'Venus Smiles', dramatised by Frank Cottrell Boyce is about a audio sculpture that takes on a life of its own and is preceded – as a sonic curtain-raiser - by my adaptation of Ballard's 'Track 12' starring Anton Lesser and Elliot Levey.
Both plays are recorded in binaural sound, using a Neumann dummy head which is designed to replicate average-sized human head and is equipped with pinnae and ear canals in which small microphones are placed, one in each ear.
The dummy head is designed to record multiple sounds at the same time and the recorded tracks are then listened to through headphones allowing for the listener to hear from the dummy’s perspective.
'Track 12' begins innocently enough but quickly develops into a disturbing duel of words that – we discover – can only have one outcome...
To read more about Between Ballard's Ears, click here
Here are some photos of Anton Lesser and Elliott Levey during the recording session at the BBC's Maida Vale Studio last month, featuring the Neumann dummy head that will be your head if you listen to the play on stereo headphones...
Elliot Levey with Keziah Joseph, the voice of the elusive Susan who is the reason for the dramatic confrontation at the heart of Ballard's story...
Here's Anton with producer and director Mark Burman...
And a couple 'head shots'...
Photos: David Weeks
2 comments:
Thanks for the heads up (pun not intended)
I'm now quite intrigued also I love Anton Lesser's voice so it should be a treat!
I am a earnest follower of "Endeavour," watching each episode at least twice before proceeding to the next. Everyone in the ensemble cast is excellent, and Anton Lesser is outstanding in his role as the almost enigmatic Chief Superintendent Bright, who is at times seemingly threatened by Morse's brilliance, and yet he is occasionally supportive. He alternates between being clueless and effective, then assertive (often in the wrong direction) and sympathetic. Such a difficult role to pull off, and Lesser performs it so brilliantly.
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