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  • Published: 3 July 2017
  • ISBN: 9781785299339
  • Imprint: BBC DL
  • Format: Audio Download
  • Length: 14 hr 5 min
  • Narrators: Anthony Head, Celia Imrie, Richard Johnson, Geoffrey Whitehead, David Mitchell, Raquel Cassidy, Jane Asher
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Bleak Expectations

The complete BBC Radio 4 series




The complete collected series 1 to 5 of the gloriously daft Victorian romp; Bleak Expectations.

The complete collected series 1-5 of the gloriously daft Victorian Romp, Bleak Expectations.

Gasp at the evil Mr Gently Benevolent, played by Mr Anthony Head! Weep at the trials of our young hero Pip Bin, played by Master Tom Allen! Be moved to joy and sorrow by the remarkable narration of Mr Richard Johnson! Swoon at the fragile beauty of Pip’s poor Mama, played by Miss Celia Imrie! Wonder at the thespian prowess of Mr Geoffrey Whitehead as six different siblings! Follow the remarkable adventures of young Pip Bin as he struggles to rescue himself and his sisters from the schemes of his evil and badly-named guardian Mr Gently Benevolent, and the blood-curdling Hardthrasher family.

Immerse yourself in a timeless epic featuring terrifying schools, even worse prisons, opium dens, disguises, court-cases, shipwrecks, underwater squirrels and swash-buckling long-lost aunts. Revel in the many fine quips, characters and scenarios written by Mr. Mark Evans and produced by Mr. Gareth Edwards, previously renowned for their craftsmanship on the works of Messrs. Mitchell and Webb.

Series 1: Televised as 'The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff' on the BBC. Episodes: A Childhood Cruelly Kippered, An Adolescence Utterly Trashed, A Youth Utterly Crocked, A Young Adult Bitterly Dismantled, A Young Love Mercilessly Dismembered, A Life Sadly Smashed then happily restored A Bit.

Series 2: A Happy Life Cruelly Re-Kippered, A Re-kippered Life Smashed Some More, A Recovery Made Miserable, A Restoration Re-Ruined Only Even Worse, An Already Bed Life Made Worse But Sort of on Purpose, A Happy Life Broken and then Mended A Bit.

Series 3: A Lovely Life Re-Kippered Again Once More, A Now Grim Life Yet More Grimmified, A Sort of Fine Life De-niced Completely, A Horrible Life Un-ruined and then Re-ruined Again, An Evil Life Sort of Explined, Lives Lost, Ruined Wrecked and Redeemed.

Series 4: A Tolerable Life De-Happified, A New-Spoiled Life Smashed Some More, A Wretched Life Made Much Much Sadder, A Painful Life Re-Miserablised, A Now Tricky Life Woefully Miseried Up, A Life Destroyed then Repaired and Re-Happied.

Series 5: A Pleasant Yet Dull Life Re-Evilled, A Re-Excited Life Made Distinctly Dangerous, An Alrightish Life Savagely Frozen to Bits, A Writerly Life Made Dreadfully Different, A Terrifying Life Made Even Scarier a Bit Some More, A Loved-Up Life Potentially Totally Annihilated.

  • Published: 3 July 2017
  • ISBN: 9781785299339
  • Imprint: BBC DL
  • Format: Audio Download
  • Length: 14 hr 5 min
  • Narrators: Anthony Head, Celia Imrie, Richard Johnson, Geoffrey Whitehead, David Mitchell, Raquel Cassidy, Jane Asher
Categories:

About the author

Mark Evans

Mark Evans is professor of governance at the University of Canberra and Director of the Democracy 2025: Bridging the Trust Divide initiative at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Mark was formerly Director of the Institute for Governance at the University of Canberra and the Worldwide Universities Public Policy Network and Head of Politics at the University of York in the UK. His most recent books include Evidence-based Policymaking in the Social Sciences and Ten Ways to Save Democracy (both with Gerry Stoker). He has been the senior editor of the international journal Policy Studies since 2004.