Audio Drama – Page 92

CBC R1: Dates for Steve I & Steve II, no word on JMS’ Al

SFFaudio News

CBC producer Joe Mahoney, on his blog, has dropped two dates for the summer 2007 rebroadcasts the two earlier comedy Science Fiction series he had a hand in making:

Monday July 23rd to Friday July 27th for Steve the First

and Monday July 30th to Wednesday August 1st for Steve The Second.

Unfortunately, Joe still doesn’t have have much info on when J Michael Straczynski’s CBC Radio series The Adventures of Apocalypse Al will air. Joe writes:

“…there was talk of taking the ten five minute episodes [of The Adventures of Apocalypse Al] and stringing them all together and perhaps broadcasting them as two twenty-five minute long episodes… on two consecutive Saturday mornings, perhaps. But that’s probably just idle talk and speculation. Plus it was designed to be broadcast in five minute segments… I’m not sure it would sustain at a greater length.”

Hey CBC honchos, why not make The Adventures of Apocalypse Al the world’s first ever public radio drama podcast? 5 minute episodes would work splendiferously as podcast!

Not only would this be cooler than hell, it’d be a great way to gauge the effectiveness of advertising a CBC podcast on CBC radio stations to see what kind of traffic flow such a campaign would make. I’m willing to bet it’d be huge PR coup too. C’mon guys we need our JMS!

posted by Jesse Willis

BBC Radio 7 reruns Brave New World

Online Audio

Though BBC7 doesn’t offer a single podcast [GRRR!], the do have one endearment that we can appreciate… re-runs! BBC Radio 7’s the 7th Dimension is re-broadcasting the ten part abridgment of Brave New World. Aldous Huxley’s dystopian classic, first published in 1932, depicts an ominous,l but not wholly repulsive vision of future society. This abridged version has been previously broadcast on both BBC7 and BBC4.

Brave New World
By Aldous Huxley; Read by Anton Lesser
10 X 15 Minute Episodes – Approx. 2.5 Hours [ABRIDGED]
BROADCASTER: BBC7’s The 7th Dimension
BROADCAST: Monday to Friday at 6:45pm (repeats 12:45am) UK Time*
A nightmare vision of the future, where humans are battery farmed and cloning and consumerism is rife.

All ten parts will be made available via the Listen Again service shortly after they air.

posted by Jesse Willis

CBC Radio One airing Canadia: 2056 episode 7

SFFaudio OnlineAudio

Neither rain, nor heat, nor “bandwidth exceeded” notifications shall keep this blog from it’s appointed posts! It’s Friday, so we’re here to remind you of what that means. Indeed! It is Canadia: 2056 day! Episode 7 day! It’s airing on CBC Radio One station across Canada this morning starting at 11:30 am in all time zones (Noon in Newfoundland). Listeners who aren’t patiently waiting at their radios for the appointed hour still have an opportunity to hear it ONLINE via the Streaming Radio Map – be sure to click the time zone in your area at 11:30am. Only THREE more episodes to go!

Here’s the official CBC Radio hotsheet description:

“Head for outer space this morning aboard Canadia 2056, the lone Canadian government spacecraft, sent to support an American space armada fighting hostile aliens. The Canadia receives word that their budget is being cut and the Captain has to decide what to trim. Doc Gaffney isn’t happy with his decisions and takes drastic action. Anderson makes a new best friend, oh – one more thing – the American fleet disappears. Canadia 2056, this morning at 11:30 (noon NT) on CBC Radio One.”

What are those who’ve been listening thinking of the show?

posted by Jesse Willis

Blake’s 7 The Audio Adventures update

SFFaudio Online Audio

Blake’s 7 The Audio Adventures series, now streaming exclusively on the Sci-Fi Channel UK website, has been pumping out their short audio drama segments at a delightfully quick pace. Added to the cast, in the more recent episodes, has been Robin Of Sherwood alumnus, Michael Praed. The total run for this show is going to be 36 segments, with new parts released Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Rebel – Chapter 1: Hard Targets
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 7 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 2: Enemy Of The State
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 9 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 3: First Contact
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 7.5 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 4: The Derelict
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 7 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 5: No Surrender
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 6 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 6: Plan B
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 6 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 7: Space Fall
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 5 minutes 30 Seconds Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 8: Survivors
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 7 Minutes 30 Seconds [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 9: Tertiary Stage
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 6 Minutes 30 Seconds [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 10: Hero
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 6 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 11: The Offer
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 7 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Rebel – Chapter 12: Exiles
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
Streaming Audio – 6 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Sci-Fi Channel UK
Published: May 2007

Also, Resonance FM, a community based radio station in London, U.K., has a lengthy “behind the scenes” style interview with the creators of the Blake’s 7 The Audio Adventures. It was recorded at this year’s Bristol international Comic Expo. U.S.A. audio drama creators will be extremely jealous of the obvious popularity of audio drama in the U.K.. Not mentioned in the interview, but also fascinating, is that the actors union in the U.K. has negotiated a precedent setting contract with the B7 Audio Adventures team. Have a listen |MP3|.

posted by Jesse Willis

Canadia: 2056 episode 6 airing now!

SFFaudio OnlineAudio

Another Friday, so you know what that means! Yep, it’s Canadia: 2056 day, and today’s CBC Radio One broadcast is of episode 6. It’s airing on every single CBC Radio One station across Canada this morning starting at 11:30 am in all time zones (Noon in Newfoundland). And of course, if you’re not conveniently sitting by your radio at 11:30 am you still have a chance to hear it ONLINE via the Streaming Radio Map – just click the time zone in your area at 11:30am in your time zone, or do a bit of math and you can also time-shift a bit. Only four more episodes left after today’s!

Here’s the official CBC Radio hotsheet description:

“Head for outer space this morning aboard Canadia 2056, the lone Canadian government spacecraft, sent to support an American space armada fighting hostile aliens. This week, the crew loses the ability to navigate the ship, when control is taken over by a cloud. The up side is that the cloud grants them wishes, and the down side is also that the cloud grants them wishes – in other words, they make some questionable choices! Also, Anderson is pining away for Connie, his first love. Canadia 2056, this morning at 11:30 (noon NT) on CBC Radio One.”

I’m sad to say, there’s been no response to my queries to the CBC, about the status of a Canadia:2056 podcast. Perhaps their tired of hearing my lone voice? If you want CBC to make their Radio Dramas available via podcast, or at least by something equivilent to the BBC “Listen Again” service try calling the toll-free phone number (Canada only): 1-866-306-4636 or using the web-contact form.

posted by Jesse Willis

BBC Radio 4: The Birds by Daphne du Maurier + More eh?

SFFaudio Online Audio

Hey, more for the BBC, one on today, another on Saturday!

Most of the national BBC radio stations have been carrying a lot of Daphne du Maurier related programming of late. This, no doubt, to mark the centenary of her birth. In particular there’s an upcoming new radio production of her most famous work…

Saturday Play – The Birds
Based on the short story by Daphne du Maurier; Performed by a full cast
1 Broadcast – Approx. 1 Hour [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4
Broadcast: Saturday May 26th 2007 @ 14:30-15:30

Listen during the Saturday Play “Listen Again” program.

Also upcoming is a show one listener describes as: “Not particularly memorable from its first outing.” It’s a comedy series, set in 2012 – the second season, made up of four parts, starts Thursday night.

Deep Trouble
By Jim Field Smith and Ben Willbond; Performed by a full cast
4 Parts – Approx. 30 Min. X 4 [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4
Broadcast: Begins Thursday May 24th 2007 @ 23:00-23:30
The antics of an incompetent Royal Navy crew of the nuclear stealth submarine HMS Goliath. This episode: Disaster is threatened in the form of a new crew member, a noxious gas and a bad haircut.

Thanks go to Roy for this info!

posted by Jesse Willis