I, Claudius

by Robert Graves Narrated by Derek Jacobi, Full Cast, Tom Goodman-Hill

Overview

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Robert Graves' brilliant account of the madness and debauchery of ancient Rome, starring Tom Goodman Hill as Claudius and Derek Jacobi as Augustus. The wickedly entertaining inside story of the lives and deaths of the Imperial dynasty from Augustus to Caligula is told by their obscure relation, Claudius. In public, Claudius is a stammering, drooling weakling, whose reputation as an idiot keeps him safe from office and assassination. But in private, he's as sharp as they come, and keeps a secret history of everything he discovers. Until one day, as one of the few of his family left alive, he's acclaimed Emperor against his will. Can he save Rome from the corruption he's grown to detest? Featuring Derek Jacobi (who won a BAFTA for his performance as Claudius in the acclaimed 1977 BBC television production) as Augustus, and with an all-star cast, this gripping dramatisation will enthral anyone who loves the decadence of Ancient Rome.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Graves's legendary tale of Claudius, a nobleman in the corrupt and cruel world of ancient Rome during the rule of Augustus, Tiberius and Caligula, is a truly compelling listening experience. Derek Jacobi returns to the role that defined his career when he starred in the 1976 Masterpiece Theatre miniseries I, Claudius. Jacobi is so strong in this role, it seems created especially for him. Jacobi's compelling voice demands his audience's undivided attention from start to finish and in doing so delivers an unforgettable performance as Claudius yet again. So incredibly personal is Jacobi's performance that listeners feel almost as if eavesdropping on someone's private life, which only draws us deeper into this gem of modern literature. (Aug.)

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OCT/NOV 08 - AudioFile

A narration by Sir Derek Jacobi is always an unquestionable treat, and here he's on totally familiar ground as he immortalized Claudius, the Roman historian and chronicler, in the 1976 BBC TV series. A classic worth revisiting or enjoying for the first time, even this tidy abridgment captures the Rome of Augustus, Tiberius, and the mad Caligula, with its plots, poisonings, and palace intrigue and the eventual succession of "Claudius, the stammerer." Jacobi, a brilliant master, can color characters with pace and tone—and mostly without accents—and make each wholly distinct. The lists of who succeeded or descended from whom daunt him not, and sweep the listener along. The narrative flow is essential as so many events are described or related. Jacobi makes them vivid and thoroughly engaging. R.F.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169129342
Publisher:	Random House UK
Publication date:	01/06/2011
Edition description:	Unabridged

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