A sweeping adaptation of Olivia Manning's classic war novels, starring Joanna Lumley and Honeysuckle Weeks.

1939, and naïve young newlywed Harriet Pringle arrives in Bucharest with her husband, Guy - just as Europe is about to rip itself apart. She believes she knows everything about the man she has married, but soon realises she knows nothing.

Guy is oblivious to her needs and desires, seeming only to care about his job as a university lecturer, his friends and the beautiful, voluptuous Sophie. Struggling to build a life in a strange city, in the face of imminent invasion, Harriet feels bereft - and increasingly isolated.

As the Nazis come ever closer, an act of treachery puts the couple in terrible danger, and with Romania in enemy hands, they are forced to leave the country. Fleeing to Athens and then Egypt, their marriage comes under increasing strain amidst the chaos and upheaval of war. With the future uncertain, can they find the strength and resilience to face it together?

Joanna Lumley stars as the older Harriet, looking back on events many years later, with Honeysuckle Weeks as her younger self. Among the stellar cast are Khalid Abdalla, Alex Wyndham and James Fleet.

Production credits:

Written by Olivia Manning

Dramatised by Lin Coghlan and Jonathan Holloway

Produced and directed by Marc Beeby and Colin Guthrie

Cast:

Old Harriet - Joanna Lumley

Harriet - Honeysuckle Weeks

Guy - Khalid Abdalla

Clarence - Alex Wyndham

Yakimov - James Fleet

Inchcape - John Rowe

Sophie/Edwina - Joannah Tincey

Galpin/Clifford/Newsreader - John Dougall

Bella/Mona - Carolyn Pickles

Drucker/Desmond - Peter Marinker

Sasha - Joseph Arkley

Nikko/Toby Lush/Peter - Simon Treves

Despina/Phillips - Laura Molyneux

Dr Hassolel/Mortimer - Katy Cavanagh

Manager/Jackman - Ben Onwukwe

Dobson - Sam Dale

Dubedat/Aidan/Cpt Hardy - Ben Crowe

Professor Pinkrose - Nigel Anthony

Charles Warden/Mr Buschman - Alex Lanipekun

Angela - Alison Pettit

Bill - Philip Jackson

Simon - Sam Pamphilon

Arnold/Young Arab - Lloyd Thomas

Dr Shafik/Helal - Bijan Daneshmand

Marion - Emily Wachter

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 January-2 March 2008