In the second part of Marcel Proust’s allegorical contemplation on time, memory, art and love, Parisian dandy and intellectual socialite Charles Swann falls in love with the coquettish courtesan Odette de Crecy.

Swann is a regular guest at the musical soirees of Combray aristocrats, the Duke and Duchess of Guermantes. Odette is introduced to Swann and persuades Madame Verdurin, the rival socialite of little distinction, to invite him to one of her musical soirees. She does and Odette and Swann soon fall in love.

It is not long however before Odette’s past catches up with her as Swann struggles to control his emotions.

Cast:
MARCEL (narrator) ………Derek Jacobi
MARQUISE DE SAINTE EUVERTE..…… Pamela Miles
ODETTE ………… Bessie Carter
PROSTITUTE ………….Charlotte Blandford
ANOTHER PROSTITUTE ……… Phoebe Marshall
THE DUCHESS DE GUERMANTES (Oriane) ………Fenella Woolgar
MADAME DE VERDURIN ………. Frances Barber
PIANIST ………… Daniel Whitlam
DOCTOR COTTARD ……… Lloyd Hutchinson
MONSIEUR VERDURIN ………… Jeff Rawle
SWANN …………. Paterson Joseph
ELSTIR BICHE ………… Daniel Flynn
MADAME DE GALLARDON …………Christine Kavanagh
BRICHOT ………… Hugh Ross
FORCHEVILLE …………Nicholas Gleaves
REMI ……… Nicholas Armfield
SANIETTE ………. Roger Watkins
SERVANT ………Finlay Paul

Translated and adapted from the French by Timberlake Wertenbaker
Produced and directed by Celia de Wolff
Production Co-ordinator: Sarah Tombling
Recording and Sound Design: David Chilton and Lucinda Mason Brown
Executive Producer: Peter Hoare

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4 Show less