Less than a week after we posted the story about the unproduced Norman Spinrad, audio drama that was written for Omni magazine, we have an update! It seems that the Mark Kalita and the good folks at Broken Sea Audio Productions have gotten the go-ahead from Spinrad!
Cool!
In early 2002 a limited run series of chilling Science Fiction tales aired on BBC Radio 4. The series was entitled Chillers (or Chillers – Four Tales of Terror). The scripts were by Gold Sony award winning dramatist Mike Walker, the original stories were by top SF authors. Before today I’d recommended to everyone who’d listen, the first of these, Who Goes There?. It is the finest half-hour of Science Fiction Audio Drama I’ve ever experienced. But now the entire four episode series is available in the Zombie Astronaut‘s latest issue. I’m going to be savoring the rest thanks to ZA!
Chillers – Four Tales of Terror
Dramatized by Mike Walker; Performed by full casts
4 x 30 Minute Programs – Approx. 2 Hours [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4
Broadcast: Jan. – Feb. 2002
“Who Goes There?”
Based on story by John W. Campbell; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| – Approx. 28 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Penned under the name Don A. Stuart, the novelette that this play was based on was first published in the August 1938 issue of Astounding Stories.
An alien being is found frozen in the ice of Antarctica. When it is thawed, it awakens, to become a threat to the small base camp. In fact, it’s a threat to all life on earth, as it can change shape and absorb the life and bodies of every living thing it comes in contact with.
“I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream”
Based on story by Harlan Ellison; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| – Approx. 28 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
The Hugo Award winning short story this play was based on first appeared in the March 1968 issue of Worlds Of If.
This is a tale of five people kept alive by AM, a computer that came alive, waged war and won against mankind. It’s hatred of mankind is so profound, that it kept these five alive only to torture them.
“Delta Sly Honey”
Based on story by Lucius Shepard; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| – Approx. 28 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
First appeared in a 1987 anthology entitled In the Field of Fire, which was a collection of SF and Fantasy stories dealing with Vietnam.
Taking place in the Vietnam War era, this is the story of a Southern country boy who exorcises his demons making late night broadcasts to phantom military units. Then, one answers.
“Corona”
Based on story by Samuel R. Delaney; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| – Approx. 28 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
First published in Fantasy And Science Fiction Magazine‘s October, 1967 issue.
This is the story of an injured man and a girl who seeks death to free her from the pain that comes from her telepathic ability. Their common bond is a pop musician who offers peace to both.
The penultimate episode of Canadia: 2056 airs today on every CBC Radio One stations across Canada. Tune in and listen @ 11: 30am or hear it ONLINE via the Streaming Radio Map. Only one more episode left after today.
Here’s the official CBC Radio hotsheet description:
“The captain takes drastic action when his relationship with the computer goes too far. Faverau gets a promotion. Anderson and Lewis try to modify the robot. The captain uncovers the real reason the Americans declared war on the Ipampilashians. As they approach the end of the mission, the relationships between the crewmembers intensify. Canadia:2056, this morning at 11:30 (noon NT) on CBC Radio One.”
Norman Spinrad, the respected SF author, has posted the complete text for a short unproduced radio play on one of his websites. Spinrad is probably best known as the author of one of the best hours of television ever produced (he wrote the script for “The Doomsday Machine” episode from the original Star Trek television series). The play’s called Voice Over. About it, Spinrad writes:
“A little 3-5 minute radio play, commissioned by OMNI for the anniversary of Orson Welles’ WAR OF THE WORLDS broadcast. Never produced for broadcast. Any radio station interested, can contact me by e-mail here. Money need not change hands.”
Interested parties can contact Spinrad by email.
Alas, my friends I bear sad tidings…. Seeing Ear Theatre is dead!
If you’d been putting off listening to the wonder that was Sci-Fi Channel (U.S.’s) bold experiment, Seeing Ear Theatre, you’ve made a horrible, irrevocable mistake. As we predicted, and dreaded, the long abandoned, much loved and now much missed Seeing Ear Theatre website is no longer offering their archives in the RealAudio format. If you click on any of the audio links now you’ll only hear an error message.
I’m really hoping for a reprieve here, but I’m afraid its not very likely. The site had been abandoned for so long, and we’d all gotten so used to the access to the comfy old shows that were still archived there. But, as the web-architecture for the site has been aging unattended for more than six years we really can’t say its was all that unexpected. Its still possible the files are on file somewhere, and just now inaccessible for some reason, but I don’t like our chances of seeing a fix.
Goodbye SET, you were the best of your kind, you were unique, ahead of your time, you will be sadly missed.
“Der Himmel ueber dem hafen hatte die farbe eines fernsehers, der auf einen toten kanal eingestellt ist.”
If regular old Neuromancer is just too prosaic for your discerning tastes might I recommend the German language radio drama version?
Have a listen to a sample RealAudio track, its an urbane, laid-back delivery of William Gibson’s familiar story in audio dramatization form. The production is speckled with subtle musical cues and unexpected lines in English. It’s awesome. Thanks to Carsten Schmitt for the tip-off!
The entire drama is available on a 3-CD set through Der Audio Verlag (which translates into “The Audio Publishinghouse”). Also in the Der Audio Verlag catalogue are more German language radio dramatizations of the works of Isaac Asimov, Stanislaw Lem and many others. Especially cool sounding is the one titled Erinnerungsmechanismus by Philip K. Dick (which translates back into English as “Memory Mechanism”) There’s something comforting about the idea that radio drama is alive and well in Germany… aber es drückt mich nieder, daß mein Deutscher nicht bis zur Aufgabe ist.