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To the Manor Born
- The BBC Radio Comedy
- Narrated by: Penelope Keith, full cast, Angela Thorne, Keith Barron
- Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins
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To the Manor Born
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Summary
Penelope Keith stars in the much-loved sitcom about an aristocrat forced to part with her family home
When her husband's death leaves her financially strapped, Audrey fforbes-Hamilton has no choice but to sell her beloved Grantleigh Estate. With butler Brabinger in tow, she decamps to the tiny Old Lodge cottage, where she keeps a close - and disapproving - eye on the new squire: the nouveau riche Richard DeVere, a wholesale food magnate of Czech descent.
In these ten episodes, Audrey attempts to educate the usurper in the ways of the Lord of the Manor - but as she tries to put DeVere in his place, she discovers he's no pushover... Will it be happy ever after for the indomitable aristocrat and the dashing self-made millionaire?
This classic comedy was originally intended for radio, but was transferred to TV instead where it ran for three highly successful series between 1979 and 1981, attracting almost 25 million viewers for its final episode. The show finally returned home to Radio 2 in 1997, adapted by Peter Spence from his own TV scripts. Penelope Keith and Angela Thorne reprise their starring roles as Audrey fforbes-Hamilton and Marjory Frobisher, with Keith Barron as Richard DeVere.
Production credits
Written and adapted by Peter Spence
Produced by Jane Berthoud
First broadcast BBC Radio 2, 25 January-29 March 1997
Cast
Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton - Penelope Keith
Richard DeVere - Keith Barron
Marjory Frobisher - Angela Thorne
Brabinger - Nicholas McArdle
Mrs Polouvicka - Margery Withers
Ned - Frank Middlemass
Mrs Plunkett/Podge Hodge - Zulema Dene
Dr Horton - Geoffrey Whitehead
Receptionist - Melanie Hudson
Mademoiselle Dutoit - Rula Lenska
PC Dottle - Kevin Eldon
Brigadier - Jonathan Adams
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What listeners say about To the Manor Born
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ceri1
- 05-07-23
Brilliant
Wish there was more of this series on audible I really enjoyed it. Definitely recommend.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- CVP57
- 24-12-20
Brilliant!
loved this. A good reminder of the T.V series i watched many years ago. Brilliant.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 12-01-21
A trip down memory lane!
I remember watching this wonderful series every Sunday night 🌙 with my parents back in the seventies, so was thrilled when I saw that it was on audible. I wasn't disappointed, actors and stories are really brilliant! it brought back a sense of nostalgia and just reminded me of those Sunday night's sitting in front of the tv 📺. Wonderful 👍
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- jend4lovejoy
- 22-12-22
Marvellous laughs
The radio version is every bit as funny as the TV version. Keith Barron is fabulous as Richard. And his mother is hilarious in this version!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 04-06-23
Wonderful listening
What a fabulous time I have spent listening to this audiobook. Sheet class performed by the best.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- GhostUponTheStage
- 01-09-24
Memories of the past
Made in the days when the country hadn’t lost its sense of humour
Anything with Penelope Keith in it is always good
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Phil Glew-Deval
- 30-01-22
Not all the original cast but enjoyable
For those looking for this to be a BBC Radio version of the original series, it's kind of half there. No Peter Bowles, no original Brabinger, Ned, Mrs Poo or other minor characters. Peter Bowles is replaced by Keith Barron, most other roles are all played by Frank Middlemass.
Having said this, most of the stories are the same; except one which is interesting where Audrey applies for a job believing it to be working for Richard, this was never a TV episode.
Some cringe moments (especially from Mrs Poo and "Brabinger") but all in all a good listen if you are a fan of the original TV series; gentle comedy.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Angizoink
- 18-09-23
Disappointing, as in first episode omitted
Overall, it was very entertaining if a little predictable, but this is to be expected. It’s practically 40 years old. Disappointed that it wasn’t Peter Bowles as Divya. I thought. Keith Barron did a adequate job but nowhere as good as balls as performance in the original TV series. Also Not every episode is featured in this radio adaptation which is also a disappointment. What I find especially annoying is the original first episode where Audrey’s husband dies, and it opens up at his funeral and how she discovers that the manner is no longer hers that was not featured at all, which gives a lack of context. But otherwise incredibly enjoyable.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- pumbaesque
- 29-12-20
Meh
I loved this series and was very excited to buy the audible version. While Penelope Keith delivers as always, I was most disappointed that the other voices were not from the original actors, well definitely not Peter Bowles anyway, nor Mrs Poole. (maybe my own fault for not checking). Also, it doesn't include all the episodes. Disappointing.
I've given 2 stars for performance mainly because I felt that some of the drafted in people were not as good as the original ones. Penelope Keith gets five stars. The story is, well, the story. Having left out a lot, and especially the first episode, this audible book waters down things too much
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5 people found this helpful