Showing results by narrator "Julian West" in All Categories

An irresistible collection of sparkling stories featuring John Mortimer's beloved comic creation: Horace Rumpole is the most erudite, astute, and seldom defeated of barristers in the annals of the Old Bailey. In these 32 dramas, arranged in order of broadcast, four distinguished actors don the wig and white band to portray our hero as he recalls his long, eventful career.

Introduced by Sir Richard Eyre, these four iconic productions, dramatised with star casts, bring Shakespeare’s gripping histories to life in all their rich complexity.

Suave, unflappable and ambitious, veteran politician Charles Bannister knows his way around the corridors of power. As chief whip, he's adept at keeping MPs in line and squashing potential scandals—aided by his brother-in-law, MI6 Agent Henry Colvil, who whispers useful titbits of information in his ear. His position seems invincible—but nothing is forever, and when the tides of politics turn, Charles finds himself under threat. In these six series, we follow his fortunes and those of his close friend Home Secretary Dougal Baxter. Together, the duo rise, fall and rise again.

An award-wining poet, short story writer and novelist, Walter de la Mare is probably best known for his works for children and his perennially popular poem ‘The Listeners’. His ghost stories were much admired by H. P. Lovecraft and inspired subsequent authors of supernatural horror such as Robert Aickman and Ramsey Campbell. In 1921, his novel Memoirs of a Midget won the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction, and this haunting, surrealistic tale is the opening tale in our anthology.

Dracula turns the Innkeeper into his shadow vampire, so he must obey his every wish. Alisa is struggling in school as her special power - love - is made fun of in class. On her own she remembers her mother who loved her very much but who left her for an important cause. Hindrik urges Alisa to keep the Spark a secret and try to fit in. A strange girl and a wolf sneak onto the ship.

The Elders leave the heirs in the care of the Nosferas clan. Malcolm and Lars don’t really feel like going to school at all and sneak off. Making friends isn’t so easy for Alisa in vampire-school, and she keeps getting visions that make no sense to her. Dracula sees Alisa for the first time as the Spark connects them.

Lars af Dracas overhears the Noaidi predict the future of all vampires; if the clans don’t reunite, they will go extinct. His father sends out a message to the other four remaining clans to join forces. On the mystical ship the Elisabetha, the other vampire clans come to an understanding. At the market Alisa’s fangs accidentally pop out and humans panic because she’s a vampire.

On the ship the Elisabetha the vampires set sail for Hamburg, to save the Vamalias from the Redmasks. Alisa is discovered by a Redmask but manages to escape through the roof in the attic. In the street she is stopped by Hindrik, who came back to save her. Alisa meets the other Heirs when they arrive on the ship. The Heirs hear that they’re on the ship to start vampire school.

Mia’s cozy bakery has always been her sanctuary—a sweet escape in a world filled with uncertainties. But her peaceful routine is thrown into disarray when Liam, a charming newcomer with a mysterious past, strolls into her small-town life. Liam is witty, talented, and maddeningly persistent. Beneath their playful banter lies an undeniable spark, but Mia’s heart is guarded, and Liam’s past holds secrets he’s reluctant to share. As walls come down and misunderstandings arise, their connection deepens into something neither expected.

Deutschland nach 1945: Klara und Leon haben überlebt - mit der Geburt ihres Sohnes Bärel wollen sie die Erinnerungen an Lager, Flucht und Verfolgung hinter sich lassen und ein neues Leben beginnen. Doch dann, bei einem Spaziergang im Park, trifft es Klara wie ein Schlag: Sie erkennt Liliput, ihre ehemalige Oberaufseherin im KZ. Klara steht unter Schock, hört auf zu sprechen und Bärel zu versorgen. Ihr Mann sieht nur einen Ausweg: "Schreibe, Klara, schreibe. Bann das Böse auf Papier! Fessele es mit deinen Worten!" Und Klara wagt den Blick in den Abgrund, zurück ins Leben.

On the Elisabetha Tonka wants to snatch the Nosferas ruby from the Contessa’s neck. When Alisa gets back from town, she finds her friends in danger. She wants Tonka to take her instead of her friends. The Contessa promised Alisa’s mother to keep the Spark safe and tries to protect her and the other heirs. The Redmasks are coming. Alisa tells Lars she knows and trusts him.

Tonka informs Dracula about Alisa and her friends. Excited about her new powers Alisa tries them out, much to the amusement of Lars and Ivy. Hindrik isn’t excited at all. Lars is spending more time with Alisa and Ivy and Malcolm feels neglected. Alisa feels she is a danger to everybody around her and wants to be out of their way. She sees no other way than to lock herself in a cage.

Overflown with emotions Alisa has to confide in Lars and Ivy about what is going on with her. Inspired by the openness of Alisa, Ivy tells her about how she and her brother Seymour ended up on the ship. They know Tonka is on a mission to steal the rubies. Hindrik sends Raphaëla to check if the rubies are safe. They’re not. Raphaëla gets into a fight with Tonka.

Alisa, Lars and Ivy succeed in getting the book on Dracula’s history. They find out more information about Dracula’s long-lost love Elisabetha and what happened to her and Dracula. Dracula is on his way together, with his shadow vampire, to the Belov ruby of Russia. Tonka, who has an angry Dracula to please, tries to compel little Tammo in stealing a ruby from the Contessa’s neck.

The Conte and Contessa do not want to believe Dracula is alive. He has been captured. Since Dracula and Alisa are connected by the Spark Alisa gets trapped into a coma. Lars is the only one who has the power to help Alisa. As Alisa awakes, she feels that most of the special powers have left her body. But she is alive, thanks to Lars.

Alisa needs both Nicu and Lars to get to know the Redmasks’ plans. The other heirs train to form a strong front. It takes the clan leaders some time to get used to this new status quo on the ship. It takes the support of the Conte to convince the other clan leaders to do it their way. Nicu has to come face to face with his greatest nightmare. The race to the Knot is on.

Calvina wants Nicu to join her to a Redmask meeting. Reading her mother’s words Alisa’s world changes; she’s warned never to trust a Dracas. Lars wants to prove he can be trusted even if he’s a Dracas, but Alisa needs some distance and goes into town. The clan leaders find out that Dracula is alive. While Malcolm teaches the class about his power - controlling the weather - things turn into chaos.

Nicu and his mom also arrive in Italy. Alisa wants to find out more about Dracula and the Knot and goes to the library. Just as she finds a book on Dracula, she bumps into Nicu. They reconnect again. Since this was clearly meant to be, Nicu asks Alisa out to dinner. In the restaurant Tonka steals the book on Dracula from Alisa.

Alisa and Nicu are in a police cell and Tonka burns the book on Dracula. Conte Claudio learns about the waitress that has been bitten in town. Contessa Viola goes to see if she can find this vampire, the Conte checks if all the heirs are on board and if no one has been drinking human blood. Lars sacrifices himself to get Alisa back on the ship without the others noticing. Alisa is thankful.

The ship is speeding for Norway; Alisa’s decision to free Calvina has turned for the worse. Alisa is to appear before the Elders to be held accountable for her actions. Nicu has to prove he can lead an army of Redmasks to serve Dracula. When they arrive in Norway, Lars hurries to the Noaidi. There they find that Alisa is the only one who can help Baron Magnus fight the silver in his body.