Audible, a world-wide leader in spoken-word entertainment and the National Theatre (NT) have today announced a new audio series, New Voices, in association with the NT’s New Views.
Audible are the Official Audio Partner for New Views, the National Theatre’s annual playwriting programme for 14 – 19-year-olds. New Views supports students as they write original plays with training from teachers. Each year, one play is selected to be produced at the NT, with a professional cast and crew, alongside rehearsed readings of an additional eight shortlisted plays.
New Voices from Audible and the NT is a series of four short plays originally written for New Views, from Mia Galanti, Jamila Salim, Ellie Jayne Sharman and Alice Schofield, four young playwrights from across the UK. The four scripts have been developed as audio plays and are available to stream now.
The four plays are:
Bus Stops by Mia Galanti (shortlisted for New Views 2021)
Jack never introduced his best friend Harry and his girlfriend Carter. So, when he dies suddenly, after an attack at a bus stop, he leaves them both alone in their grief. Hating and resenting each other doesn’t help.
Colour Inside the Lines by Jamila Salim (shortlisted for New Views 2021)
Khalil and Bo are best friends forever. They do everything together, and plan to attend the same art school. When their work is tested, though, so is their friendship. A modern fable about growing up and questioning your values.
Childhood, War and Love by Ellie Jayne Sharman (shortlisted for New Views 2021)
Set against the backdrop of the Trojan War, Patroclus meets and befriends the godlike Achilles, and finds him remarkably human. An ageless tale of honour and duty and love.
If We Were Older by Alice Schofield (New Views 2018 winner)
An old woman looks on as two young women hold hands on the Northern Line. When Daisy challenges Maggie for judging her, a world of memory opens up for them both. Being a lesbian was impossible back in the sixties, wasn’t it? And it’s so much easier now, isn’t it?
Kevin Addley, UK Country Manager at Audible said of the four winning plays, “At Audible we are proud to champion new voices and invest in the next generation of writing and acting talent. Each New Voices playwright has a fascinating and unique perspective, and we are honoured to work with the National Theatre to produce the four plays, allowing listeners to get an insight into the lives of young people today. We hope this audio series encourages more emerging playwrights to share their work and look to audio as an exciting opportunity in the dramatic arts.”
Alice King-Farlow, National Theatre Director of Learning said, “At the National Theatre we are committed to supporting young writers across the UK and developing new talent in the theatre industry. We are delighted that through our partnership with Audible we can now share this brilliant new audio series to showcase the work of talented young playwrights who have taken part in our New Views playwrighting programme and ensure that the voices of the next generation are heard far and wide”.
Audible is the Official Audio Partner of New Views, the National Theatre’s annual playwriting programme. The latest collaboration between the NT and Audible around New Voices, marks the most recent investment from Audible in the performing arts and their ambition to support the next generation of playwrights. The partnership enables young writers to adapt their New Views scripts and publish them in audio form, amplifying their productions visibility and availability.
The participants are supported throughout the process by the NT and Audible and gain invaluable experience in the production and development of audio content. Audible has also worked with the London Academy of Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and The Identity School of Acting, to develop a new generation of voice actors and to diversify the stories being told in audio.
