Tales from the Arabian Nights
A BBC Radio 4 Drama
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $20.33
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
About this listen
Seven of Shahrazad's stories of love, magic and mystery - plus bonus documentary
A collection of fabulous tales of genies, heroes, flying carpets and fantastic voyages, The Arabian Nights has enchanted generations of children and adults. Forged in the Islamic Golden Age, it was brought to Europe in the 18th Century, where it became an instant sensation. Included here are seven full-cast dramatisations, starring Carolyn Backhouse as Shahrazad and Derek Jacobi as the King, as well as a bonus edition of In Our Time exploring the story behind the tales.
Ghanim, the Thrall of Love - To escape the executioner's sword, Shahrazad beguiles the King with a spellbinding tale of love, jealousy, betrayal - and a magic drum.
The Ebony Horse - The magical story of a handsome prince, a beautiful princess, and a remarkable wooden horse.
The Three Suitors - When Jamilla's lover is thrown in prison, she devises a cunning plan to free him, involving a carpenter, a magistrate, a bogus camel-cleaner, and a wardrobe...
The Ninth Pedestal - Prince Zain inherits eight valuable statues - but the ninth is missing. He goes on a quest to find it - but what he discovers is beyond price...
Homza's Dance - The hunt for a lost arrow leads Prince Ahmed into an amazing adventure of sorcery and transformation.
The Hunchback - A series of bizarre accidents befall an eccentric cast of characters in a tale that's full of twists and turns.
The Dream of Baba Abdullah - In a final attempt to save her life, Shahrazad invites the king to enter the final story with her - or return alone...
In Our Time: The Arabian Nights - Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the myths, tales and legends of this ever-shifting sea of stories.
Cast and credits
Adapted by Colin Haydn Evans
Directed by Nigel Bryant
Music: Sue Harris and Steafan Hannigan
Starring Carolyn Backhouse as Shahrazad and Derek Jacobi as the King.
Ghanim, the Thrall of Love
Wazir - Simon Carter
Ghanim - Michael Lumsden
Leila - Moir Leslie
Caliph - Duncan Law
Rahil - Mary Wimbush
Slave - Richard O'Ryan
Old Man - Geoffrey Banks
The Ebony Horse
Kamar - James Telfer
The Sage - Roger Hume
Shams - Teresa Gallagher
Kamar's father - John Baddeley
The Three Suitors
Jamilla - Rachel Atkins
Hassan - William Chubb
Faris - Geoffrey Banks
Gaoler - Michael Mears
Magistrate - Philip Anthony
Carpenter - John Baddeley
Shahrazad's father - Simon Carter
The Ninth Pedestal
Prince Zain - James Telfer
Moubarak - John Baddeley
Genie - Steve Hodson
Maysun -Teresa Gallagher
Homza's Dance
Ahmed - James Telfer
Peri Banou - Rachel Atkins
Sultan - Philip Anthony
Sorceress - Mary Wimbush
Hussein - Steve Hodson
The Hunchback
Tailor - Harry Landis
Tailor's wife - Maria Charles
Doctor's wife - Mary Wimbush
Doctor - Philip Anthony
Seamstress - Kate Binchy
Christian - John Baddeley
Watchman - Jonathan Owen
Magistrate - Maurice Denham
Hunchback - Tania Ison
The Dream of Baba Abdullah
Baba Abdullah - Daniel Strauss
Dervish - Geoffrey Banks
In Our Time
Presented by Melvyn Bragg
With Robert Irwin, Marina Warner and Gerard van Gelder
Produced by James Cook
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution LtdListeners also enjoyed...
-
Sherlock Holmes: The Complete BBC Collection
- 60 Full-Cast Dramatisations
- By: Arthur Conan Doyle, Bert Coules
- Narrated by: Clive Merrison, Michael Williams, Brian Blessed, and others
- Length: 48 hrs and 33 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beginning with A Study in Scarlet and concluding with The Hound of the Baskervilles, this epic project took over 8 years to complete - and this landmark collection contains the extraordinary result. Here is the world's first ever fully dramatised Sherlock Holmes canon: 56 short stories and 4 novels, all made by the same team of directors, producers, dramatists and leading actors, and packed with the high production qualities of a film or TV drama that set it apart.
-
-
A nice collection
- By Meaghan Bynum on 09-19-23
By: Arthur Conan Doyle, and others
-
Agatha Christie: Twelve Radio Mysteries
- Twelve BBC Radio 4 Dramatisations
- By: Agatha Christie
- Narrated by: Tom Hollander, full cast, Julia McKenzie, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twelve BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of short stories by the Queen of Crime. First broadcast in the early 2000s, the stories were adapted and brought up-to-date for a contemporary audience. The stories are 'Philomel Cottage'; 'Swan Song'; 'Magnolia Blossom'; 'Witness for the Prosecution'; 'The Gates of Baghdad'; 'The Hounds of Death'; 'In a Glass Darkly'; 'The Dressmaker's Doll'; 'The Case of the Perfect Carer'; 'The £199 Adventure'; 'The Gypsy'; and 'The Last Seance'. Duration: 6 hours approx.
-
-
Campy
- By Carol on 09-10-16
By: Agatha Christie
-
Kings
- Five BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramas
- By: Sebastian Baczkiewicz, Kate Clanchy
- Narrated by: David Calder, Sheridan Smith, Claire Rushbrook, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Five dazzling plays showcasing characters from the reign of biblical King David: In these fascinating, moving and insightful plays, a different light is shone on the famous biblical King. From the original mission of King Saul to find the shepherd boy after Samuel's prophecy, to David's final days of sickness and neglect, and taking in his days of war raids and spying as well as his loves and losses as his wives battle for status and attention, the tales bring to life a man who all too often is a figure of myth rather than a flawed and passionate human.
By: Sebastian Baczkiewicz, and others
-
Agatha Raisin
- The Complete BBC Radio Drama Collection
- By: M. C. Beaton
- Narrated by: Penelope Keith, full cast
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After a lifetime spent in public relations, one-woman dynamo Agatha Raisin struggles to adapt to life in a quiet country village - but she soon finds that there is murder and mayhem aplenty to keep her busy. Among the cases she has to deal with are a poisoned quiche; a vet who has been ‘put to sleep’; a hanged horticulturist; a murdered rambler and a curate who meets his Maker somewhat sooner than expected.
-
-
Comedy and Murder
- By Dylan on 05-22-20
By: M. C. Beaton
-
Milady de Winter
- A BBC Radio 4 Drama
- By: Lucy Catherine
- Narrated by: Anjana Vasan, Sam Troughton, Luke Nunn, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 53 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Young, beautiful and courageous, Milady de Winter is a cunning spy, talented thief, and ruthless killer. She glides with ease through the streets and gilded halls of 17th-century France and England, turning heads or, with a click of her fingers, disappearing anonymously into a crowd. Driven by intellect and fierce desire, she is willing to go to any lengths to achieve her ambitions - and outwit the powerful men who try to crush her.
-
-
Action and Movement
- By TashaJRiley on 11-28-23
By: Lucy Catherine
-
The Buckingham Palace Connection and More
- Five Full-Cast BBC Radio Vintage Thrillers
- By: Ted Willis
- Narrated by: Miriam Margolyes, Maurice Denham, Elizabeth Proud, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ted Willis began his creative life in amateur theatre and journalism before moving into writing for films, TV and radio, and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most prolific writer for television. His best-known creation was the hit police procedural Dixon of Dock Green which he based on the stories told to him by a policeman friend. This radio anthology includes five of his best-loved crime tales from the 1960s, '70s and '80s.
By: Ted Willis
-
Sherlock Holmes: The Complete BBC Collection
- 60 Full-Cast Dramatisations
- By: Arthur Conan Doyle, Bert Coules
- Narrated by: Clive Merrison, Michael Williams, Brian Blessed, and others
- Length: 48 hrs and 33 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beginning with A Study in Scarlet and concluding with The Hound of the Baskervilles, this epic project took over 8 years to complete - and this landmark collection contains the extraordinary result. Here is the world's first ever fully dramatised Sherlock Holmes canon: 56 short stories and 4 novels, all made by the same team of directors, producers, dramatists and leading actors, and packed with the high production qualities of a film or TV drama that set it apart.
-
-
A nice collection
- By Meaghan Bynum on 09-19-23
By: Arthur Conan Doyle, and others
-
Agatha Christie: Twelve Radio Mysteries
- Twelve BBC Radio 4 Dramatisations
- By: Agatha Christie
- Narrated by: Tom Hollander, full cast, Julia McKenzie, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twelve BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of short stories by the Queen of Crime. First broadcast in the early 2000s, the stories were adapted and brought up-to-date for a contemporary audience. The stories are 'Philomel Cottage'; 'Swan Song'; 'Magnolia Blossom'; 'Witness for the Prosecution'; 'The Gates of Baghdad'; 'The Hounds of Death'; 'In a Glass Darkly'; 'The Dressmaker's Doll'; 'The Case of the Perfect Carer'; 'The £199 Adventure'; 'The Gypsy'; and 'The Last Seance'. Duration: 6 hours approx.
-
-
Campy
- By Carol on 09-10-16
By: Agatha Christie
-
Kings
- Five BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramas
- By: Sebastian Baczkiewicz, Kate Clanchy
- Narrated by: David Calder, Sheridan Smith, Claire Rushbrook, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Five dazzling plays showcasing characters from the reign of biblical King David: In these fascinating, moving and insightful plays, a different light is shone on the famous biblical King. From the original mission of King Saul to find the shepherd boy after Samuel's prophecy, to David's final days of sickness and neglect, and taking in his days of war raids and spying as well as his loves and losses as his wives battle for status and attention, the tales bring to life a man who all too often is a figure of myth rather than a flawed and passionate human.
By: Sebastian Baczkiewicz, and others
-
Agatha Raisin
- The Complete BBC Radio Drama Collection
- By: M. C. Beaton
- Narrated by: Penelope Keith, full cast
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After a lifetime spent in public relations, one-woman dynamo Agatha Raisin struggles to adapt to life in a quiet country village - but she soon finds that there is murder and mayhem aplenty to keep her busy. Among the cases she has to deal with are a poisoned quiche; a vet who has been ‘put to sleep’; a hanged horticulturist; a murdered rambler and a curate who meets his Maker somewhat sooner than expected.
-
-
Comedy and Murder
- By Dylan on 05-22-20
By: M. C. Beaton
-
Milady de Winter
- A BBC Radio 4 Drama
- By: Lucy Catherine
- Narrated by: Anjana Vasan, Sam Troughton, Luke Nunn, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 53 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Young, beautiful and courageous, Milady de Winter is a cunning spy, talented thief, and ruthless killer. She glides with ease through the streets and gilded halls of 17th-century France and England, turning heads or, with a click of her fingers, disappearing anonymously into a crowd. Driven by intellect and fierce desire, she is willing to go to any lengths to achieve her ambitions - and outwit the powerful men who try to crush her.
-
-
Action and Movement
- By TashaJRiley on 11-28-23
By: Lucy Catherine
-
The Buckingham Palace Connection and More
- Five Full-Cast BBC Radio Vintage Thrillers
- By: Ted Willis
- Narrated by: Miriam Margolyes, Maurice Denham, Elizabeth Proud, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ted Willis began his creative life in amateur theatre and journalism before moving into writing for films, TV and radio, and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most prolific writer for television. His best-known creation was the hit police procedural Dixon of Dock Green which he based on the stories told to him by a policeman friend. This radio anthology includes five of his best-loved crime tales from the 1960s, '70s and '80s.
By: Ted Willis
Related to this topic
-
Project Hail Mary
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
-
-
Bazinga
- By Davidgonzalezsr on 05-04-21
By: Andy Weir
-
George Orwell’s 1984
- An Audible Original adaptation
- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
-
-
A Revelation!
- By wotsallthisthen on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
-
The Martian
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet.
-
-
I love Wil Wheaton but why not R. C. Bray?
- By L. Newman on 01-11-20
By: Andy Weir
-
Starter Villain
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits.
-
-
Volcanic Lairs, Death Rays & Cats… Oh My! 😼
- By C. White on 09-19-23
By: John Scalzi
-
Artemis
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Rosario Dawson
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent. Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down.
-
-
A ferrari with no motor
- By will on 11-18-17
By: Andy Weir
-
The Signal
- By: Eric Buchman, Gabriel Urbina, Sarah Shachat
- Narrated by: Paget Brewster, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two astronomers have detected a strange, pulsing signal from deep space. Within hours, the US government goes into lockdown, restricting airspace and scrubbing scientific data. Was the signal an intercepted communication revealing alarming plans for an enemy’s military strike? Or has humanity at long last found proof of extraterrestrial life?
-
-
A great new twist on the “alien conspiracy” genre
- By Amazon Customer on 12-08-24
By: Eric Buchman, and others
-
Project Hail Mary
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
-
-
Bazinga
- By Davidgonzalezsr on 05-04-21
By: Andy Weir
-
George Orwell’s 1984
- An Audible Original adaptation
- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
-
-
A Revelation!
- By wotsallthisthen on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
-
The Martian
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet.
-
-
I love Wil Wheaton but why not R. C. Bray?
- By L. Newman on 01-11-20
By: Andy Weir
-
Starter Villain
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits.
-
-
Volcanic Lairs, Death Rays & Cats… Oh My! 😼
- By C. White on 09-19-23
By: John Scalzi
-
Artemis
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Rosario Dawson
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent. Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down.
-
-
A ferrari with no motor
- By will on 11-18-17
By: Andy Weir
-
The Signal
- By: Eric Buchman, Gabriel Urbina, Sarah Shachat
- Narrated by: Paget Brewster, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two astronomers have detected a strange, pulsing signal from deep space. Within hours, the US government goes into lockdown, restricting airspace and scrubbing scientific data. Was the signal an intercepted communication revealing alarming plans for an enemy’s military strike? Or has humanity at long last found proof of extraterrestrial life?
-
-
A great new twist on the “alien conspiracy” genre
- By Amazon Customer on 12-08-24
By: Eric Buchman, and others