International Radio Drama Festival
Herne Bay, Feb 20-24, 2017
Welcome to the third UK international radio drama festival.
We are delighted to welcome you back to Herne Bay for another feast of radio drama in a host of languages and from across the globe. We are again grateful to Canterbury City Council and to the two ward members for Herne Bay, Nicholas Bond and Brian McDowell for financial support – and to Herne Bay Over 60s Club and Beach Creative.
This year we are delighted to welcome Tomas Soldan from Czech Radio to chair our jury. The jury will decide on the winners of the long form and short form awards. Anyone is welcome to join in the evenings’ short discussions about the works we have heard during the day – although only jury members may vote for the award winners.
Audience members have their own opportunity to cast a vote – voting will be made available via our website – www.radiodramafestival.org.uk. Do lobby your friends to vote too!
Please call in to Beach Creative and enjoy the art exhibition on the theme of “And let us listen to the moon”.
All listening sessions take place in Pettman House, Hanover Square and in Beach Creative, Beach Street. Beach Creative is a fully accessible venue.
English language scripts are available for all plays. Sessions generally start at 9.30 and 1400hrs.
Please comment and share on our facebook page or contribute to the debate on twitter
https://www.facebook.com/UK-International-Radio-Drama-Festival-1193732413988565/
Twitter; @radiodramafest #ukradiodramafest, #AndLetUsListenToTheMoon
PLAYS SUBMITTED FOR 2017 AWARDS
Monday 20th February
MORNING
09.30: Festival Opening; Roger Gale MP
SESSION STARTS: 10.00
Dear Dr Chekhov
Dir. Jane Ulman & Jane Messer , 51.30 , AUSTRALIA, Independent (English)
Dear Dr. Chekhov imagines an exchange of letters between the Russian playwright and short story writer Anton Chekhov and the ‘lost to history’ Phoebe Jane Phillips.
All Over The Wax
Dir. Vladimir Kryuchev , 8.03 , RUSSIA , Independent (Russian)
All Over The Wax is a story about the sounds heard by Odysseus and his sailors passing the island of the Sirens. It focuses on important but neglected characters from Homer, bringing new life to the story.
Conformation Bestatigung/ Confirmation Bias
Dir. Klaus Buhlert , 54.51 , GERMANY, ARD Sudwestrundfunk (German)
The original play by Thorpe explores the social phenomenon in the United Kingdom of the so-called confirmation Bias - the tendency people have to confirm their own opinions and views.
Nesmislice/ Nonsense
Dir. Marija Krstic , 19.22 , SERBIA, Serbian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio Belgrade (Serbian)
This radio play is inspired by Edward Lear’s limericks.
AFTERNOON
Radio Tesla & the Story of the Child of Light
Dir. Igor Likar | 59.47 | SLOVENIA Radio Slovenia (Slovenian)
A Radio drama exploring the thoughts, beliefs and dreams of Nikola Tesla, a Serbian physicist, based on interviews.
Vecirek/ A Party
Dir. Petr Vodicka | 6.46 | CZECH REPUBLIC Czech Radio (Czech)
A Party, is a short play based on Macbeth which highlights the contrast between todays pragmatism and the noble world of Elizabethan tragedy.
The Prime of Johnny Broody
Dir. Jason Gill | 55 | IRELAND, Independent (English)
The age old Irish story of the bachelor farmer inheriting land is seen through a prism of humour. The story revisits and pokes fun at conventional narratives.
Cabaret...but Voltaire
Dir. Snezana Ristic and Radona Lepasovic | 6.51 | SERBIA Serbian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio Belgrade (Serbian)
The musical “Cabaret” premiered 50 years ago. Cabaret Voltaire was started by a group of Swiss pacifists 100 years ago. This is a radiophonic mixing of the two in an a exploration of Dadaism.
Efekti / Sound Cues
Dir. Bogdan Jankovic | 38.21 | SERBIA, RTV Vojvodina (Serbian)
Frank, the stage manager, in his 50`s, Collin, the soundboard operator, mid 20`s, and George, in early 20`s, an intern, are running the theatre show from the tech room.
Tuesday
MORNING
Fairies Only Wear Wings
Dir. Jason Gill, 60m, IRELAND, Independent (English)
On a bright summer’s day on a quiet lake in the Irish Midlands, a small boat is found drifting into shore. It contains the body of a 16 year old girl, Lizzie Lacey, clad in a white dress and bedecked with garlands of flowers. Music by composer Amanda Gunning.
ROTN (Right on the Night) Series 2 Ep 7 Embroidering The Truth
Dir. Adam Macaulay | 7.35, NEW ZEALAND, Radio New Zealand Drama (English)
Time travelling reporter, Frida Moddapress reports in from the embroidery headquarters of the Bayeux Tapestry, Norman England, 1074 where a team of dedicated and skilled professionals are rushing to record one of the biggest stories of their time in long-form reportage.
Atlas der abgelegenen Inseln / Atlas of Remote Islands
Dir. Thom Luz, 53m, SWITZERLAND, SRF Swiss Radio and Television (German)
Based on his experience, Thom Luz arranged his production as a pure audio piece – for all those for whom journeys of the mind are still the most obvious choice.
Primy Prenos Live from Elsinore,
Dir. Vit Vencl, 2.04, CZECH REPUBLIC, Czech Radio (Czech)
'Live From Elsinore' Is a short drama that interprets Hamlet’s story as a match commentated by the Czech Radio sport reporters.
Troil I Kressida
57, Ukraine Theatre Na Podoli (Russian and Ukrainian)
In this translation of Shakespeare’ original, the Greek forces speak in Russian and the Trojans Ukrainian. When they meet, choice of language becomes an important part of the communication; be that diplomatic or romantic or in hostilities. The text is interpolated with “testimonies” – verbatim monologues taken from interviews with people caught up in the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine. The stage-play was performed as a national premiere in Kyiv 2015, and then recorded as a Radio Drama in two parts.
AFTERNOON
Prva Sahtonfonija; Ludbreske Rode /The First Schachtophonia: The Storks of Ludbreg
Dir. Tanja Vrvilo 30.27, CROATIA HRT Croatian Radio Television (Croatian)
The Storks of Ludbreg is one of four theatre performance named “Schachtophonias” on political topics with a graphic score for sound instruments “Schachtophones” created by performance and visual artist Damir barstool Indos.
The Warriors
Dir. Leslie Barker, 59.06, US Chatterbox Radio Theatre (English)
When Mary Hollis Inboden was twelve years old, two boys her age brought guns to Westside Middle School and opened fire on their classmates. This real-life 1998 school shooting in Jonesboro, Arkansas forms the backdrop for The Warriors.
Rock Over Beethoven
Dir. Snezana Ristic & Radonja Leposavic, 1.25 SERBIA Artworks Audio (English)
Rock Over Beethoven refers to a number of important cultural and historical facts.
Under Wasser / Drowning(s)
Dir. Anouschka Trocker, 57.48, GERMANY Saarlaendischer Rundfunk (German)
Louis is 16 years old and dreams about being a hero. As a teacher forgets to log out from the internal school portal, Louis seizes this chance: under the pseudonym Narcissus he invites his fellow students to send their wishes, satisfaction guaranteed.
Pisica Verde / The Green Cat
Dir. Mihnea Chelaru, 33.40, ROMANIA Radio Romania (Romanian)
A story about young people and their experiences. A story which is a beginning for some of them and an end for others. Six teenagers caught in different moments.
Wednesday
MORNING
Ein Känguru Wie Du / A Kangaroo Like You
Dir. Steffen Moratz , 57.03 , GERMANY Mitteldeutsche Rundfunk (German)
Are you actually married? "No." - Engaged? "No." - So, you are single? “No." The Trainer's answers to the questions of panther and tiger allow only one conclusion: their trainer is gay.
Wooden Overcoats- The Bane of Rudyard
Dir. Andy Goddard and John Wakefield, 31.19, UK Wooden Overcoats productions (English)
On an overlooked Channel Island, an obstinate undertaker runs his family’s failing business with his twin sister and their assistant. When a new and charming undertaker sets up shop nearby, the family realise they will have to take immediate and drastic action…
The Wedding Tree
Dir. Gareth Stack , 42.40 , IRELAND Dead Medium Productions (English)
The Wedding Tree is an audacious new radio drama, set in the aftermath of an accident at an Irish nuclear power plant.
The Adventures of The Blue Carbuncle
Dir. Amy Standish , 39.15 , UK Springline Radio Players (English)
Sherlock Holmes and the adventure of the Blue Carbuncle is a festive tale, providing an inside glimpse at Christmas in Baker Street.
Himna Ognju/Herakleitos/ Hymn to Fire/Heraclitus
Dir. Igor Lictus ,7.00 , Slovenia Independent (Slovene)
This piece is built around Heraclitus’ thoughts on cosmology. It is dedicated to all present-day refugees.
AFTERNOON
Beaux Jeunes Monstres / Young Beautiful Monsters
Dir. Florent Barat & Sébastien Schmitz , 58.52 , BELGIUM Atelier de Creation Radiophonique (French)
"Young Beautiful'Monsters" is a tribute to the invisible. It gives voice to those who do not have a place for things not seen. It is the story of a revolt, a revolution itself; of those who make the world turn and sometimes turn it back, so that nothing is ever the same again.
ROTN (Right on the Night) Series 2 Ep 4 Peddling to the Meddling
Dir. Adam Macaulay , 7.35 , NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Drama (English)
Time travelling reporter, Anna Bolix, travels back to the original Olympic Games to check out the performance enhancing ‘assistance’ issue. She interviews members of the public, the games organisers, and athletes, including Milo of Sparta.
Teen Dante , My words would surely kindle love in all mankind
Dir. Mariella Zanetti , 55.22 , SWITZERLAND SGR SSR Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (Italian)
Teen Dante is the unauthorized biography of the young Dante Alighieri, writer of 'The Divine Comedy', focusing on his humanity and presented as a musical.
The 56
Dir. Toby Swift , 44 , UK, BBC (English)
A verbatim play created by Matt Woodhead and Gemma Wilson.
Broadcast on R4, 14 Sep 2016 as the Afternoon Play.
By Matt Woodhead and Gemma Wilson. A drama based on the fire which broke out during a football match at Bradford on 11 May 1985. 56 people died and 200 were injured. (From Jane Anderson's remarks, Radio Times, slightly edited by ND: ......The play uses material from 100 hours of real-life testimonies and interviews with witnesses. Every sentence in the script comes from the mouth of a survivor. The playwrights have condensed the content into three main characters for dramatic clarity.) With Duncan Preston, Melanie Kilburn and Vincent Franklin. Produced by Toby Swift.
Silence ,
Dir. Jeffrey Adams , 21.40 , US, Icebox Radio (English)
"'The Silence' began as an experimental idea I had while performing a live show in a public park in International Falls, Minnesota."
Jeffrey is writer-producer for the web audio station Icebox Radio Theatre. He has a background in stage drama. In The Radio Drama Handbook (p18) he describes one of the main influences on his radio work: Old-Time Radio. In the mid 1990s he stopped paying so much attention to modern radio plays, which sometimes weren't very good, and began focusing more on Old Time Radio, where the writing and acting were frequently better.
He has written an interesting blog about his visit to the IRDF festival at Herne Bay; a google search will find it. Url is www.iceboxradio.org/fridays-at-the-mic/
(The Radio Drama Handbook: Audio Drama in Context and Practice; Richard J. Hand & Mary Traynor, 2011; available on Amazon)
Thursday
MORNING
Fernando Krapp Mi Napsal Dopis / Fernando Krapp Wrote Me This Letter
Dir. Petr Mancal , 58.18 , CZECH REPUBLIC, Czech Radio (Czech)
Fernando Krapp, a man of mysterious past and great fortune, has just recently moved into town.
Akivaras / Quamire
Dir. Julija Satkauskaite , 6.50 , LITHUANIA Bilietu Neru (Lithuanian)
Nothing is thicker than the viscosity of the mind, the idea that slips in and twists, bends back and dims the eye. Where does it come from- the idea that puts the eye in the mire? Who can help when you get bogged down? After all, is it all so serious?
Prosper Merimee’s Carmen Retold
By Steve Walker. 57m , UK, The Works Partnership (English)
Steve Walker is a pioneer of Radio Drama as animation. This is the centerpiece of his Interactive Radio Drama in which anyone can create and edit a number of alternative re-imaginings of the celebrated Carmen story.
- Steve Walker comments:
"I did a project a few years ago - a Carmen adaptation. It had the unique feature of a play's worth of extra scenes that made up a new play. I also acted a dozen parts in it. My last radio project to date. It was a very progressive piece indeed, recorded in Edinburgh with a cast of improv. actors and me. My last radio project to date."
Duona/The Bread
Dir. Saulius Kovalskas, 6.50 , LITHUANIA Independent (Lithuanian)
Wolfgang Borchert's short story is about a couple who has been married for 39 years. The woman wakes up at night by a noise in the kitchen. Her husband is not next to her and she gets up to investigate. When she comes into the kitchen and turns on the light, she sees her husband standing at the kitchen cabinet and recognizes the crumbs on the table, that he has cut off a slice of bread.
Chimera
Dir. Will Snyder, 38 , US, Evil Kitten Productions (English)
Captain Sheffield Nautilus XVI is a world renown explorer who has recently returned from the jungles of Zanzibar. However, did not return alone. With him, he brought a back a creature of mythological proportions: The Chimera! Part dragon, part lion, and part goat.
AFTERNOON
No session.
Friday
MORNING
Der Ballon / The Balloon - A German Case
Dir. Julian Klein & Caroline Labusch , 54.22 , GERMANY , Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (German)
A Parachute-like contraption consisting of transparent plastic sheeting becomes caught up in a tree in the Berlin district of Zehlendorf
Jeg tror / I Believe
Dir. Christian Eiming , 4.31 , DENMARK Soundplay (Danish)
“I believe” is a short piece, where a father is imagining, what he will do and say, if his son is dying and asking questions about his future (not-to-be) life at the same time. It is a piece full of hope, love and faith.
Man Parts: Dannevike’s Greatest Female Tenor
Dir. Duncan Smith , 49.32 , NEW ZEALAND New Zealand Radio Drama (English)
Erica Kingi-Little (pronounced king-ee) hails from the small rural centre of Dennevirke (a Viking themed town) in the North Island of New Zealand.
Making Ends Meet Part 1
Dir. Amy Standish , 30.5 , UK Springline Radio Players (English)
With more creditors than clients, the Fiona Buckingham Introduction Agency is struggling to make ends meet. Cheap do-it- yourself dating through newspaper Lonely Hearts columns has reduced the membership to almost single figures making it ever harder to match clients up. Then two members join within a few days; things, it seems, are looking up. But then it all starts to go wrong...
Light In The Darkness Of Night
Dir. Iman Aoun , 37.37 , PALESTINE Ashtar Theatre (Arabic)
This piece presents the stories of three female political activists but presented as though they were one person as a reference to the fact that all political detainees face similar conditions in Israeli prisons. It starts with an arrest, then moves on to interrogation, imprisonment and court proceedings and ends with the reflections of some people on female activists.
AFTERNOON
Wings
Dir. Darlene Moheke & Adam Macaulay, 47.21 , NEW ZEALAND New Zealand Radio Drama (English)
'Wings' is a dark, sibling-relationship, road-trip play. A trio of sisters, separated for the past decade, take to the road together heading to their mother’s funeral - heading for home and for the source of their individual nightmares.
Problem (Vyskocit Kuza) / Problem (Jump Out Of Skin)
Dir. Martina Schlegelova, 49.19 , CZECH REPUBLIC, Czech Radio (Czech)
How long is 84 days? It depends on what you’re going through. Our almost-sixteen-year-old protagonist asks many basic questions about life and death.
12 Stones In The Water ,
Dir. Gorretti Slavin, 48.23, Ireland RTE Radio (English)
In this sensitive, elegant text, Karl O’Neill portrays the interior world of Bellina Prior – a mind scape of witty refinement, affection, abuse, fantasy and dread. Each chapter in this tragic true story is a stone, like the 12 stones used to weigh a corpse in her favourite opera, Rigoletto.
Intervals
Dir. Darius Gilani, 6.23, UK, Independent (English)
Theatre ghosts use the intervals to share their attachments to the stage, in between the words of Shakespeare’s Richard III, Brutus (from Julius Caesar), Hamlet and Macbeth.
