成人论坛

Faebian Averies is the current Wales Writer in Residence with 成人论坛 Wales, National Theatre Wales and 成人论坛 Writersroom. She describes how her winning script "The Lemonade Lads" was produced as a Radio Drama for 成人论坛 Radio 4 during lockdown.

The Lemonade Lads is due to be broadcast today, Monday 19th July on 成人论坛 Radio 4 and on 成人论坛 Sounds. My mum said she’s getting scones in for the event. I said it’s about lemonade - she said she prefers scones.

It doesn’t seem ages ago when I was walking back to my parent’s house to tell them I’d won Wales Writer in Residence. 成人论坛 Wales had told me they wanted to interview me about being shortlisted for the award but when I arrived, they ushered me into the studio, put me on air and told me I’d won. I think the video footage of me winning sheds some light on how overwhelmed (and inarticulate about it) I was. It’s been an incredible journey so far and I urge people to apply to these schemes as I never thought I’d win and it really has allowed me the proper time and support to develop my career.

I went into my first meeting with 成人论坛 Radio Drama in Wales around December last year and I think what I quickly realised was how interesting writing for radio is. I’d performed a few of my own monologues for audio but aside from that I had been writing a lot for screen up until that point, having spent the year prior in 成人论坛 Writersroom Welsh Voices, so for radio I had to start learning how to write for a relatively new medium to me.

The 成人论坛 sent me a huge archive of audio dramas and for about a week I exclusively wore headphones seeing how radio worked from a writing perspective. I then learnt how amazing it is to go from the idea, to working on the script, to it being recorded and then to hear all the magic that is created by post-production. I’ve really loved that - hearing it come to life - I think audio is such an immersive, unique platform for storytelling and it’s safe to say I’ve fallen quite in love with it.

This play is a product of lockdown in a way, not so much in its subject matter, but its entire conception, process and recording took place remotely. I’d actually met my director, James Robinson, in real life at a Welsh Voices session but for this project we did everything over zoom. The biggest challenge for me was the distractions that come with working from home. In fact, as I write this the building work that went on during the time I was writing and recording The Lemonade Lads is still in full swing, and I’m thinking back to last Christmas when I was putting together the first seeds of this story, shopping online for ear defenders, whilst everyone working remotely across the country was trying to concentrate through their own working from home distractions.

James and I did all the redrafts over email and zoom and then when it came to recording, the cast and production team were in their homes, everyone surrounded by several pillows (Connor Allen by a whole mattress, Steffan Rhodri in a tent), crossing our fingers for as minimal external noise as possible. Luckily, we weren’t interrupted too much and over the course of the two recording days it was an unbelievable joy to hear the words that I’d written tucked away in my bedroom being said by an amazing cast who breathed so much life into the story.

So, as I sit listening to The Lemonade Lads being broadcast into people’s living rooms on Monday, nervously working my way through several scones - I will be thinking of how very grateful I am to all the people who helped get my work to this point. The panel for the Wales Writer in Residence Award, Helen Perry (former Development Producer for 成人论坛 Writersroom Wales), James Robinson, the production team, the amazing actors and the glorious people who sell ear defenders online. It’s been an overwhelming experience for me and I have developed a deep appreciation for a medium that is so rewarding for a writer to work in.

Listen to The Lemonade Lads on 成人论坛 Radio 4 on Monday 19th July 2021 from 2pm or on 成人论坛 Sounds

Find out more about Faebian Averies on our blog

Keep an eye out on our website and social media for announcements about the next Wales Writer in Residence opportunity