A fascinating experiment in sound that I can see wowing audiences at audio festivals. But more food for the perennial debate ? ?Yes, but is it good radio??
And the only answer I can give is ?I don?t know ? have a listen and judge for yourself.?
I was fascinated by the story of a romance developing in silence ? so fascinated that I found myself getting frustrated that I was missing parts of it because of the distraction of the overlapping sound fragments, so I went back for a re-listen. You don?t get a second chance on radio but if you?re listening over the Net, no problem.
I loved the texture of the piece, the quiet voices talking about their love of silence, their learning to love in silence, and her later rebellion against it. But basically I?m in love with plot ? I want the story and my ears were forever trying to run in opposite directions ? I wanted to hear that bit about Bob who still lives in silence but this stuff about chalk kept interrupting ? why chalk boards? Do I have to hear about chalk? It turns out it is important to the story, but I only got that on the second listen.
This programme is like the Italo Calvino novel ?Once Upon a Winter?s night a Traveller?? a series of compelling stories each one building up the tension and when you?re hooked, abruptly stop and move onto the next story.
Editors will have to make their own choices on this one, choices that will be shaped by their radio philosophies ? the braver, more artistically inclined, experimental ones will love it, the commercial ones won?t.