Madame Bovary

John Hurt stars in this BBC radio dramatisation of Gustave Flaubert's infamous tale of adultery and tragedyBeautiful Emma meets and marries Doctor Charles Bovary. He's happy for the first time in his life - but Emma is distraught that her marriage lacks the passion and romance of her fantasies. Dazzled by the splendour of a Marquis' ball, she longs for excitement and soon becomes infatuated with a young solicitor, Leon Dupuis. But when Dupuis moves away, her memories of him lead her to despair - and into the arms of wealthy landowner, Rodolphe Boulanger. As she moves from one illicit liaison to another, Emma's complicated life begins to unravel. Exhausted from her debts and her affairs, she feels she is left with only one course of action... A French masterpiece of betrayal and wantonness, Flaubert's notorious novel features Sarah Smart as Emma Bovary, Conrad Nelson as Charles, Jude Akuwudike as Rodolphe and James D'Arcy as Leon. Cast and creditsNarrator - John HurtCharles - Conrad NelsonEmma - Sarah SmartMadame Bovary Snr - Brigit ForsythMonsieur Rouault/Maitre Guillaumin - Russell DixonViscomte/Dr Lariviere - Martin ReeveNastasie/Mere Rollet - Julie McCabeMadame Lefrancois - Siobahn FinneranMonsieur Homais/Priest - David FleeshmanLeon Dupuis - James D'ArcyMonsieur Lheureux - Seamus O'NeillFelicite - Sarah Jayne HallworthRodolphe Boulanger - Jude AkuwudikeJustin - Sam CurtisBerthe Bovary - Daisy JonesWritten by Gustave FlaubertDramatised by Diana Griffiths from a translation by Margaret MauldonPianist: Stephen ReynoldsProduced by Pauline HarrisFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4-15 September 2006