Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

The Battle for Christmas

Enid and Alfred are about to embark on a long-awaited cruise, but Enid will not be truly content until all three of her children promise to come for one last Christmas in St Jude.

Jonathan Franzen's darkly comic novel about a dysfunctional Midwestern family, dramatised by Marcy Kahan. Starring Richard Schiff (The West Wing), Maggie Steed, Colin Stinton and Julian Rhind-Tutt.

Episode 4 - The Battle for Christmas. Enid and Alfred Lambert, two Midwesterners in their seventies, are about to embark on a long-awaited cruise to Eastern Canada. But Enid won't be truly content until all three of her children promise to come for one last Christmas in St Jude.

Directed by Emma Harding

The Corrections is an acclaimed 2001 novel by American author Jonathan Franzen. It was awarded the National Book Award in 2001, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2002 and was included in TIME magazine's 2005 list of the 100 best English-language novels since 1923.

Jonathan Franzen is the author of four novels (Freedom, The Corrections, Strong Motion, and The Twenty-Seventh City), two collections of essays (Farther Away, How to Be Alone) and a personal history (The Discomfort Zone).

Marcy Kahan is a playwright and radio dramatist. Recent radio work includes two series of Lunch for 麻豆社 Radio 4 (starring Claire Skinner and Stephen Mangan) and Mr Bridger's Orphan. Theatre work includes 20 Cigarettes (Soho Theatre) and the stage version of When Harry Met Sally (Theatre Royal Haymarket).

15 minutes

Last on

Thu 8 Jan 2015 19:45

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Richard Schiff
Enid Lambert Maggie Steed
Alfred Lambert Colin Stinton
Gary Lambert Richard Laing
Chip Lambert Julian Rhind-Tutt
Denise Lambert Roslyn Hill
Julia Vrais Kelly Burke
Eden Procuro Elaine Claxton
Gitanas Misevicius Sam Dale
Melissa Paquette Bettrys Jones
Caroline Lambert Jane Slavin
Caleb Lambert Adam Thomas Wright
Jonah Lambert Sean McCrystal
Author Jonathan Franzen
Adaptor Marcy Kahan
Director Emma Harding

Broadcasts

  • Thu 8 Jan 2015 10:45
  • Thu 8 Jan 2015 19:45

Audio Books

Audio Books

Download these highlights and all our programmes via the iPlayer Radio app.