Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness

Original version

BBC Radio 4 Extra

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama. With recent favourites from BBC Radio 4.

Drama on 4

Drama

Drama from BBC Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra.

BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 LW

Lesley Sharp

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Ruth Gemmell

Louise Brealey

David Acton

Stephen Critchlow

Sam Dale

Ayesha Antoine

Rhiannon Neads

David Hounslow

Ursula Le Guin

Judith Adams

Allegra McIlroy

Drama on 4: Ursula Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness: Episode 2

drama_left-hand-of-darkness_e_120415_elizabeth-jaynes.jpg

Episode 2

Ursula Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness

BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, Ursula Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness, Episode 2

Genly Ai arrives from Earth onto a planet with ambigendered humans.

Arriving from Earth onto a planet with ambigendered humans, Genly Ai must let go of his identity. Stars Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

In the middle of an Ice Age on an alien world, two friends flee across endless snow plains on a journey that will take them to the edge of their physical and emotional endurance. The stakes are high – to save a world from war, and save their own lives.

The first radio dramatisation of Ursula Le Guin’s novel which is as groundbreaking in its approach to gender as when it was first published in 1969. 

Genly Ai has arrived from Earth onto the planet Gethen, a world in which humans are ambigendered - everyone can be a mother and everyone can be a father. In coming to terms with their otherness - and also their sameness - Genly must let go of everything he understood about his own identity.

Adapted by Judith Adams

Estraven – Lesley Sharp
Genly Ai – Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Ashe – Ruth Gemmell
Gaum – Louise Brealey
Obsle – David Acton
Shusgis – Stephen Critchlow
Esvans and Asra – Sam Dale
Sorve – Ayesha Antoine
Doctor – Rhiannon Neads
Skipper – David Hounslow

Director: Allegra McIlroy

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2015.

Drama on 4: Ursula Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness

BBC Radio 4

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

Ursula Le Guin's groundbreaking novel set on an ice age world. Adapted by Judith Adams.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Drama on 4

Ursula Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness

Episode 2

Contributors

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Radio 4 Extra

About BBC Radio 4 Extra