Radio is developing fast, both technologically and in ambition. Original drama used to be confined to a few broadcast slots, but digital radio has led to more channels and the chance for producers to try new things. I’ve been lucky enough to be part of them.
I wrote two standalone dramas for the Afternoon Play slot on BBC Radio 4 before going digital with The Parson. It was the first radio play ever to use the scrolling DAB text to help tell the tale.
Then Radio 1 commissioned Frozen Indigo Angel, a multimedia story that used video, websites, email, live events and radio broadcasts to build anticipation for the BBC’s Big Weekend music festival. The story was nominated for a Radio Academy Award for innovation.
Most recently, I was Lead Writer on a huge collaborative project for Radio 4, with a fantastic bunch of people including Josie Long, Tim Crouch, Lizzie Nunnery, a gospel choir and a crowd of actors in Shakespeare’s Globe. It’s called Postcards from a Cataclysm.
David Varela 