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Rumpole: A BBC Radio Collection
- 32 BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramas
- Narrated by: Benedict Cumberbatch, Timothy West, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Desmond Barrit, Prunella Scales, Jasmine Hyde, full cast
- Length: 26 hrs and 18 mins
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Rumpole: A BBC Radio Collection
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Summary
An irresistible collection of sparkling stories featuring John Mortimer's beloved comic creation.
Horace Rumpole is the most erudite, astute, and seldom defeated of barristers in the annals of the Old Bailey. In these 32 dramas, arranged in order of broadcast, four distinguished actors don the wig and white band to portray our hero as he recalls his long, eventful career.
Timothy West stars as the older Rumpole in eight cases in which he proves, despite scurrilous rumours to the contrary, that he is alive, well and as adept as ever at getting to the heart of crimes ranging from sexual assault to terrorism. He also has hopes of becoming a QC at last - but his marriage to She Who Must Be Obeyed is under pressure...
Joining Timothy West for another seven legal adventures, Benedict Cumberbatch plays the young, feisty, devastatingly acute Rumpole. We flash back to the 1950s, as he meets and marries Hilda, embarks on his first big murder case 'alone and without a leader', and defends clients including an aristocrat, a shoplifting clergyman and a gardener accused of blackmail.
Returning as young Rumpole, Cumberbatch takes us through six more curious cases. It is 1964, and Horace takes on a new pupil - Phyllida Trant, the 'Portia of our Chambers' - only to find himself becoming smitten with her. Forced to consider the path his life has taken, he comes close to giving up the law...
With the Sixties swinging, Julian Rhind-Tutt gives us a Rumpole in his prime, recounting ten tales which find the tireless defender swapping sides to appear for the prosecution; coming to the aid of a doctor accused of unprofessional conduct; and suffering the indignity of wrongful arrest. We leave him facing a life-changing decision: after many years of falling in and out of love with both women, will he finally leave Hilda to be with Phyllida?
Also included is a special 90-minute Christmas episode starring Desmond Barrit, in which Rumpole indulges in a little seasonal, charitable blackmail and solves an audacious crime at the panto.
Production credits
Written by John Mortimer
Adapted by Richard Stoneman
Directed by Marilyn Imrie.
A Catherine Bailey production for BBC Radio 4
Sax quartet version of Gershwin's 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' arranged by Julie Hodge and performed by 'Sax' (Luiza Beddoes, Kate Mylnar, Janine Ng and Julie Hodge)
Pantomime music written by Neil Brand
Cast
Older Horace Rumpole - Timothy West/Desmond Barrit
Young Horace Rumpole - Benedict Cumberbatch/Julian Rhind-Tutt
Hilda - Prunella Scales/Joanna David
Young Hilda - Jasmine Hyde/Cathy Sara
Phyllida - Cathy Sara/Patience Tomlinson
'Soapy Sam' Ballard - Michael Cochrane
Claude Erskine-Brown - Nigel Anthony
Fig Newton - David Shaw-Parker/Geoffrey Whitehead
Bonny Bernard - Bruce Alexander/Nicholas Le Provost/Matthew Morgan
Judge Bullingham - Christopher Benjamin/David Shaw-Parker/Stephen Critchlow
Liz Probert - Elaine Claxton
First broadcast BBC Radio 4 between 25 December 2001 and 9 May 2018
What listeners say about Rumpole: A BBC Radio Collection
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
- Bali
- 10-10-23
Must recommend Rumpole lol
Entertaining, educational, good stories and told very well. These are not white noise stories. Focus necessary to truly appreciate the wit and clues. Timeless classic entertainment.
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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
- 15-01-23
Highly recommend
Although of their time these legal yarns are so entertaining and all the Rumpole actors (with the exception of the last 2 chapters which seem to have been recorded longer ago than all the others) are brilliant, would highly recommend
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- D Scofield
- 22-02-23
Favourite BBC collection
Really enjoyed this. Definitely recommend it to my friends. Loved ALL the narrators and their take on the different Rumpole characters.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- jb
- 10-03-23
Under the shadow of Leo
Fantastic performances by all three main Rumpoles here (not going to count the final chapter) but it is hard to imagine the barrister as anyone but Leo Mckern of the ITV television adaptation. I've read John Mortimer's original books and do not remember a plot line where Horace has a one night stand with 'Portia' and may be the father of the Erskine-Brown twins. It's also hard to imagine Cumberbatch or Rhind-Tutt in wine-stained collars with penchants for pork pies and steak and kidney puds. Hugely enjoyable despite the variations to the original stories.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mary Carnegie
- 28-09-23
Enjoyable adaptation of Mortimer’s novels
Tries to resolve the inconsistencies in in Mortimer’s Rumpole novels. But I find it hard to adapt to a Welsh Rumpole-as I did to an English Cadfael!There’s a bit too much “sexing up” relationship between Rumpole & Phillida Trant. Nonetheless it’s a good listen so I’ve listened to it several times. Timothy West & Prunella Scales are perfect as Rumpole & Hilda.
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1 person found this helpful
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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
- Liam
- 15-10-23
what a treat
Thought I'd take a punt to use up a credit.
This has turned into a regular nightly treat, actually looking forward to popping my headphones on at bedtime.
Beautifully read by all parts and really fun stories.
Happy I chose this one.
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1 person found this helpful
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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
- willjam
- 05-02-23
worth every penny
So many hours of enjoyment for the one price! these are wonderful adaptations that have given many hours of listening pleasure l.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- GRAYBAGS
- 08-06-23
Always a joy
although I'd heard most of the stories before, these dramatisations were new to me. Timothy West & Prunella Scales were particularly good & those with Benedict Cumberbatch doing Young Horace worked very well. Things tailed off a bit towards the end, but all in all, most enjoyable
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kizzy Beagledore
- 31-03-23
Starts Strong but Fades
Like many of a certain generation, I remember the Rumpole of the Bailey TV series with Leo Mckern as Rumpole.
I was slightly cautious then of listening to someone else in the part, but Timothy West does a truly wonderful job, and I settled in for a most enjoyable listen.
However, the BBC decided to play around with the tried and trusted format and introduced Benedict Cumberbatch as the young Rumpole. As an occasional device with Tim West still narrating, it may have worked, but slowly, the stories travelled further and further from the originals with young Rumpole and Phyllida Erskine-Brown having a one night stand!
To add insult to injury, Cumberbatch deserted his post, and Julian Rhind Tutt appeared..a poor and pale imitation of the Rumpole we've come to know and love, meaning the series ends on a very flat note.
In summary, listen to Tim West, and you get the Rumpole of the books ..After that, listen at your peril!
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark Billington
- 03-07-23
Very entertaining and made me laugh out loud many times
A most enjoyable amble through the Rumpole tales, wickedly funny. Great performances. The only fly in the ointment being the musical book ends which become somewhat tedious and are not really required.
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