Martin Jarvis has narrated 57 audiobooks on Listento.it by 47 authors, with an average listener rating of 4.5★ across 2,477 ratings. The most-rated is Good Omens.
Racing Demon
Summary
Four clergymen seek to make sense of their mission while being torn in all directions by the Church of England. After a critically-lauded debut in 1990 at London's National Theatre, Racing Demon went on to earn universal acclaim. More than 20 years later, David Hare's bold and moving revelations on gay ordination and the doctrine of the priesthood ring more resoundingly than ever. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast recording, starring Jared Harris, Lesley Nichol, Rosie Fellner, Paul Fox, Jason Hughes, Martin Jarvis, Christopher Neame, Alan Shearman, Simon Templeman, Jane Wall, and Matthew Wolf. Directed by Rosalind Ayres. Recorded before an audience by L.A. Theatre Works. The complete list of actors includes Simon Templeman, Jane Wall, and Matthew Wolf.
©1990 David Hare (P)2015 L.A. Theatre Works
Thank You, Jeeves
Summary
First published in serialised form in The Strand magazine between 1933-34, Thank You, Jeeves is a novel that lends itself to an audiobook, with its diverse range of dotty voices all relayed magnificently by master Wodehouse reader Martin Jarvis. No longer in master Bertie Wooster’s employ, Jeeves is engaged with a new employer, Lord "Chuffy" Chuffnell, an old friend of Bertie’s. True to form, thus follows a supreme comedy of errors which is guaranteed to raise many a chortle, as Wooster travels to one of Chuffy’s cottages in Dorset to carry on his banjolele practice in (dubious) peace.
Public Domain (P)2010 CSA Word
The War of the Worlds
Summary
When a Martian spacecraft lands on Woking Common, mankind is terrorised by aliens in tall, armoured capsules which stalk the countryside on three legs. The machines wreak havoc on London and the Southern Counties, and survivors are driven underground. Scientist John Nicholson (Paul Daneman) tells how he was plunged into a paralysing nightmare of stark terror, savage madness and utter destruction. Martin Jarvis, Peter Sallis, and Anthony Jackson also feature in this thrilling six-part dramatisation of HG Wells' book, first broadcast on Radio 4 in 1967.
©2007 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)2007 BBC Audiobooks Ltd
You Never Can Tell
Summary
You Never Can Tell was originally born out of a bet that Shaw couldn't write a "seaside comedy" (a popular theatrical genre at that time). The result is perhaps the most surprising of Shaw's plays, complete with marital mayhem, tangled romance, and even doubtful dentistry. Despite the play's lighthearted tone, it's really another of Shaw's brilliantly observed social treatises, this time in the guise of a light comedy. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast recording featuring: James Callis, Siobhan Hewlett, Nicholas Hormann, Martin Jarvis, Christopher Neame, Moira Quirk, Susan Sullivan, Simon Templeman, and Matthew Wolf. Directed by Rosalind Ayres and recorded before a live audience.
Public Domain (P)2015 L.A. Theatre Works
Service with a Smile
Summary
The debonair Uncle Fred makes a welcome return to Blandings, where plotting and confusion is rife. Blackmail, sabotage, jilted lovers and pigs under threat of kidnap all feature largely, making this hilarious instalment in the Blandings series irresistible to fans and newcomers alike. The story sees lovely debutante Myra Schoonmaker unhappily ensconced in Blandings at the insistence of Lady Constance Keeble, who objects to Myra’s entanglement with down-at-heel curate Bill Bailey. But Blandings never has been a place to stifle the wants of the heart for long. Soon, all kinds of subterfuge and shifty goings-on are afoot to reunite the lovebirds, with the help of an unbeatable cast of misfits and society schmoozers including Pongo Twistleton, Lord Tilbury, Lavender Briggs and of course, amiably vague Lord Emsworth and his trusty ‘man-mountain’ butler Beach.
©1962 P. G. Wodehouse Estate (P)2009 CSA Word
Doctor Who: Vengeance on Varos
Summary
Martin Jarvis reads this exciting novelisation of a classic TV adventure for the Sixth Doctor, introducing the slug-like Sil. The TARDIS has stalled in midflight, and it is only on the planet Varos that the Doctor can find the precious Zeiton-7 ore he needs to continue his travels through time and space. Arriving on the planet, he saves the rebel Jondar from execution and incurs the wrath of Sil, the sadistic representative of the Galatron Mining Corporation on Varos.
The hunt is on for the Doctor and his rebel friends. And as they are pursued through the corridors of the deadly Punishment Dome, the Doctor discovers that the people of Varos have some very disturbing ideas of entertainment....
Martin Jarvis, who played the Governor in the original TV episodes, reads Philip Martin's novelisation of his 1985 serial which starred Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor.
Reading produced by Neil Gardner
Sound design by Simon Power
Executive Producer: Michael Stevens
©2019 BBC Worldwide Ltd (P)2019 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Pinocchio
Summary
Pinocchio is the best puppet story ever. Listeners will quickly be caught up in Carlo Collodi's impish creation as they are swept along at an action-packed pace. From the day when Geppetto first carves Pinocchio from a piece of wood to the final happy ending - with many exciting and dangerous adventures along the way - Pinocchio will charm and captivate. The story also has a strong moral throughout, which is as suitable for children (and adults!) today as when the original book was written. This recording has been abridged from a translation of the original text, which was first published in 1883. It remains faithful to the book from which Walt Disney adapted his famous animated version.
(P)1995 CSA Telltapes Ltd.
Journey's End
Summary
Journey's End is an unflinching vision of life in the tranches towards the end of the First World War. The play opens in a dugout in the trenches in France. Raleigh, a new 18-year-old officer fresh out of school, joins the besieged company of his friend and hero Stanhope. But when he arrives in the trenches, he finds Stanhope dramatically changed. This vintage BBC radio production from 1970 stars Martin Jarvis as Captain Stanhope. Bonus content: this BBC radio release includes The Man From Esher and His Theatre of War, a 30 minute documentary about R C Sherriff and the story behind Journey’s End. Journey's End was an instant stage success in 1928 (starring Laurence Olivier) and remains a remarkable antiwar classic, regularly revived in theatres. A film was released in February 2018, starring Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games, Me Before You) as Stanhope and Asa Butterfield (Hugo) as Raleigh, along with Paul Bettany, Toby Jones and Tom Sturridge. Cast: Captain Stanhope...Martin Jarvis Osborne...Garard Green Raleigh...Derek Seaton Trotter...Kevin Brennan Hibbert/Private...Michael Harbour Colonel...Richard Hurndall Sergeant Major...John Bentley Mason...Malcolm Hayes Hardy...John Graham German soldier...Patrick Tull Adapted by Peter Watts. Produced by Christopher Venning.
©2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd (P)2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd
The Misanthrope
Summary
This timeless comedy of manners is considered one of Molière's most probing and mature works. While it's still an exemplar of 17th century farce, Molière went beyond his usual comic inventiveness to create a world of rich, complex characters, especially in the cynical title character Alceste, played here by the Tony Award-winning actor Brian Bedford. Includes an interview with Larry F. Norman author of The Public Mirror: Molière and the Social Commerce of Depiction. Recorded at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood in June 2012. Lead funding for this production was made possible with support by the Sidney E. Frank Foundation. Directed by Rosalind Ayres Producing Director Susan Albert Loewenberg An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Brian Bedford as Alceste JD Cullum as Clitandre Sarah Drew as Eliante Martin Jarvis as Philinte Darren Richardson as Basque, Du Bois Susan Sullivan as Arsinoe Nick Toren as Oronte Matt Wolf as Acaste, Guard Bellamy Young as Celimene Associate Producer: Christina Montaño. Recording Engineer, Sound Designer, Mixer: Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. Stage Manager, Michael Rhea.
©2013 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2013 L.A. Theatre Works
A Pelican at Blandings
Summary
The usual suspects, including Lord Emsworth and his prize pig, the Empress, line up at Blandings Castle for a Wodehousian caper that sees members of the upper-classes getting hot and bothered over a nude painting they all want to get their hands on. This is wit at its very finest, read by one of our superlative actors, who reads Wodehouse with the requisite style and panache.
©2006 CSA Telltapes Ltd. (P)2006 CSA Telltapes Ltd.
The Historian
Summary
The record-breaking phenomenon from Elizabeth Kostova is a celebrated masterpiece that "refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling contemporary novel, a late-night page-turner" (San Francisco Chronicle). Breathtakingly suspenseful and beautifully written, The Historian is the story of a young woman plunged into a labyrinth where the secrets of her family’s past connect to an inconceivable evil: the dark 15th century reign of Vlad the Impaler and a time-defying pact that may have kept his awful work alive through the ages. The search for the truth becomes an adventure of monumental proportions, taking us from monasteries and dusty libraries to the capitals of Eastern Europe - in a feat of storytelling so rich, so hypnotic, so exciting that it has enthralled readers around the world. “Part thriller, part history, part romance...Kostova has a keen sense of storytelling and she has a marvelous tale to tell.” (Baltimore Sun)
©2009 Elizabeth Kostova (P)2009 Hachette
BBC Radio Shakespeare: A Collection of Eight Comedies
Summary
Eight full-cast BBC Radio productions of Shakespeare's best loved comedies. Full of merriment, mayhem, mischief and mistaken identity, here are eight iconic radio productions of Shakespeare's most magical comedies, featuring star casts and introduced by Sir Richard Eyre. Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare's delightful comedy sparkles with the verbal sparring of our two reluctant lovers in a world where nothing is quite what it seems. David Tennant and Samantha Spiro star as Benedick and Beatrice. As You Like It The Forest of Arden resonates with declarations of love in this joyous pastoral comedy, starring Helena Bonham Carter as Rosalind, David Morrissey as Orlando and Natasha Little as Celia. A Midsummer Night's Dream In this delightful comic fantasy, four young lovers and a troupe of actors have a bewitching encounter with Fairyland. Starring David Threlfall as Theseus/Oberon, Sylvestra Le Touzel as Titania/Hippolyta and Amanda Root as Hermia. The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare's thrilling courtroom drama explores the eternal themes of love and hate, mercy and justice. Starring Warren Mitchell as Shylock, with Martin Jarvis as Antonio, Juliet Aubrey as Portia and Samuel West as Bassanio. Twelfth Night On the night when all the world is turned on its head, girls become boys and women lust after women in this most optimistic of Shakespeare's comedies. Michael Maloney stars as Orsino and Anne-Marie Duff as Viola. The Tempest A ship at sea and an enchanted island are the settings for this allegorical tale of betrayal, sorcery, revenge and reconciliation. Starring Philip Madoc as Prospero and Nina Wadia as Ariel. The Taming of the Shrew Farce, disguise, elaborate role-playing and acerbic exchanges of wit combine to make up an extraordinary love story that still sparks controversy 400 years after it was written. Gerard McSorley stars as Petruchio and Ruth Mitchell as Katherina. All's Well That Ends Well This intriguing play tells of the questionable course of action a young woman takes to win the hand of the man she loves. Emma Fielding stars as Helena, with Siân Phillips, Miriam Margolyes, Richard Griffiths and Simon Russell Beale.
©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
My Father's Fortune: A Life
Summary
An unknown place. This was what Michael Frayn’s children called the shadowy landscape of the past from which their family had emerged. In this book he sets out to rediscover that lost land before all trace of it finally disappears beyond recall. As he tries to see it through the eyes his parents and the others who shaped his life, he comes to realise how little he ever knew or understood about them. This is a charming, moving and witty childhood memoir from one of Britain’s best-loved writers.
©2010 Michael Frayn (P)2011 AudioGO Ltd
Make and Break
Summary
From the author of Copenhagen and Noises Off. A comedy-drama about a door manufacturing company and a fateful convention in Frankfurt. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Rosalind Ayres, Allan Corduner, David Ellenstein, Julian Holloway, Peter A. Jacobs, Martin Jarvis, Robin Goodrin Nordli, James Warwick and Michael York.
©2011 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2011 L.A. Theatre Works
Great Expectations
Summary
Exclusively from Audible Pip is an orphan, brought up in a village on the Essex marshes by his disagreeable sister and her husband Joe Gargery, the kind-hearted village blacksmith. Life is harsh and Pip has few prospects until he receives from an anonymous benefactor the chance of escaping the forge for a more promising life in London. But his expectations are fraught with difficulties as he is haunted by figures from his past such as the escaped convict Magwitch, the eccentric Miss Havisham, and her proud and beautiful ward, Estella. As he passes from childhood to adulthood he in time discovers his true self. Powerfully moving, the story is immersed in Dickens's own memories of the past, raising questions about the extent to which individuals affect each other's lives. Often considered Dickens's best-loved work, Great Expectations features some of his most memorable characters and continues to attract fans of all ages. Dickens was one of eight children from a very poor family, with his father eventually being sent to debtors' prison. At the age of 12, Dickens had no choice but to start work in order to help clear the family debt. It was this troublesome childhood that provided him with much of the material for his novels and lent him a sympathetic voice for the poor. Narrator Biography Martin Jarvis is one of Britain's most admired actors. His audiobook output is legendary. He is described in Vanity Fair as 'the Olivier of audiobooks' and 'genius of the Spoken Word' in the LA Times. Award-winning recordings range from titles by Charles Dickens, P.G. Wodehouse and Michael Frayn to thrillers by Jeffrey Archer, Wilbur Smith, Ian Fleming and Dick Francis. Martin's BBC Just William recordings are worldwide best sellers. Martin Jarvis has starred in many acclaimed West End and National Theatre productions and received the Theatre World Award as Jeeves on Broadway. Numerous UK television appearances encompass Law & Order, Doctor Who, Endeavour, Inspector Morse and The Forsyte Saga. In America: Murder She Wrote, Numb3rs, Cosmos and Walker, Texas Ranger. Films include Titanic, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Wreck-It Ralph. Videogames: 'Alfred' in Batman, 'Finn McMissile' in Cars. Martin is invested by HM the Queen as Officer of Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
A Quiver Full of Arrows
Summary
The best-selling author of Sons of Fortune once again astonishes, delights, and electrifies with this audio collection. From London to China, and New York to Nigeria, Jeffrey Archer takes the reader on a tour of ancient heirlooms and modern romance, of cutthroat business and kindly strangers, of lives lived in the realms of power and lives freed from the gloom of oppression. Fortunes are made and squandered, honor betrayed and redeemed, and love lost and rediscovered. Embracing the passions that drive men and women to love and to hate, A Quiver Full of Arrows will captivate the hearts and souls of listeners everywhere. Featuring bonus interviews with the author.
©1980 Jeffrey Archer (P)1991 Original recording made by CSA Telltapes, Ltd. Published in 2005 by Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC
Carry On, Jeeves
Summary
Listen to hilarious unabridged stories starring the ever-popular Jeeves and Wooster from the master of great British comedy: P. G. Wodehouse. Stories featured: "Jeeves Takes Charge", "Jeeves and The Unbidden Guest", "The Artistic Career of Corky", "The Aunt and the Sluggard", "Clustering Round Young Bingo", "Jeeves and the Hard-boiled Egg", and "The Rummy Affair of Old Biffy".
©2004 CSA Telltapes Ltd. (P)2004 CSA Telltapes Ltd.