Preview

Try for £0.00
Thousands of incredible audiobooks and podcasts to take wherever you go.
Immerse yourself in a world of storytelling with the Plus Catalogue - unlimited listening to thousands of select audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Dame and the Showgirl

By: Simon Berry
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

  • Summary

  • Dame Edith Sitwell is on the final leg of a sell-out Recital Tour of America. Eccentric, old, aristocratic and extremely English, she has taken the States by storm. Nevertheless she is annoyed that her sponsors, Life Magazine, are holding her to her contract getting her to write an article interviewing a relatively unknown film actress, about to hit the big time.

    Marilyn Monroe.

    Life Magazine and Dame Edith know perfectly well that the two are unlikely to hit it off. But somehow these two opposites attract, surprise each other and forge a deep bond. Despite their totally different backgrounds, they lose their minders and find much more in common than either would have guessed. By the end of their allotted hour, they have discovered truths about motherhood and childhood, beauty and ugliness, the price of fame and the masks we hide behind‚ as well as the human truth that we have more in common than things that divide us.

    The Dame and the Showgirl have become friends.

    This is an Audible Original Podcast. Free for members. You can download this title to your Library now.
    ©2021 Audible, Ltd (P)2021 Audible, Ltd
    Show More Show Less
Historical Fiction
Show More Show Less
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2
Episodes
  • Ep 1: The Dame and the Showgirl

    Ep 1: The Dame and the Showgirl
    May 5 2021

    Dame Edith Sitwell is on the final leg of a sell-out Recital Tour of America. Eccentric, old, aristocratic and extremely English, she has taken the States by storm. Nevertheless she is annoyed that her sponsors, Life Magazine, are holding her to her contract getting her to write an article interviewing a relatively unknown film actress, about to hit the big time.

    Marilyn Monroe.

    Life Magazine and Dame Edith know perfectly well that the two are unlikely to hit it off. But somehow these two opposites attract, surprise each other and forge a deep bond. Despite their totally different backgrounds, they lose their minders and find much more in common than either would have guessed. By the end of their allotted hour, they have discovered truths about motherhood and childhood, beauty and ugliness, the price of fame and the masks we hide behind – as well as the human truth that we have more in common than things that divide us.

    The Dame and the Showgirl have become friends.
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
    Try for £0.00

What listeners say about The Dame and the Showgirl

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    39
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    36
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.co.uk reviews

Amazon reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Rod Banner

Refreshes the parts that I had forgotten

In a world filled with intolerance and division, this gentle, witty story of two very different women forging an unlikely friendship is nourishing beyond words. Simon Berry's story is simultaneously nostalgic and modern (if that's possible) and one can't help warming to the two characters, whose reputations have both been battered considerably in other renditions.
The performances were beautiful too. A shred of Wooster but nothing like sufficient to make it cheesy. A chasm of emotional liberation and stuck-up-ness that is explored and closed. In short, delightful. Please listen to it. I guarantee you will find a precious hour of nothing but joy.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Samantha Crapnell

Loved it

I have listened to this repeatedly. The new friendship between Dame Edith and Norma Jean unfurls beautifully.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for London Showtunes

Fascinating and fun - one niggle ;-)

I enjoyed this very much. I was only a little frustrated that it's made to sound as if the famous movie sketch "The vessel with the pestle (etc)" comes form the Bing Crosby movie 'A Connecticut Yankee (In King Arthur's Court)', whereas it actually comes (famously) from the Danny Kaye movie 'The Court Jester'.
But the acting is terrific, and the pairing of Sitwell and Monroe a delightful surprise!

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Amanda

An absolute treat

This short play lives up to its recommendations. I thoroughly enjoyed both the text and the acting - a very happy hour. More please Simon Berry!
AL

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Serenity Amber

The intelligence of Norma Jean

This dramatic, fun, interesting, well presented/fantastically performanced podcast, has now been put into my top 10 favorite audio library. Please go & have a listen, you will NOT be disappointed. This dramatic podcast has given me an opportunity to delve into a whole new outlook on what life was possible like for starlets like Norma Jean/Marilyn Monroe & how the 'Industry' wanted them portrayed in their 'showbiz' lifestyles.
5* podcast, highly recommended by an avid reader/audio book lover 😍

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for VC

Treat in store

A highly entertaining feat of the imagination which inspired me to learn more about these two formidable women and speculate on their subsequent conversations. More please!

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Michael Paris

Very enjoyable

This is a very entertaining listen, well worth the time.
The cast is perfect

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mary B

A wonderful play!

I loved every minute of this beautifully written and very entertaining play. Huge congratulations and thanks to Simon Berry for writing such a gem and to the great cast. I could not recommend The Dame and the Showgirl more highly.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Simon M.

Magical hour....

Simon Berry has created an absolute gem. The true story of Dame Edith interviewing Marilyn Monroe makes one desperate to discover what was exchanged between them. This re imagination of that interview is credible, engaging, witty and utterly charming from start to finish. And unsurprisingly Emma Thompson is an absolute genius as Dame Edith Sitwell. Sinead Matthews is a brilliant foil with her clever and subtly different positioning of Norma Jean and the Hollywood version of Marilyn. I was left wondering whether Marilyn would ever have come to England to meet Dame Edith at her home. I was certainly left longing for more by the end. A really great example of an audio play and in my own experience, well worth listening to more than once. A delight.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Ty

5 stars and I’m only half way through!!!

Loving this… beautifully written, wonderfully voiced/ acted… thoroughly enjoyable… my only criticism… Just too short!!

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful