Elena Ferrante's story of a life long friendship between Lila and Lena comes to an end in this sad and surprising final chapter.

Lena, now a famous writer, returns to Naples with her two children to find Lila has also managed to turned her life around, despite remaining in the claws of violent and mafia run Naples. Finding themselves both pregnant, the complications of their friendship grows ever deeper and the tensions deepen. As the city attempts to rebuild itself, post war Naples continues to struggle to accept or change the inevitabilities of life.

Broken marriages, violent relationships, and the yearning for something more - something better is never far away. The violent past of these two extraordinary friends will always be there and, for one, there seems to be only one way out.

Lena ...... Monica Dolan
Lila ...... Anastasia Hille
Nino Sarratore ...... Daniel Flynn
Pietro ...... Ferdinand Kingsley
Adele ...... Sylvestra Le Touzel
Dede ...... Grace Wingate
Dede ...... Ella Dale
Elsa ...... Isobel Tinsley
Elsa ...... Georgia Taft
Mariarosa ...... Claudia Jolly
Carmela ...... Louise Calf
Colombe ...... Louise Calf
Antonio ...... Hugh Kermode
Mother ...... Jane Whittenshaw
Guido ...... David Collings
Franco ...... Simon Scardifield
Augustin ...... Simon Scardifield
Armando ...... Josh Dylan
Marisa ...... Sara Markland
Elisa ...... Nelly Harker
Photographer ...... Nelly Harker
Enzo ...... Carl Prekopp
Marcello ...... Ben Crowe
Guest ...... Ben Crowe
Alfonso ...... Nick Armfield
Tina ...... Sylvie Goodwin
Imma ...... Grace Pearcey
Imma ...... Cosima Pearcey
Michele ...... Daniel Ryan
Guest ...... Daniel Ryan
Gennaro ...... Tom Davies
Pasquale ...... Nicholas Gleaves

Written by Elena Ferrante
Translated by Ann Goldstein
Dramatised for radio by Timberlake Wertenbaker

Directed by Celia de Wolff

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in October 2017. Show less