General Qulan (Christopher Fulford) travels to the provinces in the hope of raising an army to defend Tumanbay and encounters Fatima (Tara Fitzgerald), a provincial governor’s wife, who has a score to settle with the great commander.

In Tumanbay, a coup is underway and Sultana Manel (Aiysha Hart) and her lover Alkin (Nathalie Armin) face a grim future. Meanwhile, the slave merchant Heaven (Olivia Popica), having been captured by the Balarac at sea, is recruited as reader to the blind Grand Master (Anton Lesser), a position that gives her access to ancient scrolls that appear to unlock profound secrets to the world.

Cast:
Fatima........Tara Fitzgerald
Gregor........Rufus Wright
Manel........Aiysha Hart
Grand Master, Amalric........ Anton Lesser
Cadali........Matthew Marsh
Bavand........Peter Polycarpou
Alkin........Nathalie Armin
Herod........Amir El-Masry
Heaven........Olivia Popica
General Qulan........Christopher Fulford
Frog........Finn Elliot
Akiba........Akin Gazi
Balarac Sergeant........Alexander Arnold

Tumanbay is created by John Scott Dryden and Mike Walker and inspired by the Mamluk slave rulers of Egypt.

Original Music by Sacha Puttnam

Sound Design by Eloise Whitmore
Sound Recording by Joe Richardson
Additional Music by Jon Ouin

Produced by Emma Hearn, Nadir Khan and John Scott Dryden
Written by Mike Walker and Directed by John Scott Dryden

A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4 Show less