BBC Arts brings more classic British novels to life in new collection The Read

A must-see for literature lovers of all ages, The Read returns this November with a new series of performances from more iconic British novels, including Wuthering Heights, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Nineteen Eighty-Four and Christmas”. Carol.

Season three begins with a riveting performance from Sacha Dhawan, best known for his role as the renegade Time Lord Master in Doctor Who series 12, based on George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four: a timely exploration of the role of truth and facts in society. and the ways in which they can be manipulated. Nineteen Eighty-Four was filmed on location in Bolton.

Sacha Dhawan says: “In an age of advanced technology and social media, Orwell’s warnings about the power of language and propaganda could not be more poignant as we grapple with the challenges of fake news and the impact of digital surveillance. “Reading” reimagines the role of the storyteller so excitingly and boldly that it feels like live theater. Rural Studios and the amazing director Rachel Lambert have done a superb job of bringing this iconic British novel to life. It was a huge honor to be a part of it.”

This December, Anne-Marie Duff takes audiences on an energetic journey through Victorian London with Charles Dickens’ timeless seasonal classic, A Christmas Carol. Filmed in Manchester, Duff brings to life the miserly Scrooge, who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future. Duff plays Dickensian characters, from Bob Cratchet and his loving family to party-loving Fezziwig and well-meaning ghouls.

Anne-Marie Duff says: “A Christmas Carol has actually been a very important part of my family life! Through this story my father introduced me to Dickens (whom I love). Every year before Christmas I try to watch as many of his adaptations as possible and report back to him. My favorites have always been The Muppets (surprisingly the most accurate!) and Scrooge with Albert Finney – Alec Guinness’s Marley is just terrible!”

“The writing is so tasty and heartwarming. Not to mention how politically relevant it remains to this day. There are wonderful philosophical passages that people who have only seen film adaptations will not understand. In particular, the penultimate paragraph contains the ideal credo for life.”

Bradford-born actress Vinette Robinson (Boiling Point) gives a stunning performance as the narrator of Wuthering Heights. One of Brontë’s best-loved novels, Wuthering Heights is a timeless classic set against the haunting backdrop of the Yorkshire moors. At the heart of the novel, as seen through the eyes of housekeeper Nelly Dean, is the intense and destructive love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, whose passionate affair weaves a dark and stormy tale of revenge, obsession and the cruel forces of nature. The part was filmed in Bradford to coincide with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture next year.

Vinette Robinson says: “It was actually my first encounter with Wuthering Heights.” I was immediately drawn to Katie’s complex and unwavering character and attitude; she is such a force of nature, she lives her life with all its complexities and compromises fiercely and passionately. The emotional landscape of this relationship feels as relatable now as it did when it was written, and it was a thrill to bring it to life. And of course, I’m a Yorkshire girl, so I was very proud to read something so steeped in the place where I was born and raised.”

In January, Reece Shearsmith (Inside No. 9, The League of Gentlemen, Psychoville) takes us into the strange and eerie world of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a classic gothic novella exploring the duality of human nature. The story of London lawyer Gabriel John Utterson, who investigates strange incidents involving his friend Dr Henry Jekyll and a sinister figure called Edward Hyde, was filmed in Bradford to coincide with the city’s tenure as a City of Culture.

Reece Shearsmith says: “I was thrilled when I was asked to narrate The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde for BBC Arts’ The Read. The story is, of course, iconic and has one of the greatest twists of all time, but its themes are still deeply relevant. Like A Christmas Carol, it seems impossible to remember a time when this story did not exist in the world. It was a pleasure to play out this turbulent and often terrifying story and find so much new and unknown in it.”

Now in its third series, The Read received critical acclaim in 2022 thanks to Danielle Vitalis’ performance of The Lonely Londoners. Previous episodes available on BBC iPlayer include A Kestrel for a Liar by Barry Hines, performed by Christopher Eccleston; “The Remains of the Day” by Kazuo Ishiguro, performed by Steve Pemberton; and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, performed by Alex Kingston.

Stephen James-Yeoman, BBC Arts Editor, says: “We’re thrilled to bring another brilliant collection of classic novels to book lovers and new readers, with four more exciting performances from some of our greatest actors. Whether it’s Sacha Dhawan reading 1984 or Wynette Robinson from Wuthering Heights, Anne Marie Duff’s A Christmas Carol or Reese Shearsmith’s Jekyll and Hyde, they all offer new perspectives and bold retellings of some of Britain’s best-loved stories. There’s nothing more satisfying than reading a story, and The Read brilliantly continues that tradition by creating an emotional connection between storyteller and viewer.”

The third series of The Read will air on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer from November 2024. Watch series one and two on BBC iPlayer.

Reid’s Rural Studios executive producer is Grant Black, Rural Studios series producer is Julie Colman and BBC Arts editor is Stephen James-Yeoman.