Skip to main contentEnter
Join 8,080+ people who care about this town
Ipswich.co.uk logoSupport our work
News

Suffolk radio history preserved through new play by visually impaired actors

Oral histories from Radio Orwell 257 have inspired "Living On Air", a new production featuring twelve actors living with sight loss.

The big picture: Suffolk-based performing arts company Cohere Arts has developed the play through its visually impaired drama company High Spirits, following research conducted with Suffolk Archives.

Living on Air
Living on Air(Cohere Arts)

The details: Living On Air draws audiences into the world of Radio Bardwell, a fictitious local radio station serving the Suffolk community, described as "an absurd romp through local radio and the sexual politics of the 1970s".

Behind the scenes: Last year, the cast collected oral histories through community story-collecting events at Ipswich venues, capturing recollections from former listeners, presenters and employees of Radio Orwell 257.

What they're saying: Emma Bernard, writer and director of Living On Air, reflected: "The 1970s was an exciting era for local radio, and it has been so wonderful to be able to draw on people's experiences of Ipswich's beloved Radio Orwell when making this play. However, any similarities with our Radio Bardwell are purely coincidental!"

For your diary: Performances will be held at the Sir John Mills Theatre in Ipswich from Saturday, 12 April to Sunday, 13 April.

Accessibility focus: All performances will be fully accessible, with BSL interpretation and integrated audio description.

The background: The play was developed with funding from Arts Council England and The National Heritage Lottery Fund, with support from New Wolsey Theatre and Eastern Angles.

The bottom line: "Living On Air" offers a unique opportunity to experience local history through inclusive theatre, with tickets available at easternangles.co.uk/event/living-on-air.

You can read it for free thanks to the generous support of Evolve Business Solutions and Ipswich Sports Club

Despite a lack of promotion, the big reveal drew a good crowd of passersby

We're regenerating Ipswich – but we can't do it without you!

People tell us every day that our work matters – that it's making Ipswich better; that it's needed. But our work costs money, and unlike the Ipswich Star, we're not funded by national advertisers or owned by corporate US overlords. For just £4.75 a month, you can help fund our mission to restore pride of place and accelerate the much-needed regeneration of the town we call home.
Become a member →

In other news...

News

From heroin to ketamine: How Suffolk's drug use is changing

Drug consumption habits in Suffolk are shifting, with people moving away from opiates such as heroin and towards cocaine, ketamine and crack – and a new report warns the county is also facing a growing threat from synthetic opioids 500 times stronger than heroin.
byand
Continue reading →
News

Suffolk councillor backs National Year of Reading

A Suffolk County Council cabinet member has pledged her support for the National Year of Reading and visited a local library on World Book Day to join a session for babies and toddlers.
by
Continue reading →
News

Ipswich man charged with murder after woman found dead

An Ipswich man has been charged with murder following the death of a 28-year-old woman whose body was found at a Russet Road address in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
by
Continue reading →
News

Anglia Retail Park to get 24 new EV chargers

Anglia Retail Park is set to nearly triple its electric vehicle charging capacity, with 24 new chargers to be installed alongside the Lidl store.
by
Continue reading →
Load more content
Our journalism is free thanks to
Our journalism is free thanks to
Want our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday?

Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter?

If you haven’t, you really should. You’ll get our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday afternoon, just in time for the weekend. You can unsubscribe at any time, although 99.7% of people don’t.

  • Lee Walker
  • Joe Bailey of Brighten the Corners
  • Mark Hubert
8,080+ people are already loving it