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Mabinogi
From the Red Book of Hergest, these are the tales of the Mabinogi. A new fantasy adventure based on the iconic work of medieval Welsh mythology.
Audiobook
Published March 24, 2019
14 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Catherine
18 books8 followersLucy Catherine is a writer for Film, Television and Radio.
Lucy’s first Feature Film, IN THE DARK HALF, was produced under the BFI ‘ifeatures’ scheme, (Matador/BBC Films) and premiered at Raindance in 2011. In 2016 Lucy directed her first short film which she also wrote, SOUL SONG, which was funded by Creative England. She is slated to direct her full length horror feature FEEL THE LOVE, (Early Day Films).
Recent commissions for Television include: episodes for TIN STAR (Kudos/Sky), LUCKY MAN (Carnival/Sky), AD (NBC Universal) for the second season (not greenlit), THE MUSKETEERS (BBC), SPOTLESS (Tandem TV/Canal +) FRANKIE (BBC), BEING HUMAN (BBC). She has a slate of original projects she is developing with independent production companies including REVOLTING GIRLS for Chrysalis/Sky (pilot script commissioned) and WONDERFUL LIFE for Two Halves Pictures (script commissioned).
Recent commissions for Radio include 1 x 90′ standalone adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s NORSE MYTHOLOGY for broadcast Christmas 2018. Also, adaptations of NIGHTS AT THE CIRCUS by Angela Carter; BOY and GOING SOLO, from Roald Dahl’s memoirs; THE MASTER AND MARGARITA by Mikhail Bulgakov (Winner of BBC ‘Best Audio Drama (Adapted) 2015); FRANKENSTEIN. Original commissions include: Norse epic GUDRUN x 6 series; LIGHTS, CAMERA, KIDNAP! based on a true story about Kim Jong Il; and the supernatural drama series HALFWAY HERE.
Lucy’s first Feature Film, IN THE DARK HALF, was produced under the BFI ‘ifeatures’ scheme, (Matador/BBC Films) and premiered at Raindance in 2011. In 2016 Lucy directed her first short film which she also wrote, SOUL SONG, which was funded by Creative England. She is slated to direct her full length horror feature FEEL THE LOVE, (Early Day Films).
Recent commissions for Television include: episodes for TIN STAR (Kudos/Sky), LUCKY MAN (Carnival/Sky), AD (NBC Universal) for the second season (not greenlit), THE MUSKETEERS (BBC), SPOTLESS (Tandem TV/Canal +) FRANKIE (BBC), BEING HUMAN (BBC). She has a slate of original projects she is developing with independent production companies including REVOLTING GIRLS for Chrysalis/Sky (pilot script commissioned) and WONDERFUL LIFE for Two Halves Pictures (script commissioned).
Recent commissions for Radio include 1 x 90′ standalone adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s NORSE MYTHOLOGY for broadcast Christmas 2018. Also, adaptations of NIGHTS AT THE CIRCUS by Angela Carter; BOY and GOING SOLO, from Roald Dahl’s memoirs; THE MASTER AND MARGARITA by Mikhail Bulgakov (Winner of BBC ‘Best Audio Drama (Adapted) 2015); FRANKENSTEIN. Original commissions include: Norse epic GUDRUN x 6 series; LIGHTS, CAMERA, KIDNAP! based on a true story about Kim Jong Il; and the supernatural drama series HALFWAY HERE.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 7, 2025
'Mabinogi: lost legends and dark magic: a BBC Radio full-cast fantasy adventure'
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
I generally enjoy Mabinogi tales and translations, but disappointingly I didn't take to this one at all 😕🙁
I lost track of the branches/which branch I was listening to etc. I don't think it was told in linear order. which isn't necessarily a problem... tho also abit of a problem wrt being abit all over the place, and making the tales harder to follow, awa not feeling very faithful to the original(s). as an audiobook, it was not well indexed, and was very confusing and nigh impossible to navigate.
the music and sound effects added a little, but also added to the confusion - including making some of the spoken word inaudible beneath them.
there was alot more contemporary language than I expected. and, whoever the character combinations are, I didn't like the loud kissing and exaggerated sighing sound effects 😕 nor the loud drinking sounds 😕 likely in part misophonia! 🙉 but also in part the exaggerated and unrealistic nature of these sounds.
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
I guess part of the disappointment might have been linked to expectations. the book blurb I was able to access with the audiobook, and the book experience, didn't seem to have much in common.
I felt it was bit of a mess really. a dramatic and well intentioned one I think 🙃 but a mess 😕 I think the intention might have been to present the Mabinogi in a different and interesting way for a contemporary reader/audience? 🤔 including in the language and the humour. but to me the humour felt abit off in some ways/at times too.
I *think* it might have used the first branch to begin and end the book, with others/parts of others within? 🤔 but it's hard to tell without there being any index or better introductions within the text. there were several places where the cast list was given, as if the production was created as several episodes, tho they didn't seem to align to the different branches of (and/or other tales within) the Mabinogi.
we heard "From the Red Book of Hergest, these are the tales of the Mabinogi" a couple/few times, but apart from that it was unclear what parts of the Mabinogi were being presented 🙃
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
while alot of the language and noise seemed abit overdone, I guess it might serve to take it out of everyday realities? to create a sense of otherworldly, and beyond simply mortal, drama and magic? 🤔 tho the contemporary language, and turns of phrase/attitudes within, kinda brought it back to the present and mundane. I dunno, I'm kinda trying to view it positively and struggling 🙃
abit of me feels like I should maybe try it again, and listen for what it is, without any preconceptions and expectations... but I suspect even if I was able to appreciate it for what it is/might be, I might still dislike it. and I just don't want to listen again - it was an effort not to abandon it as it was.
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
I'm not sure what others will think of this - both those that know/are familiar with the Mabinogi, and those who are not 🤔
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
🦭 one point of interest - I don't remember lesbian/bisexual seals in the Mabinogi!?!
not a complaint, but also abit confusing 😉🙂🦭
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
accessed as a publishers audiobook, donated to the RNIB library. adapted by Lucy Catherine. read by Aimee Ffion Edwards, Darragh Mortell, John Cording, Stephen Hobin, Robert Pew, Fiona O'Shaughnessy, Matthew GrShaun Pritchard, Aerie Thomas, Saran Morgan. a BBC Cymru Wales production.
I might have missed some readers names, and misspelled others... a few i corrected from others' reviews here on gr.
it might be my limited skills wrt navigating the internet (tho I generally find BBC websites difficult to navigate/use, so might not just be me), but I couldn't find much info online or a full cast list. I did spot a list of 15 episodes. these episode names weren't included (clearly/if at all) in the audiobook I had access to.
the BBC Cymru page listing the episodes is here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09m...
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
I generally enjoy Mabinogi tales and translations, but disappointingly I didn't take to this one at all 😕🙁
I lost track of the branches/which branch I was listening to etc. I don't think it was told in linear order. which isn't necessarily a problem... tho also abit of a problem wrt being abit all over the place, and making the tales harder to follow, awa not feeling very faithful to the original(s). as an audiobook, it was not well indexed, and was very confusing and nigh impossible to navigate.
the music and sound effects added a little, but also added to the confusion - including making some of the spoken word inaudible beneath them.
there was alot more contemporary language than I expected. and, whoever the character combinations are, I didn't like the loud kissing and exaggerated sighing sound effects 😕 nor the loud drinking sounds 😕 likely in part misophonia! 🙉 but also in part the exaggerated and unrealistic nature of these sounds.
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
I guess part of the disappointment might have been linked to expectations. the book blurb I was able to access with the audiobook, and the book experience, didn't seem to have much in common.
I felt it was bit of a mess really. a dramatic and well intentioned one I think 🙃 but a mess 😕 I think the intention might have been to present the Mabinogi in a different and interesting way for a contemporary reader/audience? 🤔 including in the language and the humour. but to me the humour felt abit off in some ways/at times too.
I *think* it might have used the first branch to begin and end the book, with others/parts of others within? 🤔 but it's hard to tell without there being any index or better introductions within the text. there were several places where the cast list was given, as if the production was created as several episodes, tho they didn't seem to align to the different branches of (and/or other tales within) the Mabinogi.
we heard "From the Red Book of Hergest, these are the tales of the Mabinogi" a couple/few times, but apart from that it was unclear what parts of the Mabinogi were being presented 🙃
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
while alot of the language and noise seemed abit overdone, I guess it might serve to take it out of everyday realities? to create a sense of otherworldly, and beyond simply mortal, drama and magic? 🤔 tho the contemporary language, and turns of phrase/attitudes within, kinda brought it back to the present and mundane. I dunno, I'm kinda trying to view it positively and struggling 🙃
abit of me feels like I should maybe try it again, and listen for what it is, without any preconceptions and expectations... but I suspect even if I was able to appreciate it for what it is/might be, I might still dislike it. and I just don't want to listen again - it was an effort not to abandon it as it was.
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
I'm not sure what others will think of this - both those that know/are familiar with the Mabinogi, and those who are not 🤔
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
🦭 one point of interest - I don't remember lesbian/bisexual seals in the Mabinogi!?!
not a complaint, but also abit confusing 😉🙂🦭
🏴 📕 📖 📕 🏴
accessed as a publishers audiobook, donated to the RNIB library. adapted by Lucy Catherine. read by Aimee Ffion Edwards, Darragh Mortell, John Cording, Stephen Hobin, Robert Pew, Fiona O'Shaughnessy, Matthew GrShaun Pritchard, Aerie Thomas, Saran Morgan. a BBC Cymru Wales production.
I might have missed some readers names, and misspelled others... a few i corrected from others' reviews here on gr.
it might be my limited skills wrt navigating the internet (tho I generally find BBC websites difficult to navigate/use, so might not just be me), but I couldn't find much info online or a full cast list. I did spot a list of 15 episodes. these episode names weren't included (clearly/if at all) in the audiobook I had access to.
the BBC Cymru page listing the episodes is here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09m...
May 15, 2019
BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3:
From the Red Book of Hergest, these are the tales of the Mabinogi. A new fantasy adventure, based on the iconic work of medieval Welsh mythology.
Pryderi, Prince of Dyfed, heads to Harlech in North Wales, to win the hand of Princess Branwen of Gwynedd. But first he must impress her giant of a brother, King Bran the Blessed.
The tales of the Mabinogi are tales of romance, tragedy, comedy and fantasy and together they form the earliest prose stories of Britain. Award-winning writer Lucy Catherine (The Master and Margherita, Being Human, Vanity Fair) gives these stories a modern flavour while remaining true to the vivid magic of Celtic mythology.
Pryderi…. Darragh Mortell
Brigid…. Aimee Ffion Edwards
Pwyll /Bran…. Robert Pugh
Branwen…. Rhian Blythe
Arawn…. John Cording
Matholwch.... Stephen Hogan
Efnysien.... Richard Elfyn
Nysien.... Rhodri Meilir
Directed by James Robinson
A BBC Cymru Wales Production
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...
From the Red Book of Hergest, these are the tales of the Mabinogi. A new fantasy adventure, based on the iconic work of medieval Welsh mythology.
Pryderi, Prince of Dyfed, heads to Harlech in North Wales, to win the hand of Princess Branwen of Gwynedd. But first he must impress her giant of a brother, King Bran the Blessed.
The tales of the Mabinogi are tales of romance, tragedy, comedy and fantasy and together they form the earliest prose stories of Britain. Award-winning writer Lucy Catherine (The Master and Margherita, Being Human, Vanity Fair) gives these stories a modern flavour while remaining true to the vivid magic of Celtic mythology.
Pryderi…. Darragh Mortell
Brigid…. Aimee Ffion Edwards
Pwyll /Bran…. Robert Pugh
Branwen…. Rhian Blythe
Arawn…. John Cording
Matholwch.... Stephen Hogan
Efnysien.... Richard Elfyn
Nysien.... Rhodri Meilir
Directed by James Robinson
A BBC Cymru Wales Production
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...
March 30, 2019
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...Description: From the Red Book of Hergest, these are the tales of the Mabinogi. A new fantasy adventure, based on the iconic work of medieval Welsh mythology. Pryderi, Prince of Dyfed, heads to Harlech in North Wales, to win the hand of Princess Branwen of Gwynedd. But first he must impress her giant of a brother, King Bran the Blessed.
The tales of the Mabinogi are tales of romance, tragedy, comedy and fantasy and together they form the earliest prose stories of Britain. Award-winning writer Lucy Catherine (The Master and Margherita, Being Human, Vanity Fair) gives these stories a modern flavour while remaining true to the vivid magic of Celtic mythology.
Pryderi…. Darragh Mortell
Brigid…. Aimee Ffion Edwards
Pwyll /Bran…. Robert Pugh
Branwen…. Rhian Blythe
Arawn…. John Cording
Matholwch.... Stephen Hogan
Efnysien.... Richard Elfyn
Nysien.... Rhodri Meilir
Directed by James Robinson
A BBC Cymru Wales Production
August 31, 2025
I really love these BBC radio play type productions. And this one was really good, and focusing on a less popular set of fairy tales.
From the Red Book of Hergest, these are the tales of the Mabinogi. Fantasy audio drama, based on the ancient myths of Wales
4 stars
From the Red Book of Hergest, these are the tales of the Mabinogi. Fantasy audio drama, based on the ancient myths of Wales
4 stars
April 1, 2020
Really enjoyed this retelling.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews