3 The Voyage to Laputa

The last voyages of Jonathan Swift's story are the lesser told. Gulliver finds himself on the floating Island of Laputa, where he encounters mad scientists and the terrifying ghosts of the great and the good. He flees from these intellectual and spiritual horrors, only to finally find a kind of Eden with the Houyhnhnms, a race of intelligent and gentle horses.

However, in this land, humans - or as they are called, the 'Yahoos' - are considered vermin. The dark and traumatizing experiences Gulliver has in this land change his life (and his wife and family's lives) forever.

With the satire here focused on crazy scientific experimentation, superstition, and finally spiritual desolation - Gulliver's Travels is as modern and potent now as it has ever been.

Jonathan Swift's classic satire starring Arthur Darvill as Gulliver.

Gulliver …. Arthur Darvill
Richard Sympson …. Matthew Gravelle
Mary …. Bethan Walker
The Governor of Glubdrubdrib …. Ewan Bailey
The Master Horse …. Sam Dale
Lady Munodi …. Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Adapted by Matthew Broughton.

A BBC Cymru/Wales production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in February 2012.