Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Full Length Play: Coriolanus
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Full Length Play: Coriolanus
Shakespeare's penetrating portrayal of political turmoil in a society at war with itself.
The Plot
There's widespread famine in Rome, which is causing tension between the common people and the patricians (the aristocrats). The people particularly hate Caius Martius, the arrogant son of Volumnia, and the feeling is mutual. The citizens think the patricians are hoarding corn for themselves. They rise up, and are given two people's representatives (tribunes) who will sit in the Senate. The unrest is halted by war with neighbouring Volscians. In the battle of Corioli, Caius Martius leads the army to victory and is honoured with the name Coriolanus.
When they get back to Rome, the patricians insist Coriolanus gains the consulship (the highest elected office). To do this, he has to make a public display of humility in front of the citizens, which he attempts, but is unable to mask his contempt for them. The citizens banish Coriolanus from Rome. In revenge, Coriolanus joins with his former enemies, the Volscians, and they march on Rome.
It is only through the intervention of Coriolanus's wife, mother and son that he halts the attack. Peace returns, but Coriolanus is killed by the Volscians.
Coriolanus . . . Trystan Gravelle
Volumnia . . . Diana Rigg
Menenius . . . James Fleet
Cominius . . . Paul Hilton
Sicinius . . . Tony Turner
Brutus . . . Joel MacCormack
Lartius . . . David Hounslow
Aufidius . . . Ray Fearon
Virgilia . . . Clare Corbett
Valeria . . . Susan Jameson
Gentlewoman . . . Franchi Webb
with
Michael Bertenshaw, Kenny Blyth, Joseph Ayre and Christopher Harper
Directed by Marc Beeby
Originally aired on BBC Radio 3.
View all episodes
By BBC Radio 3
4.8
8282 ratings
Shakespeare's penetrating portrayal of political turmoil in a society at war with itself.
The Plot
There's widespread famine in Rome, which is causing tension between the common people and the patricians (the aristocrats). The people particularly hate Caius Martius, the arrogant son of Volumnia, and the feeling is mutual. The citizens think the patricians are hoarding corn for themselves. They rise up, and are given two people's representatives (tribunes) who will sit in the Senate. The unrest is halted by war with neighbouring Volscians. In the battle of Corioli, Caius Martius leads the army to victory and is honoured with the name Coriolanus.
When they get back to Rome, the patricians insist Coriolanus gains the consulship (the highest elected office). To do this, he has to make a public display of humility in front of the citizens, which he attempts, but is unable to mask his contempt for them. The citizens banish Coriolanus from Rome. In revenge, Coriolanus joins with his former enemies, the Volscians, and they march on Rome.
It is only through the intervention of Coriolanus's wife, mother and son that he halts the attack. Peace returns, but Coriolanus is killed by the Volscians.
Coriolanus . . . Trystan Gravelle
Volumnia . . . Diana Rigg
Menenius . . . James Fleet
Cominius . . . Paul Hilton
Sicinius . . . Tony Turner
Brutus . . . Joel MacCormack
Lartius . . . David Hounslow
Aufidius . . . Ray Fearon
Virgilia . . . Clare Corbett
Valeria . . . Susan Jameson
Gentlewoman . . . Franchi Webb
with
Michael Bertenshaw, Kenny Blyth, Joseph Ayre and Christopher Harper
Directed by Marc Beeby
Originally aired on BBC Radio 3.
More shows like The Shakespeare Sessions
View all
This American Life
90,992 Listeners
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
38,849 Listeners
Drama of the Week
470 Listeners
On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti
3,995 Listeners
In Our Time
5,475 Listeners
Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited
834 Listeners
Pod Save America
87,527 Listeners
The Daily
112,909 Listeners
Ologies with Alie Ward
24,517 Listeners
Approaching Shakespeare
332 Listeners
You're Dead to Me
3,216 Listeners
Not Just the Tudors
2,065 Listeners
Limelight
287 Listeners
Manchester Arena Bomb: Stories of Hope
0 Listeners
When I Was 25
0 Listeners
QUB Talks 100 – The Partition of Ireland: Causes and Consequences
0 Listeners
The Listening Project
6 Listeners
Descendants
13 Listeners
Що це було
4 Listeners
Siarad Moel: Podlediad Aled Hughes
1 Listeners
The Great Post Office Trial
37 Listeners
Би-Би-Си Кыргыз кызматы 25 жыл ободо
0 Listeners
The Rest Is Politics
3,136 Listeners
The Rest Is Politics: US
2,320 Listeners
Dad Boys with Dave Elliott and Shane Todd
2 Listeners