Author:Aldous Huxley,Anton Lesser,Pippa Bennett-Warner,Justin Salinger,Jonathan Coy,Full Cast

A gripping BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Aldous Huxley's classic dystopian novel
It's 2116, and Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson are token rebels in an irretrievably corrupted society where promiscuity is the norm, eugenics a respectable science, and morality turned upside down. There is no poverty, crime or sickness - but no creativity, art or culture either. Human beings are merely docile citizens: divided into castes, brainwashed and controlled by the state and dependent on the drug soma for superficial gratification.
Into this sterile society comes an outsider, John - a man born into squalor and suffering, but raised on The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, a book which has shaped his entire life. When he discovers that treasured ideals such as love mean nothing in this 'brave new world', where romance is ridiculous, marriage shocking and parenthood shameful, John's world is shattered - and his reaction will show Bernard and Helmholtz what rebellion really means...
Based on Aldous Huxley's 1932 masterpiece, widely considered one of the greatest novels of all time, this chilling dramatisation set in a futuristic totalitarian society stars Jonathan Coy, Justin Salinger, Milton Lopes and Anton Lesser. Running time: 2 hours
"...outstanding, right from the cheery music that kicks the thing off through to all the subtle sound effects that help to set the scenes perfectly"
A literary colossus, whose ability to inspire, astonish and enrage his readers is undiminished'
—— Washington PostThere is a clarity, almost a ruthlessness, to his work, which makes the experience of reading any of his books a bracing, wild ride... He is the last of the giants
—— The TimesRoth...knows no limits, which is part of the fun of reading him
—— New StatemanWhile the other big beasts of his literary generation lost it one by one, Roth has enjoyed a flowering of late form barely seen since Yeats.
—— Literary ReviewRoth is no longer a novelist of comic exuberance, but of thoughtful meditation about life and increasingly death; he is our surviving laureate of lateness. His new work will not detain you long, but it will linger
—— TelegraphThe great man of American literature still flashes with brilliance
—— Sunday ExpressHis most savage and unrelenting work yet... (Roth) has lost neither his voice nor his power to shock
—— Sunday HeraldRoth's late prodigious burst of creativity continues
—— MetroSlim, fast-moving, sometimes funny but mostly bleak read...original and unsettling
—— The TimesAdds to his reputation as one of American literature's greats
—— The TimesA wonderfully risky project...an ambitious, multi-layered creation...an energising and uplifting story
—— The Daily TelegraphA moving exploration of the intricacies of the imagination, a sly teasing-out of a host of big ideas and small revelations, all hovering around a timeless quandary: how to observe, how to be
—— The New York TimesI wonder: How does she manage to so wonderfully weave in and out of time, to layer time, while creating something that feels like it was written this morning after she read today's newspaper?
—— PBS News HourPublisher's description. Autumn 2016: the UK is in pieces, divided by a historic once-in-a-generation summer. Love is won, love is lost. The seasons roll round as ever. From the imagination of the peerless Ali Smith comes a shape-shifting, light-footed, time-travelling novel. This is a story about right now, this minute; about ageing and time and love and stories themselves. Here comes Autumn.
—— PenguinTranscendental writing about art, death, political lies, trees and all the dimensions of love
—— Deborah LevyUnbearably moving, shrewd and dreamy, playful, strange [and] soulful...[An] assessment of what it means to be alive...Ali Smith has a beautiful mind and where her mind goes, you want to follow...I am struck by, and stuck on, Autumn.
—— New York TimesFantastic writing, big ideas and generosity of spirit
—— Cressida ConnollyThe first serious Brexit novel
—— Financial TimesShe is, of course, Scotland's Nobel laureate-in-waiting
—— ObserverAutumn is a beautiful, poignant symphony of memories, dreams and transient realities
—— The GuardianIt's all great fun, full of wit and invention and incident… And Hag-Seed is very funny, very often. The scenes where Felix's hard-chaw prisoners insult each other strictly through Shakespearean language are especially enjoyable.
—— Darragh McManus , Irish IndependentHag-Seed is funny and poignant, and offers much to amuse and delight.
—— Anne Sexton , Hot PressGreat fun, full of wit and invention and incident
—— Irish IndependentInspired and witty
—— Woman & HomeGenuinely moving ... The tender way in which Atwood handles [Felix's] story really gives Hag-Seed its power
—— Samantha Ellis , Literary ReviewAtwood on mischievous form
—— RedWitty and clever
—— Good HousekeepingStella Loves: Taking on a re-write of Shakespeare's The Tempest is a tall order. But Margaret Atwood is well up to the task with her new novel Hag-Seed
—— Stella MagazineBlows layers of dust off the play while asking clever questions about the relationship between power, delusion and creativity
—— MetroA delight... not only an unputdownable tale of revenge, it is also a masterclass in how to teach Shakespeare to those who think they won't like it
—— Alice O'Keefe , BooksellerAtwood’s canny remix offers multiple pleasures: seeing the inmates’ takes on their characters, watching Felix make use of the limited resources the prison affords (legal and less so), and marveling at the ways she changes, updates, and parallels the play’s magic, grief, vengeance, and showmanship
—— Publishers WeeklySo inventive, heartfelt, and swiftly rendered... Highly recommended.
—— Library JournalFellow fans, I am thrilled to report: Atwood is just as brilliant as ever. I would suggest scheduling some cozy armchair time with her book in the weeks to come
—— Yahoo, Top Reads this AutumnThe new novels promise an intriguing opportunity to revisit the tales we know so well and see them in a new light.
—— The Culture TripAtwood joins the roll call of literary stars retelling Shakespeare's plays... masterful... My favourite retelling so far
—— BooksellerAn ingenious construction.
—— Metro , Claire AllfreeShe merely understands that fiction can be a powerful weapon of
persuasion… A woman with inexhaustible talents
[A] triumphant reworking of The Tempest.
—— Sunday TimesAtwood’s take on The Tempest is intense and extravagant… Atwood beautifully reimagine Shakespeare’s The Tempest… She writes with gusto and brilliance.
—— UK Press SyndicationHag-Seed enchants, endears and empowers. Seeing The Tempest through the cast of characters Atwood creates and the author's own overarching narrative gives the original play new life.
—— Morning StarAtwood beautifully reimagines Shakespeare's The Tempest as Felix's personal and professional stories so aptly mirror the plot of the mystical and magical play. She writes with gusto and brilliance, making her the dream author to be part of the Shakespeare series.
—— Irish NewsThe most successful 'retelling' of Shakespeare yet in Hogarth's anniversary series [...] us a thrilling revenge drama ... [It] rattles along with Atwood nimbly reworking the classic
—— Donal O'Donoghue , RTE[Atwood's] unique take on vengeance, enchantment and second chances is sure to delight old and new fans alike
—— Image MagazineA novel of great humour and creativity
—— Socialist ReviewA fitting tribute to a play built on magic and illusion. It’s a celebration of theatre, yes, but just as much a celebration of learning and teaching. Atwood’s spellbinding adaptation is a testament to Shakespeare’s lasting relevance.
—— Grace Beard , Culture TripAtwood’s novel reflects the play’s multifaceted nature… A fun and imaginative novel.
—— Brad Davies , i, Book of the YearAtwood unrolls a dazzling remake of The Tempest… Ebullient comedy and keen perceptiveness combine in a bravura fictional tribute to Shakespeare.
—— Peter Kemp , Sunday Times, Book of the YearA passionately original, heady, often musical modern remix.
—— A.M. Holmes , Observer, Book of the YearI’d love to wake up on Christmas morning with Margaret Atwood’s Hag-Seed nestled in my stocking.
—— Rohan Silva , Observer, Book of the Year[A] highlight.
—— Justine Jordan , Guardian, Book of the Year[Hag-Seed is] particularly clever and witty, with layer upon layer of correspondences with the original text waiting to be teased out by readers.
—— Suzi Feay , TabletWhat’s impressive here is not just 77-year-old Atwood’s undimmed brilliance but the sheer effort she puts into the project… An absorbing read but also an erudite examination and explanation of the play’s themes. Not to be missed.
—— John Harding , Daily Mail, Book of the Year[It] would make an amazing Christmas present.
—— Starburst, Book of the YearAtwood brings forth a cast of characters that comfortably inhabit their own world but often burst out of the page in song and rhyme. It is a playful piece of writing, tempered by grief and revenge and the bitterness that can consume, but ultimately this is a book full of the joys of redemption and hope. Wonderful.
—— Carina Buckley , Times Higher EducationCleverly done… Very complex, like a set of Russian dolls. But it works amazingly well.
—— William Leith , Evening StandardDelightfully crazy.
—— Daily TelegraphRich and inventive… The play-within-a-play tripe is audaciously Shakespearean, and so is Atwood’s free-ranging imagination and witty way with language.
—— Simon Shaw , Mail on SundayMasterful… Clever, funny and tender
—— Woman & HomeShe casts The Tempest adrift in a prison and makes a magisterial case for the timeless, classless relevance of Shakespeare’s plays.
—— Jim Crace , New StatesmanI am in awe of Atwood
—— AM Homes , GuardianA real must read
—— Elizabeth Mansfield , Yorkshire Post