The Radio Drama Company is a company of actors formed by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1939, at the beginning of the Second World War. It is sometimes referred to as RDC, or the Rep, a survival from its original name, the Drama Repertory Company.[1]
The cast of the company changes every six months, and auditions are held for the Carleton Hobbs Bursary, primarily for students graduating from drama courses, to recruit between four and six new members every year. There is also a Norman Beaton Fellowship to bring in actors from non-traditional backgrounds.
The company has its origins in a short-lived BBC Repertory Drama Company formed in January 1930, but paid off after a few months. For some years BBC Radio and BBC Television simply hired all the actors they needed by the day. However, with the approach of the Second World War, the key executive, Val Gielgud, head of productions at BBC Radio, proposed that an in-house company of actors would be a useful thing to have in time of war. BBC Television was taken off the air on 1 September 1939 and did not return until some years later.[2] According to one source, in September 1939, with the war now declared, actors were hired for a new radio company and sent to live and work at the Wood Norton Broadcasting Centre. Some actors took their families with them and even their pets, Gielgud himself bringing his cats with him.[3] Another source states that this happened in 1940.[4]
21st centuryedit
In 2015, Rebecca Wilmshurst, BBC production executive for Radio Drama, wrote an article to celebrate the seventy-five years' existence of the company. In the course of this, she boasted that "If your radio script requires actors to be mice, ants, naiads or dryads, men morphing into hares, maggots in a fisherman’s sack, or even a tray of fancy cakes – look no further than to the Radio Drama Company."[3]
The cast of the company changes every six months. Auditions are held for the Carleton Hobbs Bursary, in memory of the veteran actor Carleton Hobbs (1898–1978), primarily for students graduating from drama courses, with the aim of recruiting between four and six new members of the Radio Drama Company every year. Those chosen receive a contract of employment for six months, and some runners-up are also offered work in particular productions.[4]
The company aims to build links with theatre companies all over Britain, to develop new talent for radio and also to encourage applicants for its Norman Beaton Fellowship, which has the aim of bringing in actors "from non-traditional training backgrounds" and ethnic minorities. It encourages applications by letter from actors wishing to be auditioned.[5]
Until 1997 two bursaries were awarded each year, in 1998 the number was increased to six, and then in 2003 it fell back to five and in 2004 to four.[6]
^The edit that rewrote history, Russ J. Graham, Transdiffusion, 31 October 2005, accessed 24 January 2018
^ ab75 Years of the BBC Radio Drama Company, Rebecca Wilmshurst, BBC, 1 June 2015, accessed 15 January 2018.
^ abcdefghijklmn"Radio and audio book companies", in Lloyd Trott, (Ed.) Actors and Performers Yearbook 2016 (12th edition, London: Bloomsbury, 2015) pp. 353–354 ISBN978-1-4742-3976-9
^Lloyd Trott, (Ed.) Actors and Performers Yearbook 2015 (11th edition, London: Bloomsbury, 2014), p. 574 ISBN9781472571953
^ abcdefghijklmnCarleton Hobbs Bursary winners, BBC, 17 June 2014, accessed 23 January 2018
^John Forrest: Actor, painter and magician who worked with David Lean and Lord Olivier, The Independent, 24 May 2012
^"Inspector Chen: A Case Of Two Cities". BBC. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
^"Congratulations! I got to work with the RDC for 3-4 years doing the inspector Chen series. Every one was really warm, welcoming and they showed me the ropes, especially how to "poppadom" your script pages". 10 January 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.[self-published]
^Starting out with the BBC Radio Drama Company, BBC, 5 May 2015, accessed 15 January 2018
Works cited
Val Gielgud, British Radio Drama, 1922–1956 (London, George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd, 1957)
External linksedit
Carleton Hobbs Bursary winners at BBC.co.uk
An Actor's Guide to Getting Radio Work at spotlight.com
May 08, 2024
radio, drama, company, company, actors, formed, british, broadcasting, corporation, 1939, beginning, second, world, sometimes, referred, survival, from, original, name, drama, repertory, company, company, typecompany, actorsindustryradio, broadcastingpredecess. The Radio Drama Company is a company of actors formed by the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC in 1939 at the beginning of the Second World War It is sometimes referred to as RDC or the Rep a survival from its original name the Drama Repertory Company 1 Radio Drama CompanyCompany typeCompany of actorsIndustryRadio broadcastingPredecessorRepertory Drama CompanyFounderVal GielgudArea servedWorld The cast of the company changes every six months and auditions are held for the Carleton Hobbs Bursary primarily for students graduating from drama courses to recruit between four and six new members every year There is also a Norman Beaton Fellowship to bring in actors from non traditional backgrounds Contents 1 History 2 21st century 3 Carleton Hobbs Bursary winners 4 Notable members 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe company has its origins in a short lived BBC Repertory Drama Company formed in January 1930 but paid off after a few months For some years BBC Radio and BBC Television simply hired all the actors they needed by the day However with the approach of the Second World War the key executive Val Gielgud head of productions at BBC Radio proposed that an in house company of actors would be a useful thing to have in time of war BBC Television was taken off the air on 1 September 1939 and did not return until some years later 2 According to one source in September 1939 with the war now declared actors were hired for a new radio company and sent to live and work at the Wood Norton Broadcasting Centre Some actors took their families with them and even their pets Gielgud himself bringing his cats with him 3 Another source states that this happened in 1940 4 21st century editIn 2015 Rebecca Wilmshurst BBC production executive for Radio Drama wrote an article to celebrate the seventy five years existence of the company In the course of this she boasted that If your radio script requires actors to be mice ants naiads or dryads men morphing into hares maggots in a fisherman s sack or even a tray of fancy cakes look no further than to the Radio Drama Company 3 The cast of the company changes every six months Auditions are held for the Carleton Hobbs Bursary in memory of the veteran actor Carleton Hobbs 1898 1978 primarily for students graduating from drama courses with the aim of recruiting between four and six new members of the Radio Drama Company every year Those chosen receive a contract of employment for six months and some runners up are also offered work in particular productions 4 The company aims to build links with theatre companies all over Britain to develop new talent for radio and also to encourage applicants for its Norman Beaton Fellowship which has the aim of bringing in actors from non traditional training backgrounds and ethnic minorities It encourages applications by letter from actors wishing to be auditioned 5 Carleton Hobbs Bursary winners editMain article List of Carleton Hobbs Bursary winners Until 1997 two bursaries were awarded each year in 1998 the number was increased to six and then in 2003 it fell back to five and in 2004 to four 6 Notable members editBessie Love 1898 1986 7 Norman Bird 1924 2005 4 Edward Kelsey 1930 2019 6 John Forrest 1931 2012 8 Patrick Godfrey born 1933 6 Jeremy Kemp 1935 2019 6 Ann Beach 1938 2017 4 Nerys Hughes born 1941 6 Petronella Barker born 1942 6 Clive Merrison born 1945 6 Anthony Daniels born 1946 4 Carolyn Pickles born 1952 4 Timothy Bentinck born 1953 6 Janet Maw born 1954 4 Joanna Monro born 1956 4 Alex Jennings born 1957 4 Ben Onwukwe born 1957 4 Suzanna Hamilton born 1960 4 Adjoa Andoh born 1963 4 Stephen Tompkinson born 1965 4 Emma Fielding born 1966 4 Mark Bonnar born 1968 6 Annabel Mullion born 1969 6 Jamie Zubairi born 1972 9 10 Lydia Leonard born 1981 6 Joseph Kloska born 1983 11 Robert Lonsdale born 1983 6 Ella Smith born 1983 6 Emerald O Hanrahan born 1987 6 References editCitations Gielgud 1957 p 193 The edit that rewrote history Russ J Graham Transdiffusion 31 October 2005 accessed 24 January 2018 a b 75 Years of the BBC Radio Drama Company Rebecca Wilmshurst BBC 1 June 2015 accessed 15 January 2018 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Radio and audio book companies in Lloyd Trott Ed Actors and Performers Yearbook 2016 12th edition London Bloomsbury 2015 pp 353 354 ISBN 978 1 4742 3976 9 Lloyd Trott Ed Actors and Performers Yearbook 2015 11th edition London Bloomsbury 2014 p 574 ISBN 9781472571953 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Carleton Hobbs Bursary winners BBC 17 June 2014 accessed 23 January 2018 Gielgud 1957 p 194 John Forrest Actor painter and magician who worked with David Lean and Lord Olivier The Independent 24 May 2012 Inspector Chen A Case Of Two Cities BBC Retrieved 25 December 2021 Congratulations I got to work with the RDC for 3 4 years doing the inspector Chen series Every one was really warm welcoming and they showed me the ropes especially how to poppadom your script pages 10 January 2021 Retrieved 25 December 2021 self published Starting out with the BBC Radio Drama Company BBC 5 May 2015 accessed 15 January 2018 Works cited Val Gielgud British Radio Drama 1922 1956 London George G Harrap amp Co Ltd 1957 External links editCarleton Hobbs Bursary winners at BBC co uk An Actor s Guide to Getting Radio Work at spotlight com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Radio Drama Company amp oldid 1196241386, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
