Ed Stoppard stars as obsessive pianist Alexei in this modern-day take on Dostoevsky's classic The Gambler.

When brilliant but penniless pianist Alexei is hired to tutor the 10-year-old daughter of Russian oligarch Mikhail, he is drawn into a world of chance, obsession and violence. Hopelessly infatuated with Mikhail's beautiful stepdaughter, Polina, he vows to do anything to win her love: and so begins his involvement in a dangerous, high-stakes game....

Seduced by the lure of the roulette wheel, and embroiled in the complications and machinations of Polina and her family, Alexei's life takes a dark turn. The unexpected arrival of Mikhail's mother, Anastasia, from Russia offers hope of rescue from financial ruin, but an obsession with risk-taking threatens to destroy everything....

This lively reimagining, set in contemporary London, was written by Dolya Gavanski, who also plays Polina. Ed Stoppard (Home Fires) stars as Alexei, with Eleanor Bron (A Little Princess) as Anastasia and Matthew Marsh (Love, Lies and Records) as Mikhail.

Production credit

Adapted by Dolya Gavanski, from Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Gambler

Directed and produced by John Dryden

Original music composed by Sacha Puttnam

All music performed by Sacha Puttnam

Casting: Toby Whale

Script Editor: Mike Walker

Sound Design: Steve Bond

A Goldhawk Production for BBC Radio 4

Cast

Alexei - Ed Stoppard

Mikhail - Matthew Marsh

Polina - Dolya Gavanski

Vika - Isabella Blake Thomas

Astley - Graham Seed

Francois - Orlando Seale

Katie - Lucy May Barker

Inokenti - George Lasha

Masha - Irina Karatcheva

Mullighan - Jay Taylor

Office Worker - Alana Ramsey

Blake - Timothy Walker

Anastasia - Eleanor Bron

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17th-24th November 2013