Richard alert: ‘Clarissa’

March 8, 2010

A Mother’s Day treat for Richard Armitage fans: Richard is playing the part of the rake, Lovelace, in a new BBC Radio adaptation of Clarissa. Starts next Sunday on Radio 4. Details here.

The programme blurb:

Samuel Richardson’s Clarissa is a heartbreaking and compulsive piece of epistolary storytelling and one of the world’s greatest novels. Published in 1747, it was the precursor to and inspiration for many of the great European novels which followed in its wake.

The young and beautiful Clarissa is courted by the rake Lovelace, who tricks her into his power, carries her off to London, and rapes her. Clarissa then falls into decline. Lovelace becomes involved in an avenging duel with Clarissa’s cousin, and Clarissa’s family and friends must live with the guilt and shame of their own neglect and betrayal of her.

Comments

1. On March 8th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
   Debs Says:
   

   Ooh I loved Clarissa when it was on tv with the gorgeous Sean Pertwee in it. I’ll have to remember to listen out for Lord Richard. Thanks for the tip off.

2. On March 9th, 2010 at 5:46 am
   Phillipa Says:
   

   I’ve never seen or read it Debs but I’m not going to miss this one!