Celebrating World Audio Drama Day 2023 ...

It's that time of year again ... when we celebrate all things AUDIO DRAMA!

It's 33 years since my very first AUDIO DRAMA/RADIO DRAMA a radio play called 'THE PEOPLE'S WOMAN' directed by the much missed PHILIP MARTIN for BBC RADIO all the way back in 1990... It was an important moment in my fledgling career and I'm very grateful to have continued working in audio drama for over 30 years now - huzzah!

I'm also grateful to now LECTURE & DIRECT students in the DARK ARTS OF AUDIO DRAMA at some of the countries leading universities and drama schools, long may that continue too! I get so much from passing whatever knowledge I've acquired over the years to the next generation of radio/audio actors ... Oh and I'm glad to say that I haven't stopped working myself in this world and I'm still learning!

Linktree linktr.ee/SeanConnolly

 Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

'Mahabharata Now' - Episodes 3 & 4 - The saga continues on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 15th & 22nd October 2023 ...

I am delighted to be a small part within this RADIO ADAPTATION of 'THE MAHABHARATA', an epic that comprises one hundred thousand stanzas of verse divided into eighteen books, or parvas. It is the largest single literary work in existence. In Episodes 3 & 4 - Yash and Padma arrive in Manchester to begin their four year exile. I pop up as the WAREHOUSE SUPERVISOR in Episode 3 and in Episode 4 I can be heard playing a myriad of characters ... 

You can listen to 'MAHABHARATA NOW' on Sunday 15th & 22nd October 2023 at 3pm on BBC RADIO 4 ...

As previously mentioned across some of my socials, the recording session was an extraordinary happening, bringing a whole new meaning to the idea of 'remote' recordings. The UK-based cast recorded from LONDON at THE SOUNDHOUSE studios, linked up to the MUMBAI cast some 4,500 MILES AWAY. It all worked a treat, amazing really with the added bonus that the productions carbon footprint would be tiny by avoiding those long plane flights!! 

'MAHABHARATA NOW' was written by Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle, produced by Helen Quigley and Andrew Mark Sewell and the director was Jatinder Verma ...

Here are the full production credits ...

Cast:

Dhruv: Neil Bhoopalam

Yash: Tavish Bhattacharyya

Padma: Ira Dubey

Shaks: Vivek Madan

Karthik: Sukant Goel

Gopi: Mina Anwar

Nyra: Abir Abrar

Swati: Rina Fatania

Emmi: Ayla Wheatley

Landlord: Dean Harris

Andy: Kenny Blyth

Warehouse Supervisor: Sean Connolly

Other characters played by Abir Abrar, Omkar Kulkarni, Devika Shahani Punjabi and Prerna Chawla

Sound Supervisor (Mumbai): Ayush Ahuja

Sound Design and Post Production: Wilfredo Acosta

Original Music: Imran Ahmad

Written by Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle

Producer (Mumbai): Nadir Khan

Producer(s): Helen Quigley and Andrew Mark Sewell

Director: Jatinder Verma

A B7 Media production for BBC Radio 4

It promises to be an enthralling couple of episodes, can't wait to hear it for the first time this Sunday ... 

Linktree linktr.ee/SeanConnolly

 Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

FIREWORKS FLY in new B7 Media/BBC Radio 4 RADIO DRAMA - 'BARRED' - Saturday 6th Nov - BBC Radio 4 at 3pm ...

You can be sure of FIREWORKS when you tune in TOMORROW at 3pm on BBC RADIO 4 ... 'BARRED' is a contemporary thriller about a young black barrister trying to establish her career. 

TAMIKA (played by the wonderful KERRI MCLEAN) starts at Tudor Chambers full of hope and idealism - only to be confronted by some harsh truths about the broken criminal justice system and the integrity of some of her colleagues.

Rather surprisingly to me - I play a police officer for the very first time, I was almost certain that I had been an 'officer of the law' previously but no!!

The large cast includes; KERRI MCLEAN ('Line of Duty', 'Poldark'), SUSANNAH HARKER (perhaps best known playing Jane Bennet in the 1995 TV adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice’), ANDREW LANCEL ('Cardiac Arrest', 'Coronation Street'), ALI BASTIAN ('Hollyoaks', 'The Bill, 'Doctors') and ANDREW WINCOTT (Adam Macy in 'The Archers') who I had previously worked alongside on some video game but more recently (but still nearly a decade ago on 'The Archers') where I (as KEITH HORROBIN) was involved with the gang who hospitalised his character ADAM! There is of course a supremely talented supporting cast too ...

It's a cracking HOUR LONG DRAMA and I am privileged to be a part of it. After its first transmission TOMORROW it'll be available ON DEMAND on the BBC iPlayer here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0011bg6

It was also extra special as we recorded it back in an actual radio drama studio ...

The drama was written by THANDI LUBIMBI and RICHARD KURTI and was directed by ANDREW MARK SEWELL.

'BARRED' is a B7 MEDIA production for BBC RADIO 4.

Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

Celebrating World Audio Drama Day 2021!!

CELEBRATING WORLD AUDIO DRAMA DAY 2021!! As an actor, audio drama has been such an important part of my professional life for over 30 years now. THANK GOODNESS FOR IT!! 

I love it that much - I also teach it at some of the country's best universities and drama schools!!

Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

"I think I was the only one I hadn't heard of!" - 'BOLLYWOOD JANE' gets a radio repeat ...

 JOANNE FROGGATT, SEAN CONNOLLY and KATHERINE DOW BLYTON some of the cast of AMANDA WHITTINGTON'S radio adaptation of 'BOLLYWOOD JANE' in 2007 ...

A lovely surprise to start the week ... BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA are repeating the 2008 radio adaptation of AMANDA WHITTINGTON'S successful stage play 'BOLLYWOOD JANE' ...

Amongst the cast are GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER and 'DOWNTON ABBEY' star JOANNE FROGGATT, 'EMMERDALE' actress KATHERINE DOW BLYTON, SACHA DHAWAN from 'IN THE CLUB' and 'MR SELFRIDGE' and 'CASUALTY' and 'STELLA' actor PAL ARON ... Quite the starry cast, I think I was the only one I hadn't heard of!!

PAL ARON and SACHA DHAWAN complete the cast of AMANDA WHIITINGTON'S radio play 'BOLLYWOOD JANE' ...

So when's it on ..? Well the first of the 5 EPISODES went out this afternoon on BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA but is instantly available on the BBC iPLAYER RADIO, the rest of the 15 MINUTE DRAMA instalments coming on Tuesday through to Friday of this week at 2.30PM and 2.30AM daily. There is also an Special OMNIBUS of ALL 5 EPISODES on SUNDAY 27TH NOVEMBER @ 6AM & 1PM, then MONDAY 28TH NOVEMBER @ 1AM. So .. no excuse not to give a listen.

I play MAC, a six foot plus - well meaning builder in the drama ('anything' is possible in radio drama!). I have very happy memories of the recordings back in 2007. Original air date was in 2008.

Director was KATE CHAPMAN ...

BBC Radio Drama 'SCORCHED' by Nicola Jones is repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra and is now available on the Radio iPlayer.

The BBC Radio production 'SCORCHED' written by Nicola Jones and produced and directed by Peter Leslie Wild is enjoying a welcome repeat run at the moment. Starring Tom Roberts and Kim Wall, it was repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra on Friday 3rd April and now it's available for another 24 days on the BBC's Radio iPlayer here ... I play the cameo role of the Taxi Driver towards the start of the play. Great to hear it again ... 

Merry Christmas from Sean and BBC Radio 4 Drama Serial 'HOME FRONT' ...

Sean performs a Christmas Carol in the BBC Radio Drama Serial 'HOME FRONT'.

In an attempt not to ruin your festive period, here's a little prior notice about my involvement in an episode of BBC Radio 4's World War One drama serial 'Home Front'. Rather than being heard in my regular guise of Folkestone baker Ernie Moore, in the episode transmitting tomorrow 23rd December 2014 called '23 December 1914 - Sylvia Graham' at about 9 minutes in you should hear a lone voice singing 'It Came Upon The Midnight Clear', it MAY remind you of someone!! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04vdzy5?fb_ref=Default

See you on the outside!! Sean's time as Keith Horrobin in 'THE ARCHERS' Spin-Off 'AMBRIDGE EXTRA' ends today.

Taking Ambridge!!!

This is the last opportunity to hear me as KEITH HORROBIN in ‘THE ARCHERS’ spin-off show ‘AMBRIDGE EXTRA’ - Series 4 on BBC Radio 4 Extra at 2.15pm today. 
Keith will continue his jail sentence for conspiracy and arson after he burned down David and Ruth Archers barn last summer, in a storyline which became known as 'Farmagedden'! 
I am looking forward to Keith’s release for obvious reasons. Watch this space for further news!!