Strictly star answers The Call!
Audio drama is set in Potteries
FORMER Strictly Come Dancing star Mark Benton has been revealed as the lead actor in a new Potteries-set audio drama – after recording his part in a ‘makeshift booth’ at home.
The popular actor, who has also appeared in TV shows Waterloo Road, Early Doors and Shakespeare and Hathaway, plays DJ Sam Griffin in five-part series The Call.
The 15-minute episodes feature Sam, his studio producer Harri and a mysterious caller who keeps ringing the fictional radio station Kiln FM, asking to speak to him.
Each episode also has an individual story, connecting a listener to the radio show.
It has been put together by citybased Claybody Theatre, who have produced acclaimed live drama inspired by the Potteries, following success with their Dirty Laundry podcast in April.
Director Conrad Nelson said: “In this time of crisis, with live theatre impossible, we still wanted to carry on making drama somehow.
“In difficult times we turn to the arts to get us through, and it was really important to us that we were able to make something for our audience.
“As it happened we had just recorded our first drama podcast Dirty Laundry at the beginning of the year, and this was scheduled for release in April – at the start of lockdown.
“Audiences loved it, and so making another podcast felt like absolutely the right thing to do.
“Dirty Laundry was an adaptation of one of our stage productions, but this time we wanted to create a new and modern drama.
“We have assembled an amazing creative team of writers, actors, and another director to share the workload. Our highly experienced sound designer Andy Partington has enabled the whole thing to be recorded remotely by actors in their bedrooms.
“Even our star, Mark Benton, was in a makeshift booth at home. However, thanks to Andy’s technical brilliance, you won’t be able to tell when you listen.”
Claybody creative director Deborah Mcandrew teamed up with Nick Ahad, Victoria Brazier,
Michael Southan and Georgia Affonso to write the scripts.
The drama sees Kiln FM’S flagship Breakfast Show under threat from big media owners as it’s one of the few locally-produced shows on the network.
Award-winning playwright Deborah said: “This is first time I have led a team of writers to create a new drama, and it has been an amazing experience.
“Nick, Victoria, Michael and
Georgia have been wonderful to work with, and I’m certain the audience will enjoy the individual stories they have created in episodes one to four, and their distinct voices.
“For my own part, I’ve really enjoyed creating the characters of Sam, Harri, Jules, and the mysterious Bev.”
The dramas feature local actors Francesca Mills, Mona Goodwin, James Masters and Benedict Shaw,
plus recognisable Claybody Theatre and New Vic performers such as Andrew Pollard and Michael Hugo from the hugely popular Around the World in 80 Days.
The fictional radio station has been sponsored by local sheet metal fabrication firm KMF.
■ The dramas will air on claybodytheatre.com from November 2-6 (7.30pm). It is free to listen and episodes will remain online for three months.