Wuthering Heights

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisation

By: Rachel Joyce, Emily Brontë

Narrated by: Ben Batt, Chloe Pirrie, Emma Fielding, full cast

Length: 2 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Chloe Pirrie and Ben Batt star in this stunning dramatisation of Emily Brontë's classic, adapted by best-selling author Rachel Joyce.

When homeless orphan Heathcliff is brought to the isolated, storm-swept farmhouse of Wuthering Heights, he sparks very different emotions in the children of the house, Hindley and Cathy. While Hindley instantly hates him and makes his life miserable, Heathcliff finds a soul mate in Cathy, and the two spend days playing together on the wild Yorkshire moors.

Inseparable as children, passionately in love as adolescents, they are everything to each other - until Cathy meets the wealthy, handsome Edgar Linton and agrees to marry him. Consumed by jealousy and resentment, Heathcliff flees, returning three years later rich and seeking revenge.

Bitter and cruel, he vows to destroy everyone who has hurt him - and his hatred and vengeance will ruin the lives of two generations before it runs its course....

First published in 1847, Wuthering Heights scandalised Victorian readers with its shocking portrayal of obsession and doomed love. This radio production, dramatised by Rachel Joyce, retains all the force and intensity of Emily Brontë’s masterpiece.

Cast
Nelly……………………Emma Fielding
Young Cathy……………………Rosie Boore
Young Heathcliff……………………Reuben Bainbridge
Hindley……………………Luke Bailey
Mr Earnshaw……………………Clive Hayward
Joseph……………………Philip Bretherton
Frances/Mary (servant girl)……………………Lauren Cornelius
Edgar/Linton (adult)……………………Ryan Whittle
Servant 1/Priest……………………Ryan Early
Servant 2……………………Philip Bretherton
Adult Cathy……………………Chloe Pirrie
Adult Heathcliff……………………Ben Batt
Isabella……………………Kerry Gooderson
Hareton……………………Ruben Cryer/Tom Glynn-Carney
Dr Kenneth……………………Clive Hayward
Linton (young child)……………………Charlie Brand
Zillah (servant)……………………Georgie Glen
Catherine (adult)……………………Bryony Hannah
Linton (older child)……………………Oliver Zetterstrom

Produced and directed by Tracey Neale
Production coordinator: Joanne Hopper
Studio managers: Cal Knightley, Anne Bunting and Jenni Burnett

©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Not recommend

If I haven't read the story before, I won't understand what happen from this audio book.

Disappointed. Annoying intro to every chapter

This audio book really let me down. This audio book is like watching a movie with the screen being blank. There is only the spoken word of the characters. This is no background, no descriptions on what’s happening, or who is talking. I love this book and the movie, but do not recommend this audiobook. There is an absurdly annoying intro that lasts 20 or so seconds at the begging of very chapter of just Cathy’s voice saying no and random background noise.

Dark and depressing

Perhaps I have no business writing a review of a book that I quit about 1/4 of the way through, but I'll say my thoughts anyway. I knew the title, knew that it was a classic, and knew that it was a ghost story. All good. What I did not know until I got well into it is that the story concerns emotional and a certain type of physical abuse. It is incredibly dark, and every time I spent a little time with it I ended up getting depressed. There's enough anger and violence in the world without being subjected to it in reading for supposed entertainment. Enough.

Excellent!

Listening to audible is the best thing I did and I found the dramatisation of Wuthering Heights. I was lost in the story as if I was there! I hooe they come up with more dramatised versions of many novels! Highly recommend!

Wonderful

I love this beautiful, sad story. The mistakes that people made and are forced to live with. Each telling of the story makes me wish for a different outcome knowing it will be the same. Just as in real life the characters are forced to live by their pride and their dreams.

The best version, ever!

I originally heared this on BBC radio 4 this summer (2018).

What a wonderful play, in fact the best version you will ever hear. The actors are wonderful, the adaptation is fantastic and Henry Goretski's "Sorrowful songs" fits the story seamlessly. You will keep on going back to this no matter how many times you have finished it.

Enjoy the best play of Wuthering Heights EVER!

Wuthering Heights.

Intoxicating listen to one of the great classics, Bronte's tale is just as spellbinding today as it ever was.

This…

Has got to be the most rounded and in many ways accurate dramatization out there. And this includes the movies too!

Captures the true spirit of the book. Stunning.

All the brutality and romance of the book brought to life by a perfect cast and a beautiful Gorecki score. One of the very best things I have ever listened to. Radio like this is worth going to war over.

Brilliant performances and well told story!

A brilliant performance and production, I could easily listen to it again. My only complaint would be the recap at the start of every chapter felt a bit unnecessary.

Well made adaptation

Easy to follow, clearly spoken. In short chapters so good for a quick listen before bed