The Yellowplush Papers
Broadcast on BBC Radio 4
Monday 09 February to 09 March 2009 11:30-12:00

Written by William Makepeace Thackeray, adapted by Stephen Wyatt

The Yellowplush Papers is a series of five comic tales from the memoirs of Charles Yellowplush, describing early Victorian life from the footman's point of view.

Charles James Harrington Fitzroy Yellowplush is a young man on the make, in a world where everybody survives on credit and reveal-all novels about aristocratic society are all the rage. He is both narrator and leading actor in stories of comic twists and turns and ripe and memorable characters.

Part 1 - My First Employer
Charles attracts the attention of an elegant gentleman, Frederick Altamont, who is pursuing the lovely Mary. Charles abilities are much exercised to contrive meetings and keep Mary's stepmother at bay, until the awful truth about Altamont comes to light.

Charles Yellowplush ...... Adam Buxton
Mother ...... Janice Acquah
Altamont ...... Joseph Kloska
Shum ...... Paul Rider
Mrs Shum ...... Liza Sadovy
Mary ...... Manjeet Mann
Betsy ...... Jill Cardo

Directed by Jessica Dromgoole.

Part 2 - Captain Rook
Charles helps his new employer Captain Rook, a wily and roguish cardsharp, to fleece a rich but naive gentleman.

Charles Yellowplush ...... Adam Buxton
Rook ...... Stephen Critchlow
Blewitt ...... Dan Starkey
Dawkins ...... Inam Mirza
Becky ...... Donnla Hughes
James/Waiter ...... Robert Lonsdale
Clerk ...... Jonathan Tafler

Directed by Abigail le Fleming.

Part 3 - Deuceace
Charles finds himself in Paris in attendance on a young aristocrat of very dubious morals who has fled England to escape his creditors.

Charles Yellowplush ...... Adam Buxton
Deuceace ...... Chris Pavlo
Crabs ...... Trevor Peacock
Lady Griffin ...... Jill Cardo
Matilda ...... Laura Molyneux
Bailiff ...... Dan Starkey

Directed by Jessica Dromgoole.

Part 4 - My Novel
When a fashionable society novelist comes to stay at Diddlesex Towers, he inspires Charles to undertake an ambitious and scandalous enterprise.

Charles Yellowplush ...... Adam Buxton
Duke ...... Paul Rider
Duchess ...... Janice Acquah
Marquess ...... Inam Mirza
Mary Ann ...... Annabelle Dowler
Modicum ...... Gunnar Cauthery
Scavenger ...... Stephen Critchlow

Part 5 - My Debut in Society
Charles suddenly finds himself a very rich man. He leaves service and embarks on a life of opera, society dinners and balls. And goes a little mad.

Charles Yellowplush ...... Adam Buxton
Mary Ann ...... Annabelle Dowler
James ...... Gunnar Cauthery
Angelina ...... Janice Acquah
Bareaches ...... Stephen Critchlow
Silvertop ...... Inam Mirza
Gazette/Dancing Master ...... Paul Rider

Directed by Jessica Dromgoole.

Producer/Abigail le Fleming

captured from iPlayer, 128kbps 44Khz, runtime 5 x 28 minutes