Creating A Radio Play

Creating a Radio Play
You will be creating your own radio play. Before you

start...
1. Carefully read the Google slide document ‘Writing a

Radio Play’
2. Watch the 2 clips.
There is guidance below on what to write and how to

write it. Read all of the 6 help pages before you begin.
Your play can be as long as you like but it must be at
least 5 minutes in performance. You will need to read
through and time it as you write.
Good Luck!
Guidance One
Decide on the genre (type) of drama you want to create.
Radio allows you to have any setting, so it could be sci-
fi, fantasy or horror- no need to worry about the budget!
We do not have to have set design, costumes, make-up,
lighting etc so we can be as imaginative as we like.
Guidance Two
Create a mind map of ideas. There are some
suggestions and starters below but you might have an
original idea of your own. The situation we find
ourselves in now is a wonderful idea for a play!
Guidance Three
The narrative (story) is going to be important- keep it
fairly simple. Too much complication and you will end up
confusing yourself. Start simple and you can add
complexity but it is hard to do this the other way round.
People love stories about other people, we also like to
read about situations which relate to us, so don’t
underestimate your own experience and point of view.
Guidance Four
Take great care with your dialogue. Every word is
important in any play but in radio we have no visual
clues- we can’t see where we are, what the characters
are wearing, their age etc so sound and words are vital.
Guidance Five
Music can denote time, emotion, location and is a
brilliant addition to radio plays. Want to signify that we
are in WWII? How about a Glen Miller Track? Want to
suggest we are France? An accordian could do
this.India? A sitar. Russia? A balalaika.
Guidance Six
All plays are meant to be read- once you have a good
working draft, see if members of your household will
help you to ‘perform’ out loud. They can guide you on
what to add and how to redraft.
Extension Task
Can you actually record the play? Not everyone will be
able to and that is fine. However, if you can do this your
teacher would love to hear them!
Radio Play Scenario Ideas

● Someone overseas, maybe in a war, writes
home, Use the letters sent back and forth to
link scenes split between the soldier and the
family at home. Add to this with dialogue.
You could research real life stories for this.
● Simply, a play entitled ‘Lockdown’. Maybe

focusing on a weekly facetime with different
members of the same family or the story of
someone who is completely on their own.
● Or this could be your autobiographical account

of what is happening to you.
● A horror story
● Maybe in an abandoned place which is usually

very busy. I always think that a school at night
is quite spooky but maybe it is an old theatre or
a derelict house. What conventions do you
need for this? Pathetic fallacy is always good-
how could sound effects help you out?
● For a great story, you need a twist...can you

think of something that will really engage your
listener?
● A Sci-fi story- how the residents of earth found
a new life after global warming.
● The story of a train journey- someone uses this
time to make a huge decision in their life. Do
they stay, run away, give up work, go to uni. Do
they meet someone on the train? Is the train
diverted somewhere or does it get stuck with
no power? Maybe the journey is the usual
length but when it arrives, 100 years have
passed!
● The story of your hero! A biographical account

of someone’s life.
● A comedy. Maybe set somewhere very familiar

to you. Waiting for an exam at school, a
detention after school, at a Saturday job. A day
where everything goes wrong- the disastrous
Christmas or worst birthday ever.
The Structure of a Radio Play Script
Title of Radio Play

Characters’ names
Scene 1
Describe the setting- this is for the actors, it is not read out by them but
helps with context. For example;
Two women sit in a bus shelter on a wet and windy seafront. They
are both in their seventies and have a number of shopping bags at
their feet.
Sound effects or music- describe in detail, add length of time, volume

etc. For example;
The sound of a steam train- starts quietly but builds until it sounds
as though it has passed. Footsteps loudly crunch on gravel. A gate
creaks open.
Follow the format below- the name of the character speaking goes on
the left- in a margin if you have one. Then use the ‘tab’ key to create a
space and write the dialogue on the right hand side of the page.
Character’s name dialogue
(you can describe how the words are spoken in brackets- like you would
stage directions in a stage play)


Creating A Radio Play

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Creating A Radio Play

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Creating a Radio Play

You will be creating your own radio play. Before you

1. Carefully read the Google slide document ‘Writing a

2. Watch the 2 clips.

There is guidance below on what to write and how to

Radio Play Scenario Ideas

● Simply, a play entitled ‘Lockdown’. Maybe

● Or this could be your autobiographical account

● Maybe in an abandoned place which is usually

● For a great story, you need a twist...can you

● The story of your hero! A biographical account

● A comedy. Maybe set somewhere very familiar

The Structure of a Radio Play Script

Title of Radio Play

Sound effects or music- describe in detail, add length of time, volume

Character’s name dialogue

Character’s name dialogue

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