Brief Encounter (Classic Radio Theatre) cover art

Brief Encounter (Classic Radio Theatre)

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Brief Encounter (Classic Radio Theatre)

By: Noel Coward
Narrated by: Jenny Seagrove, Nigel Havers
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £3.99

Buy Now for £3.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

Jenny Seagrove and Nigel Havers star in this BBC Radio 2 production of Noël Coward’s classic tale of forbidden love.

Laura Jesson is a happily married woman until a chance encounter in a train station café draws her to Dr Alec Harvey. Literally bumping into each other brings temptation, danger and guilt into their lives and a doomed love affair ensues...

A classic love story, Brief Encounter was made into a much-loved and hugely successful film in 1945, starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. This 2009 adaptation is faithful to Coward’s original screenplay and features a distinguished cast including Jenny Seagrove and Nigel Havers.

The 'Classic Radio Theatre' range presents notable radio productions of much-loved plays by some of the most renowned playwrights, and starring some of our finest actors.

©2011 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2011 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Drama & Plays European
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Noel Coward BBC Radio Drama Collection cover art
Inspector Morse: BBC Radio Drama Collection cover art
Occupation: Spy cover art
The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (Dramatised) cover art
DI Gwen Danbury: An Odd Body: Series 1-3 cover art
Alan Bennett: Plays cover art
This Happy Breed (Classic Radio Theatre) cover art
The Ealing Comedy Collection cover art
R.D. Wingfield: A Touch of Frost and Other Thrillers cover art
The Mysterious Affair at Styles cover art
The Wilkie Collins BBC Radio Collection cover art
The Human Factor cover art
Father Brown: The Complete Series 1 and 2 cover art
Val McDermid: A BBC Radio Drama Collection cover art
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Dramatised) cover art
Olive Kitteridge cover art

What listeners say about Brief Encounter (Classic Radio Theatre)

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    30
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    26
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

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

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Brief Encounter with the Golden Age

I was slightly wary when I saw Brief Encounter was available, after all the film is iconic and surely the play would be very dated? But it is a real gem, Jenny Seagrove and Nigel Havers take on the mantles of Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard admirably and the rest of the cast are equally good . Although the story's morals are outmoded, they are charming and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire performance. Not for nothing was Nöel Coward called The Master.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Main characters true to original story

Faithful rendition. Would have liked more of Rachmaninov 2 to be heard against the backdrop

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful piece of nostalgia

Old fashioned but sweet. Jenny Seagrove and Nigel Havers are perfect in the roles made famous by Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

GREAT CLASSIC RADIO BREIF ENCOUNTER

Spoilt by the wooden soulless acting of Jenny Seagrove whom is so obviously miss cast. She was good in the classic “A Woman of Substance”, but in this radio production of Brief Encounter it is the male characters who hold this together. Everyone who loves this story does so because of the brilliant acting in the black & white film of the 1940’s. You can tell Seagrove is struggling with the part as she is soulless, absolutely ‘no’ passion nor excitement in her supposed to be ‘Head over Heals in Love with & Obsessively Passionate’ Character obsessed with this wonderful man whom has suddenly entered into her boring staid life.
She is almost embarrassing and simply awful.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brief Encounter

Perfect acting.
Excellent portrayal

Throughly enjoyed.
Nigel excels with voice tone suited to the character.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Doesn't stand comparison with the film

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Only if they had not seen the film! Seagrove and Havers are well cast (although the wonderful Nicholas Farrell is wasted) but it lacks the impact of the film and - perhaps overcompensating for the medium - Seagrove does sound somewhat hystrionic at points, contrary to the repression of the characters' emotions which is the crux of the story. Missed the Rachmaninov score too - why use it only at the end?

Who was your favorite character and why?

Laura is the centre of the story, and the conceit of having her narrate events to her - not listening, complacent - husband is brilliant, conveying her real isolation.

What three words best describe Jenny Seagrove and Nigel Havers ’s performance?

Perfect voices for roles but Seagrove overdoes it at times.

If this book were a film would you go see it?

I have!

Any additional comments?

This is probably as good a radio adaptation as you could get - it's just that it's impossible to get close to the impact of the film.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful