The Lonely Londoners: The Read

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BBC Four HD

The Read

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

Acclaimed actors combine with classic literature, breathing new life into iconic stories.

Rediscover the books you thought you knew. Acclaimed actors combine with classic literature, breathing new life into iconic stories.

Series 1

BBC Four

Danielle Vitalis

Phoebe Platman

Simona Susnea

Grant Black

Rachel Lambert

Yero Timi-Biu

The Read: Series 1: The Lonely Londoners

The Lonely Londoners

BBC Four - The Read, Series 1, The Lonely Londoners

A creative performance reading of Sam Selvon's novel The Lonely Londoners.

A creative performance reading of The Lonely Londoners that juxtaposes modern imagery and fascinating archive footage to reflect on how Sam Selvon's novel shaped the London of today.

The Lonely Londoners portrays the experiences of a group of Caribbean immigrants, known as the Windrush Generation, who arrived in London in the late 1940s and 50s searching for work and a prosperous future. Instead, they have to face the harsh realities of living hand to mouth, racism, bleak British weather and bleaker prospects. And though friendships and family flourish among these lonely Londoners, can they learn to survive?

The Lonely Londoners is performed by Danielle Vitalis and directed by Yero Timi-Biu who juxtapose modern imagery and fascinating archive footage to reflect on how Sam Selvon’s 1956 novel shaped the London of today.

The Read: Series 1

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

A series of four creative performance readings of iconic British novels.

A series of four creative performance readings of iconic British novels. Each episode is directed by exciting emerging talent.

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