The Medici: Bankers, Gangsters, Popes

Synopsis

Mike Walker’s gripping BBC Radio drama about money, art, religion, politics and powerFlorence, 1415. Banker Cosimo Medici is looked down upon as a jumped up money-changer. Then he marries the noble Contessina de Bardi and becomes the richest man in Europe. But his wealth and power threaten the Florentine elite, who are determined to bring him down...However, the House of Medici cannot be crushed that easily. Sixty years and many violent deaths later, the family are the unquestioned, ruthless rulers of Florence. They control the government, have transformed the city through their patronage of the arts, and one of them has even been crowned Pope. But trouble is coming in the form of the fanatical poet monk Savonarola, and the bank is in decline. Can Lorenzo the Magnificent save anything for his dim-witted successors – and will they even care?With a cast of extraordinary characters including Piero the Gouty, master negotiator Lucrezia Tornabuoni and Pope Leo X, as well as Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Artemisia Gentileschi, this fast-paced ‘Renaissance Sopranos’ tells the thrilling story of one of the most infamous dynasties of all time. Among the cast are Patrick Baladi, Sirine Saba, Tom Cullen, Saran Morgan and Catrin Aaron.Created by Mike WalkerWritten by Mike Walker, Sian Ejiwunmi Le-Berre and Catherine JohnsonSound Design: Nigel Lewis and Catherine RobinsonOrgan: Branwen MunnProduced by John NortonCastCosimo de' Medici – Patrick BaladiContessina de' Bardi – Sirine SabaRinaldo degli Albizzi – Richard ElfynNiccolo Tinucci – Christopher ElsonOld Giovanni – Hugh ThomasSilvio – Marc DanburyGio Verdi – Marco FieraThe Manager – David HounslowLorenzo de' Medici – Tom CullenLucrezia Tornabuoni – Saran MorganClarice Orsini – Abra ThompsonGio de' Medici – Gareth PierceMarietta – Saran MorganCardinal Orsini – Simon ArmstrongSoderini – Daniel CerqueiraPope Sixtus – John CordingTinucci – Tommy Sim'aanPazzi – Matthew DurkanSavonarola – Matthew GravelleKing Ferrante – Jonathon ForbesPope Innocent – Roger RingroseLeonardo da Vinci – Tom KiteleyBotticelli – Hughie O' DonnellAlessandro de Medici - Elliott Barnes-WorrellLorenzino de Medici - Sion Daniel YoungIppolito de Medici - Jacob IfanTaddea Malaspina - Kiran Sonia SawarSimonetta da Collevecchio - Marsha MillarGiorgio Vasari - Nico PimparéPope Clement - Arwel GruffyddEmperor Charles V - Michael BertenshawMargaret - Kitty O'SullivanScoronconcolo - Tyler CameronStrozzi - John LightbodyYoung Alessandro - Hardy YusufYoung Ippolito - Huw HuckstepCatherine de Medici - Catrin AaronSilvestri - Julian Lewis JonesDiane de Poitiers - Juliette AubreyPrince Henri - Arthur HughesKing Francis - Aneirin HughesGuise - Joel MacCormackNurse - Heather CraneyYoung Catherine - Grace NettleIsabelle - Nia GandhiColigny - Ian Dunnett JnrLe Conde - Matthew BulgoCardinal Guise - Tom MumfordMargot - Poppy Almond© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd