Judith Adams

Mrs Mabb

March 2008

45 minute dramatisation of a short story by Susanna Clarke

BBC Radio 4

pr. Elizabeth Allard

with Emma Fielding

Broadcast March 18th 2008, 2.15pm

“Mrs. Mabb was absolutely excellent. Everything I hoped for and more. Well done to Judith Adams for adapting the story and to Elizabeth Allard for producing. And thanks, of course, to the wonderful cast who brought the story to life. 9.5 out of 10. More, please!”

Friends of English Magic

FOEMS INTERVIEW

Summary

A handsome soldier has been abducted by (or run passionately into the arms of) the amazing Mrs Mabb – known by all, feared by some and seen by very few – and his erstwhile lover is determined to win him back. Her sister and brother-in-law are equally determined to keep her safe from harm, but for all their loving care, she blunders (the obligatory thrice) out of her comfortable Austen-esque existence, though a movable door, into a terrifying, violent world which leaves her with battered face and bloodied feet. There is a malign guiding force in the mayhem, and, to triumph over it, Venetia must both piece together her scattered intelligence and leap into a place where mere intelligence alone will never go.

It is just possible (though by no means probable) that that is what Mrs Mabb has wanted, all along.

“…magic is part of what a man is, just as flight is part of what a bird is.”

‘Lady Catherine of Winchester’ / ‘Jane Tobias’ / Susanna Clarke

Related Projects

Earthsea / Erdsee

2018 & 2022
Le Guin layers her work with themes of self-discovery, relationships, isolation and connection, love and betrayal, violence and redemption. Earthsea has unique characters, glorious geography and the energy of its own songs, sagas and myths.

Read More

The Left Hand of Darkness

April 12th & 19th 2015
Dramatisation of the award-winning, ground-breaking and deeply influential novel by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Read More

Lord of the Flies

June 2013
Dramatisation of the novel by William Golding for BBC Radio 4E.

Read More

Search...