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The Shape of Things That Came

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Archive on 4: The Shape of Things That Came

BBC Radio 4 - Archive on 4, The Shape of Things That Came

Professor Sean Street uses audio archives to explore the future history novel by HG Wells.

4 Extra Debut. HG Wells's future history novel looks back from the year 2106. Sean Street examines the author’s predictions. From 2021.

HG Wells' 1933 classic looks back from the year 2106, in a purported history of the years 1929 to 2105, received from the future in dreams. 

When this programme was aired in 2021 - 92 years into the timescale of the book and with 84 more to go - poet and Professor of Radio, Sean Street, explored the text to establish what Wells got right, what he got wrong - and what may turn out to be prophetic.

With the aid of contemporary news bulletins, audio archives – including Orson Welles - and with expert help from Christopher Frayling and Andy Sawyer, Sean navigates through Wells' future past

Readings by Jenny Lane.

Producer: Andy Cartwright

A Soundscape production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in 2017 and revised in 2021.

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

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