Casting in any production is critical. For The Radio Play’s The Thing, it was even trickier as production manager Tamsin Barber who did the initial search, had to cast four plays simultaneously.

After unrehearsed readings at the workshops all agreed that The Interpreter needed a Northern Irish cast given its Belfast setting while The Colonel and its tales of 1970’s Chile would be best evoked by authentic Latin American actors. The same was true for the Swiss parts in To The Broad Shore. Proud Songster, which switches between England and Rwanda, benefited from the performance of Ery Nzaramba, the UK’s only Rwandan actor.

Strong TV links were also a consideration hence booking Neil Pearson who’d been a judge on the original TV series; Jennifer Biddall and Gerard McCarthy, already popular for their roles in Hollyoaks; Julie Riley (Casualty), Robin Browne (Crossroads, Little Britain, Grange Hill); Annie Farr (Holby City). Peter Czajkowski (Heartbeat) & Ery Nzaramba (The Bill)

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