Collapsing Horse is commissioning twelve x 30 minute science fiction and fantasy radio plays for
The Collapsing Horse Science Fiction Radio Hour
These plays will be performed and recorded in front of a live audience and distributed as a podcast. This is a call out to all writers who are seeking one of these twelves commissions. To apply please submit:
a one-page treatment
a CV and sample of writing
by Friday 10th February
to be sent to [email protected] with the subject line “RADIO HOUR TREATMENT”
Who are we? Collapsing Horse is a theatre and production company that makes comic, lo-fi, spectacular, tactile and virtuosic work that that leaves the performers really, really sweaty in the end. We revel in the game of theatre and the suspension of disbelief.
What is this? We debuted the Radio Hour in Dingle at Ireland’s Edge as part of eir Other Voices in December 2016 with two episodes by Eoghan Quinn and Sonya Kelly. Now we’re looking to continue the series with twelve more stand-alone 30 minute science fiction and fantasy radio plays. Episodes will be recorded, two at a time, in hour-long performances at festivals and theatres between April and December 2017. Each episode will be introduced by “The Story Keeper” a character who has collected every story in the universe worth telling, but who finds most of them pale in comparison to the work of Jane Austen. Don’t feel bad.
What are we looking for? Within the science fiction and fantasy genres we’re interested in whatever tone suits your story, be it comedy, drama, satire, psycho-realism, high-camp or low-farce…
The main things we’re looking for are:
That it creates and establishes a different universe, inspired by the fantastical or the speculative. We’re looking for a world at a remove from our own, with its own logic, magic, physics, insight, humour and horror.
That it is a story best told by radio. We love radio that embraces the medium; which tells stories in a way that could only be told through radio and invites the listener to build a visual world in their mind.
That it will also work for a live audience. We want to create and capture the buzz of a full house. We’ll have a generous, expectant audience who are looking for the thrill of a good story, well told.
Your treatment should give us the broad strokes of what your story is, who your characters are, how you’re going to tell the story. If you don’t exactly know certain details of the plot yet, that’s fine. Give us a flavour of it, make us excited and we’ll work out the finer details together.
Successful commissions will be paid €500 per 30 min episode
Other things to consider:
-Each episode should be a stand-alone story. No multi-part episodes.
-If you really really need two episodes (one hour) to tell your story then we’ll consider it.
-Writers can submit up to 3 ideas for an episode.
-Up to 5 actors per episode. They can double up on parts but keep it in mind.
-The process will likely involve multiple drafts and meetings with the producers and other writers.
-Deadline for commissioned scripts will be 3rd March, so you should be generally available to write in February.
-There will be a composer and sound designer for the whole series. Please don’t make in-copyright music essential to your story.
-The podcast episodes may be sponsored
– Any questions, send us an email at [email protected]