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Saturday Drama: The Purple Land

Drama: Action & Adventure

The Purple Land

16/07/2011

BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Drama, The Purple Land

Andrew Davies' rip-roaring treatment of WH Hudson's South American classic.

Andrew Davies' rip-roaring adaptation of WH Hudson's epic Uruguayan adventure. Richard Lamb (David Tennant) elopes with Paquita and tries to survive in this revolutionary land.

Published in 1885, The Purple Land was the first novel of William Henry Hudson, author of Green Mansions. The Anglo-Argentine naturalist distinguished himself both as one of the finest craftsmen of prose in English literature and as a thinker on ecological matters far ahead of his time. 

In Davies' hands this 'road novel' becomes a fast paced romp in the tradition of Tom Jones, with a dash of Don Quixote for good measure.

It is an exuberant, wryly comic account of a young Englishman's imprudent adventures, set against a background of political strife in nineteenth-century South America. Eloping with an Argentine girl, young Richard Lamb makes an implacable enemy of his teenage bride's father. Leaving her behind, he goes ignorantly forth into the interior of the country to seek his fortune.

Whilst doing so he learns to hunt, ride, herd, love - even kill. On his way to becoming a man.

Hemingway alluded to this book in his masterpiece "The Sun Also Rises", claiming that "The Purple Land" is 'dangerous reading if read too late in life'. 

Hopefully - it doesn't make for dangerous listening!

Cast:
Richard ..... David Tennant
Paquita ..... Denise Gough
Marcos/Major Domo ..... Danny Webb
Toribia/Grandmother ..... Carol Macready
Isidora ..... Lizzie McInnerney
Herdsman/Allday ..... Nigel Cooke
Paquita's father/Winchcombe ..... Richard Durden 
Monica/Donna Mercedes ..... Jacey Salles 
Cloud/Blanco Major ..... Nicholas Murchie 
Epifanio/Chillingwoth .....Chuk Iwuji 
Juez/Bartender/Blass ..... Trevor Martin 
Cleta/Mother ..... Jane Slavin 
Herdsman's Daughter/Margerita ...... Beth Cooke 
Anita ...... Grace Horbury 
Herdsman's Boy ..... Danny Concha

Music Composed and performed by
Ross Hughes
Esben Tjalve
Trumpet - Daniel Weitz

Script Editor - Eileen Horne

Producer/Director: Clive Brill
A Pacificus production for BBC Radio 4.

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