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Afternoon Drama: Mike Harris - Stevenson in Love

David Tennant

Lizzy McInnerny

Matthew Marsh

Forbes Masson

Nigel Cooke

Jane Slavin

Lottie Rice

Bethane Cullinane

Ned Leadbeater

Mike Harris

Clive Brill

Drama on 4: Mike Harris - Stevenson in Love: Episode 1: Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes

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Mike Harris - Stevenson in Love

Episode 1

Episode 1: Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes

Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes

BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, Mike Harris - Stevenson in Love, Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes

Robert Louis Stevenson sets off with a donkey across France.

4 Extra Debut. Robert Louis Stevenson sets off with a donkey across France, keeping a journal that became a travelogue. Stars David Tennant.

By Mike Harris.

Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic travelogues, journals and personal letters.

Stevenson sets off with a donkey across the Cevennes in France and in the process keeps a journal that later becomes his popular travelogue "Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes." But does his journeying help him to forget the woman he has met and fallen in love with - Fanny Osbourne?

In 1879 and 1880, three years before he was to write 'Treasure Island', Robert Louis Stevenson was a largely unpublished and unsuccessful writer.

Despite his father's wishes, however, he saw his life in literature. In 1876, he had met Fanny Osbourne the woman who was to become his lover and later his wife. At the time of their meeting Fanny was escaping from America with her children - away from a husband who only brought her misery through his serial infidelities.
One of Stevenson's earliest publications was an essay 'On Falling in Love' for The Cornhill magazine.

In 1878 Fanny decided that she had to return to America and to her husband. Stevenson embarked on a walk through the Cevennes with a donkey in 1879 which was later to be published as 'Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes' and in August of the same year he resolved to follow Fanny to America. 

His journey was also published - most particularly in 'The Amateur Emigrant'.

Mike Harris' two plays portray these two enormously significant journeys and attempt to capture Stevenson's feelings for Fanny and how they affected him on his travels.

Producer: Clive Brill
A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.

Drama on 4: Mike Harris - Stevenson in Love

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's travelogues and personal letters

Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic travelogues, journals and personal letters

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Mike Harris - Stevenson in Love

Episode 1: Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes

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