Writer Colette’s classic works brought to life in a unique audio collection

Listen for the first time to this stunning collection of five of Colette’s most celebrated works, compiled and created by BBC Radio. French author and woman of letters, Colette is best known for her 1944 novella Gigi, which became the stage musical launching the career of Audrey Hepburn. Known for her frank, direct and honest way of writing about women and female friendships, Colette’s stories champion the female perspective and all feature strong women protagonists. Considered immoral and shocking at the time, her works are now cherished as a fresh insight into the female experience of the era and she is celebrated for the sheer quality of her writing. This exclusive collection includes, Gigi, Cheri, Claudine at School, The Vagabond and Sido and features performances from Lindsay Duncan (Sherlock, Starter for 10, Doctor Who), Paul Ritter (Friday Night Dinner), Frances Barber, Brigit Forsyth and Dame Peggy Ashcroft. Also included is a bonus edition of In Our Time, hosted by Melvyn Bragg as he and guests discuss Colette, her life, her works and her significant cultural impact.

In the classic Gigi, we follow the story of a young woman in Paris, who is being groomed by her grandmother for the life of a courtesan. Cheri is a semi-autobiographical story following an enduring love affair between a courtesan and a man half her age. Claudine at School Heavy with erotic over tones, this full cast dramatisation explores the life of the enchanting Claudine as she navigates her journey to womanhood. The Vagabond tells the story of a divorcée dancer in a Paris music hall, she is pursued by a wealthy admirer. Will she allow herself to fall in love a second time?

Finally, Dame Peggy Ashcroft narrates Sido, based on Colette’s memories of her own mother.

Text copyright © Colette 1900 (Claudine at School), 1910 (Vagabond), 1920 (Cheri), 1929 (Sido), 1944 (Gigi)

Gigi

Translated from the French and adapted by Barbara Bray
Produced by Raymond Raikes

Cast: Margaret Robertson, Margaret Rawlings, Carol Marsh, Robert Hardy, Hilda Kriseman, Ian Thompson, Isabel Jeans

Cheri

Directed by Pauline Harris

Cast: Lindsay Duncan, Joseph Millson, Frances Barber, Brigit Forsyth, Laura Harding, Conrad Nelson, Judith Davis

Claudine at School

Adapted by Yvonne Mitchell

Produced and directed by Liane Aukin

Cast: Fidelis Morgan, Rosalind Adams, Anne Rosenfeld, Jean Rogers, Nigel Lambert, Diana Bishop, Joan Matheson, Carole Hayman, Haydn Jones, Pamela Moiseiwitsch, Shane Briant,

Michael Harbour, Peter Howell, Timothy Bateson, Edward Kelsey

The Vagabond

Dramatised by Charlotte Cory

Directed by Mary Peate

Cast: Clare Higgins, Paul Ritter, Allan Corduner, David Thorpe, Jasmine Hyde

Sido

Abridged by B. J. Salmon

Read by Dame Peggy Ashcroft

In our Time – Colette

Presented by Melvyn Bragg.

Text copyright © Colette 1900 (Claudine at School), 1910 (Vagabond), 1920 (Cheri), 1929 (Sido), 1944 (Gigi)

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