Treatment for Radio Play (Second Draft)

The Voice is a relatively new commercial radio venture, launched in the summer of 2008 to provide alternative listening to those who usually listen to BBC Radio 4.  It broadcasts on 104.7 FM, DAB digital radio, the digital television networks (such as Freeview and Sky) and the Internet, all in high quality stereo.  Its programmes to date include hourly news broadcasts, discussion and analysis of news stories and current affairs, game shows, comedy shows, documentaries, religious programming and programmes for the disabled.  Most of its income is generated by advertising and charitable and listener support.

In order to attract more listeners and increase income, a decision has been made to expand the station by establishing a literature department which will provide the station with book readings and radio plays for broadcast and, later on, for sale.  Initially, this department has been tasked with producing serial plays for broadcast on a Wednesday evening at around 8:00.  Each episode of each serial should hover at around 53 minutes in length in order to fill an hour whilst accounting for the news, continuity announcing and adverts.  I will construct the first episode of the first serial, "Search No More", which will be broadcast for the first time on 5th May 2010.

The story revolves around a recent bachelor in computer science, Aaron Thornton, who graduated from Oxford University in 2006 at the age of twenty-three.  Whilst studying, he developed a particular interest in microchip technology which he has been pursuing alongside his job in the research and development department of a small company specialising in Global Positioning Systems.  He has just completed development of a new chip which is designed to constantly transmit its location to a central server, which can then report the collected data to individuals or entities as requested.  This is demonstrated to the British government, who eventually decide to mandate its implanting into every citizen of the country in order to increase public safety by reducing crime and providing evidence of the location of people who appear in court.

The play will begin with a piece of electronic music, over which an introduction will be made.  This will fade into the opening scene: a living room, in which Aaron is drinking tea whilst discussing his new creation with an old school friend, Mary Bridges, who he briefly courted and with whom he continues to remain very close.  Though she is now married, she is still rather fonde of Aaron, especially due to the current state of her husband, Mark, who is the current Minister of Justice (see below).  She is excited by his invention and suggests to Aaron that he demonstrate it to the government, something which he has not previously considered.  He acknowledges the potential of the idea but is unsure of how to proceed; Mary offers to arrange a meeting between him and Mark, to which he agrees.  She subsequently leaves.

Upon her return home, she finds Mark eating toast in the kitchen.  She joins him at the table and he immediately begins to talk about his stressful day at work, in which he finds out that he is at serious risk of being subject to a vote of no confidence due to a dramatic increase in crime figures since he took office six months ago, particularly in the areas of murder and use of illegal drugs.  There have also been some claims that he has been approaching his work inappropriately - he has regularly arriving late, which could be attributed to his regularly drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.  Nevertheless, she appears unconcerned and tells him about Aaron's creation, at which he immediately demands a meeting with him, claiming that it has the potential to guarantee his position within the government.

Meanwhile, Aaron indulges in monologue, with cinister electronic music in the background: we discover that he is beginning to become uneasy at the prospect of releasing his invention to the government - he acknowledges that it will bring him great monetary wealth, but also realises that a large proportion of the population would most likely consider its use to be a gross invasion of their privacy; he eventually admits that, had the technology not been of his own invention, he would most likely feel the same way.  He becomes even more agitated when he starts to wonder whether he would need to identify himself as the inventor, which he believes could lead to mass public pressure on him.  Conversely, however, he wonders at Mary's reaction should he decide not to release his invention to the government: he is particularly concerned that she might be angry enough to disassociate herself with him.

The telephone rings; he answers.  It is Mary, ringing to schedule a meeting between him and Mark.  Not wanting to appear undeserving of the opportunity, he agrees to meet at a local coffee shop at lunchtime the next day.

The extract ends.