The Midwich Cuckoos

Classic Radio Sci-Fi

By: BBC Audiobooks

Narrated by: Bill Nighy, Sarah Parish

This is a dynamic, modern dramatisation of a classic book by John Wyndham. Bill Nighy ( Love Actually and many other films) and Sarah Parish ( Cutting It) play Richard and Janet, a couple caught up in the goings-on of a sleepy English village in which all the children have golden eyes, blond hair, and a sinister talent for telepathy and telekinesis. (Wyndham's novel was filmed as Village of the Damned in 1960 and 1995.)©2007 BBC Audiobooks Ltd. (P)2007 BBC Audiobooks Ltd.

Critic reviews

"Bill Nighy is terrific as Richard Gayford, drawn into the horror of a small village whose women all give birth on the same day to beautiful babies whose only intent, as they grow, is to survive - whatever the cost." ( Daily Express)

how brief a life of the cuckoo

The story 's split into 2 chapters, I frankly think 3 or 4 truly to do the novel Justice were needed..

First rate

Very well done. Bill Nighy is his usual delightful self, and Clive Merrison also contributes a solid performance. This is, in many ways, one of Wyndham's more horrifying stories. As a longtime fan of Wyndham's work, I'm happy to say that the spirit of his novel comes through loud and clear. If you appreciate good, intelligent radio drama, this is for you.

Quite good - except for the screaming

I hadn't read any John Wyndham books since I was a kid, but lately I've been really into BBC radio serials, so I thought I'd give this a try (and heck, who can resist Bill Nighy? I always love his performances).

Overall, this is a great production, and fairly recent, so some of the more dated aspects (the whole stereotypical '1950s housewives' attitude was one of the reasons I hadn't loved the book whn I read it years ago, for example) have been toned down or confined to a general 'women are more attached to their children than men' approach.

However.

I don't recommend listening to this while lying on the couch trying to relax on a Sunday afternoon, because every 5 minutes some female character lets out the kind of ear-piercing, sustained shriek that has you jumping out of your chair and lunging for the EQ because you feel like your eardrums are about to perforate themselves. (The Chysalids dramatization has the same problem.)

So: definitely buy this, but it's best to listen to while, say, cleaning the house.

Very creepy!.

Saw the movie when I was a child. This acting was great and and the sound effects were also for a radio book play.

Midwich Cuckoos is outstanding

I’ve loved John Wyndam’s book and have read it several times (but not recently). The 1960 film is okay, but the 1995 remake is awful.

This is a full cast dramatization is well done. But it’s not an audio book. It stars Bill Nighy as Richard, one of the bystanders. The part must have been especially written for him as the character is far more twitchier than I remember from the book.

One element in the story is how utterly devoted the mothers are to the alien brood. The implication is that they are both showing a motherly devotion and are controlled by the children.

They say they are not simply incubators. But the reality of the situation is that they are. I wish this version at least show the possibility that they were aware their feelings were not their own. When a male character tries to voice concern, the women say, “you’re a man. You can’t understand”. True for regular babies but these children are clearly out to take over the world.

Survival of the species

Good story with descent cast. The actor playing the professor is spot on. There are often times the dialog has a definite improv feel to it. Bill Nighy doesn't lend the needed gravitas to a situation were aliens have invaded with superior powers and about to go off to propagate their species... putting at risk the future of humanity. Personally I enjoyed the 1960s movie better but this is still an enjoyable audiobook.

Well acted and easy listen

I thought all the actors were great and the SFX were done well, and beautifully scored