num_pages: 94
description: 'Nature has found only one method of organising living matter. There is, however, another method more simple, flexible and rapid, which has not yet occurred to Nature at all...'With a star cast including Simon Ward as Domain, Tessa Peake-Jones as Helena and Nigel Anthony as Dr Gall, this thrilling, thought-provoking drama, first broadcast of BBC Radio 3 on 3 March 1989, is based on Capek's 1920 play which introduced the word 'robot' (from the Czech for 'drudge') to the English language.Fired by a passionate enthusiasm to improve on Nature, old Rossum spends a decade trying to create humans. The experiments fail, until Rossum's engineer nephew takes over and manages to invent artificial beings. Intelligent machines, with no emotions and no souls, these 'robots' make perfect workers.When Harry Domain, general manager of Rossum's Universal Robots, has a visit from Helena Glory, he is only too pleased to agree to her request for a tour of the factory. But Helena is horrified and moved to pity by what she sees, and persuades Dr Gall to instil consciousness into certain robots - with catastrophic results...This CD release also includes an introductory sleeve note recounting the making of the radio adaptation, written by Andrew Pixley.2 CDs. 1 hr 30 mins.
language: English
title: R.U.R.: Rossum's Universal Robots: A Fantastic Melodrama in Three Acts & an Epilogue
titlecomplete: R.U.R.: Rossum's Universal Robots: A Fantastic Melodrama in Three Acts & an Epilogue
characters: Primus (robot), Alquist, Dr. Hallemeier, Helena Glory, Harry Domin, Dr. Gall, Sulla (robot), Ing. Fabry, Helena (robot), Konzul Busman
genres: Science Fiction, Classics, School, Drama, Czech Literature, Plays, Robots, Fiction, Dystopia, Theatre
ratings_count: 13591
awards: awardedAt: 1641024000000
name: NBDB National Book Awards
category: Translated Book
publisher: Samuel French