• Harry Clarke

  • With Bonus Performance: Lillian
  • By: David Cale
  • Narrated by: Billy Crudup, David Cale
  • Length: 3 hrs and 12 mins
  • 3.4 out of 5 stars (5,538 ratings)

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Harry Clarke  By  cover art

Harry Clarke

By: David Cale
Narrated by: Billy Crudup,David Cale
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Publisher's summary

Tony Award-winning actor Billy Crudup shines as Harry Clarke, a shy Midwesterner leading an outrageous double life as a cocky Londoner.

Moving to New York City and presenting himself as an Englishman, Harry charms his way into a wealthy family's life, leading an outrageous double life. As the seductive and clever Harry, his increasingly reckless behavior threatens to undo more than his persona. David Cale’s nuanced storytelling and Crudup’s magnetic performance combine, making Harry Clarke a sexually charged and wickedly funny thriller. The New York Times hailed Crudup’s performance in “a sly role terrifically suited to his gifts” while praising Cale’s story as a delicious conceit.

This Audible Theater production also features a special performance of Cale’s Obie Award-winning, one-man show Lillian, starring the playwright himself in a typical tale of romance told through the eyes of a proper, middle-aged Englishwoman.

©2017 David Cale (P)2017 AO Media LLC

Our favorite moments from Harry Clarke

Billy Crudup: Who else is going to offer you a one-man show?
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Director/Playwright Chat: The best way to hear Harry.
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From Lillian: It would not be wise to turn Jimmy down.
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  • Harry Clarke
  • Billy Crudup: Who else is going to offer you a one-man show?
  • Harry Clarke
  • Director/Playwright Chat: The best way to hear Harry.
  • Harry Clarke
  • From Lillian: It would not be wise to turn Jimmy down.

Publisher's summary

Tony Award-winning actor Billy Crudup shines as Harry Clarke, a shy Midwesterner leading an outrageous double life as a cocky Londoner.

Moving to New York City and presenting himself as an Englishman, Harry charms his way into a wealthy family's life, leading an outrageous double life. As the seductive and clever Harry, his increasingly reckless behavior threatens to undo more than his persona. David Cale’s nuanced storytelling and Crudup’s magnetic performance combine, making Harry Clarke a sexually charged and wickedly funny thriller. The New York Times hailed Crudup’s performance in “a sly role terrifically suited to his gifts” while praising Cale’s story as a delicious conceit.

This Audible Theater production also features a special performance of Cale’s Obie Award-winning, one-man show Lillian, starring the playwright himself in a typical tale of romance told through the eyes of a proper, middle-aged Englishwoman.

©2017 David Cale (P)2017 AO Media LLC
.

About the Performer

Billy Crudup originated the role of Harry Clarke in the 2017 world premiere production, which was Audible Theater’s inaugural live stage venture, produced in association with the Vineyard Theatre off-Broadway. Crudup is best known for his roles in films such as Spotlight, Alien Covenant, and Almost Famous, and his Broadway performances in Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Parts 1 & 2, and The Pillowman.

About the Creator

Obie Award-winning playwright and actor David Cale started performing his own monologues at downtown New York venues such as Dixon Place and P.S. 122 in the 1980s. A native Londoner, he lends his honeyed voice to the narration of two other Audible titles, High Fidelity and About a Boy, both by Nick Hornby. Audible Theater is delighted to welcome David Cale with his first audio play.

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What listeners say about Harry Clarke

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,826
  • 4 Stars
    1,116
  • 3 Stars
    954
  • 2 Stars
    632
  • 1 Stars
    1,010
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,718
  • 4 Stars
    901
  • 3 Stars
    568
  • 2 Stars
    310
  • 1 Stars
    507
Story
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,606
  • 4 Stars
    971
  • 3 Stars
    815
  • 2 Stars
    585
  • 1 Stars
    1,020

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Ugh - hated it

It's amazing to me how far from others I feel about this story. Billy Crudup was great - absolutely excellent. The story - dull and all over the place. I seriously didn't get it. It's not that its too complex, it just has no direction. I'd love to hear Billy narrate a better story. The end.

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69 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

Yes! Yes! Yes! This was a fantastic production! Having seen this at the Vineyard Theater, I was truly looking forward to the audio edition. Billy Crudup’s performance was nothing short of amazing! The bonus story of Lillian was also a nice surprise! Bravo!

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51 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Misleading Synopsis

Based on the synopsis I downloaded this book and did not get what I wanted or expected. not my cup a tea at all. I don't like romance awkward love stories. had to stop listening when he started seducing the guy on his fathers yacht.

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50 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Live Theater at Home

I returned to Audible when I learned that live theatrical performances had been added to its selection list. This play is wonderful. The chat with the writer/director/actor is a special bonus. So happy that this great production has been captured and preserved.

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48 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Come for Harry, stay for Lillian

The writing and both performances are absolutely brilliant. I couldn’t stop listening.
I found the experience of being inside Harry/Philip’s head hard to take at times. It was quite a ride.
I will probably listen to Lillian many times. I found her story to be inspirational and more relatable (maybe because I’m a middle aged woman;)
Again, so well done! Bravo!

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41 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Wish I Had Liked It

The premise sounded great. The reviews were great. But it was far from great for me.
I can't explain why the material and the performances escaped me. I think I had expectations that it was going to be a thriller, that the title character would be a serial killer or something instead of just a dysfunctional person who ended up not doing much.
Perhaps that was the point of this narrative play, but all it gave to me was a rather boring plot with average narration (that everyone else loved) and awful music and unnecessary sound effects.
I confess that after the Harry Clarke part, when the David Cale and others started lauding their brilliant production, I turned it off and didn't listen to the next part.
Thank goodness this was free.

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35 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not worth it.

This was my first purchase of a “theater performance.” There are two performances. The first is about a gay man played very well by Billy Cudrup. There were scenes that teetered on the edge of vulgarity. It had weird sounds/music interspersed within that was more distracting than beneficial. The second performance involved a heterosexual woman played by a man. Though the story was interesting, it left me with that icky feeling of watching a person in drag. The last long 45 minutes were spent on the production team, writer & actors gushing all over themselves & each other. I regret wasting my credit.

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33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

couldn't keep listening to this garbage

not what the description says. turning into a gay love story by 25 minutes in

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32 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • KK
  • 01-25-18

Perfection.

Absolutely amazing. So glad I was able to see this live. The recording lives up to the live performance. Highly suggest. I have always loved Billy Crudup, but have such a different level of respect for him after seeing/hearing Harry Clarke.

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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Performance good but story cliche and offensive

What disappointed you about Harry Clarke?

The performance is quite strong but the story of an emotionally abused Jewish American gay boy who grows up to use and abuse another Jewish family is laced with such subversive anti -semitism that it needs to be called out. It is offensive both to the gay/bisexual population as well as to the Jewish population. I felt as if the writer was affected in his portrayal. All the characters are weak, perverted and selfish.

What could David Cale have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Make the characters complex enough to have conflicted feelings about them. None of the characters have positive attributes. Just weak character development to the point of offense. I understand Audible is trying to develop its own art, but the writing has to move away from such stereotypical, cliche depictions for sale

What does Billy Crudup and David Cale bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

the voices.

What character would you cut from Harry Clarke?

All the characters are weak--

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21 people found this helpful