A podcast producer finds a set of code books. They are the Marconi International Code books. They contain 500 pages of 5-letter codes and their translations. The main character starts to read the codes obsessively and twist them into her own life story. In themselves the codes form extraordinarily poetic lists.The innovative drama charts a crumbling relationship from its origins, via a history of sound, telegraphy and communication, Marconi's telegraphic work in Ireland and a flight into family madness.
Written and narrated by Zoë Comyns.
Performed by Zoë Comyns and José Miguel Jiménez
Additional roles voiced by Nathalie Cazaux, Michael Comyns, Leo Oosterweghel,
Oliver Hochadel, Kerstin Aquaviva, Jesper Bergmann and Dora Vargha.
Extra recordings by Colette Kinsella
Sound Design by Brendan Rehill, Brendan Jenkinson, and Damian Chennells
Sound Supervision by Damian Chennells
Producer for RTÉ: Kevin Brew
Producer for New Normal Culture: Zoë Comyns
Series Producer, RTÉ Drama On One: Kevin Reynolds
The original text was published in the Australian journal The Lifted Brow under the title 'Owing to the Failure Of.’ An early version of the piece was performed at Hearsay International Audio Arts Festival and at Dublin Fringe Festival 2018, with direction by Caitriona McLaughlin
The beginning and some of the interludes in this remind me of the 1950s - far-out composer Kenneth Gaburo but it's a satisfying drama which much of his stuff wasn't, though some of it was musically interesting.
"Performed by José Miguel Jiménez"?
ReplyDeleteWow, who knew Bill Dana's comedy character from 60s TV was doing avant-garde drama? :-)
Anyone who knows Simps knows there's never been an ethnic or racial stereotype he wouldn't think in. Probably most people alive today are scratching their heads over his stupid pop-kulcha reference because it is as forgotten as it was stupid at the time.
DeleteHey, geezer -- you got the reference. Which was the point of the jest.
DeleteSure it was. You are older than me and unlike me you live in the past.
Delete