NBC University Theater

The Portrait of a Lady

English · Dramatic Readings, Historical Fiction

NBC University Theater brings literary works to radio in dramatic adaptations, presenting stories and novels through a cast of performers rather than a single reader. This recording features The Portrait of a Lady, Henry James’s novel about Isabel Archer, an independent young American whose choices lead her into a complex world of relationships and social expectations.

The program’s appeal lies in hearing a substantial work of literature reshaped for broadcast: dialogue, performance, and sound bring the characters and their conflicts into focus. The result offers a way to encounter a classic story as radio drama, with the intimacy of spoken voices carrying its emotional and psychological detail.

For listeners drawn to literary adaptations and character-centered drama, this production pairs the atmosphere of a university-minded radio series with James’s exploration of freedom, affection, and the consequences of personal decisions.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.