Julia Davis, Nick Mohammed, Diane Morgan and Nicola Coughlan all feature

Comedy stars Julia Davis, Nick Mohammed, Diane Morgan and Nicola Coughlan have lent their voices to a new audio adaptation of Oliver Twist.

They appear alongside Succession’s Brian Cox, who plays Fagin, Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya dangerous thief Bill Sik and young actor Emilio Villa-Muhammad in the title role.

Cox said: ‘Dickens was a genius storyteller and Oliver Twist may be his greatest ever work. Reimagining a character as complex and changeable as Fagin offers a real challenge for an actor, and I hope listeners enjoy our telling of this masterpiece.’

The new version –  produced by Oscar winner Sam Mendes – has been released today on Audible, where it is free to subscribers

Derry Girls and Bridgerton star Coughlan, pictured, will play Nancy, Sikes’ girlfriend. She said: ‘I was delighted to be asked to play such a seminal role. When I read the script, it struck me that this adaptation gave the character of Nancy more depth and nuance. I hope everyone at home gets all the feels as they come with us on her journey.’

Mohammed and Davies – who have worked together several times, including making the unaired comedy pilot Morning Has Broken – play undertaker Mr Sowerberry and his shrewish wife. While Philomena Cunk star Morgan is Mrs Mann, the superintendent of the juvenile workhouse where Oliver is raised.

Recorded in Audible’s London studio, some of the sound effects were captured in Dickens’ former house at 48 Doughty Street.

The cast also includes Adeel Akhtar (Four Lions) as Mr Bumble, Lucian Msamati (Gangs of London) as Mr Brownlow, Paapa Essiedu (The Lazarus Project) as Toby Crackit, Kit Connor (Heartstopper) as Noah Claypole,   

Mendes – who will adapt two more Dickens stories for the Audible platform – said: "Dickens was the ultimate storyteller, and hearing Oliver Twist come to life in such a compelling, 3D way feels exactly how he might have wanted it to be experienced. 

‘The cast is fantastic, and I’ve never heard an audio production before that is so filmic. It’s cinema for the ears.’

Published: 30 Nov 2022