China Towns: Based on the Five Towns Novels

BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisations

By: Arnold Bennett

Narrated by: Kate O'Flynn, Neil Dudgeon, Tim McInnerny, Don Gilet, Rebekah Staton, full cast

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Neil Dudgeon and Tim McInnerny star in this epic tale of money, passion and defiance, inspired by the 'Five Towns' novels of Arnold Bennett

In this radical reinterpretation of Arnold Bennett's classic novels set in the Staffordshire potteries, it's the 19th Century and the Industrial Revolution is at full throttle. Only the ruthless thrive in this uncompromising world - and Ephraim Tellwright and Darius Clayhanger are both determined to succeed.

From humble beginnings, these two self-made men have risen to become wealthy and powerful. Now, they hold the fate of the Five Towns in their hands, passing judgement on those who put the prosperity and reputation of their community at risk...

Over 10 hours and almost 40 years, we follow them, their descendants, and the inhabitants of Bursley and the Five Towns, as individuals rise, fall, flourish, age, and see the world around them become unrecognisable, transformed by new technology. Fortunes are lost, hearts broken, empires built and compromises made.

These tales of aspiration and passion, damage and danger are told with Bennett's forensic eye for human psychology and a surprising degree of witty comedy, and feature a star cast including Emma Cunniffe, Kate O'Flynn, Don Gilet and Rebekah Staton.

©2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Captivating!

Contrary to my usual practice of reading the book(s) before listening to (or watching) a literary adaptation I went into this drama collection with only the knowledge gleaned from the Wikipedia articles relating to Arnold Bennett and his Five Towns Novels. At first I was unsure if I would be able to keep all the numerous characters and their storylines straight in my head but they quickly grabbed my interest and the fact that each character has a highly individual life helped me avoid confusion. The acting is absolutely top notch but my one complaint is the music is slightly jarring, it grew on me eventually but electronic instruments seem an odd choice for a story set during the Victorian era.