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W.M. Thackeray: A BBC Radio Drama Collection: Vanity Fair, Barry Lyndon, The Newcomes, Pendennis & The Yellowplush Papers
Five BBC Radio adaptations of the works of William Makepeace Thackeray—plus bonus features.
Best known today for his comic masterpiece, Vanity Fair, W. M. Thackeray was regarded in his time as the only rival to his contemporary, Charles Dickens. This collection includes a selection of his finest satirical fiction, as well as two fascinating programmes exploring his life and writings.
Vanity Fair - Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, Thackeray's deliciously ironic tale of passion and ambition follows the fortunes of penniless, social-climbing Becky Sharp and her wealthy, sweet-natured best friend, Amelia Sedley. Starring Stephen Fry as the Narrator, with Emma Fielding as Becky, Katy Cavanagh as Amelia and Toby Jones as Jos.
Barry Lyndon - Forced to leave his native Ireland after an unfortunate duel, young Redmond Barry embarks on a series of adventures that take him from the battlefields of the Seven Years War to the highest courts of Europe and the drawing rooms of English society. Gerard McSorley and Andrew Scott star in Thackeray's picaresque classic alongside Shelia Hancock and Kenneth Cranham.
The Yellowplush Papers- Adam Buxton stars in these five comic tales about the rise and fall of canny Regency footman Charles Yellowplush.
Pendennis - Thackeray's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tale charts the youthful exploits of handsome, impoverished Arthur Pendennis as he leaves his home in the country to make his way in London society. Dominic Guard stars as Arthur, with Hugh Dickson as The Writer.
The Newcomes - Featuring characters from Vanity Fair and narrated by Arthur Pendennis, this epic saga tells the story of several generations of a respectable English family, centring around Colonel Thomas Newcombe and his artist son, Clive. Starring Simon Lack, Carleton Hobbs and Nigel Grahame.
Al Murray on Thackeray - Comedian Al Murray talks about his great-great-great-grandfather, William Makepeace Thackeray, and why he thinks Vanity Fair is still relevant today.
Andrew Davies/William Thackeray - James Naughtie and a group of readers chat to Andrew Davies about Thackeray's classic novel, Vanity Fair, which he adapted for BBC TV in 1998.
Due to the age and nature of some of the recordings, the sound quality may vary.
First published 1837 (The Yellowplush Papers), 1844 (The Luck of Barry Lyndon), 1848 (Vanity Fair), 1849-50 (Pendennis), 1855 (The Newcomes)
Cast and credits
Written by W. M. Thackeray
With thanks to Keith Wickham
Contents
Vanity Fair
Barry Lyndon
The Yellowplush Papers
Pendennis
The Newcomes
Al Murray on Thackeray
Andrew Davies on William Thackeray
Best known today for his comic masterpiece, Vanity Fair, W. M. Thackeray was regarded in his time as the only rival to his contemporary, Charles Dickens. This collection includes a selection of his finest satirical fiction, as well as two fascinating programmes exploring his life and writings.
Vanity Fair - Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, Thackeray's deliciously ironic tale of passion and ambition follows the fortunes of penniless, social-climbing Becky Sharp and her wealthy, sweet-natured best friend, Amelia Sedley. Starring Stephen Fry as the Narrator, with Emma Fielding as Becky, Katy Cavanagh as Amelia and Toby Jones as Jos.
Barry Lyndon - Forced to leave his native Ireland after an unfortunate duel, young Redmond Barry embarks on a series of adventures that take him from the battlefields of the Seven Years War to the highest courts of Europe and the drawing rooms of English society. Gerard McSorley and Andrew Scott star in Thackeray's picaresque classic alongside Shelia Hancock and Kenneth Cranham.
The Yellowplush Papers- Adam Buxton stars in these five comic tales about the rise and fall of canny Regency footman Charles Yellowplush.
Pendennis - Thackeray's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tale charts the youthful exploits of handsome, impoverished Arthur Pendennis as he leaves his home in the country to make his way in London society. Dominic Guard stars as Arthur, with Hugh Dickson as The Writer.
The Newcomes - Featuring characters from Vanity Fair and narrated by Arthur Pendennis, this epic saga tells the story of several generations of a respectable English family, centring around Colonel Thomas Newcombe and his artist son, Clive. Starring Simon Lack, Carleton Hobbs and Nigel Grahame.
Al Murray on Thackeray - Comedian Al Murray talks about his great-great-great-grandfather, William Makepeace Thackeray, and why he thinks Vanity Fair is still relevant today.
Andrew Davies/William Thackeray - James Naughtie and a group of readers chat to Andrew Davies about Thackeray's classic novel, Vanity Fair, which he adapted for BBC TV in 1998.
Due to the age and nature of some of the recordings, the sound quality may vary.
First published 1837 (The Yellowplush Papers), 1844 (The Luck of Barry Lyndon), 1848 (Vanity Fair), 1849-50 (Pendennis), 1855 (The Newcomes)
Cast and credits
Written by W. M. Thackeray
With thanks to Keith Wickham
Contents
Vanity Fair
Barry Lyndon
The Yellowplush Papers
Pendennis
The Newcomes
Al Murray on Thackeray
Andrew Davies on William Thackeray
Audible Audio
Published September 29, 2022
About the author
William Makepeace Thackeray
4,619 books1,367 followersWilliam Makepeace Thackeray was an English novelist, satirist, and journalist, best known for his keen social commentary and his novel Vanity Fair (1847–1848). His works often explored themes of ambition, hypocrisy, and the moral failings of British society, making him one of the most significant literary figures of the Victorian era.
Born in Calcutta, British India, he was sent to England for his education after his father’s death. He attended Charterhouse School, where he developed a distaste for the rigid school system, and later enrolled at Trinity College, Cambridge. However, he left without earning a degree, instead traveling in Europe and pursuing artistic ambitions.
After losing much of his inheritance due to bad investments, Thackeray turned to writing for a living. He contributed satirical sketches, essays, and stories to periodicals such as Fraser’s Magazine and Punch, gradually building a reputation for his sharp wit and keen observational skills. His breakthrough came with Vanity Fair, a panoramic satire of English society that introduced the enduring character of Becky Sharp, a resourceful and amoral social climber.
Thackeray’s later novels, including Pendennis (1848–1850), The History of Henry Esmond (1852), and The Newcomes (1853–1855), continued to explore the lives of the English upper and middle classes, often focusing on the contrast between personal virtue and social ambition. His historical novel Henry Esmond was particularly praised for its detailed 18th-century setting and complex characterization.
In addition to his fiction, Thackeray was a noted public speaker and essayist, delivering lectures on the English humorists of the 18th century and on The Four Georges, a critical look at the British monarchy.
Despite his literary success, he lived with personal struggles, including the mental illness of his wife, Isabella, which deeply affected him. He remained devoted to his two daughters and was known for his kindness and generosity among his friends and colleagues.
His works remain widely read, appreciated for their incisive humor, rich characterizations, and unflinching critique of social pretensions.
Born in Calcutta, British India, he was sent to England for his education after his father’s death. He attended Charterhouse School, where he developed a distaste for the rigid school system, and later enrolled at Trinity College, Cambridge. However, he left without earning a degree, instead traveling in Europe and pursuing artistic ambitions.
After losing much of his inheritance due to bad investments, Thackeray turned to writing for a living. He contributed satirical sketches, essays, and stories to periodicals such as Fraser’s Magazine and Punch, gradually building a reputation for his sharp wit and keen observational skills. His breakthrough came with Vanity Fair, a panoramic satire of English society that introduced the enduring character of Becky Sharp, a resourceful and amoral social climber.
Thackeray’s later novels, including Pendennis (1848–1850), The History of Henry Esmond (1852), and The Newcomes (1853–1855), continued to explore the lives of the English upper and middle classes, often focusing on the contrast between personal virtue and social ambition. His historical novel Henry Esmond was particularly praised for its detailed 18th-century setting and complex characterization.
In addition to his fiction, Thackeray was a noted public speaker and essayist, delivering lectures on the English humorists of the 18th century and on The Four Georges, a critical look at the British monarchy.
Despite his literary success, he lived with personal struggles, including the mental illness of his wife, Isabella, which deeply affected him. He remained devoted to his two daughters and was known for his kindness and generosity among his friends and colleagues.
His works remain widely read, appreciated for their incisive humor, rich characterizations, and unflinching critique of social pretensions.
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