Neil Gaiman's The Sleeper and the Spindle

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Drama: Neil Gaiman's The Sleeper and the Spindle

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BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, Neil Gaiman's The Sleeper and the Spindle

Neil Gaiman’s fairytale comes to Radio 4 starring Penelope Wilton and Gwendoline Christie.

Neil Gaiman’s fairytale, adapted for radio by award-winning dramatist Katie Hims. Starring Dame Penelope Wilton and Gwendoline Christie.

Neil Gaiman’s perfect Christmas-time fairy tale, brought to life by award-winning dramatist Katie Hims. Starring Penelope Wilton, Gwendoline Christie and Ralph Ineson as well as Neil Gaiman himself.

The Sleeper and the Spindle is a new tale drawing on traditional folk stories, interweaving Snow White and Sleeping Beauty in an enchanting drama that puts the women firmly centre stage.

In her mountain kingdom, a soldier-Queen prepares for her wedding day.  Three dwarves, guardians from her childhood, race towards her. They were coming for the celebration, but they also bring news of a sleeping sickness sweeping the land. As a girl she survived her own long, magical sleep, so she throws on her armour, straps on her sword and rides into the heart of this new plague to try to find its source and save her people. The magical sleep is spreading from a castle deep in the forest. There, our heroine discovers a beautiful sleeping girl, and a very, very old woman, forever awake…. But when the Queen wakes the princess in the traditional way, she discovers that all is not as it seems. Ultimately, she comes to understand that she really can make her own choices, and follow the path to her own happy ending.

Written by Neil Gaiman
Adapted by Katie Hims
Directed and Produced by Allegra McIlroy

Recorded remotely by Sharon Hughes and John Benton
Sound Design by Sharon Hughes

The Sleeper and the Spindle was a BBC Audio North Production


Cast
Dame Penelope Wilton  ….. The Narrator/The Old Woman
Gwendoline Christie  ….. The Queen	
Neil Gaiman ….. The Home Secretary 	
Ralph Ineson ….. The First Dwarf	
Stefan Adegbola ….. The Second Dwarf	
Ian Dunnett Jnr ….. The Third Dwarf/The Prince/ The Tinker/The Woodcutter	 
Cecilia Appiah ….. The Pot Girl/ The Young Girl/ The Mother	
Emma Handy ….. The Maid/The Other Woman/ The Stepmother	
Roger Ringrose ….. The Father/The Innkeeper/ The Bandit	
Milton Dighton ….. The Child

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