Something really cool for fans of British things (which I, for one, most certainly am): It was announced last week that Neil Gaiman’s TV miniseries turned novel turned comic book Neverwhere can add yet another hyphen to its list of mediums – Radio. Yes, BBC Radio 4 is dramatizing the fantastic story for audio to be broadcast next year. Making it even more awesome is the insane list of performers who’ve been brought in to play the parts. Get ready to geek right the hell out as I give you a rundown of the cast and characters:
James McAvoy as Richard Mayhew The star of Wanted and X-Men: First Class, not to mention the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past, will play Richard Mayhew, the lost Scotsman who, through unfortunate circumstances, is thrust into the nightmarish world of London Below when he helps a hurt young woman. Fish out of water, this guy.
Natalie Dormer as Door Dormer played Anne Boleyn in The Tudors and is one of the six billion characters on HBO’s Game of Thrones, and now she’s tackling the role of Door, the aforementioned young woman who Richard saves and who leads him into the terrifying world under London. She’s very much full of mystery, but protecting her is of utmost import.
David Harewood as the Marquis de Carabas Known to TV fans for his roles on Homeland and Robin Hood, he also played the plot-pointy Joshua Naismith in “The End of Time,” David Tennant’s final two episodes of Doctor Who. In Neverwhere, he’s playing the ubiquitous trickster who helps Door and is basically nasty to Richard, in a fun way.
Sophie Okonedo as Hunter She played Liz 10, the bloody queen, mate, in Series 5 of Doctor Who and will be lending her voice to Hunter, London Below’s most legendary fighter and bodyguard, who is hired by Door for protection.
Benedict Cumberbatch as Islington You may have heard of him; he’s only Sherlock friggin’ Holmes! He’s also the baddie in The Hobbit and Star Trek Into Darkness. Yeah, he’s kind of a big deal. He’ll be playing Islington, a mysterious character that would be a huge spoiler if any more was described.
Anthony Head as Croup The man who played Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a whole heap of other fantastic roles in film and television will play one of the two ruthless murderers sent to assassinate Door. Croup is the talkative one.
David Schofield as Vandemar The venerable film and TV veteran with nearly 100 credits and who was in An American Werewolf in London and all three Pirates of the Caribbean movies plays Vandemar, the other, quieter, nastier assassin.
Bernard Cribbins as Old Bailey A staple of British film and TV for nearly sixty years, Cribbins of course played Wilfred Mott, grandfather of Donna Noble and companion in his own right in Doctor Who. Here he plays Old Bailey, a friend of the Marquis’ and a keeper of pigeons, among other things.
Romola Garai as Jessica The Atonement actress, late of BBC’s The Hour, will play Jessica, Richard’s irritated fiance in London Above.
Sir Christopher Lee as the Earl of Earl’s Court Oh, let’s see… Dracula, Saruman, Count Dooku, a zillion other great and memorable roles. Here he’s playing one of London Below’s tube station-named aristocrats.
With a cast like that, how could we not be excited? Oh, and apparently Neil Gaiman himself will also feature, presumably as a narrator. The play will broadcast in the UK in 2013 and hopefully (please, please, please) will be made available in some format here in the US. Or, they could just decide to make it into a film with this exact cast. Just saying.
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For the US guys asking. The BBC iPlayer is global for radio, there are no country restrictions so no need to emigrate, you can listen live or on playback within 7 days. Just Google BBC Radio 4 and you’ll find it.
There are also various apps that access BBC radio.
Recent posts by @neilhimself on Twitter suggest the time of broadcast is very soon. BBC Radio Iplayer is global, even though tthe TV is UK restricted. Love from Australia.
Oh my God, I am so excited. Does anyone know if this will be available to listen to in the U.S.?
Can’t wait for this one. Who knows how long till we can get it in the US?
What an amazing cast! Benedict Cumberbatch alone would sell me but with everyone else too I can’t wait to hear it š
This is such a brilliant cast and I’m really geeking out over the whole project! I loved the original production and book so much! Ooh I do hope we;ll be able to purchase this and keep it forever! š
I’ve never got so excited about a radio play. What a perfect cast list! My favourite book, by favourite author, many of my favourite actors – it’s like this was done especially for me. The only thing that could be better would be if it got adapted into TV or film with that exact cast.
Keep an eye on the BBC Radio 4 website – often they offer the radio shows for download for a limited period.. they did that with the Torchwood shows a while back..
(not sure on accessibility from outside the UK – ask a friendly English person to snag you a copy!)
Brilliant! Martin Creif from Cabin Pressure as Islington! I am Soooooo there!
Looks outstanding! One point of difference though, I always pictured Idris Elba as the Marquis de Carabas. Still, this is fantastic!
I need this in my life now!
I am very much looking forward to this , and fingers crossed they will out it up as a podcast to download , as the BBC and BBC radio 4 in perticular are very good at making that happen š
Louise x
Loved the original TV mini series, and I’m actually currently listening to the Neverwhere audiobook narrated by Neil Gaiman on my work commute, and that’s really good. With a cast assembled that oozes that much quality, I’m definitely going to be tuning into Radio 4, or failing that, BBC iPlayer.
Also it’s Door Portico (sp?) not Dormer. š
Love, love, love it!
I concur. This needs to be a movie. NOW.
Giles?? and Sherlock?? and one of my favorite books?? Yes please.
I think I need to emigrate to England so that I can hear this right away. I must have this in my life.
Wow. Just wow.
Wow. I am aching to hear this. And I really like the audiobook read by Neil himself.
It says Christopher Lee was Sauron. He was actually Saruman.
This is still really freaking cool though.
Awesome, suppose dont know when in 2013, or do they?? Also you could, when you have time and go to bbc radio 7 they have listings of the radio channels, i listen to stuff on there from time to time
Could they have picked a better Richard Mayhew? I don’t think so! Oh my god this cast is awesome! I need to listen to this. A very physical need.