2022 saw the Festival back in Canterbury, with many travelling for the first time in a while. Some people could still not leave their country or were in quarantine, so the plays were shared on ZOOM at the same time as they were listened to in the UK. The jury also made use of the technology and people could contribute to the discussion whether in Kent or abroad.
The 2022 Festival took place very soon after the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
The Festival was honoured to facilitate and host a live performance of a radio drama from Ukraine on the Thursday evening. The actors were broadcasting from Kiev and Warsaw at this difficult moment in time for Ukraine. The play was in Ukrainian but if you registered, you had a translation.
‘A Time Traveller’s Guide to Donbass’ was heard by over 2000 people in the first 24 hours.
2022 WINNERS
All of the winners were judged and selected by the entire jury, by vote. They were:
LONG FORM
1st: Let Me Tell You (Poland)
Joint 2nd: Dans La boue et L’acier (Belgium)
Mondi Possibili (Italy)
3rd: Tu seras un homme papa (France)
SHORT FORM
1st: Masa (Spain)
2nd: Vicious Dishes (Switzerland)
3rd: The Dictator’s Portrait (Romania)
AUDIENCE AWARD
1st: Do We Need Shakespeare Or Not? – (Georgian Public Radio)
2nd: The Smell Of Naphtha – Christina Marras (Italy)
Joint 3rd: Safari – Ryan Walker Edwards (UK)
Shadows – Xenia Pattberg (Netherlands)
DEACON AWARD: YOUNG PRODUCERS
Winner: Hannah Tookey of ‘This Little Rock’, UK, for Two By Two
NOTES ON THE WINNERS
LONGER PLAYS
LET ME TELL YOU (Poland)
A moving portrayal of the way Alzheimers disease has affected one family’s life. By Marta Rebzda; Polish Radio Theatre.
CO(S)MIC (S)TRIP: MONDI POSSIBILI (Italy)
In German and English: A space voyage that began inside a toilet bowl leads an astronaut to stroll around the solar system. Structured like a comic strip in the form of a baroque opera. A spectacular soundscape of music, sounds and texts which is a pure musical delight. It even features a jazz fugue. Constructed, produced and recorded by Steffano Gianotti.
DANS LA BOUE ET L’ACIER (Belgium)
A construction worker: his conflicts at work affects his family life. The story of an imploding man and his exploding life. From Le Collective Wow, Belgium. Producer: Florent Barat.
TU SERAS UN HOMME PAPA (France)
A sensitive play about the birth of a very premature baby. From Arte Radio.
SHORTS
MASA (Spain)
A soundscape constructed from archive recordings of political protests. From Laura Romero, Spain.
VICIOUS DISHES (Switzerland)
A comic look at two foods: Lucrezia Borgia’s Belly Button and Caesar Salad. From SRF Swiss Radio.
THE DICTATOR’S PORTRAIT (Romania)
A short, vivid glimpse into life in Romania, three days before the 1989 revolution. From Portable Theatre, Timisoara. Produced by Rulaca Grumazescu.
YOUNG PRODUCER’S AWARD
TWO BY TWO (England)
Radio 4 Extra, 7 Jul 21: Two elephants with outrageous French accents bicker about how to cross an unexpected ocean. Where have all the other elephants gone? Producer: Hannah Tookey.