The Dark is Rising: Young Writers’ Radio Drama

In 2022, our 12-part radio dramatisation of Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising was released on BBC World Service. Adapted for radio by Simon McBurney and author Robert MacFarlane, this classic 1970s novel is now available on BBC Sounds for families to listen to and enjoy together, across the world.

Through our Young Writers’ Radio Drama programme, we aim to capture the experience of bringing words off the page and to life through sound, and to share this with young writers inspired by listening to The Dark is Rising to create their own radio plays.

To support this, we’ve created an updated Write Your Own Radio Drama guide for 2025/2026, offering guidance on writing for sound, tips on what makes an effective radio play, and creative exercises to help writers develop their ideas in their own time.

Last year’s winning dramas were Thieves! by Lydia Kolimechkov and The Carpenter’s Flame by Leyla Tompson.

You can listen to the 2024 winning audio dramas below.

Listen here

Thieves! The Carpenter’s Flame

Alexander Uzoka, Actor
Archie Backhouse, Actor
Catherine Alexander, Director
Clive Mendus, Actor
Kïren Kebaïli-Dwyer, Actor
Natasha Stone, Actor
Pete Malkin, Sound Designer

“I feel inspired to write more and enter more competitions! I think meeting people in Complicité was the best part of this. I found it really fun because everyone was so good at doing different voices and had inventive ways to make sound effects!” Lydia Kolimechkov

“I have always enjoyed writing stories but writing a script was a new thing for me. I found the different style fun and exciting to write, especially as I got to see it turned into an actual radio play! ” Leyla Tompson

“As a director I wanted to create a collaborative and experimental space in the studio where everybody could help to invent unusual sound effects, create atmosphere and even devise the theme songs together. Seeing Leyla and Lydia’s enjoyment as the actors lifted their words off the page was the best part of the day and I hope that they will be inspired to keep developing as writers.” Catherine Alexander

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