The Go-Between

By: L. P. Hartley

Narrated by: Harriet Walter, Richard Griffiths, Lydia Leonard

A new adaptation of L. P. Hartley's story of a boy who is betrayed by a sophisticated young rich woman and her farmer lover who use him to ferry letters back and forth in the blazing summer of 1900 - with Richard Griffiths and Harriet Walter.

It's best known from the 1970 film, which focused on the main plot line. But on re-reading the book, adaptor Frances Byrnes found within it another drama perfect for audio in which an old man finds a boyhood diary and is forced to unlock the trauma inside.

Revisited by that summer for the first time since it happened, the older man (Richard Griffiths) turns detective. Leo, in his 60s, finds a locked diary in his attic: It was written in 1900, the last time he lived with any sense of possibility. Leo realises that his tidy life has been a living death and that summer was to blame.

©2013 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2013 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Beautiful adaptation of wistful story

Touching performance of delicate story. The great Richard Griffiths and Harriet Walter. Evocative and haunting. Just the perfect length. Glad I listened.

A very beautiful and skilled adaptation!

Beautifully done.
I didn’t listen to it all-in-one-sitting - but took time with it- despite this:

It feels as though the story, and the book itself, were always meant to be presented this way!

Flawless casting, I loved the way the actors lent sensitivity to certain areas of the text and its subject (a moment in the chapel between the boy and Lord T, stands out for this. Just excellent voice performances, as well as ambient-sound.)
Very thoughtful adjustment to the original length of the text and story, (**this adaptation made up for areas where the original book had begun to draw in its pacing — specifically near the center in the original book.)
It feels like the story and the text were finally given EXACTLY what it needed here! (-And this is a moving thought, since it was an important novel for the original writer L.P. Hartley- most likely his best novel, with speculations of it being inspired by an experience from his own childhood.
Nice homage to Julie Christie as well for fans of the actress - as the lead female role sound just like her in the 1971 adaptation. Perfect match.

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[Recommend skipping the latest 2015 film adaptation - unfortunately it was extra problematic. Sad to say, I wish I had never seen it, despite the wonderful Jim Broadbent thrown in as a bonus to viewers (bizarre choices with costumes - cheaply made, bad direction, etc.) Enjoy this; or the original book and/or audiobook; or classic 1971 film]

*As a bonus note: The musical performances were so gorgeous in this adaptation — this alone could make the performance worth repeatedly listening.

Definitely well done. Hope others enjoy. :)

Beautiful radio play of a perfect novel

I love this story so much and was very happy to hear it performed in such a clever, artful and loving way.

The Go-Between does NOT NEED ADAPTING!!!!!

Now you have broken my heart. First the gutting of The House on The Strand and now turning The Go-Between,one of my all-time favorite books, into a radio play. Why would you do this? These are beautifully written books! I've been waiting for The Go-Between to come out in audio form for as long as I've known about audio rentals. I loved the movie, got curious about the book--loved the book. I was so excited when I finally found it on Audible. I even had one credit left to use which was good becauseThe Go-Between was expensive. Like The House on The Strand, the plot is good but it's the atmosphere created by the writing that makes it so memorable. When I think of all the crappy books there are available in all their spendor with every word intact and sometimes even an interview with the writer at the end and here are these two great books just hacked to bits... I love Audible, I am always impressed with the wide and up-to-date selection. This is my first scolding letter but as I say, I was so excited about having these books on audio--it was really a blow when they turned out not to be what they were supposed to be.