Early radio features to get airing in British Library

From a press release to news@media.info
Posted 1 September 2014, 10.23am edt

In the Dark, in collaboration with the British Library, the Centre for Media History at Bournemouth University and the Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI) at the University of Westminster, presents a series of events – public listenings – at which some of the most important, innovative and exciting BBC Radio feature programmes of the mid-twentieth century may be heard. The purpose is to enjoy these superb archival recordings in a shared space, leading to some discussion about their continuing relevance and significance for a contemporary audience.

This series of five listenings will happen in the Foyle Suite of the British Library in October and November 2014. The events are all free but ticketed. Doors for all events will open at 5.00pm for a 5.15pm start.

Programmes that will be played are:

• 2 October 2014: The March of the ’45, written by D.G. Bridson, and produced by Gordon Gildard and D.G. Bridson for broadcast in 1956. (First produced in 1936.)
• 16 October: In Parenthesis, written by David Jones, and produced by Douglas Cleverdon for broadcast in 1955. (First produced in 1946.)
• 30 October: The Rescue, written by Edward Sackville-West with music by Benjamin Britten and produced by Val Gielgud for broadcast in 1962. (First produced in 1943.)
• 13 November: The Dark Tower (1946), written and produced by Louis MacNeice with music by Benjamin Britten.
• 27 November: Under Milk Wood (1963), written by Dylan Thomas and produced by Douglas Cleverdon. (First produced in 1954.)

This series has been curated by Professor Hugh Chignell (Bournemouth) and Dr Amanda Wrigley (Westminster), and brought to life by Rosanna Arbon (In the Dark).

For tickets and more information about individual radio features, visit the Public Listenings website.