The next in our range of HG Wells stories, The Island of Dr Moreau is released today. It's a chilling tale of an island where the delineation between human and beast has become blurred, with terrifying consequences. Originally written in 1896 by HG Wells, who is also famous for The Time Machine and The Invisible Man, this latest release bring this over 100 year old novel back to life! 

Starring Ronald Pickup, John Heffernan and Enzo Cilenti, written, of course, by HG Wells, adapted and directed by Ken Bentley, and produced by David Richardson, The Island of Dr Moreau is available exclusively on the Big Finish site.

Shipwrecked in the South Pacific, Edward Prendick finds unlikely salvation in the company of Montgomery - a disgraced medic bound for distant shores, in charge of an unusual cargo.

Their destination is a mysterious jungle isle where the night is split by terrible cries, and where inhuman creatures walk upright on two legs. When Prendick meets the man who lays down the law, he realises that his nightmare is only just beginning.

For this is… The Island of Doctor Moreau. 

Producer David Richardson talked to us about adapting this very different story:  ‘I’d previously largely known The Island of Dr Moreau through some rather unsatisfactory adaptations in the past. We went into this production eager to avoid repeating some mistakes made previously - and I think Ken’s adaptation is absolutely phenomenal. It’s true to Wells’ work, and has much to say about our lives today. The cast - headlined by John Heffernan and Ronald Pickup - do superb work and post production by Steve Foxon (sound design) and Howard Carter (music) is sublime. I’m very proud indeed of this release.'

Director Ken Bentley shared his thoughts on this Wells adaptation, 'The novel is very specific about the creatures on the island so I cast actors who I knew would be able to translate those descriptions into voice, so that Steve had enough to work with in post production. I felt under pressure to get it right less so because the novel is well known, but mostly because of the reputations of previous adaptations. Thankfully the novel knows what it’s doing - It's a great story well told, so in terms of bringing it to life on audio I was in very safe hands.' 

'The thing I've found most surprising about revisiting Wells is how relevant his stories still are. He wasn't just writing about the concerns many people had with developments in science and technology, he wrote critically about the human condition, and his observations are as relevant today as they were at the turn of the last century. There are lessons we can still learn, and none more so than those Prendick learns on the island. Wells's books are a warning to us all.'

This story is now available at £14.99 on CD or £12.99 on download and features exclusive extended extras, only available for Big Finish listeners, just check the supplementary section of this title in your account. Every CD purchase unlocks a download option, which works with the Big Finish app. Or you can save with a HG Wells bundle, priced at £78 on CD or £66 a download.

Coming up next in the HG Wells range of stories, The Time Machine, starring Ben Miles as the Time Traveller, out in September.