Kim Cattrall, Ed Harris to Star in BBC Audio Drama ‘Central Intelligence’

Kim Cattrall, Ed Harris, and Johnny Flynn (Stardust, Love Sick) will star within the BBC audio drama Central Intelligence, which guarantees to inform “the perception story of the CIA” in 10 elements.

The U.Ok. public broadcaster unveiled the present as a part of a slew of commissions that additionally contains an audio model of King Lear by William Shakespeare and new audio diversifications of Charles Dickens novels.

Central Intelligence tells the insider story of the CIA from the angle of Eloise Web page (Cattrall) “who joined on the company’s first day in 1947 and have become certainly one of its strongest ladies,” the BBC mentioned. “Narrating in hindsight, Eloise takes the listener on a journey spanning the staggering world occasions that formed her profession, in addition to portraying her relationships with early CIA leaders Allen Dulles (Harris) and Richard Helms (Flynn). The sequence gives listeners an opportunity to be a fly-on-the-wall to the heated debates and selections that formed world historical past and proceed to have ramifications within the current day.”

Produced by Goldhawk Productions, Thoroughbred Studios and Rainfall Creations, the sequence additionally stars Geoffrey Arend and Rob Benedict, amongst others.

“Instructed with the well mannered however sharp, brutally trustworthy, questioning thoughts she was well-known for, in a company that was long term by a ‘male, pale and Yale’ hierarchy of males, Eloise is a compelling witness to the ambitions, values, strengths, and weaknesses of a string of early CIA leaders whose selections — good and unhealthy — have formed the world we dwell in,” based on an outline.

Cattrall known as the challenge a “very well-written, factual and entertaining historical past of the Central Intelligence Company from its unsure inception,” including: “A human story stuffed with false begins, gaffs, blunders, and fortunately triumphs on the world stage. An exciting story of Russian Roulette. I used to be engrossed studying the true story of how this very important company grew and prospered earlier than and in the course of the Chilly Warfare.”

Central Intelligence shall be a part of Radio 4’s fashionable Limelight strand of drama serials, which often rank within the prime 10 most-listened-to packages on the BBC Sounds streaming service. The primary episode will debut on Sept. 13, with weekly episodes to observe.

Stated Alison Hindell, Radio 4’s commissioning editor for drama and fiction: “Radio 4’s dedication to audio drama is unequalled, with greater than 250 hours of world-class productions delivered to audiences annually, broadcast every day on Radio 4, reaching practically 5 million listeners each week and much more on BBC Sounds.”

Different audio drama bulletins made by the BBC embody “a brand new adaptation of King Lear, starring Richard Wilson and produced by Brill Productions,” with extra Shakespeare initiatives anticipated to be unveiled later within the yr.

“2024 will even see new dramatizations of Charles Dickens’ Exhausting Instances (tailored by Graham White and produced by R&M Manufacturing Wales), Little Dorrit (tailored by Mike Walker and produced by Decreased Listening Ltd.) and Our Mutual Pal (tailored by Dan Rebellato and produced by Thomas Carter Tasks Ltd.) and a season of authentic dramas on the theme of rule-breaking, akin to Breaking the Guidelines: A Home Referred to as Madness, starring Anne-Marie Duff,” the BBC mentioned. “Listeners may meet up with previous audio dramas on BBC Sounds, together with the current season celebrating George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-4, learn by Martin Freeman, Juliet Stevenson and Tom Hollander, along with the dramatizations of Franz Kafka’s The Trial, starring Iwan Rheon, Nina Wadia and Mark Heap, and The Man Who Disappeared, starring Divian Ladwa and Fenella Woolgar.”