Franz Kafka: The Trial, Metamorphosis, Amerika & more

Kafka’s finest works adapted for BBC radio – plus a biographical play, three discussion pieces and the award-winning Kafka The Musical A lawyer by day, Franz Kafka spent his nights writing visionary stories and novels exploring bureaucracy, power and alienation – iconic fiction that gave the world the adjective ‘Kafkaesque’. This BBC anthology showcases his most famous works. Metamorphosis tells the tale of Gregor Samsa, who wakes one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. Starring Tom Basden, this Radio 4 production gives Kafka’s classic a modern twist with a darkly comic edge. In The Trial, a protagonist known only as ‘K’ is plunged into a nightmare world when he is accused of an unknown crime. Iwan Rheon leads an all-star cast including Phil Davis and Mark Heap. Set in 1911, Kafka’s debut novel The Man Who Disappeared (Amerika) features a young man from Prague, sent away to the New World after an indiscretion with a girl. Read by Carl Prekopp, Tiny Tales offers an exquisite study in restlessness, while Dermot Crowley narrates the short story ‘A Country Doctor’. Also included is Franz and Felice, a biographical play, and the Kafkaesque drama Kafka: The Musical, in which the author finds he has been cast to play himself in a show about his own life. David Tennant stars in this award-winning Radio 3 production. Three fascinating documentary programmes round off our collection, with discussions pieces on the man and the work. First published 1915 (Metamorphosis), 1916 (‘A Country Doctor’), 1925 (The Trial), 1927 (Amerika) © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd First published 1915 (Metamorphosis), 1916 (‘A Country Doctor’), 1925 (The Trial), 1927 (Amerika) Cast and credits Written by Franz Kafka Metamorphosis Cast: Tom Basden, Emma Sidi, Kenneth Collard, Felicity Montagu, Tim Key, Simon Ludders, Mike Bubbins, Alison Belbin, Peter Marinker Adapted by Alan Harris Directed by James Robinson Music consultancy: Philip Tagney The Trial Cast: Iwan Rheon, Phil Davis, Lee Ross, Nina Wadia, Celeste Dring, Rick Warden, Jason Barnett, Adrian Scarborough, Gwyneth Keyworth, Mark Heap Dramatised by Ed Harris Directed by Anne Isger Sound: Pete Ringrose and Keith Graham Production Co-ordinators: Sara Benaim and Daniel Bishop The Man Who Disappeared Cast: Divian Ladwa, Fenella Woolgar, Karl Johnson, Ed Gaughan, Charlie Anson, Ian Dunnett Jnr, Jessica Turner, Jasmine Hyde, Ewan Bailey and Anna Spearpoint. Dramatised by Ed Harris Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko Production co-ordinator: Ben Hollands Sound design: Peter Ringrose Tiny Tales Read by Carl Prekopp Translated by Michael Hoffman Produced by Duncan Minshull A Country Doctor Read by Dermot Crowley Translated by Michael Hoffman Franz and Felice Cast: Anton Lesser, Ashley Margolis, Abigail Weinstock, Anna Spearpoint, Clare Corbett, Ian Dunnett Jnr, Lily Anne Lefkow By Ed Harris Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko Production co-ordinator: Ben Hollands Sound design: Peter Ringrose Kafka the Musical Cast: David Tennant, David Fleeshman, Joanna Monro, Naomi Frederick, Jessica Raine, Emerald O'Hanrahan, Trevor Allan Davies, Brian Bowles Written by Murray Gold Music by Murray Gold Directed by Jeremy Mortimer The Forum: Kafka’s The Metamorphosis Presented by Rajan Datar With Dr Carolin Duttlinger, Professor Alice Staskova, Dr Peter Zusi and Adrian Igoni Barrett Readings by Mark Edel-Hunt Violin played by David Glenister In Our Time: Kafka’s The Trial Presented by Melvyn Bragg With Elizabeth Boa, Steve Connor and Ritchie Robertson Produced by Luke Mulhall A Walk with Franz Kafka Presented by Nelly Eng