Gilgamesh
When his soulmate Enkidu dies, tyrannical King Gilgamesh embarks on an epic quest confronting nature, power, loss and his own mortality.
A dramatisation of UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage's new verse translation capturing the timeless and immersive power of the world's oldest poem The Epic of Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh originated in Ancient Mesopotamia nearly 4,000 years ago, yet its themes of power, loyalty, love and loss resound with contemporary relevance. The eponymous demigod tyrannically rules the kingdom of Uruk. To establish peace, the gods create his counterpart, the wild man Enkidu. The two rivals-turned-comrades embark on a series of extraordinary adventures including battles with Humbaba, guardian of the Cedar Forest, and the Bull of Heaven. After tragedy strikes, Gilgamesh sets out alone on a desperate quest for immortality that leads him to the very edge of the world.
NARRATOR ..... Paterson Joseph
GILGAMESH ..... Sacha Dhawan
ENKIDU/ HE-SCORPION ...... Ciarán Owens
SHAMHAT/ISHTAR ..... Leila Farzad
HUMBABA/UR_SHANABI/HUNTER ..... Kadiff Kirwan
UTA-NAPISTI/HUNTER'S FATHER ..... Raad Rawi
NINSUN / WIFE OF UTA-NAPISHTI ..... Souad Faress
SHIDURI/TOWNSWOMAN ..... Debbie Korley
A new verse translation of Gilgamesh written by Simon Armitage.
Director: Nadia Molinari
Composer: Erland Cooper
Sound Designer : Sharon Hughes
Production Co-ordinator: Pippa Day
Technical Producers: Andy Garrett, Sam Dickinson.
A BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4
The dramatisation will be previewed at a listening event at BBC Contains Strong Language Festival in Salford in September 2026.
On radio
Broadcast
- Sat 3 Oct 202615:00BBC Radio 4
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