Dramatisations of two novels by the Nobel Prize-winning author Patrick White

Australian author Patrick White is widely regarded as one of the most important English-language novelists of the 20th century. His debut novel, 1939’s Happy Valley, was awarded the Gold Medal of the Australian Literature Society, and he won the 1973 Nobel Prize for Literature – the only Australian to have received the honour. Two of his critically acclaimed works are featured here: Voss, winner of both the Miles Franklin and the WH Smith Literary Awards, and the Booker-shortlisted The Twyborn Affair.

Voss – Nineteenth-century German explorer Voss is determined to lead an expedition into the uncharted Australian interior. Before setting out, he meets Laura Trevelyan, a young, orphaned Englishwoman with whom he forms a strange, obsessive relationship. As the physical distance between them grows and the hardship on the trek increases,Voss and Laura's connection only becomes stronger. For both are outsiders, visionaries embarking on voyages of discovery, and both will experience suffering in their search for spiritual redemption… Robert Menzies stars as Voss, with Pamela Rabe as Laura in this powerful, compelling drama.

The Twyborn Affair – September 7th, 1940. Outside a church, on a bench by the Thames, Eadie Twyborn is reunited with her child after twenty years. She hopes to rekindle family affections, but first she must learn about the many lives of the wild ‘brumby’ she bore. As the Blitz begins, we hear of the beautiful, bisexual ‘E’, who bolted from his own wedding; of the bewitching Eudoxia, mistress of a mad, elderly Greek; of Eddie Twyborn, sheep farmer in the Australian outback; and of Eadith Tryst, madame of a London brothel. And in the process, Eadie’s own secrets, lies and unconventional choices are revealed… Dramatised for the first time on radio, Patrick White’s provocative tale of sexual identity stars Julian Rhind-Tutt and Penny Downie.

Cast and credits
Written by Patrick White

Voss
Voss – Robert Menzies
Laura Trevelyan – Pamela Rabe
With Bob Homery, Julia Blake, Tammy McCarthy, Paul English, Celia De Burgh, Glen Shea, Michael Carman, Brian Lipson, John Dicks, Jerome Pride, Stanley McGeagh, Kylie Belling, Warren Owens and Jessica Muschamp

Dramatised by Julia Stoneham
Directed by Janet Whitaker
Pianist John O'Donnell
Music: Shaun Rigney
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 April-2 May 1999

The Twyborn Affair
Eddie – Julian Rhind-Tutt
Eadie – Penny Downie
Joan – Hattie Morahan
Don – Philip Quast
Marcia – Leigh Funnelle
Angelos/Rod – John Rowe
Curly/Greg – David Henry
Peggy/Ada – Manon Edwards
Driver – Piers Wehner
Bridie – Emerald O’Hanrahan
Philip – Joseph Cohen-Cole

Dramatised by DJ Britton
Produced and directed by Alison Hindell
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 27 September 2009

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