Queen Lucia: The BBC Radio 4 dramatisation

By: E. F. Benson, Aubrey Woods

Narrated by: Barbara Jefford, Jonathan Cecil, full cast

Barbara Jefford is the hilariously outrageous Lucia in this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the novel by E.F. Benson.

Lucia is the uncrowned queen of 1920s provincial society, the Everest of social climbers and the most delicious of snobs. In the pastoral serenity of the village of Riseholme, Lucia and her unforgettable cronies face up to an Indian guru, spiritualism, and a cultural usurper.

E.F. Benson's wickedly witty satires on the rivalries of English middle-class life have elevated Lucia's extravagant exploits to cult comedy status.

©2014 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2014 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A short but fun listen!

This was my first real introduction to Lucia and friends (frenemies?), since before this I'd only caught an episode or two of the TV show. The characters in this are so funny, and I'm pretty sure we've all known somebody like Lucia, lol. If you like Wodehouse, you'll probably enjoy this as well (and if you like the Wodehouse audiobooks, you'll recognize Jonathan Cecil, who plays Georgie).

What Campy Fun! It brought pleasant chuckles to my afternoon.

I recently became aware of E. F. Benson’s writings from the early 20th century from a Facebook post. This book has made a welcome break from the serious, academic audiobooks I tend to listen to in retirement.
I think this audio version is produced with a fun blend of drama and literary reading.