novelist and playwright Christopher Isherwood is best known for The Berlin Stories of pre-Hitler Germany, which inspired the musical Cabaret. Many of his works have been adapted for stage and screen. This BBC Radio collection comprises full-cast adaptations of three of the Anglo-American’s acclaimed works, together with a riveting interview with Isherwood himself.

Mr Norris Changes Trains – The Berlin Stories Part One. 1930. Travelling by train to Berlin, impressionable young English teacher William Bradshaw asks his fellow passenger for a light. This chance meeting leads to a bizarre friendship, as William is caught up in the strange world of the mysterious, disreputable Mr Norris… Michael Maloney and David March star in this evocative portrait of the last, decadent years of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Nazism.

Christopher Himself – Charting the young Isherwood’s creative coming of age in the movie world of the 1930s, and his relationship with his Austrian mentor, the autocratic director Friedrich Bergmann, this piece was written by Philip Glassborow inspired by Isherwood's Prater Violet. Starring David Suchet and Adam Godley, and featuring interviews with Isherwood’s partner Don Bachardy and biographer Kate Bucknell.

A Single Man – Following the death of his young lover, Jim, middle-aged English college professor George must deal with his feelings of grief, loneliness and alienation. Alec McCowen stars in this radio dramatisation of Isherwood’s 1964 novel, which was adapted as an Oscar-nominated film (starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore) in 2009.

Christopher and His Kind – Recorded in 1977, soon after Isherwood published his autobiography ‘Christopher and His Kind’, the author chats to novelist and critic Paul Bailey about the formative experiences of his life, and how he used them in his novels.


Cast and credits
Written by Christopher Isherwood

Mr Norris Changes Trains
Mr Norris – David March
William Bradshaw – Michael Maloney
Helen Pratt – Sheila Grant
Fraulein Schroeder – Hilda Schroder
Friedrich/Otto – Haydn Wood
Waiter – Spencer Banks
Schmidt – Adrian Egan
Baron von Pregnitz – Sean Arnold
Whore/Portress – Denica Fairman
Anni – Deborah Paige
Bayer – Wolf Kahler
German Official/Policeman/Waiter – Danny Schiller

Dramatised by Eric Ewens
Directed by David Spenser

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16-23 Sep 1984

Christopher Himself
Isherwood – Adam Godley
Bergmann – David Suchet
Brian – Bernard Cribbins
Mother – Sylvestra Le Touzel
Waitress – Polly March
Meadwell – Robert Meadwell

Written by Philip Glassborow
With scenes based on the novel Prater Violet by Christopher Isherwood
Directed by Beaty Rubens
Music: Guy Meredith

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 Aug 2004

A Single Man
George – Alec McCowen
Charley – Rosemary Martin
Jim – William Gaminara
Kenny – Neil Roberts
Doris – Liza Ross
Mrs Strunk – Valerie Colgan
Andy – Angelo Gibson
Cynthia – Bonnie Hurren
Rick – Michael Morris
Nurse – Jane Whittenshaw

Adapted for radio by Michael Michaelian from his own stage play
Directed by Glyn Dearman

First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 10 Nov 1991

Christopher and his Kind
Presented by Paul Bailey
With Christopher Isherwood

First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 28 Mar 1977

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