Three BBC Radio performances of works by the great G. K. Chesterton.

Best known as the creator of clerical detective Father Brown, G. K. Chesterton was a prolific and talented writer in virtually every area of literature: from novels, poetry and short stories to plays, biographies and essays. A noted thinker, controversialist, raconteur and wit, he has influenced authors from Neil Gaiman to Jorge Luis Borges. This collection comprises his two most famous novels, The Man Who Was Thursday and The Napoleon of Notting Hill, as well as half a dozen tales from his short story collection, The Club of Queer Trades.

The Man Who Was Thursday - Poet-turned-Scotland-Yard-detective Gabriel Syme goes undercover in Edwardian London to investigate a secret society of anarchists—all of whom are named after days of the week.... Read by Geoffrey Palmer.

The Club of Queer Trades - In these six full-cast comedy crime dramas, retired KC Basil Grant, his brother Rupert and friend Charlie Swinburne explore the extraordinary stories of people who earn their living by some novel and unusual means. Starring David Warner as Basil, Martin Freeman as Rupert and Geoffrey McGivern as Charlie.

The Napoleon of Notting Hill - Written in 1904, Chesterton's comic political satire is set in London 80 years on. The city is still full of horse-buses and hansom cabs, but democracy is dead and the King is chosen by lottery. No one cares, because none of it matters—until the choice falls on Auberon Quin.... This full-cast drama stars Roger Hammond as G. K. Chesterton and David Collings as Auberon Quin, with Kim Wall, Stuart Organ and Paul McGann.

First published 1904 (The Napoleon of Notting Hill), 1905 (The Club of Queer Trades), 1908 (The Man Who Was Thursday)

The Man Who Was Thursday

Read by Geoffrey Palmer

Directed by Lawrence Jackson

First broadcast BBC Radio 7, 10-28 March 2005

The Club of Queer Trades

Basil Grant - David Warner

Rupert Grant - Martin Freeman

Charlie Swinburne - Geoffrey McGivern

Major Brown/Lord Beaumont - Geoffrey Whitehead

Lady - Vicki Pepperdine

PG Northover/Gardener/Old Man/Constable/Dr Colman - Martin Hyder

Drummond - Nicholas Farrell

Wimpole/Burrows - Justin Edwards

Sir Walter Chumley/Rev Shorter - Richard Griffiths

Muriel - Alice Lowe

James - Alexei Sayle

Mowbray - Nell Edmond

Brett - Matthew Holness

Lieutenant Keith - Jeff Harding

Montmorency - Simon Jones

Christina - Amelia Bullmore

Bingham - Chris Douglas

Adeleide - Felicity Montagu

Prof Chadd - John Nettleton

Greenwood - James Rawlings

Old Lady - Angela Thorne

Dramatised by Simon Littlefield

Produced by Simon Nicholls

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 April-9 May 2005

The Napoleon of Notting Hill

G. K. Chesterton - Roger Hammond

Auberon Quin - David Collings

Wilfred Lambert - Kim Wall

James Barker - Stephen Hattersley

President del Fuego - Manning Wilson

Policeman/Mr Wilson - Stuart Organ

Boy Adam Wayne - Alexander Goodman

Adam Wayne - Paul McGann

Mr Buck - Aubrey Woods

Mr Mead - Paul Gregory

Mr Bowles - Brian Hewlett

Mr Turnbull - Gordon Reid

Dramatised by Peter Buckman

Produced by Eric Stovell

Directed by Richard Imison

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 December 1986