A groundbreaking binaural audio production of Will Eno’s original radio drama starring Toby Jones, plus his acclaimed one-act play Tragedy: a Tragedy

Described by the New York Times as ‘a Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stewart generation’, Will Eno is one of America’s most exciting playwrights. His witty, absurdist plays have garnered a wealth of awards including the PEN/Laura Pels Theater Award and several Obie Awards, and he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Collected here are the BBC Radio productions of his acclaimed drama Life is a Radio in the Dark – written especially for its star, Toby Jones – and his debut full-length play, Tragedy: A Tragedy.

Life is a Radio in the Dark – Davey Maskelyne is the key witness to a crime, but he suffers from amnesia and cannot remember what he saw. In an attempt to help the police solve the case, he agrees to participate in experimental sound therapy – and as he delves into his earliest memories, the treatment leads to an unexpected reckoning with the past. Toby Jones stars in this innovative exploration of memory, truth, loss and isolation, recorded in immersive binaural sound to create a 3D effect and give listeners the chance to experience the sonic world for themselves.

Tragedy: a Tragedy – Night has fallen over the streets, houses, government buildings and backyards of America. Nobody knows if the sun, once down, will ever rise again. A news team is on the scene, and the resident experts are giving their views – but what’s the story? Is this the end of the world? When the baffled reporters run out of words, one ordinary man steps forward to bear witness… Starring Sam Dale, Laurel Lefkow, Stuart Milligan, Shane Rimmer and John Sheridan, Eno's razor-sharp satire of the 24-hour news cycle is by turns hilarious, unsettling and profound.

Cast and credits

Life is a Radio in the Dark
Davey Maskelyne – Toby Jones
Dr. Baines – Colin Stinton
Sgt. Castor – Fenella Woolgar
Maud – Cecilia Appiah
Gallery Director – Kenneth Collard
Jennifer – Clare Corbett
Jesse – Luke Nunn
Courtney – Charlotte East
Audio Guide – Roger Ringrose
Park Woman – Emma Handy
Jim – Carl Prekopp
Granddaughter – Alejandra Howard
Produced by Sally Avens
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 22 November 2020

Tragedy: a Tragedy
Michael – Sam Dale
Constance – Laurel Lefkow
John – Stuart Milligan
Frank – Shane Rimmer
The witness – John Sheridan
Directed by Gaynor MacFarlane
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16 November 2001

Cover photo by James Watkins

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