Latest news with #BBCAudioDramaAwards
Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Cate Blanchett's Radio 4 drama is superb, but she shouldn't be banking on any awards
At last month's BBC Audio Drama Awards at Broadcasting House, the actor Jonathan Keeble stepped onstage to accept the award for Best Actor. He was not claiming it for himself, however, but for the somewhat starrier Sean Bean, who had not been able to attend. Tongue firmly in cheek, Keeble praised his Antigone castmate for scooping the award for what was only his second ever radio play, 'while I have starred in more than 900'. Keeble's self-deprecating witticism was intended to highlight the sterling work of director Pauline Harris, who had coaxed such a remarkable performance out of Bean, despite the actor being relatively unfamiliar with the medium and its rhythms. Yet, he also, perhaps inadvertently, got to the heart of British audio drama – it does not live and die on the Sean Beans of this world gracing the airwaves with their undeniable presence, but on the Jonathan Keebles. However, as the future of audio drama is debated and fretted over, and audio big boys such as Audible and Amazon grab a slice of the pie, there has been a recent trend of eye-catching casting. Great British thesps have always relished radio drama – Toby Jones is one in recent years whose on-screen success and prolificness seems not to have dimmed his passion for audio drama – but the recent BBC Radio casting headlines have been glitzier still. We have had no less than Ed Harris, Kim Cattrall and Johnny Flynn starring in the CIA origins drama Central Intelligence. And at the weekend there was double Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett making her radio play debut in Wallace Shawn's The Fever (Radio 4, Saturday). Radio 4 has promised to protect long-form audio drama, following Radio 3's decision to axe the 90-Minute Drama, and who could fail to be seduced by an hour-and-a-half of Blanchett, directed by John Tiffany and Steven Hoggett (the director/choreographer duo responsible for Black Watch and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child)? I imagine the production will have split the Radio 4 audience – not because of Blanchett's performance, which was enthralling, but because Shawn's monologue, first performed in 1990, is a vicious and naked assault on complacent, liberal, bourgeois attitudes and lifestyles, a Dylanesque stream of bile and vomit that the audience/victims are never allowed to turn away from. 'Do you have any poor friends?' spits Blanchett's anonymous traveller at one point. She lies on a hotel room floor in an impoverished country on the cusp of violent civil war; unable to move, she examines her life and values, and finds herself wanting. As a diatribe against capitalism, it occasionally is a little trite (it is, remember, 35 years old, and written at the height of Yuppy New York), but Blanchett brings to life the soirees and the theatre trips, the dinner party debates and the art gallery openings. It is savagely funny. In one moment, she comforts herself that she is a good person with strong values because she once steered the conversation away from being critical of the advertising industry – because her friend's father works in it. Shawn's glee at going for the jugular and his distaste at Upper West Side intelligentsia hypocrisy is still palpable. Whether Blanchett will attend next year's BBC Audio Drama Awards remains to be seen (she will surely be nominated), but if she does, she should not expect to automatically walk away with a win. Central Intelligence was nominated for two awards and, given the presence of Cattrall on the night, those on the shortlists alongside her drama promptly tore up their acceptance speeches. Yet, democracy reigns in British audio drama, and Central Intelligence (which is excellent) won neither Best Original Series nor Best Podcast Audio Drama. Blushes, if there were any, were spared by Central Intelligence taking the Outstanding Contribution award. It's certainly brought in listeners. There is a different hierarchy in audio drama, made stark by Best Original Series going to Al Smith's emergency call-handler drama Life Lines for an impressive fourth time. An eighth series is out this year, which means that while Blanchett must contend with Michelle Yeoh, Andrea Riseborough and Michelle Williams at the Oscars (as she did in 2023), in the world of audio she will do battle with Sarah Ridgeway, Life Lines star. Not a household name, but something approaching royalty in British audio drama circles. However, Blanchett's debut was seductive and superb, melting the 90 minutes away like wax, and if she really wants to quit Hollywood and do something more meaningful with her life, I have a suggestion – star in a few more BBC audio dramas. There may even be an award or two in it for her.
Associated Press
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
NYF Radio Awards Welcomes Charlotte Melén, Award-Winning Producer/Founder of Almost Tangible to the Radio Advisory Board
'Charlotte Melén's pioneering work in immersive audio storytelling, especially the use of binaural and ambisonic microphones on location, has redefined the possibilities of the medium' — Rose Anderson, EVP, Executive Director, New York Festivals Radio Awards NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, March 5, 2025 / / -- The New York Festivals® 2025 Radio Awards competition is thrilled to welcome Charlotte Melén globally recognized award-winning Producer and Founder of Almost Tangible to the New York Festivals Radio Awards Advisory Board. Charlotte Melén joins the esteemed Radio Awards Advisory Board, a select group of globally recognized storytellers and industry leaders, each bringing valuable insights from a wide range of audio disciplines. Her addition to the board will further enhance the NYF Radio Awards, strengthening its commitment to celebrating innovation and excellence in the dynamic realm of audio storytelling. 'Charlotte Melén's pioneering work in immersive audio storytelling, especially the use of binaural and ambisonic microphones on location, has redefined the possibilities of the medium. Her team combines the highest production standards with a filmic sensibility to the delight of creators, brands, and listeners.' —Rose Anderson, EVP & Executive Director, New York Festivals Radio Awards 'I am honoured to be invited by the New York Festivals Radio Awards to join their Advisory Board. Having been both a judge and a participant in the awards, I know the standards of entry, and that the bar for winning a trophy is high. It's a pleasure and a privilege to be part of a platform that celebrates creative excellence in audio.'—Charlotte Melén, Producer and Founder, Almost Tangible Charlotte is an award-winning writer, Producer, and the Founder of Almost Tangible, a company known for its innovative and cinematic approach to audio storytelling. The London-based production company delivers immersive audio experiences that transport listeners to the heart of each story, breaking new ground in the world of audio production. Since its founding in 2018, Almost Tangible has quickly gained recognition on an international scale, receiving over 40 prestigious audio awards. These accolades include honors from the UK ARIAS, BBC Audio Drama Awards, the Audio Production Awards, and the New York Festivals Radio Awards. The company has also been named Production Company of the Year at both the NYF Radio Awards in both 2019 and 2024, as well as at the UK Audio Production Awards in 2024. The BBC Audio Drama Awards have praised Charlotte's work as 'fearless, experimental, and taking audio to new levels of excellence.' In 2024, in addition to being honored with the Production Company of the Year, the NYF Radio Awards recognized the award-winning boutique production company for its exceptional immersive audio content. Their acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet Noir earned the prestigious NYF Grand Award, along with four Gold NYF Towers. Charlotte's impressive career also spans technology management consulting. She is currently the Chair of the Kristin Linklater Voice Foundation in Orkney, Scotland, where she works to safeguard and promote the legacy of the renowned voice teacher Kristin Linklater. She is a graduate of Emerson College. As a member of the Radio Awards Advisory Board, Charlotte brings her expertise and visionary approach to advancing the standards of the NYF Radio Awards. Her unique perspective on audio storytelling promises to foster innovation and celebrate the evolving landscape of the audio industry. Each year, New York Festivals Radio Awards provides a showcase to celebrate world-class storytellers from around the globe. NYF's Radio Awards honors creative innovation and excellence in broadcast and audio content across all genres and platforms. The Radio Awards 2024 winners were celebrated in a virtual ceremony on April 16th. The ceremony included global audio highlights, award winners' acceptance speeches from around the world, and up-close and personal spotlights featuring some of radio's most respected storytellers. View the 2024 Storytellers Gala. NYF's Radio Awards receives entries from radio stations, networks, and independent producers from over 30 countries around the globe. The mission of the competition is to honor the achievements of the men and women who make up the global audio storytelling community. New York Festivals annually curates an impressive jury panel of award-winning industry leaders from six continents to serve on the world-class Radio Awards Grand Jury. The impressive jury panel includes some of the world's most recognizable voices and captivating content producers in the radio industry who thoughtfully and deliberately evaluate each entry on production values, creativity, content presentation, direction, writing, achievement of purpose, and audience suitability. Winning entries for the 2025 NYF Radio Awards will be showcased in the Radio Awards winners gallery. To view the 2024 Radio Awards winner's gallery, visit: : . About New York Festivals: New York Festivals ® Celebrating the World's Best Work since 1957 Advertising Awards AME Awards ® NYF Health Awards ® Radio Awards TV & Film Awards Gayle Seminara Mandel New York Festivals email us here Legal Disclaimer:
