Alcotts in Paradise

In 1843, the Alcott family spent about nine months on a farm in central Massachusetts, a utopian experiment they called Fruitlands. The failure of this project marked a turning point in their lives as a family.Louisa May Alcott memorialized this experience in a short story called "Transcendental Wild Oats," which was originally published in the New York newspaper The Independent in 1873. The short story was heavily satirical and, though fictionalized, was clearly based on the events of her life.Edward Rowett, a writer based in Oxford, England has adapted "Transcendental Wild Oats" into an audio drama for BBC Radio 4, released this week. His play, which imagines Louisa May Alcott's early drafts of the story, is a recounting of the events of Fruitlands from the perspective of Louisa herself.Edward Rowett takes us behind-the-scenes to discuss how the play was researched, written and recorded. We hear about the workings of a professional radio production, and how Rowett brought the Alcotts to life through his story.To get the most from this episode, we recommend you either reread Transcendental Wild Oats, which is widely available in the public domain, or listen to Rowett’s audio drama, which is available to listeners in the UK on bbc.com. Listeners outside the UK should reach out to [email protected] for listening options.Credits for Transcendental Wild Oats:Dramatised by Edward RowettOriginal Story by Louisa May AlcottDirected by Gordon Kennedy and Edward RowettCast:Louisa May Alcott and Louy Alcott - Louisa HarlandBronson Alcott - Alistair PetrieAbigail Alcott - Rebekah StatonCharles Lane - Mathew BayntonChristopher Godwin as Joseph PalmerTom Moores as Samuel BowerEdward Rowett as Abraham WoodPatricia Rodriguez as Ann PageJason Barnett as Ralph Waldo EmersonVictoria Rigby as Anna AlcottProduction Manager - Sarah TomblingStudio Engineer, Sound Design and Editing - Wilfredo AcostaProduced by Gordon KennedyRecorded at The Soundhouse Studios, LondonAn Absolutely production for BBC Radio 4