Fiona Thraille - Voice Actor, Audio Adventurer
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Aspects of Audio Drama Done Well #1 Dramatic Irony Done Well  

18/11/2012

2 Comments

 

Dramatic Irony Done Well  

Cornucopia Radio Podcasts no.36 The Tight Ann Hic 
written and Produced by Chris Bellamy. Edited by Peter Beeston.
Aural Stage Sudios: Dialed In - Straw Into Gold written by Perry Whittle


These short plays are lovely examples of the humour that can be derived when the audience knows more about the situation than the characters – or more about the characters than they, themselves, do. Done extremely well in these two plays, the listener can predict the characters’ fates or foibles and laugh almost before the punch-line.

In The Tight Ann Hic the writer does it by starting with a tale from history where, as quoted from the website:
“Declan Deck has invented something which he feels will change the very nature of what we consider standing and what we consider sitting. He calls it an easy-to-erect-and-collapse-one-size-fits-all-canvas-covered-chair (although he’s flexible on future name changes). He thinks that perhaps a soon-to-be-launched, metal-clad, yet unsinkable boat (featuring four funnels, five decks & one lifeboat), will be the perfect place to demonstrate his new sessio-esque device. But somewhere, out in the Mid-Atlantic, sits a lonely and tone-deaf iceberg who has a very different idea… “

What follows is a fun twist on events around that familiar background with invented characters who are also funny in their own right.

In Straw into Gold it is one of the main characters who is familiar, and the joy here is seeing that personality in an unusual situation.
“A princess (Linda Mason) contacts a ghostwriter (Matthew J Boudreau) known for his unusual success to write her story. However, the cost of success may be a little too high for her liking.”
Again, a fair part of the humour comes from agreeing with the writer – of course the character would say that, and in seeing how that affects the outcome.

Dramatic Irony is only one aspect of these plays and only one part of their fun, but it is a real benefit of writing a spin on something/someone from history, mythology or popular literature. Other benefits can be the immediacy with which the audience can connect with the play, and the reduced need for exposition. It can be enormous fun for writer and listener alike as the writer then takes that start into brand new territory, just as done in these two short plays.

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2 Comments

Aspects of Audio Drama Done Well

18/11/2012

0 Comments

 
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I enjoy listening to a range of audio drama and, like everyone, have personal opinions on individual shows and what makes good audio. Much of the audio drama today is created by passionate people in their free time and is free of charge for listeners to download.

This is one of the greatest qualities of modern Internet audio drama, in my opinion. It not only makes drama accessible to anyone with an internet connection who wants to listen, it makes it accessible to anyone with a computer, microphone, an internet connection and the time and energy to make audio drama. They are not inhibited by their background, their location, by any need to make commercial art - and for a very small cost they can transport listeners anywhere, through the magic of the airwaves, or should that be airwavs?

As someone also enthusiastic about making audio, there's almost always a moment, or many, listening to any good audio drama where you say 'Wow, now that's how to do A,B or C - or all of them."

And that's what gave me the idea to share some of those 'wow' moments.

I've never been into reviewing. I'd rather be doing. These are not reviews. These are simply mini-articles, with links, on an aspect of Audio Drama that I think is really well done and so want to rip off shamelessly one day.

Here's the thing - and I apologise in advance - I will be writing these as and when they happen naturally, which is likely to be one every few months. I can't take requests to listen to shows or to mention particular shows. They will be mercifully short. They will also be my opinion only – just notes on what I think really worked, as a listener.

What I do hope is they might be useful in some way to other people just like me: also trying to improve their understanding of the best of audio drama. And, my goodness me, there's a lot of it out there to learn from and emulate now.


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    I've been working on audio projects for several years now as an actor, writer and audio mixer. Exploring the audioverse and reporting back a little here.

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