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.
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Secret rooms and double identities. There's a nightmarish quality to John Fowles’ novel.
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"I offer you an entire war in one second"
Conchis (Charles Dance) and Nicholas Urfe (Tom Burke) play a high-stakes game of dice.
Clips
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"We are all actors and actresses"
Duration: 00:51
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"It's very different to the Marvel world"
Duration: 00:56
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"I offer you an entire war in one second"
Duration: 01:42
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 15:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4
- Sat 26 Mar 2016 21:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4
- Mon 2 Nov 2020 10:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
- Mon 2 Nov 2020 15:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
- Tue 3 Nov 2020 03:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
- Wed 5 Nov 2025 15:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
- Wed 5 Nov 2025 21:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
- Thu 6 Nov 2025 05:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra



