‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is a musical about a high school senior who suffers from social anxiety, who fabricates a friendship with outcast, Connor Murphy, to achieve connection and popularity, after Connor commits suicide. Evan’s lie ends up out of control and leads to severe consequences; Evan becoming a symbol of Connor’s legacy, causing a chain reaction on his own life.
The set pretty much stays the same, yet creates life throughout the story like moving doors, on and off bedrooms and optical trees. Simple but effective!
Last, but definitely not least, the cast! Here are my favourites… Tom Dickerson as Jared Kleinman, gave us the right amount of comedy to mix in with the show and gave us all a laugh. Killian Thomas Lefevre was fantastic as Connor Murphy. Even though Connor didn’t have much stage time, Killian honestly did not let that stop him, with lots of aggression but some softness. He showed us that Connor Murphy was sarcastic and rude but yet soft towards Evan on his last day. I must say Evan Hansen himself, played by Ryan Kopel, was absolutely brilliant. He showed everything Evan needed to be, anxious to tender and even showing the side of him that has outbursts.
Overall the show was honestly one of the best I’ve seen, it had everything it needed and it was everything it needed it to be, so stop ‘tapping on the glass’ and get yourself tickets for ‘Dear Evan Hansen.’
‘Today is going to be a good day’ and it certainly is a good day coming out of the new tour production of Dear Evan Hansen at the Wales Millennium Centre. The new production has a lot to live up to; a decade of productions since its first performance in July 2015. There has certainly been a huge number of changes for the world since the debut of the show too, with a pandemic lockdown, international conflicts which are still yet to be resolved and political and financial instability. Certainly, with all this ongoing, the themes tackled in the musical are more important than ever; the NHS regularly reports an increase in mental health issues with young people and in fact, the suicide rate in 2023 was the highest it’s been since 1999.
Having said all that, you may be inclined to think that the show is a fairly depressing affair, and it definitely has its moments of being on an emotional rollercoaster; I found myself in floods of tears at several points! However, the main mantra of the show signs through in its stunning score penned by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (their impressive back catalogue includes work on La Land and The Greatest Showman), with stunning lines such as ‘you are not alone,’ ‘let the sun come streaming in’ and of course, the iconic, ‘you will be found.’ Based on a true story that occurred during Benj Pasek’s school years, I particularly love the fact that the characters, although likeable, are morally grey. They are so real and human that they bound from the stage and force us to look at our own decisions and life choices. It also truly emphasises that theme of ‘connection’ and that we all touch one another’s lives, sometimes without even intending to.
Therefore, this production has a lot to live up to! And it does so, with absolute ease, stamping its own new identity on the legacy of the musical. Starting with set, video design and lighting, (Morgan Large on set, costume and video, Ravi Deepres also on video and Matt Daw on lighting), I must say, that this production absolutely sets the bar and then smashes it. The way that this design all comes together and seamlessly integrates with performers on stage in a truly breathtaking way. There were several moments where I found myself with my mouth literally hanging open; from the moving ‘windows’ that have Evan literally waving through them, the ‘sun’ filling the whole stage as Evan sings ‘I climb ‘til the entire sun shines on my face,’ and the stunning montage of online footage as we hear ‘You Will Be Found,’ these moments are visually stunning and will stay in my mind for a long time. Huge congratulations to the team, they have created a truly stunning visual production with a very minimalist stage which enhances the performers rather than detract from them.
The small, but mighty, cast and ensemble of 14 certainly deserves the highest of praise. The ensemble creates beautiful tableaus and choreography (a credit to Choreographer, Carrie-Anne Ingrouille) and the chorus singing is stunning. The whole cast is wonderful, but I must make special mention to a few of them. Alice Fearn is a seasoned performer and having seen her portray Beverley Bass in Come from Away, I knew she’d be incredible as Evan’s mother, Heidi. She does not disappoint; ‘Good for You’ is gritty, angry and powerful and she flips it completely with a poignant, heart-breaking performance of ‘So Big/So Small.’ The true show stealer though is Ryan Kopel playing the titular Evan. I do not exaggerate when I say that his portrayal of Evan is phenomenal. His voice soars over the score with truly stunning emotional and lightness of touch in places and a powerhouse, emotional belt when required. His acting is a masterclass; he is instantly endearing and highly likeable immediately and he had me in tears from the beginning; from ‘Waving Through a Window’ to the showstopper of ‘Words Fail,’ where you truly could have heard a pin drop in the Wales Millennium Centre. They are joined by Lauren Conray as Zoe Murphy, Helen Anker as Cynthia Murphy and Richard Hurst as Larry Murphy, who exceptionally show the grief, or not, of the Murphy family; Killian Thomas Lefevre as Connor, who had me in absolute stitches in ‘Sincerely, Me’ and Tom Dickerson as Jared Kleinman and Vivian Panka as Alana Beck who bring brilliant vocals and fantastic humour to their roles.
The day you watch the newest production of DearEvan Hansen is going to be a good day and here’s why…it breathes fresh life into an already beautiful show, elevates the score, brings moments of stillness and poignancy to the libretto and shows touring productions what can be achieved with simple yet impressive set, video and lighting design. It’s an important show for everyone to see; yes, the themes are hard hitting and you will find yourself emotionally drained by the end, but you’ll also find yourself uplifted, reaffirmed and knowing that even when things go wrong, when life seems its darkest, that we are connected, not alone and that, ‘you will be found.’
I am not done with so called minimalism in London just yet. Part of the Southbank Centre’s Multitudes Festival, In C, proved to be a thrill. Taking Terry Riley’s iconic 1960’s composition, it is here laced with dance and that from Sasha Waltz.
Just over an hour, the whole beast was touching and the definition of fluidity. Diverse dancers swell together, Waltz’s stance on the belief, profound here. The London Sinfonietta players maintained tightness the overall pace. The C note is given time to breath in these phases, never a moment of discord nor shock. The development of this note is luxurious in its discoveries. These repeating motions from the musicians are a testament to muscle memory and endurance. This powdered piece is essentially Riley’ most revered stand out and that’s not a bad thing. You can easily lose yourself within it.
Waltz’ choreography has used classical music before to acclaim. It’s very human, allow me to explain what I mean. It’s the combination of coloured vests, which gradually darken with sweat, the smiles the dancers give and the unrelenting flow that makes up, this so uniting. So many connections are made: some appear to handle heart break, others suggest the glimpses of friendship. Each dancers easily go off on their own venture, prayer signs and soft balletic postures…often returning to a semblance of gathering. An infectious conga line appeared to form in one instance catching others into its fold, only then to disassemble at just as quick. Each dancers brought clear insight and energy, the head turned a few times, adding with their little adventures into the auditorium. Quite literary dancing in the aisles.
This might just be one of the most lovely combinations of dance and music. A broad colour palette evoked Rothko and Klee, a large screen haunting the space. This is also proof how good a venue the Queen Elizabeth Hall is for dance, I’ve seen work before but this defined it. Wonderous flights seem to take over the troupe as if they might just have floated off. I was quite moved, again its just so achingly human. I might just try out some of these flurrying moves at home…
We’ve been thinking a lot in Wales about the plight of musicians and artists. Yet how are the dancers doing? I guess we are all cooked really, the feeling of hopelessness about funding and opportunities linger on. Let’s having something to raise the spirits…
In 1995, director and choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne hit the ballet jackpot in his reimagining of the definitive ballet. Maybe back 30 years ago, this would been highly radical, messing with the formula of a piece so cherished by dance audiences. Still, the connective tissue of the original Swan Lake is evident and lives, thanks to what holds up as a sparkling feat. The new additions of queer and gender bending roles are what stand out in what has often (incorrectly) been dubbed the “all male Swan Lake”.
The story is practically the same, it’s just the dressing of a newer setting that could be 1950s or today, or another universe. The prince, unhappy with his life then falls for a woman, The Girlfriend, though the snobbery of The Queen and the court would dominate. The prince finds himself at a lake, only to have an awakening in many ways, as The Swan and his posey waft into his life. It all end in tears, as the beats of the original story are mirrored and gentle tweaked.
This really does prove to be a fun and absorbing evening. Bourne’s foundation of classical ballet is always there waiting. Yet, the more contemporary dance components are what makes it so compelling, the fluidity and outbursts from this varied cast. There are quirky jabs and physical majesty in these demanding roles. There are extremities, moments of period dances from decades past and other flurries seeing odder sights. The swan troupe who in their iconic down feather tights and ink beak makeup adorned on their forehead, get some of the finest moments of the show. They are the poster children and have been for years. They even hiss, which was not expected.
The gala balls and the mock Royal Ballet visit also sparkle with glamour, dippy humour and a surprising amount of sexuality. When The Swan arrives at one of these dos as The Stranger (or the Black Swan in the original), I was taken with just how steamy it got. Some really fun and electric moves in the Spanish and other dances, as The Prince, loses his sanity over The Swan making multiple passes at his mother. Lez Brotherston in the set and costumes have famous details and practical ease. The sets are clever in looking grander and heavier than they are, the costumes range from nightclub garters to royal gowns, all very fetching.
These are dancers on their ‘A’ game. The Swan is Jackson Fisch, in a compelling and a sensual depiction of the fatal avian folly. This might be the finest dance performance I’ve seen for a while. Stephan Murray is not far behind as The Prince, who leads the show throughout. Innocence, intrigue, discovery and mania are his components, each played with nuance and the energy given off Murray is palpable. The Queen is Nicole Kabera gets some divaesque steps and the commanding presence to, proving the royal line has talents galore.
The Girlfriend from Katrina Lyndon is the comic relief, the foil to latter triggering this tragedy. Her stint in the Royal Ballet scene riffed on excitable audience goers, eating, passionately reading the programme and turning off their ringing phones. Also highly nimble, her time on stage was often eye catching and delightful. James Lovell looks like Tchaikovsky as The Private Secretary, this is a character who judges others mostly The Prince and Girlfriend. Much more the straight man in the court, this fells secondary though still part of the broth.
The one gripe, though I’ve said it before is the canned orchestra. Tchaikovsky’s soul lived in his compositions and here is no different. All the recognisable tunes and lesser-known passages feature, I even wondered if the order was messed around the for new take. I recall not seeing any live musicians at Bourne’s Cinderella too. The tourabilty of the show might be for reason like this, though as prices rise for theatre goers and musicians continue to fight for their jobs, I think it would add an extra layer of joy and spectacle.
Whilst all swans in this realm are owned by the King, this particular one very much belongs to Bourne.
When I was a kid (which was a very long time ago), ask any schoolboy what he wanted to be when he grew up and he would reply, ‘a footballer’. What any schoolgirl at that time might have answered I never discovered, as such social mixing was kept very much to a minimum. A pop star, perhaps?
For the two protagonists in this electrifying play, teenagers Kyla and Ruby, the answer is ‘to go viral’ and enjoy ‘pool parties in Las Vegas’. A pipe dream this may be, but it’s all these girls have to cling to, what with them coming from broken families and having no other discernible prospects.
HOT CHICKS is the latest production by Swansea’s Grand Ambition, in collaboration with Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre, and concerns people whose lives usually play out beneath the eyeline of the average, law-abiding, taxpayer. If such a thing still exists.
Kyla and Ruby are teenage friends who spend most of their spare time hanging around in a fried chicken shop in a deprived area of Swansea, antagonising the irascible but sympathetic owner, Cheney. One day, in walks Sadie, a woman who seems to have everything they crave: money, designer clothing and a winning attitude. Almost immediately, the young and impressionable girls are caught in her orbit, hanging onto her every word and keen to pick up the crumbs she casts their way. But there’s a darker side to Sadie and her intentions towards her new admirers are far from benign. And soon, Kyla and Ruby are neck-deep in the older woman’s world, which is a dark and dangerous place indeed, with little hope of escape.
HOT CHICKS deals with uncomfortable subjects, subjects we’d rather look away from, but thanks to the unique staging we – the audience – can’t. We’re forced to take this journey with the teenage protagonists, along the way sharing every high and feeling every bruise. All this is conveyed via the astonishing performances by the two leads, Izzi McCormack John as Kyla and Londiwe Mthembu as Ruby, who dazzle with those co-existing teenage traits of obnoxiousness and vulnerability. Rachel Redford swings effortlessly from cool swagger to icy malevolence as Sadie, and Richard Elis exudes a natural warmth as the owner of the fried chicken shop where the drama takes place. In the great swirl of all this upheaval and tragedy, he is a voice of reason.
Written by Rebecca Jade Hammond and directed by Hannah Noone, HOT CHICKS is a hugely engaging play; funny, witty, touching and horrifying in equal measure. It opens your eyes, raises your consciousness and plunges you headlong into the lives of people you might not so much have glanced at in the street. It’s become something of cliché to say that this is a play people should be made to see, but it certainly applies here. It’s an elevating experience.
HOT CHICKS is on at the Grand Theatre, Swansea, until April 25.
Having had no idea of what to expect upon taking my seat in the New Theatre, I can happily confirm that ‘…Earnest?’ is one of the maddest, most exhilarating, hilarious pieces of theatre I have seen in a while. ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is turning 130 this year; after being encouraged to sing happy birthday…to the play…we are launched into our evening. Anyone seeing ‘…Earnest?’ should take on board what Wilde himself once said, ‘we should treat all the trivial things of life very seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality.’
What happens when your lead actor fails to show up? Well, in the case of ‘…Earnest?,’ they turn to the only place they can think of…the audience. The director, Simon takes to the stage valiantly and tries to pluck the next Olivier from the crowd as, the show must go on. Our evening was fronted by unsuspecting Chris, a data analyst who may have picked a seat slightly too close to the stage… From there, things just continue to descend into abject chaos, with the actress playing Cecily disappearing off to cover for the lead skater on ‘Harry Potter…On Ice’ and more and more audience members are plucked from obscurity to stardom as the show becomes more and more barking mad.
What is truly impressive is the sheer skill of the actors involved here. Their improvisation and ability to think on their feet is excellent. The show must never look the same from night to night and yet the cast never falter; their responses are witty and immediate, their ability to move around the hapless audience members joining them on stage creates such hilarity, especially as the props keep moving, Jack Daniels gets added to glasses instead of ‘stage whiskey’ and chaos unfolds in front of us.
The cast are excellent; Guido Garcia Lueches as Terry/Algernon and Rhys Tees as Graham/Lane open the show as we are launched into our production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest.’ Their flamboyant blocking and over the top delivery is particularly satisfying for anyone involved in, or having seen a slightly hammy community production. When Earnest does not appear, their panic is palpable; Terry is unable to change any of his blocking and Graham starts suffering from props inevitably being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Josh Haberfield enters from the audience as our hapless director, Simon Slough, who comes up with a solution; an audience member can help, script in hand, to perform the show. We are also joined by Ben Mann as Josh, our techie, who’s just trying to be useful but with limited, screamed instructions he’s finding it a bit tricky…
These opening scenes are so important in setting up the action and the expectations of the piece. The cast’s interactions with each other and the audience members are genuinely funny and topical. I had no idea what to expect from the show and I’m pleased to report it is riotous. Trynity Silk as Jennifer/Gwendolen and Judith Amsenga as Eleanor/Lady Bracknell then join us, and the anarchy continues. We are joined on stage but a very ‘feminine’ Cecily in a resplendent pink frock, we have a sword fight with one sword, a drunken Gwendolen becoming more and more undressed and Lady Bracknell losing her voice. My personal favourite part was the explanation of Earnest being found in a train station in a handbag (not Victoria Station as originally intended but Severn Tunnel Junction for our performance), performed entirely in interpretive, physical dance with Graham Tees bounding across the stage with sheer joy and abandon; it sums up a perfectly crazy evening.
Say It Again, Sorry? have truly brought an experience to the stage, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The sheer talent of the writers and the actors involved to basically perform a different show every evening based on what their brand-new stars might (or might not) say had me holding my breath in anticipation. Even if you’re not familiar with the original Oscar Wilde play, I implore you to go and see this (again and again, it’ll be different every time!) as it is a pure tonic and highly entertaining. I really cannot wait to see what the team behind Say it Again, Sorry? will do next; their refreshing take on theatre is definitely something I will be following, in ‘earnest’ so to speak!
Arthur Miller is often declared the greatest American Playwright of the last century. Though I might declare The Crucible his finest work, most school teens and theatre bugs will no doubt learn toward Death of a Salesman.
This is a raging, shoulder shaking, alarm call for the so called ‘American Dream’. Did it ever really exist? And for whom, exactly? Recent American politics would mirror these sour ideas tenfold. Willy Loman is the salesman in question, a deeply exhausted man of business who drives hundreds of miles for his work. A job with little gratis nor promise of a promotion, he like many before and after remain under the thumb of ‘the man’. With two grown up sons and a wife, everything appears stable, till the emergence of attempted suicide, rising debt and matrimonial troubles.
In this production from Trafalgar Theatre Productions and Raw Material, I’m sad to say I was left rather cold. There appears to be several things in need of tweaking. Dare I say, the actors could have been mic’d up higher, the musicians (who like the actors not in their scenes) watch from the sides, could have been utilised much more than their fleeting folk and bluesy bars. The American accents are also tricky, proven by poor to passable attempts from the company. The whole show simply should have had more electricity.
The set is average to fair: planks of wood suggest the Loman garden, a screen of a tree towers above and some props offer the home interiors itself. Its tourable, at least. David Hayman as Loman, has good tics and knows the piece well, but it still doesn’t work as a lead. I think it’s the quietness and the lack of real vibrancy. As Happy and Biff, Daniel Cahil and Michael Wallace are the backbone of the show. The constant seeking of approval from their father is paramount, getting the right job and even a declaration of a marriage proposal is never acknowledged. They do what they can in the heady roles and almost get away with it. Perhaps the strongest casting choices in this.
The weary wife Linda played by Beth Marshall, is a hard role to crack. She must support her husband, constantly remind her children of their fathers major issues, as well as keep the house going. Marshal plays the tired but bright role well enough, it’s a fine example of a great female character being behind a typical man. Stuart Ennis is Willy’s brother Ben, looking like composer Charles Ives, a distinguished gentleman who fared well in business. We only see him in some of Willy’s multiple flashbacks, Ben is only ever there to boast and remind Willy of his lack of luck in life. Ennis played this with fun and pomp, the only old world fibre to the show, originally set in the late 1940s. Other cast members are by the numbers, though some moments of humour flickered, some tensions almost palpable.
Hi I am James Ellis, artist, journalist and member of Get the Chance. I have been using my Tempo Time Credits at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff. It’s wonderful to book loads of cinema screenings, seeing old classics and new features alike. I’ve recently had the thrill of experiencing The Brutalist (twice!) and Memoir of a Snail.
I’m also seeing lots of David Lynch films and really cannot wait for the full showing of the iconic Twin Peaks and its follow on film, the season and more. Let’s rock!
You can find out more about Tempo Time Credits here
I’ve said it often that a trip to London is never complete without seeing The Mozartists. I have savoured a supreme Jommelli discovery last year, a concert some two week before lockdown and an introduction to his Mozart’s First Symphony, one he wrote down the road.
Whilst they endeavour to (rather amazingly) perform every work by Mozart and feature a selection of his contemporaries, this endeavour is a monumental task. With the vast array of concert work come all the stage work too. La finta giardiniera is a much rarer beast from Herr Mozart, a much younger feat before his collabs with librettist de Ponti. I should be more enthused by this hardly ever sung piece. Translated as ‘The Fake Gardener’, in this concert format it doesn’t maintain its near three-hour runtime. I’m sad to say it left me mostly cold.
Dollops of humour, thanks to the libretto of Giuseppe Petrosellini. I can’t say I heard the words “shit”, “bint” and threats of cutting of a character’s testicles in an opera before. Even in the English translation. The story is as absurd as any of his other operas though nowhere near as compelling nor endearing. The Marchesa Violante is now disguised as Sandrina, a gardener. She has survived a knife attack from her last love the Count Belfiore, a year prior. The story since them…Arminda is now courting the Count and other characters find silly ways to screw with one another try to get the lovers they so desperately fight more. This may not sound like a comedy, yet it mostly is.
Ian Page as conductor is forever the supreme maestro. All these concerts and all his efforts are so humbling, so inspiring. He makes everyone at ease, bringing out the finest music possible. The orchestra themselves delighted and touched. We saw less of them due to the cast on stage, these players behind shone with vitality and a wispy delight. The cast were decent. I think Ava Dodd stood out as Sandrina, the serious bouts of her existence, melded with profound arias. Hugo Brady, who also thrilled in their Jommelli gig, is the dashing Count. I’m fond of his tenor, its gentle in execution, perfect for this era of opera. Milly Forrest as servant Serpetta got amusing scenes, a role which never really wraps up as it should. Vocally, it’s potent, something of electric air I groove to.
Arminda, giddy with her marriage to the Count, is here Camila Harris. Some smug moments of her luck in the story and sung big and bold as should be. A trouser role from Laura Fleur as Ramiro, a knight who loves Arminda. The spirt of the mezzo lives here, but this is such as secondary role and quite typical of the time. Fine in spirit, I just wonder if a character like this is holding Fleur back? The supporting men were Michael Bell as Il Podestà and Jerome Knox as Nardo. I wonder if these parts were truly right for the two. Roles which don’t play huge part in the plot, nor have much substance. In voice, I want to say more work might focus the timbre of both, though they did have some finer moments of wit and story setting.
Perhaps the elongated reuniting duet in the stunted third act from Sandrina and the Count sums up La finta giardiniera overall: touching and sugary, over long and at times lacking in depth.
The winners of the BBC Audio Drama Award 2025 were announced in a live ceremony from the Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House last night. The Best Original Single Drama Category winner was: The Invitation, written by Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Stage Management, Graduate, Katherine Chandler, and produced by John Norton, for BBC Audio Wales & West.
The Comedy drama stars Welsh actors, Siwan Morris and Kimberley Nixon.
“When her eight-year-old daughter is the only one in the class who doesn’t get a party invitation, Lizzie challenges the birthday girl’s mum, Jo. As their two world views collide, all hell breaks loose. What are the rules here?”
The full cast includes
Jo – Siwan Morris Lizzie – Kimberley Nixon Huw – Tomos Eames Ritchie Tyne- Nathan Sussex Mrs Wilson – Zoe Davies Margaret – Hannah McPake The Postman – Anthony Corria Micha – Joséphine López-Norton Ellie – Raphaëlle López-Norton
Production Coordinator: Eleri McAuliffe Sound Design: Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis Producer: John Norton
The Best Actress Category was won by Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Acting graduate, Cecilia Appiah for her role in Oleanna, directed by Gary Brown for BBC Studios Audio Salford
You can find out more about the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2025, in the article below from the BBC Media Centre
BBC Audio Drama Award winners announced along with plans for new monthly 90-minute play on BBC Radio 4
The BBC has revealed the winners of the 2025 Audio Drama Awards, celebrating the exceptional talent and creativity in the field of audio drama and comedy, in a ceremony tonight (30th March) hosted by actor and comedian Miles Jupp at the iconic Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House.
The BBC’s Chief Content Officer, Charlotte Moore, gave a speech emphasising the BBC’s commitment to audio drama and announced plans to launch a monthly 90-minute play slot starting later in the spring on BBC Radio 4, which will focus on new dramas and original adaptations of classic stage plays. These will sit alongside the very best of the recent archive, allowing new and existing listeners the opportunity for a deep dive into this beloved genre.
“For over 100 years, the BBC has been a pioneer in audio drama, and today we remain the largest commissioner of audio drama globally – and our commitment to new writing remains unparalleled. In the last year alone we’ve featured the work of 30 new writers and broadcast 118 new titles, ranging from single dramas to 10-part series,” said Moore. “While we celebrate our rich heritage and legacy, we must also embrace the evolving digital audio landscape to ensure the continued success of audio drama and its home on BBC Sounds. We will persist in championing new writing and talent, providing opportunities for emerging voices as well as established names across our networks, to deliver the very best to our listeners. I’m thrilled that the new 90-minute play slot on Radio 4 will bring the power of longform audio drama to many millions more listeners.”
The ceremony also included a posthumous Outstanding Contribution award for much-missed producer Bill Dare, given in recognition of his huge influence on comedy, and particularly his contribution to audio comedy on BBC Radio 4. Dare, who tragically passed away earlier this month following an accident overseas, leaves behind a legacy of award-winning satirical programmes for radio and TV, including Dead Ringers, which is set to mark its 25th anniversary on Radio 4 later this year, Spitting Image, and recent Radio 4 comedy The Island starring Stephen Mangan.
Julia McKenzie, BBC Radio 4’s Commissioner for Comedy, said, “Bill Dare’s contribution to comedy is unparalleled. He brought joy to so many listeners and his unique talent is hugely missed. This award is a tribute to his legendary status and the immense impact he had on comedy, at BBC Radio 4 and beyond.”
Moore also presented an Outstanding Contribution award to the podcast drama Central Intelligence, written by Greg Haddrick, produced by John Scott Dryden and Emma Hearn, and executive-produced by Howard Stringer and Jeremy Fox for Goldhawk Productions. The drama was recognised for the sheer scale of its ambition and its success with digital listeners, with over 2.5 million plays. Kim Cattrall, who stars in the series as narrator Eloise Page, was present to celebrate the series’ win. Central Intelligence has been a smash hit with listeners on BBC Sounds and is part of the Limelight series of podcast dramas, which showcases fresh approaches to serialized storytelling from the very best new and established writing, acting, and production talents, and consistently ranks in the top ten most-listened-to podcasts on BBC Sounds. It returns for a second series on 20th June.
Also amongst the winners was BAFTA and Emmy-award winner Sean Bean, who received the Best Actor award for his role in Antigone by Jean Anouilh. Anouilh’s powerful reworking of the classic Greek play, which was an instant success when first staged in Paris in 1944, showcased Bean’s exceptional talent for audio acting. Cecilia Appiah won Best Actress for her portrayal of Carol in Oleanna, David Mamet’s most controversial play. Oleanna is an incendiary exploration of gender, education, class, power, and perception, which divided audiences but captured the zeitgeist. Appiah’s compelling performance was a hit with listeners and praised by the judges.
Alison Hindell, Radio 4’s Commissioner for Drama and Fiction, said, “Tonight we celebrate the huge variety of audio drama as a genre – from gripping new podcasts to classic plays – and the people who work so hard to bring brilliant audio drama to the BBC’s audiences. The future of audio drama looks bright, with listeners’ interest in the genre continuing to grow, and the BBC is here to champion it all the way.”
Full List of Winners of the 2025 Audio Drama Awards:
• Best Original Single Drama: The Invitation by Katherine Chandler, produced by John Norton, for BBC Audio Wales & West. Special commendation for Nearly Light by Kit Withington, produced by Jelena Budimir at Naked Productions for BBC Radio 4.
• Best Original Series or Serial: Life Lines by Al Smith, produced by Sally Avens at BBC Studios Audio London for BBC Radio 4.
• Best Adaptation: Tam O’Shanter by Robert Burns, adapted by Gary McNair, produced by Kirsty Williams for BBC Audio Scotland. Special commendation for Love and Information by Caryl Churchill, produced by Mary Peate and Jessica Dromgoole at Hooley Productions for BBC Radio 4.
• Best Actor: Sean Bean for his role in Antigone, directed by Pauline Harris at BBC Studios Audio London for BBC Radio 3.
• Best Actress: Cecilia Appiah for her role in Oleanna, directed by Gary Brown for BBC Studios Audio Salford. Special commendations for Michelle Fairley in Hello, I Appear to Have Killed My Husband, directed by Kirsty Williams for BBC Audio Scotland, and Kate O’Flynn in Spores, directed by Nicolas Jackson at Afonica for BBC Radio 3.
• Best Comedy Performance: Rosie Cavaliero in The Train at Platform 4, produced by James Robinson at BBC Studios Audio for BBC Radio 4.
• The Marc Beeby Award for Best Debut Performance: Mae Munuo in Tribe of Two, directed by Jesse Fox at Afonica for BBC Radio 4.
• Best Sitcom or Comedy Drama: Rum Punch by Travis Jay, produced by Daisy Knight at Avalon for BBC Radio 4.
• Best Stand Up or Sketch Comedy: Janey Godley: the C Bomb Series 2 by Janey Godley with Ashley Storrie, produced by Richard Melvin at Dabster Productions for BBC Radio 4. Special commendation for Munya Chawawa’s Election Doom Scroll by Munya Chawawa, Matthew Crosby, James Farmer, and Joe McArdle, produced by Jo Maney and Ben Wicks at Expectation TV for BBC Radio 4.
• Best Use of Sound: Restless Dreams, sound by Eloise Whitmore, produced by Eloise Whitmore and Polly Thomas at Naked Productions for BBC Radio 4.
• Best Podcast Audio Drama: The Skies Are Watching, written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto at Goldhawk Productions for BBC Radio 4. Special commendation for Central Intelligence by Greg Haddrick, produced by John Scott Dryden and Emma Hearn at Goldhawk Productions, and executive-produced by Howard Stringer and Jeremy Fox, for BBC Radio 4. Central Intelligence also received an Outstanding Contribution Award.
• Best European Drama: The Fall of Lapinville by Benjamin Abitan, produced by Chloé Asous-Plunian for Arte Radio, France.
• Imison Award: Tether by Isley Lynn, produced by Fay Lomas at BBC Audio Wales and West for BBC Radio 4.
• Tinniswood Award: Man Friday by Edson Burton, produced by Mary Ward-Lowery at BBC Audio Wales and West for BBC Radio 4.
About the BBC Audio Drama Awards:
The BBC Audio Drama Awards celebrate the passionate and dedicated work of professionals who bring this artform to listeners – from actors to writers, producers and sound designers.
Previous winners include Rosamund Pike, Susan Wokoma, Miriam Margolyes, Juliet Aubrey, Bridget Christie, Edmund Davies, Phil Wang, Danny Sapani, John Hurt and many more.
The BBC once again joined with the Society of Authors and Writers’ Guild of Great Britain to present the two annual writing awards run by these organisations, the Imison Award (for best script by a writer new to audio) and the Tinniswood Award (for the best audio script of the year).
The BBC has compiled a timeline of key audio drama moments from the past century, which can be found here
Creating opportunities for a diverse range of people to experience and respond to sport, arts, culture and live events. / Lleisiau amrywiol o Gymru yn ymateb i'r celfyddydau a digwyddiadau byw
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