In Search of Lost Time

by Timberlake Wertenbaker (Apatation for radio), Marcel Proust

Timberlake Wertenbaker’s adaptation from the French of Marcel Proust’s allegorical reflection on time, memory, art and love.

It begins with the vivid memory of a young boy’s childhood summers spent in the French countryside of Combray and the long nights waiting for his mother to come and kiss him goodnight. The young Marcel takes beautiful walks with his parents and has his first sighting of the young Gilberte Swann, daughter of family friend and well-connected Parisian Dandy, Charles Swann and his wife, the courtesan and seductress Odette de Crecy.

Cast:
MARCEL (narrator) ………Derek Jacobi
FATHER ………Oliver Cotton
FRANCOISE ………Susan Brown
MOTHER ………Sylvestra le Touzel
GRANDMOTHER ………Joanna David
TANTE LEONIE .……Pamela Miles
GILBERTE (girl) ………Mary Glen
ODETTE ..............Bessie Carter
SWANN ………… Paterson Joseph
MADEMOISELLE VINTEUIL/PROSTITUTE .... Charlotte Blandford
THE DUCHESS DE GUERMANTES (Oriane) …………… Fenella Woolgar
MADAME DE VERDURIN ………Frances Barber
PIANIST …………Daniel Whitlam
DOCTOR COTTARD …………Lloyd Hutchinson
MARCEL(boy) ………Isaac Watts
MONSIEUR VERDURIN …………Jeff Rawle
FEMALE FRIEND……….Phoebe Marshall

Translated and adapted from the French by Timberlake Wertenbaker
Produced and directed by Celia de Wolff
Production Co-ordinator: Sarah Tombling
Recording and Sound Design: David Chilton and Lucinda Mason Brown
Executive Producer: Peter Hoare

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

(copied -- along with image -- from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...)

Genres: Audiobook

Audiobook

First published August 1, 2019

Reviews

[Mike Flanagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Proust’s treatment of time - and memories - fascinating, probably all the more so as I look back on my life to date from the vantage point of being sixty-something. While I wanted to get some exposure to Proust and In Search Of Lost Time, I admit I wasn’t ready to commit the time required to get through 4,215 pages. This well-done audio adaptation provided just what I was looking for.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, listening to this is not the same as reading the books, though it's very very good. The only one of these books I've read is Swann's Way several years ago. I wanted to dip in again, and read as I've done on walks, but a hours and hours of the same voice sometimes gets a bit old. This production is a superb dramatization of the novels, with very good voices, and it is narrated by Derek Jacobi who is always excellent. This read is very good for getting the story (of which there is, truthfully, not a lot), and the major characters, events, and even the pace of the novels. I dipped into Time Regained, the final novel in the series the other night and noticed two things: in the novel, there is more time spent on the sanitarium than in the dramatization (which largely skips over them). And the other thing was that when I was reading Proust's narration, I heard it in Jacobi's voice. That's very good, as his is such a terrific voice. My plan is to actually read that final volume; we'll see if I do that.

Comparing this to Ulysses which I read last year, in a way I find this book a little more daunting. It's much much longer, of course, and Ulysses focus on a single character is so much more vivid than this.

At any rate I very highly recommend this dramatization, and may listen to it again.

[Bette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to a 2005 6-part dramatization with a marvelous cast: James Wilby as the narrator/Marcel, Jonathan Firth as the adult Marcel, Corin Redgrave as the Baron, and many other stellar actors. The dramatization by Michael Butt was excellent, as was the cast and the background audio, which made me feel like I was there in France with the characters. That said, I was not thrilled with the story itself, which surprised me since I know how highly esteemed it is and I have always meant to read beyond “Combray,” which I read in French class during my first year of college. I love the idea of lost time and recapturing it through objects and one’s senses—the madeleine cake most famously—and the characters were quirky and memorable. But Marcel and both his male and female friends and lovers were really hard to like. The obsessive nature of the men, the way Marcel treated and felt about Albertine—his desire to imprison and control her—were really appalling. I felt like telling Marcel to just snap out of it (as Cher told Nicolas Cage in Moonstruck)!

[Erich · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In Search of Lost Time" by Timberlake Wertenbaker is a captivating exploration of Marcel Proust's profound work, beautifully adapted for a BBC production. The play captures the essence of Proust's themes of memory, time, and the intricacies of human experience, inviting listeners into a world that resonates deeply with those familiar with Proust's writing.

Listening to this adaptation evokes a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of my youth spent engrossed in radio dramas. The rich language and evocative storytelling transport the audience, making it an immersive experience. Wertenbaker's interpretation not only honors Proust's literary genius but also brings a fresh perspective, encouraging reflection on our own memories and the passage of time.

This production serves as a poignant reminder of the power of literature to connect us across generations, and it’s a testament to the enduring relevance of Proust's insights into life and art. Whether you're a longtime fan of Proust or new to his work, this adaptation is a must-listen that beautifully bridges the past and present.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A condensed and performed BBC radio series of the Proust novels that I would otherwise never read. Tea and madeline cookies, of course. But also the story of a quite sensitive young boy, his crushes, and his attempt to literally marry the gay out of his wife after having heard that she unnaturally indulges in petting sessions with other young women. His best friend is a closeted homosexual, but he seems to get a pass. Maurice is a coddled homebody and out of society for years at a time. In the end, he makes some keen observations about how we see ourselves vis-a-vis others (“Who are all these old people and where are my contemporaries?”), how our memories shape events from the past, why certain memories are retained over others, their influence on our lives, and how best to maintain perspective. It’s as though I listened to the Spark Notes or a “best of” album, and I’m good with that!

[Afshin . · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the best audiobooks I've ever heard and it's definitely recommended. I'm also happy that I've listened to this before reading the very long book.
The story itself is as spoiled as it can be as it is expected from the life of the bourgeoisie. But the way the author describes emotions such as love, sadness, grieve and jealousy it's all greatly to the point and I believe this is what made this book on the top, not the story itself.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed listening to the BBC series production. Was difficult to follow at parts, but the quality was wonderful and the acting brilliant.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listening to this convinced me that Marcel Proust was a terrible person.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up from a recommendation in a Youtube video of 'Succession' actor, Jeremy Strong.

I listened to the six-part English translated dramatisation of Marcel Proust's lengthy classic. This abridged version was six hours long.

I listened while painting, the narration and content suiting the tone and pace of what I was working on, despite being from a drastically different time (the late 19th and early 20th centuries).

As I listened I screenshotted the read time of many beautiful passages with the intention to revisit at a later date. Fantastic themes of time, death and ageing as well as cyclical philosophical musings.

As to be expected, some parts (particularly in the later books, when the narrator is a young man) did not age well, particularly in relation to perceptions of women.

Four stars.

(Review originally written in short form in December of 2023, six months after reading, edited and expanded November 2024).