Five of the best audio dramas of the 21st century named by academics and experts

An adaptation of a highbrow classic novel, a semi-improvised drama-documentary, a thriller set in a dystopian Britain, a cop show with a political edge and a family saga are among some of the best audio dramas of this century, according to academics and radio experts.

The advent of podcasts and digital platforms has seen audio drama undergo a renaissance in recent years, with a new generation of writers and producers helping establish a thriving culture of creative practice.

Now a panel has chosen a selection of five “modern classics” to be discussed at the inaugural Goldsmiths Audio Drama Festival being held at on Saturday 24 March 2018 at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Organisers of the free festival Richard Shannon, playwright and lecturer in the Department of Media and Communications at Goldsmiths, and radio dramatist and screenwriter Philip Palmer, assisted the panel in choosing Decameron Nights, A Fire In The West, The Interrogation, Borderland and Lost Property as stand-out productions of the last 18 years.

Here are the five works chosen, with brief explanations for their inclusion:

• DECAMERON NIGHTS (2014), the BBC Radio 3 serialisation of Boccaccio’s Decameron, produced by Jonquil Panting, adapted by Robin Brooks, and introduced by ex-Python Terry Jones. Written in 10 episodes of 15 minutes each and "streamed" across 10 days, this is an unabashedly highbrow and utterly enjoyable classic adaptation of one of the most influential books in world literature, in a version that captivates, intrigues and delights.
• The semi-improvised drama documentary A FIRE IN THE WEST (2003), created by Toby Swift and Michael Butt, and directed by Toby Swift.  This tells the true story of a tragic death in a dazzlingly original format. It is a heartrending symphony of grief which deserves to be recognised as a modern classic.
• Roy Williams’ crime drama THE INTERROGATION (2012 - present) which for 7 series has stunned and gripped audiences with crime dramas focused around two idiosyncratic detectives, played by Kenneth Cranham and Alex Lanipekun. Roy is undeniably one of the most brilliant writers in contemporary theatre, speaking truth and challenging prejudice in scripts rich in the magnificent eloquence of the street and pub.  In THE INTERROGATION he brings all his talents to bear in a uniquely radiophonic approach to the police procedural genre, blending dark stories with droll dialogue, and written in a narrative structure as tightly controlled as a sonnet.
• BORDERLAND (2018), a BBC Cymru Wales production which offers a chilling dystopic vision of a ‘Greater England’ consisting of just England and Wales in which desperate refugees attempt to escape a land which has forgotten its humanity, to find some kind of haven in Ireland.  Written by Sarah Woods and directed by James Robinson, this stunning drama shows the BBC’s commitment to the making of cutting edge genre thrillers that provoke and challenge yet also offer a rollercoaster emotional experience.
• LOST PROPERTY (2011), a trilogy of plays by Katie Hims, which tells the story of a family over three generations, from the evacuation of the children in World War II to the 100th birthday of Alice - who has spent a lifetime lamenting the loss of her daughter - lost through clerical error during evacuation.  Winner of Best Drama in the 2011 Audio Awards, this is one of the most moving and emotionally resonant dramas ever broadcast.

Commenting on the selection, the organisers said: “These five dramas exemplify the range and quality of audio drama of recent years. We chose these pieces not because they are the only great audio plays of this century ­– but as a way of shining a light on what audio drama has become:  highbrow but also popular, hard-hitting, political, challenging, imaginative, and innovative.  And in particular, the seven series of Roy Williams’ The Interrogation represent a stunning body of work.” 

The Goldsmiths Audio Drama Festival is a one-day event to celebrate British radio drama in all its forms – from the BBC Radio Drama Department to the independent radio drama sector to podcasts.

There will be discussion panels featuring leading figures in the world of British radio/audio drama. The Guest of Honour is the acclaimed playwright and radio dramatist Roy Williams.

There will also be a keynote lecture on audio drama delivered by Professor Seán Street – writer, poet and broadcaster, and Britain’s first Professor of Radio, who will address “listening as an imaginative and interactive act”.

Panellists will include established producers such as Sasha Yevtushenko, the Sony award winning Jonquil Panting, independent producers Roger James Elsgood and Fiona McAlpine, and radio dramatists Joy Wilkinson, Claudine Toutoungi, and Shelley Silas.  Our guests on the podcasting panel will be Goldsmiths MA Radio alumnus John Wakefield, producer of the  acclaimed podcast drama series The Wooden Overcoats; podcast producer and stand up Dave Pickering;  podcast writer Jen Adamthwaite; and Sarah Golding, actor and podcast host for the Audio Drama Production Podcast.