In production videos for The Go-Between adapted by Frances Byrnes with recording engineer and musical collaborator Joe Acheson of Hidden Orchestra.
Singles and Doublets
BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3 - 80 mins
TX June 24th 2012.
Original Play by Martyn Wade
Recording Feb 2012
Mixing Mar/April 2012
Director: Cherry Cookson
Sound: Matt Thompson
BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3 - 80 mins
TX June 24th 2012.
Original Play by Martyn Wade
Recording Feb 2012
Mixing Mar/April 2012
Director: Cherry Cookson
Sound: Matt Thompson
Oscar Kennedy and Richard Griffiths
The Go-Between
by L.P. Hartley
BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3 - 90 mins
TX 8th July 2012.
A new adaptation by Frances Byrnes.
Script Editor: Polly Thomas
Director: Matt Thompson
Sound: Joe Acheson
by L.P. Hartley
BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3 - 90 mins
TX 8th July 2012.
A new adaptation by Frances Byrnes.
Script Editor: Polly Thomas
Director: Matt Thompson
Sound: Joe Acheson
White Stiletto Dreams
TX BBC Radio 4
Romford Market was brash, vibrant and vulgar in the ‘80s – in many ways the epitome of Thatcher’s Britain. David Eldridge – market boy turned prize-winning playwright – returns to the era of Lycra and Loadsamoney to see how it shaped him... and us.
Presenter: Cathy FitzGerald
Producer Cathy FitzGerald and Matt Thompson
TX BBC Radio 4
Romford Market was brash, vibrant and vulgar in the ‘80s – in many ways the epitome of Thatcher’s Britain. David Eldridge – market boy turned prize-winning playwright – returns to the era of Lycra and Loadsamoney to see how it shaped him... and us.
Presenter: Cathy FitzGerald
Producer Cathy FitzGerald and Matt Thompson
Cabinet of Animosities
TX BBC Radio 4
Presenter: Cathy FitzGerald
Producer Cathy FitzGerald and Matt Thompson
TX BBC Radio 4
Presenter: Cathy FitzGerald
Producer Cathy FitzGerald and Matt Thompson
The Physicists
BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3 - 90 mins
TX 2012/2013.
by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Adaptor/Director: Matt Thompson
BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3 - 90 mins
TX 2012/2013.
by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Adaptor/Director: Matt Thompson
Dreaming Dickens
TX BBC World Service
Dickens isn’t just for Christmas. There’s a stranger, darker side to his writing the heritage industry tends to ignore. Dreams, hallucinations, insanity, mesmeric states – Dickens was fascinated by the night-side of the mind. He lived in a pre-Freudian culture feeling its way –in terror and awe – towards the unconscious, and the journey shaped his life and writing. This fascination produces much of what’s dark, uncanny, anarchic, and hallucinatory in his writing – something that’s been hugely influential to modern writers and yet barely registers in the popular imagination. So this won’t sound like any other documentary on Dickens. It will be a dramadoc. dream-walk through the London night to meet interviewees at butchers' markets, lap dancing clubs, opium dens with snatches of Dickens’ writing read along the way by strangers on the London streets.
Presenter: Cathy FitzGerald
Producer Cathy FitzGerald and Matt Thompson
TX BBC World Service
Dickens isn’t just for Christmas. There’s a stranger, darker side to his writing the heritage industry tends to ignore. Dreams, hallucinations, insanity, mesmeric states – Dickens was fascinated by the night-side of the mind. He lived in a pre-Freudian culture feeling its way –in terror and awe – towards the unconscious, and the journey shaped his life and writing. This fascination produces much of what’s dark, uncanny, anarchic, and hallucinatory in his writing – something that’s been hugely influential to modern writers and yet barely registers in the popular imagination. So this won’t sound like any other documentary on Dickens. It will be a dramadoc. dream-walk through the London night to meet interviewees at butchers' markets, lap dancing clubs, opium dens with snatches of Dickens’ writing read along the way by strangers on the London streets.
Presenter: Cathy FitzGerald
Producer Cathy FitzGerald and Matt Thompson
Hear it here.
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St. Vitus Dance
TX BBC Radio 3 Sunday Feature Christmas Day 2011
An anthropology and psychology of mass dancing in public places – this exploration of the dance epidemic in history will also illuminate modern booms in Raves and Trance, Flash Dance and Silent Discos.
Presenter: Frances Byrnes
Producer: Frances Byrnes and Matt Thompson
TX BBC Radio 3 Sunday Feature Christmas Day 2011
An anthropology and psychology of mass dancing in public places – this exploration of the dance epidemic in history will also illuminate modern booms in Raves and Trance, Flash Dance and Silent Discos.
Presenter: Frances Byrnes
Producer: Frances Byrnes and Matt Thompson
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The I Love You Bridge
BBC Radio 4 - Feature
TX 7th August 2011
Documentary by Frances Byrnes
A quest for the original lovers of the “I Love You Bridge” – a fabulously incongruous message painted on a footbridge on a hollowed-out housing estate in Sheffield. Presented by feature film maker, opera director and screenwriter, Penny Woolcock, in her first radio documentary.
'Perhaps you quietly ask yourself "How do they live like this." / Then out of nowhere the answer / "I love you"/ scrawled on the highest bridge. Rowan Blair Colver
Featured on Pick of the Week. Guardian review here.
BBC Radio 4 - Feature
TX 7th August 2011
Documentary by Frances Byrnes
A quest for the original lovers of the “I Love You Bridge” – a fabulously incongruous message painted on a footbridge on a hollowed-out housing estate in Sheffield. Presented by feature film maker, opera director and screenwriter, Penny Woolcock, in her first radio documentary.
'Perhaps you quietly ask yourself "How do they live like this." / Then out of nowhere the answer / "I love you"/ scrawled on the highest bridge. Rowan Blair Colver
Featured on Pick of the Week. Guardian review here.
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Wandering Souls
BBC World Service
TX June 10th/17th 2011
Re-versioned Part 2 TX BBC Radio 4 6 July 2011
Vietnam is over-run with ghosts. Vietnamese culture places great importance on a good death: in old age, body unblemished, the proper rituals observed. But few of those killed in the Vietnam War were granted such a peaceful ending. They became 'wandering souls' - doomed to eke out an impoverished existence on the edge of the everyday world.
In this two-part series, Cathy FitzGerald travels to Vietnam to hear how survivors of the War - both Vietnamese and American - co-exist with their 'invisible neighbours'... the dead.
Presenter: Cathy FitzGerald
Producer Cathy FitzGerald and Matt Thompson
MIx Joe Acheson
Hear it Here: BBC site.
TX June 10th/17th 2011
Re-versioned Part 2 TX BBC Radio 4 6 July 2011
Vietnam is over-run with ghosts. Vietnamese culture places great importance on a good death: in old age, body unblemished, the proper rituals observed. But few of those killed in the Vietnam War were granted such a peaceful ending. They became 'wandering souls' - doomed to eke out an impoverished existence on the edge of the everyday world.
In this two-part series, Cathy FitzGerald travels to Vietnam to hear how survivors of the War - both Vietnamese and American - co-exist with their 'invisible neighbours'... the dead.
Presenter: Cathy FitzGerald
Producer Cathy FitzGerald and Matt Thompson
MIx Joe Acheson
Hear it Here: BBC site.
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Animals on Trial
BBC World Service
TX 16/03/2011
Animals, things and corpses on trial during the medieval period.
A rather strange insight into how trials work and their function based on the work of E.P Evans.
Presenter: Frances Fyfield
Reader: Crawford Logan
Producer: Matt Thompson
Radio Times: 'fascinating ' Jane Anderson
The Guardian: 'velvety' Elisabeth Mahoney
Hear it Here...
BBC World Service
TX 16/03/2011
Animals, things and corpses on trial during the medieval period.
A rather strange insight into how trials work and their function based on the work of E.P Evans.
Presenter: Frances Fyfield
Reader: Crawford Logan
Producer: Matt Thompson
Radio Times: 'fascinating ' Jane Anderson
The Guardian: 'velvety' Elisabeth Mahoney
Hear it Here...
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Prix Italia Nomination 2011
Out Counting Sheep
BBC Radio 3 Between The Ears
TX Jan 15th 2011 9pm
Poet James Crowden talks to sheep.
Sheep Vocalisations by Aileen Campbell.
An odd programme.
Out Counting Sheep
BBC Radio 3 Between The Ears
TX Jan 15th 2011 9pm
Poet James Crowden talks to sheep.
Sheep Vocalisations by Aileen Campbell.
An odd programme.
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Checkmate on 3
BBC Radio 3 - 13- 19th Dec 2010
Drama on 3 -The Royal Game by Stefan Zweig 19/12/10 20.00
Adapted by Yolanda Pupo-Thompson - Translation Anthea Bell
Paul Rhys, Kevin Trainor, Rupert Young, Allan Corduner, Hamish Clark, Sandy Grierson, Madeleine Brolly
Music Carl Orff
On location recording and Mix by Joe Acheson of the Hidden Orchestra
Essays
13- 19th Dec 2010
Dr Irving Finkel, Anuradha Roy, Dr David Hendy, Marilyn Yalom, Andrei Kurkov
Sunday Feature - From a King to a Pawn
19/12/10 21.30
presented by David Szalay with the writer John Healy, Frederic Friedel (Hamburg Chess Base) Dr. Irving Finkel (British Museum), Marilyn Yalom (California) William Hartston (Writer), Nigel Short MBE (Grandmaster)
BBC Radio 3 - 13- 19th Dec 2010
Drama on 3 -The Royal Game by Stefan Zweig 19/12/10 20.00
Adapted by Yolanda Pupo-Thompson - Translation Anthea Bell
Paul Rhys, Kevin Trainor, Rupert Young, Allan Corduner, Hamish Clark, Sandy Grierson, Madeleine Brolly
Music Carl Orff
On location recording and Mix by Joe Acheson of the Hidden Orchestra
Essays
13- 19th Dec 2010
Dr Irving Finkel, Anuradha Roy, Dr David Hendy, Marilyn Yalom, Andrei Kurkov
Sunday Feature - From a King to a Pawn
19/12/10 21.30
presented by David Szalay with the writer John Healy, Frederic Friedel (Hamburg Chess Base) Dr. Irving Finkel (British Museum), Marilyn Yalom (California) William Hartston (Writer), Nigel Short MBE (Grandmaster)
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Courtesy of JAXA/NASA - Magic Carpet Flight Manual - interviewee Koichi Wakata flying in space
The Magic Carpet Flight Manual
BBC World Service - tx 24th Sept 2010
'An emblem of what Marina Warner calls “orientalist fantasy”, flying carpets appear more in Hollywood films than the Arabian Nights. But Cathy FitzGerald, the presenter and producer of this enchanting half-hour, maintains a strong sense of magic as she quizzes a St Andrew’s physicist, a Japanese astronaut and a Pakistan-raised engineer who has chronicled their history.
'A lovely programme that looks down at the prayer mat — and up to the stars.' Paul Donovan
Hear The Entire Programme Here
Producer/Presenter Cathy FitzGerald
BBC World Service - tx 24th Sept 2010
'An emblem of what Marina Warner calls “orientalist fantasy”, flying carpets appear more in Hollywood films than the Arabian Nights. But Cathy FitzGerald, the presenter and producer of this enchanting half-hour, maintains a strong sense of magic as she quizzes a St Andrew’s physicist, a Japanese astronaut and a Pakistan-raised engineer who has chronicled their history.
'A lovely programme that looks down at the prayer mat — and up to the stars.' Paul Donovan
Hear The Entire Programme Here
Producer/Presenter Cathy FitzGerald
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Stories of Ray Bradbury
BBC Radio 7 TX 18-22 August 2010 18.00-18.30
To celebrate the 90th birthday of Ray Bradbury
Including less well known stories such as the elegiac 'Golden Apples of the Sun' and oddly memorable 'Tomorrow's Child'.
Reader: Sean Barrett
Director: Matt Thompson
BBC Radio 7 TX 18-22 August 2010 18.00-18.30
To celebrate the 90th birthday of Ray Bradbury
Including less well known stories such as the elegiac 'Golden Apples of the Sun' and oddly memorable 'Tomorrow's Child'.
Reader: Sean Barrett
Director: Matt Thompson
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After a Dancemaker Dies
BBC Radio 3 Sunday Feature TX 8th August 2010 - 22.00-22.45
An urgent and lively documentary asking can - and should - modern dances survive the deaths of their makers.
Merce Cunningham died last summer. So did the German dancetheatre maker Pina Bausch.
This programme visits the Cunningham Studio in New York and Tanztheater Wuppertal to find out from their exceptional movers and shakers (Robert Swinston, Patricia Lent in the US, Dominique Mercy in Germany): What will happen to the dances? What qualities will make a few of their dances live on? Will having a Legacy Plan (as the Merce Cunningham Trust has) help?
Excellent review on The Arts Desk here
After a Dancemaker Dies
Presented by the dance programme-maker: Frances Byrnes
BBC Radio 3 Sunday Feature TX 8th August 2010 - 22.00-22.45
An urgent and lively documentary asking can - and should - modern dances survive the deaths of their makers.
Merce Cunningham died last summer. So did the German dancetheatre maker Pina Bausch.
This programme visits the Cunningham Studio in New York and Tanztheater Wuppertal to find out from their exceptional movers and shakers (Robert Swinston, Patricia Lent in the US, Dominique Mercy in Germany): What will happen to the dances? What qualities will make a few of their dances live on? Will having a Legacy Plan (as the Merce Cunningham Trust has) help?
Excellent review on The Arts Desk here
After a Dancemaker Dies
Presented by the dance programme-maker: Frances Byrnes
Sony Award Award (Bronze) Win 2010 Best Feature
Now Wash Your Hands
repeated on BBC R4 21 May 2010 23.30-24.00
The story of the original Izal medicated in the words of people who have a soft spot for hard toilet paper, and in songs written by the Presenter, Sally Goldsmith, and sung by a Professor of Infectious Diseases and other locals.
Producer: Frances Byrnes
Now Wash Your Hands
Now Wash Your Hands
repeated on BBC R4 21 May 2010 23.30-24.00
The story of the original Izal medicated in the words of people who have a soft spot for hard toilet paper, and in songs written by the Presenter, Sally Goldsmith, and sung by a Professor of Infectious Diseases and other locals.
Producer: Frances Byrnes
Now Wash Your Hands
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Between Two Worlds
BBC Drama on 3 - TX July 25 2010 -
'Gripping - often eerie' Paul Donovan Sunday Times
The real inventor of the radio, Oliver Lodge, used wireless to communicate with the living and the dead. A scientist caught between reason and the world of fraudulent spiritualists.
Extract from Play when Raymond is channelled through Feda
Oliver Lodge: Owen Teale
Mary Lodge: Amanda Root
Raymond Lodge: Sandy Grierson
Honor Lodge: Madeleine Worrall
Alec Lodge: Jim Webster-Stewart
Mrs Kennedy, Lawrence, Piper: Caroline Strong
Mrs Leonard and 'FEDA': Madeleine Brolly
Myers, Padre and other parts: Crawford Logan
Waitress: Catherine Fitzgerald
Sound Design: Joe Acheson
Director: Matt Thompson
Writer: Adrian Bean
Historical Consultant & Co-writer: David Hendy
Archive Extract of Oliver Lodge Speaking
Featured on BBC Radio 4's Pick of the Week
BBC Drama on 3 - TX July 25 2010 -
'Gripping - often eerie' Paul Donovan Sunday Times
The real inventor of the radio, Oliver Lodge, used wireless to communicate with the living and the dead. A scientist caught between reason and the world of fraudulent spiritualists.
Extract from Play when Raymond is channelled through Feda
Oliver Lodge: Owen Teale
Mary Lodge: Amanda Root
Raymond Lodge: Sandy Grierson
Honor Lodge: Madeleine Worrall
Alec Lodge: Jim Webster-Stewart
Mrs Kennedy, Lawrence, Piper: Caroline Strong
Mrs Leonard and 'FEDA': Madeleine Brolly
Myers, Padre and other parts: Crawford Logan
Waitress: Catherine Fitzgerald
Sound Design: Joe Acheson
Director: Matt Thompson
Writer: Adrian Bean
Historical Consultant & Co-writer: David Hendy
Archive Extract of Oliver Lodge Speaking
Featured on BBC Radio 4's Pick of the Week
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Rewiring the Mind
BBC Radio 3 14-18 June 2010
Essays on media and the making of the modern mind written and presented by Professor David Hendy.
The historian of broadcasting explores the ways in which the electronic media have shaped the modern mind.
Extract from programme 2
Featured on BBC Radio 4's Pick of the Week
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TX 26 May 2010
Sun Tzu's classic book and the lessons for those involved in modern asymmetric warfare.
Julian Putkoswki presents
Hear it here BBC Page
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The Ballet Russe in England
TX 23/2/10 11.30am Part 2 2/3/10 BBC Radio 4
What did Britain do for Diaghilev? And vice versa.
Presented by Jane Pritchard of the V.&A. Museum.
Produced by Frances Byrnes.
Extract Programme 1
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Recording echoes on location at The Old Manse, Pentcaitland, Scotland
Extract of John Bett as Rev. Gilbert White
The Hybernaculum
Original TX 23 August 2009 - 90'
Drama on 3 - BBC Radio 3
A day in the life of Rev Gilbert White.
Written by Yolanda Pupo-Thompson
Starring John Bett
Sound design: Joe Acheson
Gilbert White was played by John Bett, Molly White by Madeleine Worrall, John Mulso by Simon Scott, Dr Chandler and Thomas Hoare by Crawford Logan, Hecky Chapone by Hilary Neville, Tom White - William Neville-Towle, The Boys by Sebastian Coke, Thomas O'Brien and Carlos Williams.
The sound design was by Joe Acheson who also played the spinet. And the spinet Joe played is an historic instrument from The Raymond Russell Collection of Instruments at the University of Edinburgh.
Reviews:
THE STAGE
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
Original TX 23 August 2009 - 90'
Drama on 3 - BBC Radio 3
A day in the life of Rev Gilbert White.
Written by Yolanda Pupo-Thompson
Starring John Bett
Sound design: Joe Acheson
Gilbert White was played by John Bett, Molly White by Madeleine Worrall, John Mulso by Simon Scott, Dr Chandler and Thomas Hoare by Crawford Logan, Hecky Chapone by Hilary Neville, Tom White - William Neville-Towle, The Boys by Sebastian Coke, Thomas O'Brien and Carlos Williams.
The sound design was by Joe Acheson who also played the spinet. And the spinet Joe played is an historic instrument from The Raymond Russell Collection of Instruments at the University of Edinburgh.
Reviews:
THE STAGE
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH