Radio Plays & Drama

Click for:

Radio Plays by WRITER.... by TOPIC.... by YEAR....

Saturday Night Theatre 1943-1960... 1960-1970 ... 1970-1988 ... 1988-1996
Afternoon Theatre 1961-1984... 1984-2002... 2003... 2004... 2005... 2006... 2007...
Thirty Minute Theatre 1960-1998 .... Midweek Theatre 1961-1976.... Serials 1945-1997
Saturday Play 1998-2007.... Just Before Midnight 1964-1980

I am extremely grateful to Roger Bickerton for compiling these lists - an enormous amount of work over many years. Bob Thirsk has also supplied the separate 2003-2007 lists. Many thanks.

Notices and Announcements

The best radio plays in the world are from the BBC. Around three hundred are commissioned each year.

Authors such as Henry Cecil, Giles Cooper, R.D.Wingfield became well-known for their radio work in the 60s and 70s, and the tradition has continued, with David Pownall, Neville Teller, Martyn Wade, to name just three, providing really excellent entertainment on a regular basis.

BBC radio programmes are not only popular in Britain: CBC Radio 1 (Canada) recently broadcast some old BBC dramas from the 70s, in their "Mystery Project" series, and ABC (Australia)) have re-broadcast old favourites from the 60s including "Round the Horne", "My Word" and "Many a Slip", as well as classic plays from the 80s and 90s.

There are enthusiasts all over the world who listen to BBC comedies, dramas and features, and some of them have interesting collections of recordings. The British Comedy Website www.Britishcomedy.org.uk is used by aficionados of Round the Horne, Just a Minute, Dad's Army, and other vintage comedies. The Vintage Radio Programme Collectors' Society (VRPCC) has collectors of programmes in all categories, but particularly radio drama and features.

If you want to refer to the output of particular playwrights, click on WRITERS.

STUDIO MANAGERS (SMs) have an important role in making good plays for radio. Bert Coules has written about this for us in one of the articles below. I was also aware that the actor Ken Cumberlidge had a big pile of scripts which he'd kept (for Performing Rights reasons) and I've persuaded him to share some of the information with us. He's typed out play titles, studios used, and the SMs involved... thanks, Ken. This is online at :

http://www.steamingaudio.myzen.co.uk/rdc

You may also like to visit the "Old SMs" site:

http://www.oldsms.co.uk

The annual IMISON AWARD was introduced by the Society of Authors in 1993 for the best dramatic work broadcast by a writer new to radio, replacing the GILES COOPER awards. The Tinniswood Award was introduced in 2003.

If you would like to read short radio reviews, arranged by year, click on
2008. 2007. 2006. 2005. 2004. 2003. 2002. 2001. 2000. 1999. 1998. 1997.

If you are interested in particular aspects of radio broadcasting, click on the following...note that some of these articles load up in pairs, two on a page, for convenience...

Radio Drama - Mike Harris
Ten Favourite Tapes-Barry Pike
Ten Favourite Tapes-Donald Campbell
The Decline & Fall of Radio Drama-Barry Pike;
Northern Exposure - Promoting Northern Writers-Donald Campbell.
Independent Radio Drama in the 1980s -Roger Harvey
Bringing a Radio Drama script to life - Bert Coules
Working as a Radio Writer - Michelene Wandor
You only listen to comedy? Try these Plays - Nigel Deacon
The Brilliant Darkness of Radio Drama- Steve Walker
Richard Wortley's production of "The History Boys"
A BBC fan in New York - Larry Slade's reviews
More RADIO ARTICLES

The well-known producer Richard Wortley has contributed an extended essay (15,000 words - a fascinating reminiscence) about his radio career and the people has had worked with - entitled
Some Reflections on a Lifetime in Radio

Graham Gauld, who brought us Sherlock Holmes (and much more) has also written for us:
My time as a Radio Producer

If you are not listed but would like to be, please send an email.
We would like as many radio writers as possible to be represented on this site.

Crimson Cats Audio Books

If you collect recordings and would like to contact others who share your interest in radio drama, or other vintage radio programmes,click on
VRPCC..

MISSING RADIO DRAMA

Over the years, thousands of radio plays were discarded by the BBC. Before the year 2000, most radio plays (well over 90%) were not kept; if they still exist it will be in private collections only. Here are lists of missing plays ... please email if you can supply recordings. Those marked "FOUND" have been located and safety copies made.

lost afternoon theatre 1961-1984 (4000 entries -big file)
lists of more missing items: Saturday Night theatre, Thirty Minute Theatre, etc...

If you are interested in cricket commentaries past and present, or the well-known series "View from the Boundary", click on the links:
"View from the Boundary" or Test Match Special.

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