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1. Welcome to Phraxos

A disillusioned teacher gets drawn into a world of trickery when he accepts a job on an idyllic Greek island. Stars Tom Burke.

A young British graduate runs away from his monotonous life to take up a teaching post in Greece.

On the small Greek island of Phraxos, Nicholas Urfe meets the enigmatic figure of Maurice Conchis – and he’s slowly drawn into a world full of strange encounters and elaborate tricks on Conchis’s estate at Bourani.

Nicholas is introduced to the enchanting and mysterious Lily Montgomery who bears a striking resemblance to Conchis’s long dead fiancée.

Reality and illusion begin to intertwine, but what strange game is Conchis playing with Nicholas?

Moreover, in this world coloured by artifice and deception, who is really telling him the truth?

First published in 1965, John Fowles’s novel ‘The Magus’ soon achieved cult status, but has only been dramatised once before in a film of 1968.

Starring Tom Burke, Charles Dance and Hayley Atwell.

Dramatised in three parts by Adrian Hodges.

Nick ….. Tom Burke
Conchis ….. Charles Dance
Lily ….. Hayley Atwell
Alison ….. Anna Skellern
Margaret ….. Josie Taylor
Mitford ….. David Seddon
Meli ….. Chris Pavlo
Rowena ….. Lynsey-Anne Moffat

Harpsichordist: Maggie Cole
Recorder player: Martin Feinstein

Producer: Heather Larmour

First broadcast on Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 in March 2016.

**** Adrian Hodges is an acclaimed dramatist and screenwriter. Including: My Week with Marilyn, The Go-Between, Peter and Wendy, The Musketeers, Survivors and Primeval.

1 hour

Last on

Thu 6 Nov 2025 05:00

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Credits

Role Contributor
Nick Tom Burke
Conchis Charles Dance
Lily Hayley Atwell
Alison Anna Skellern
Margaret Josie Taylor
Mitford David Seddon
Meli Chris Pavlo
Rowena Lynsey-Anne Moffat
Author John Fowles
Adaptor Adrian Hodges
Director Heather Larmour
Producer Heather Larmour

Broadcasts

  • Sun 20 Mar 2016 15:00
  • Sat 26 Mar 2016 21:00
  • Mon 2 Nov 2020 10:00
  • Mon 2 Nov 2020 15:00
  • Tue 3 Nov 2020 03:00
  • Wed 5 Nov 2025 15:00
  • Wed 5 Nov 2025 21:00
  • Thu 6 Nov 2025 05:00

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