"When We Dead Awaken" (1991) Past passions awaken where art and regret collide.

Support the Archive Buy Me A Coffee ☕ https://buymeacoffee.com/jr_the_old_r... Preserving classic radio drama, one story at a time. Classic Old Time Radio, vintage radio shows, the Golden Age of radio, BBC Radio, murder, mystery, drama, comedy, scifi, westerns. ========================================== Henrik Ibsen’s final play follows renowned sculptor Professor Rubek as he returns to Norway with his young wife, Maja, only to encounter Irene, the enigmatic woman who inspired his greatest masterpiece. Their reunion forces Rubek to confront the sacrifices he made in pursuit of artistic success and the emotional ruin left in its wake. As old passions, regrets, and unfulfilled dreams resurface, the characters struggle with the realization that they have drifted through life spiritually asleep, seeking redemption and meaning amid the grandeur and danger of the surrounding mountains. Broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 28 April 1991, this acclaimed adaptation stars Paul Scofield as Rubek. When We Dead Awaken In Henrik Ibsen 's last play, a celebrated sculptor returns to Norway with his young wife and confronts Irene, the tormented model of his masterpiece. Translated and adapted by Robert Ferguson. Music: Ilona Sekacz Director: Ned Chaillet Adapted By: Robert Ferguson. Professor Rubek: Paul Scofield Irene: Cheryl Campbell Maja: Imogen Stubbs Squire Ulfheim: Jon Strickland Superintendent: Terence Edmond Nun: Joanna Myers Lars: Alan Barker Miss Kieland: Joanna Myers Baroness: Danielle Allan Broadcast date: 28 April 1991 (BBC Radio 3). *When We Dead Awaken* (1899) is Henrik Ibsen's final play, subtitled *A Dramatic Epilogue*. The 1991 BBC Radio production is widely regarded as a definitive audio broadcast of the work, driven by Paul Scofield's central performance. Production & Broadcast Details *Broadcast Date:* April 28, 1991 (BBC Radio 3 / Radio 4) *Author:* Henrik Ibsen *Translation & Adaptation:* Robert Ferguson *Director / Producer:* Ned Chaillet *Original Music:* Ilona Sekacz Key Cast *Arnold Rubek:* Paul Scofield *Irene von Satow:* Cheryl Campbell *Maia Rubek:* Imogen Stubbs *Ulfheim:* Jon Strickland Premise & Themes The play follows the aging, world-famous sculptor Arnold Rubek, who has returned to a coastal Norwegian resort with his restless, much younger wife, Maia. Disillusioned with his art and his empty marriage, Rubek encounters Irene, a mysterious woman who previously served as the nude model and muse for his masterpiece sculpture, *The Resurrection Day*. Irene accuses Rubek of taking her soul to create his art while treating her with emotional detachment. As Maia leaves for the high mountains with Ulfheim, a rough bear-hunter, Rubek and Irene ascend the misty mountain peak to confront their pasts and seek spiritual re-awakening—leading to a fateful avalanche. *Core Themes:* The tragic cost of placing artistic obsession above human connection. The loss of vitality ("death while living") resulting from compromise and spiritual failure. Symbolic ascension, shifting from realistic social drama to poetic symbolism.