PEAKE OF PERFECTION

If there's anyone who hasn't had their fill of the combined forces of Yours Truly and David Warner (through the recent dramatisation of The Once and Future King) you can now indulge in another of our joint enterprises, The History of Titus Groan...

This six-hour series was based on the trilogy of novels: Titus Groan, Gormenghast and Titus Alone...

...written by the extraordinary author, artist and illustrator, Mervyn Peake...

The production also drew on elements from Titus Awakes, a fourth volume written by Peake's widow, Maeve Gilmore, and posthumously published in 2011 with an introduction by myself...

Luke Treadaway (below left) played Titus, the 77th Earl of Groan, reluctant inheritor of the dusty, shadow-filled, ritual-obsessed fiefdom of Gormenghast.

David Warner (right) played the mysterious artist whom Titus encounters on a small island in the English Channel and who seems to know all about the young Earl's life – in and out of the crumbling stronghold of Gormenghast – and, more than that, has knowledge of his destiny...

First broadcast in 2011, The History of Titus Groan features a great cast with an especially remarkable performance from Carl Prekopp as the villainous Steerpike, here seen 'scaling the walls' (that's radio acting for you!) of Gormenghast...

Rather surprising for a four year old repeat, Radio Times selected it as 'Today's Choice' which, I guess means, it's not bad!

The Radio Times art is by artist and illustrator, David Lupton. You can see more of his work on his blog and on his website.

Here are the times of all the episodes to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra: 

Episode 1: Titus Arrives – today @ 10:00 and 15:00; tomorrow @ 3:00

Episode 2: Titus Inherits – Monday 5th @ 10:00 and 15:00; Tuesday 6th @ 3:00

Episode 3: Titus Discovers – Tuesday 6th @ 10:00 and 15:00; Wednesday 7th @ 3:00

Episode 4: Titus Departs – Wednesday 7th @ 10:00 and 15:00; Thursday 8th @ 3:00

Episode 5: Titus Abroad – Thursday 8th @ 10:00 and 15:00; Friday 9th @ 3:00

Episode 6: Titus Alive – Friday 9th @ 10:00 and 15:00; Saturday 10th @ 3:00


To log on the BBC iPlayer, click here, and to read more about the production on the BBC website, click here

And, below, spot the writer with members of the brilliant cast.

AND THE WINNER IS...

I am thrilled that at last night's inaugural BBC Audio Drama Awards, I picked up the award for Best Adaptation for The History of Titus Groan, my serialisation of Mervyn Peake's 'Gormenghast' novels.

The awards were presented by David Tennant at a ceremony held in the Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House and here I am clutching it, shortly after the event...


Although Titus was unsuccessful the other two categories for which it was nominated (Best Use of Sound in a Audio Drama and Best Supporting Actor for Carl Prekopp who played Steerpike), the citation for the Adaptation Award praised all aspects of the production:

The judges described this as "a brilliant piece of radio drama. It was a hugely ambitious undertaking to adapt the darkly comic, surreal and visual world of Mervyn Peake's novels for sound and this adaptation is faithful to both the spirit and the landscape of the originals.

The almost Dickensian characters (wonderfully realised by an outstanding cast), the exquisite language and a rich and original soundscape works for both Peake aficionados and new listeners."

The award is engraved with a profile of Prospero taken from Eric Gill's famous statue, 'Prospero and Ariel' which has stood above the front doors to Broadcasting House for the past 80 years.


"The isle is full of noises..." and I've just won an award for adding to them!!


Post-Script on 2 February 2012:

It has been revealed that The History of Titus Groan was runner-up in the Best Use of Sound category in Sunday's Audio Drama Awards and the citation is a credit to the work of Peter Ringrose and his team of Studio Mangers: Anne Bunting, Martha Littlehailes, Jenni Burnett, Mike Etherden, and Alison Craig and the series' Composer Roger Goula:

A sumptuous listen in which the sound montage draws you into the location and psychological aspects of the drama, from the personal to the phantasmagorical, rendering each ambiance in almost forensic detail and beautifully capturing the spirit of the Gormenghast novels.

Images: BS by David Weeks; 'Prospero and Ariel' from R/DV/RS's Photostream

TITUS NOMINATED

Last autumn, the BBC announced that it was launching an annual Audio Awards ceremony and the short-listed nominees for the first of these events have just been announced.

I am thrilled to find that The History of Titus Groan, my six-part serialisation of the novels of Mervyn Peake has been nominated in three categories:

Best Supporting Actor/Actress in an Audio Drama for Carl Prekopp who played Steerpike

Best Use of Sound in an Audio Drama for Producers David Hunter, Gemma Jenkins and Jeremy Mortimer

and

Best Adaptation for Me!


The winners will be announced at a ceremony in the BBC Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House on Sunday 29 January, when the awards will be presented by David Tennant.

The competition in all three categories is very strong, but, whatever the outcome, it is very satisfying indeed to have had a piece of my work nominated - and the only one in the competition to have receive three nominations.

I'm also delighted that it led to my stumbling on the following review by Bella Todd from Time Out, which I missed when it first appeared:

Dark, angular and haunting, the portraits Mervyn Peake sketched for his Gormenghast series were integral to the evocation of a fantasy kingdom hewn from stone. And they’re given a presence in Brian Sibley’s star-studded BBC radio dramatisation of all four books The History of Titus Groan. In an idea borrowed from Titus Awakes, the recently discovered ‘final novel’ written from fragments of a draft by Peake’s widow Maeve Gilmore, this epic radio play is framed by a meeting between the hero, Titus Groan (Luke Treadaway), reluctant Earl of Gormenghast, and ‘The Artist’ (a world-weary David Warner). He welcomes his protagonist into a canvas-filled studio and describes drawing as ‘a way of holding back some fleeting, line, rhythm, mood or shape from the blink of oblivion’. Moving and sensual as well as funny and grotesque, this is perfect listening for Peake’s centenary year.

All six hours of The History of Titus Groan can be downloaded here – and for just £7.86!