2. Midwinter Day

Will awakes in a different time, centuries before his own. Where a familiar farm stood there is a huge forest, blanketed in snow. The Rider, a terrifying agent of the Dark, tries to kidnap him but Will is rescued by a white horse and taken to a pair of carved oak doors set on a hillside. Listen on headphones for 3D immersive sound. #TheDarkIsRising

Will Stanton: Noah Alexander John Smith/Paul Stanton/Mr Beaumont: Thomas Arnold Bus Conductor/Jamaican Old One/James Stanton: Danny Bailey Stephen Stanton: Simon Bubb Mrs Stanton/Mrs Pettigrew/Dr Armstrong: Amanda Hadingue The Walker/Hawkin: Toby Jones Narrator: Simon McBurney The Rider/Mr Mithothin/Mr Stanton/Farmer Dawson: Tim McMullan Merriman: Paul Rhys Maggie Barnes/Mary Stanton: Natasha Stone The Lady/Miss Greythorne: Harriet Walter Herne: Miles Yekinni The chorister: Vinay Singh Radio announcer: Samuel West Soundscape design: Gareth Fry Music: Josh Sneesby Original songs by Johnny Flynn, Luisa Gerstein and Héloïse Tunstall-Behrens Adapted for audio by Robert Macfarlane and Simon McBurney Dramaturg: James Yeatman Director: Simon McBurney Producers: Catherine Bailey and Tim Bell A Complicité and Catherine Bailey Production for BBC World Service Commissioned by Simon Pitts