Verity Firth

The Cazalets: Confusion

The Cazalets: Confusion: Episode 3

The Cazalets

BBC Radio 4

Confusion

Episode 3

BBC Radio 4 - The Cazalets, Confusion, Episode 3

Michael's thrilled that Louise is pregnant but seems reluctant to spend his leave with her

Michael is thrilled that Louise is pregnant but seems reluctant to spend his leave with her.

by Elizabeth Jane Howard
dramatised by Sarah Daniels

Louise discovers she's pregnant but begins to question her relationship with Michael.

Produced and directed by Sally Avens and Marion Nancarrow

'Confusion' is the third of four compelling Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, which together give a vivid insight into the lives, hopes and loves of three generations during the Second World War and beyond.
As Elizabeth Jane Howard enters her 90th Birthday year, Radio 4 are broadcasting dramatisations of all four novels between January and August 2013.
You can catch up with series two, The Cazalets: Marking Time, on iplayer.

The third series is set between 1942 and 1945: For the Cazalet family the war has brought tragedy;
Rupert has been missing since Dunkirk and only his daughter Clary refuses to believe he is dead, whilst her step-mother Zoe has buried her hope and devotes her energy to bringing up her daugher Juliet. At home, Sybil has lost her battle with cancer leaving Polly bereft and trying to comfort her father, Hugh. Even Edward seems wracked with doubt over whether he should give up his mistress, Diana, who is carrying his child and try and make a go of things with Villy once again. The younger generation seems as confused as their parents: Louise makes a hasty marriage to society painter Michael Hadleigh giving up her dreams of being an actress, whilst Polly and Clary finally convince the family they can move to London but the girls soon discover that independence and adulthood brings heartbreak of its own.
When Elizabeth Jane Howard began writing the novels her aims were modest. "I wanted to write about my youth, and the ten years that straddled the Second World War. I also wanted to write about what domestic life was like for people at home. A lot has been written about the battles and the war in a more direct sense, but little had been said about the way the whole of England changed. When the war ended, everybody was in a different position from where they were when it started."
Two decades later, Howard's quartet of books -- The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion and Casting Off - charting the family's fortunes between 1937 and 1947 have sold over a million copies.
Martin Amis said of Elizabeth Jane Howard, "She is, with Iris Murdoch, the most interesting woman writer of her generation. An instinctivist, like Muriel Spark, she has a freakish and poetic eye, and a penetrating sanity."
A star cast includes Penelope Wilton as the narrator, Pip Torrens, Dominic Mafham, Naomi Frederick, Helen Schlesinger, Raymond Coulthard, Zoe Tapper, Alix Wilton Regan, Flora Spencer-Longhurst and Georgia Groome.
'Casting Off' follows in July.

The Cazalets: Confusion: Episode 9

Episode 9

BBC Radio 4 - The Cazalets, Confusion, Episode 9

Zoe's astonished to find Jack at Home Place and Louise realises what Michael's been hiding

Zoe is astonished to find Jack at Home Place, whilst Louise realises what Michael has been hiding.

by Elizabeth Jane Howard

Dramatised by Sarah Daniels

Zoe is astonished to find Jack waiting for her at Home Place, whilst Louise discovers more about herself and the terrible secret Michael has been hiding from her.

Produced and Directed by Sally Avens and Marion Nancarrow

'Confusion' is the third of four compelling Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, which together give a vivid insight into the lives, hopes and loves of three generations during the Second World War and beyond.
As Elizabeth Jane Howard enters her 90th Birthday year, Radio 4 are broadcasting dramatisations of all four novels between January and August 2013.
You can catch up with series two, The Cazalets: Marking Time, on iplayer.

The third series is set between 1942 and 1945: For the Cazalet family the war has brought tragedy;
Rupert has been missing since Dunkirk and only his daughter Clary refuses to believe he is dead, whilst her step-mother Zoe has buried her hope and devotes her energy to bringing up their daughter, Juliet. At home, Sybil has lost her battle with cancer leaving Polly bereft and trying to comfort her father, Hugh. Even Edward seems wracked with doubt over whether he should give up his mistress, Diana, who is carrying his child and try and make a go of things with Villy once again. The younger generation seems as confused as their parents: Louise makes a hasty marriage to society painter Michael Hadleigh, giving up her dreams of being an actress, whilst Polly and Clary finally convince the family they can move to London, but the girls are soon to discover that independence and adulthood brings heartbreak of its own.
When Elizabeth Jane Howard began writing the novels her aims were modest. "I wanted to write about my youth, and the ten years that straddled the Second World War. I also wanted to write about what domestic life was like for people at home. A lot has been written about the battles and the war in a more direct sense, but little had been said about the way the whole of England changed. When the war ended, everybody was in a different position from where they were when it started."
Two decades later, Howard's quartet of books -- The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion and Casting Off - charting the family's fortunes between 1937 and 1947 have sold over a million copies.
Martin Amis said of Elizabeth Jane Howard, "She is, with Iris Murdoch, the most interesting woman writer of her generation. An instinctivist, like Muriel Spark, she has a freakish and poetic eye, and a penetrating sanity."
A star cast includes Penelope Wilton as the narrator, Pip Torrens, Dominic Mafham, Naomi Frederick, Helen Schlesinger, Raymond Coulthard, Zoe Tapper, Alix Wilton Regan, Flora Spencer-Longhurst and Georgia Groome.
'Casting Off' follows in July.

The Cazalets: Casting Off

The Cazalets: Casting Off: Episode 1

Casting Off

Episode 1

BBC Radio 4 - The Cazalets, Casting Off, Episode 1

The war has ended, and Rupert finally returns home but finds much has changed.

The war has ended, and Rupert finally returns home but finds much has changed for the Cazalet family.

by Elizabeth Jane Howard
dramatised by Lin Coghlan


The war has ended and Rupert finally returns home but he finds much has changed for the Cazalet family.

'Casting Off' is the final book in the Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, which together give a vivid insight into the lives, hopes and loves of three generations during the Second World War and beyond.

As Elizabeth Jane Howard enters her 90th Birthday year, Radio 4 are broadcasting dramatisations of all four novels between January and July 2013.
You can catch up with series three, The Cazalets: Confusion, on iPlayer.

This fourth series is set between the summer of 1945 and 1947.

With Rupert missing in France since Dunkirk, his beautiful young wife Zoe has had an affair with the American photographer, Jack, who has subsequently killed himself. Zoe has found solace in her daughter, Juliet and in Rupert's friend Archie, who is also a great source of support to her step-daughter, Clary. Should Rupert return, Archie is hoping for something more than friendship with Clary, but has kept this to himself. Meanwhile, Clary's cousin Polly has told Archie that she loves him and he has had to turn her down as gently as he can. Louise's marriage teeters on the brink, since her husband Michael destroyed a letter sent by her lover, Hugo whilst Edward's affair with Diana continues: she's almost certainly had two of his children. Sid, however, has finished her affair with her student, Thelma, hoping to bring Rachel back into her life again. But the best laid plans are wont to be sabotaged ...

When Elizabeth Jane Howard began writing the novels her aims were modest. "I wanted to write about my youth, and the ten years that straddled the Second World War. I also wanted to write about what domestic life was like for people at home. A lot has been written about the battles and the war in a more direct sense, but little had been said about the way the whole of England changed. When the war ended, everybody was in a different position from where they were when it started."
Two decades later, Howard's quartet of books -- The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion and Casting Off - charting the family's fortunes between 1937 and 1947 have sold over a million copies.
Martin Amis said of Elizabeth Jane Howard, "She is, with Iris Murdoch, the most interesting woman writer of her generation. An instinctivist, like Muriel Spark, she has a freakish and poetic eye, and a penetrating sanity."
A star cast includes Penelope Wilton as the narrator, Pip Torrens, Lisa Dillon, Naomi Frederick, Helen Schlesinger, Raymond Coulthard, Zoe Tapper, Alix Wilton Regan, Flora Spencer-Longhurst and Georgia Groome.
Casting Off is dramatised by Lin Coghlan.

Programme Index

The Cazalets

Confusion

Episode 3

Contributors

Genres

Brand

Series

The Cazalets

Confusion

Episode 9

Contributors

Genres

Brand

Series

The Cazalets

Casting Off

Episode 1

Contributors

Genres

Brand

Series