Output details
34 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
University of Wolverhampton
“Ray Bradbury and BBC Radio: 1971 to 2007”
Brief Description
This chapter examines dramatists’ methods of adapting visually evocative short stories for the medium of radio, focusing on a number of prose works by the American author Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) which have each been adapted multiple times for different media since 1971. The research explores practical solutions to issues of medium–specificity, and the challenges of realising visually descriptive prose largely through dramatic dialogue and soundscapes.
Research Rationale
Bradbury is among the most frequently adapted American authors of short fiction on British radio, yet little research has been undertaken into the appeal of his work for the medium or the audience, nor for the issues arising in adaptation. The paper follows on from and complements Nichols’ earlier peer-reviewed journal article which examined Bradbury’s relationship with BBC Radio up to 1970 (Nichols, P. (2007) “A Sympathy with Sounds: Ray Bradbury and BBC Radio, 1951–1970.” Radio Journal 4, no. 1–3 (published November 2007; cover date 2006).
Strategies Undertaken
The chapter draws on original interviews conducted with leading radio dramatists, on examination of archive recordings, and on close reading of short story texts.
