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Classic Serial: Songs and Lamentations

Peter Hamilton-Dyer

Gillian Kearney

Russell Dixon

David Seddon

Henry Devas

Deborah McAndrew

Michael Symmons Roberts

Susan Roberts

Classic Serial: Songs and Lamentations: Episode 1

Songs and Lamentations

Episode 1

BBC Radio 4 - Classic Serial, Songs and Lamentations, Episode 1

Drama looking at the last days of Jerusalem from two very different perspectives.

Michael Symmons Roberts' interweaving of the sensual Biblical love poetry of the Song of Songs with the violence and vengeance of the Book of Lamentations.

Songs and Lamentations by Michael Symmons Roberts interweaving new translations of two powerful books of the Bible: the 'Song of Songs' - the most sensual biblical love poetry; and the 'Book of Lamentations' - its most searing poetry of violence and vengeance.

Through a fresh contemporary translation working with Biblical historians, the reverberations in these texts throw light on current events in the same part of the world. 

Jeremiah Peter Hamilton-Dyer
Rachel Gillian Kearney
Pashur Russell Dixon 
Nathan Tom Ferguson
Zedekiah David Seddon 
Thomas Henry Devas 
Samuel Patrick Lally 
Ana Deborah McAndrew

Directed in Salford by Susan Roberts 


A powerful story of the horrific destruction of a once great city, and the love story of a couple who find hope and solace in each other offering two very different perspectives on the days leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian armies in 587 BC.

Set in the middle east, this poetry of violence, heat, passion and vengeance has clear resonance with the intractable cycle of violence - and the survival of love - in that same part of the world 2500 years on. The themes and wisdom of 'Song of Songs' and 'Lamentations' have never been more current or more apposite.

The two episodes mesh together to form a single drama looking at the same last days of Jerusalem from two very different perspectives. 

Seen through the eyes of Jeremiah, the troubled prophet. Crippled by poverty and oppression, Jerusalem's streets are buzzing with talk of revolution. King Zedekiah needs a grand gesture to hold on to power. His advisers are urging him to raise an army to overthrow the Babylonians, but there is one siren voice against an uprising - Jeremiah. So Zedekiah has him arrested.

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Drama by Michael Symmons Roberts looking at the last days of Jerusalem

Drama by Michael Symmons Roberts looking at the last days of Jerusalem, drawn from new translations of two of the most powerful books of the Hebrew Bible, Song of Songs and the Book of Lamentations

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