Dr Andrea Smith

Wolsey Writers in progress, a creative writing community upstairs at New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. Gemma Cooper, Managing Editor at Gemini Books, is talking on the mic. The writers are listening intently and smiling. Gemma wears a pink maxi dress with flowers.

Wolsey Writers in progress, a creative writing community upstairs at New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. The writers are busy writing in their notebooks

Wolsey Writers in progress, a creative writing community upstairs at New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. Gemma Cooper, Managing Editor at Gemini Books, is talking one-to-one with writers who are queuing up to meet her. Gemma wears a pink maxi dress with flowers, and is holding a dinosaur picture book.

THANK YOU to Gemma Cooper @geminibooks.bsky.social for a truly inspiring and informative #MeetTheEditor & Picture Book themed #WolseyWriters. OMG we could have spent all day long with you Gemma, and we learned so much! And Thank You to New Wolsey Theatre @dougrintoul.bsky.social for welcoming us x

As it's a beautiful #spring day here in #Ipswich I thought I'd take four of our #UniversityOfSuffolk MA anthologies out for a little fresh air.
Available in all good bookshops and online retailers
#WorldBookDay
📒📗📘📕

Shakespeare on the Radio Shakespeare on the Radio

And you can read John’s review in full here: doi.org/10.1080/0143...
Shakespeare on the Radio: A Century of BBC Plays was named as a 2025 Outstanding Academic Title by Choice. It’s published by @edinburghup.bsky.social You can find out more here: edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-shakesp...
(6/6)

Smith's work 'is insightful' and 'Shakespeare on the Radio is a valuable primer. It is also persuasive in arguing for the interest and value of the recordings available for others to enjoy, to explore and to extend the critical strategies initiated here.’ John Wyver, University of Westminster
(5/6)

A 'fascinating history in an underrepresented area of Shakespeare studies… One of the strengths of the volume is Smith’s detailed case studies..., tracking changes in preferred plays, actor choices, and audience and critical responses.’
K. J. Wetmore Jr., Loyola Marymount University
(4/6)

‘Forget the old chestnut that if Shakespeare were alive now, he’d be writing for Hollywood: Andrea Smith makes clear that he’d be writing for the verbal, imaginative medium of radio. This revelatory book opens a fascinating new field of study.’
Emma Smith, University of Oxford
(3/6)

‘An indispensable guide to the huge (and largely free) treasures of our greatest writer. It’s often said that radio plays have the best scenery; this book proves that they have the best words as well.’
Samuel West, actor and director
(2/6)

Happy #WorldBookDay
It's been almost a year since #ShakespeareOnTheRadio 💀🎧 came out. And to celebrate, here are a few reviews of my award-winning book – including a brand new one at the end (1/6)

Always love talking about audio - and this evening I got to chat #podcasting with our University of Suffolk MBA students.
Lots of interesting thoughts plus some illustrative podcast snippets.
At the end, everyone was sharing recommendations. If you'd like to add some suggestions here, please do 🎧

Green-blue-grey blocky soundwaves on background. Centred in black serif lettering “Sonance”, with “journal of early modern sound studies” underneath.

👀 Over the last few months, I’ve been working with the terrific triumvirate @spparkle.bsky.social, @emiliekmmurphy.bsky.social & Hannah Yip to set up “Sonance: A Journal of Early Modern Sound Studies”, a diamond open access journal dedicated to historic sounds in all their wondrous & eclectic forms.

A Welsh #AudioDrama recommendation this month for #StDavidsDay
March: Under Milk Woods
Not Dylan Thomas' play – but a recent reinvention, travelling around the country through the medium of sound. Touching, moving, beautiful.
#BBCSounds #RadioDrama #DramaOn3
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

This is a fabulous listen 📻
Mollie was a pioneer of comedy writing - and she's still going strong. No longer a 'holy ghost writer' - but still writing sharp quips for friends and family at the age of 90!
Her story should be much more widely known #Herstory #BeyondOurKen #BBCRadio4Extra

Today and tomorrow 👇
Huge number of people have signed up - it's going to be a busy one
#Shakespeare #BSA2026
#AI

Translating Shakespeare This edited collection explores the linguistic and cultural mediation involved in translating Shakespeare, and who the process includes and excludes.

And if you'd like to know more, here's the link to the web page: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
#TranslatingShakespeare
#ShakespeareOnTheRadio 💀🎧
#Shakespeare #RadioDrama #AudioDrama

Hurrah! This plopped through the letterbox this morning.
Not only is it always a thrill to see my work in print (Chapter 10), but I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the book.
Many thanks to Duncan Lees and Liz Oakley-Brown for all their help and support.
#Shakespeare #RadioDrama

"A stage comedian can use the same piece of patter for ten years. On the wireless it is ‘killed’ after one night. If you don’t hear a new joke every day, it means that you haven’t a wireless set." (John Henry 1934)
#WorldRadioDay #BigamyKilledTheRadioStar

www.amazon.co.uk/Bigamy-Kille...

BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3 - Available now Available episodes of Drama on 3

Finally, if you want to celebrate #WorldRadioDay with an audio play, search Drama on 3 on BBC Sounds and you’ll find a wealth of great productions ranging from Shakespeare to Churchill – and a wide range of original and adapted drama in between.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b...
Enjoy! (3/3)

And as it is #WorldRadioDay I can’t miss the opportunity to mention my book #ShakespeareOnTheRadio 💀🎧 – perfect for anyone interested in #RadioDrama
As well as paperback, it's now on Kindle too: www.amazon.co.uk/Shakespeare-...
It's also been awarded Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2025 📘📻 (2/3)

Happy #WorldRadioDay 📻
Earlier today I was one of the speakers at a fab event for audio/radio researchers celebrating this. Such a wide range of really interesting people.
My paper looked at how new audio drama producers are unaware of its history and are devising techniques that already exist (1/3)

It's #WorldRadioDay and here I am in my happy place.

Two women listening to the radio

#WorldRadioDay: Women tuning in for news of #CharlesKingsfordSmith’s round-the-world flight https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000599776. He landed at Portmarnock before completing his historic journey in California: https://www.nli.ie/news-stories/stories/exploring-aviation-ireland-nli-collections

“Ohh, he’s looping the loop! Tell the driver to stop. I want to get out here.”
(John Henry and Blossom broadcasting live from a biplane flying over London in 1924)
#WorldRadioDay #BigamyKilledTheRadioStar
www.amazon.co.uk/Bigamy-Kille...

Happy #WorldRadioDay!
I've loved bringing its origin story to:
...stages. Next: 19 Feb Eltham, 16 Apr Chelmsford, 4 Jun Weston-super-Mare - paulkerensa.com/tour
...podcasts. 113 eps of The British Broadcasting Century so far.
...the BBC. The Truth about Phyllis Twigg is still online.
Keep radioing!

Well, that's very flattering. It's more than six years since I left the #BBC - so to be remembered as an 'absolute legend' is more than a little unexpected.
Connor has always been a talented journalist - it's great to see his career continuing to flourish 🎧🎙️📝
Oh, and the wonderful Foz too! 💛

As ever, had a fab time at #WolseyWriters earlier, this time talking #RomeoAndJuliet
Thanks to all who came 🎭
If you want more on the play, I can recommend:
#InOurTime www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Radio R&J www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
#ShakespeareOnTheRadio 💀🎧
#Shakespeare #RadioDrama #AudioDrama

You betcha! 💀🎧🎭📻💛

In Our Time - Henry IV Part 1 - BBC Sounds Shakespeare's powerful exploration of power and succession with Hotspur, Hal and Falstaff.

Really enjoyed this, in which @oldfortunatus.bsky.social, @lucycmunro.bsky.social, and my esteemed colleague Laurence Publicover, all wearing lightly their massive learning, talk about how much fun the Henry IV plays are.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

If you were planning to come along tomorrow and haven't booked a ticket, it looks like you might be too late.
However, Katie always runs a great session, so you might like to get in quick for next month instead: www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/events/wolse...
#WolseyWriters #WritingCommunity #Ipswich

Great timing - our local theatre has just started plugging a show about Radio Caroline...
📻🚢🎙️🎧🎶

To make immersive audio, you have to immerse yourself.

Here are just a few moments from the recording of Wolf Valley, our latest audio drama for BBC Radio 4, that showcase our methodology toward creating audio you *feel*.