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Plays & Stories
Featured stories for Plays & Stories
All the world's a stage - especially when you're a living exhibit
Ambitious young Hemi Poneke plays the part of the savage in a living exhibition
Tina Makereti's tale of a young Māori in Victorian London is a compelling and timely reminder of the complexities of colonial contact.
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More than mere memoir
15 Feb 2019Renée is a hugely influential force in New Zealand theatre, feminism and social justice. In this, her 90th year she records some selections from her patchwork memoir.
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Billy Bird lands in the Listen Anytime Library
29 Nov 2018"Emma Neale's Billy Bird is a magnificent book. It’s sad, and happy, and funny, and brutal ... there were so many times when I thought ‘Exactly!’ and ‘How can I explain what this writing does to you?’ ... Writing this wonderful is unusual and rare, though it sometimes happens when poets turn to prose." - Sarah Foster
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A stunning tale of a boy and a whale
1 Oct 2018Will Jackson is hiding out, a city boy reluctantly staying with his uncle in small town New Zealand. He finds young abandoned orca and his life is further thrown into chaos, when he rallies to help protect it against hostile, threatening interests.
Series & Collections
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Short Stories
Single short stories and multi-episode stories from freelance writers and published collections.
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Go Ahead Caller
It's Ken Oath, the voice of reason - cutting the crap with a heart of gold
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Short-Episode Drama Series
Dramatic plays in short-episode form.
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Comedy and Satire
Current and past funny stuff - short series.
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Children's Treasure Chest
New Zealand audio and video stories for kids.
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The Listen Anytime Library
Adapted novels, biographies, travelogues as well as quick links to other story collections
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The Reading
New Zealand novels, short stories and short dramas adapted by RNZ. Broadcast every weekday around 10:45am on Nine to Noon.
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Not For Children
Young Adult books and stories – parental guidance advised.
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New Shorts
Short plays by emerging writers and writers new to audio drama.
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Major Plays
Full-length audio plays - drama and comedy
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Encore - the Story of New Zealand theatre
The past, present and future of theatre in Aotearoa.
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Grimm's Fairy Tales
Kind, cruel, occasionally shocking and often just absurd.
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What consitutes minimum chips is hotly debated in Australia
4:36 pm todayDebate is raging in Australia over what the minimum amount of chips should be. Audio
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The week that was
11:45 am todayOur comedians Te Radar and Pinky Agnew with a wrap of funny stories, including New Zealand's worst personalised plates Audio
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A Youth theatre company explores the teenage brain
8 Dec 2019An insight into the chaotic teenage brain is the promise from Christchurch's Court Youth Company's young actors, ahead of their end-of-year production, Brainstorm.
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The week that was with Te Radar and Jodie Rimmer
6 Dec 2019Our comedians with an airline food feast and also the reason why the Apostrophe society has thrown in the towel. Audio
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Five Faves with Sir Roger Hall
2020 is going to be another busy year for Sir Roger Hall. New Zealand’s most successful playwright plays his favourite tunes and tells us about his upcoming world première. Video, Audio
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The week that was - BBC furore over six chip limit
29 Nov 2019Our comedians Te Radar and Melanie Bracewell have a feast of funnies, including slim pickings at the BBC's canteen in London's Broadcasting house, where the fish and chips are coming up short! Audio
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'New Zealand's biggest danger is being swamped by China'
24 Nov 2019Professor Tyler Cowen is a big supporter of immigration -- when it's done right -- but warns the New Zealand government needs to continue with its policy of not allowing China to get too much… Audio
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All-woman West End hit Emilia gets NZ international premiere
23 Nov 2019She entered the popular imagination as the nameless 'Dark Lady' of Shakespeare's sonnets. But by all accounts, the poet, writer and teacher Emilia Bassano was a strong, passionate woman who deserved… Audio
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The week that was
22 Nov 2019Our comedians Te Radar and Elisabeth Easther with a feast of funny stories. Audio
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A boy called Piano
17 Nov 2019Right now the Government Royal Commission of Enquiry into the terrible abuse of children in state care is trying to restore the faith of the surviving victims. This week one of them is sharing his… Audio
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For love of the "Desi Western"
In the Seventies, when the Italians were making their versions of American Westerns - like The Good the Bad and the Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars - India was doing a similar thing. The Bollywood… Audio, Gallery
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Calling Home: Thom Monckton in Helsinki
17 Nov 2019Running away to join the circus is a dream for many, but for Kiwi theatre performer Thom Monckton it's been an absolute reality. Thom's based in Helsinki but is Calling Home is currently touring his… Audio
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The week that was
15 Nov 2019Our comedians Gemma Gracewood and Irene Pink have been looking at the funniest wildlife photos of the year. Audio
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School Students Take on the Rights of Prostitutes
Four students at St Oran's College in Lower Hutt who have devised a short play about prostitution law reform, have been invited to perform the work by the New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective at an… Audio
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A Nuanced Love Story in an Irish pub - Playwright Kieran Craft
10 Nov 2019Gay love stories used to have certain familiar story arcs. They might be set in the past, crusading for law changes. Or they may involve a death due to AIDS. But for a new generation those stories are… Audio, Gallery
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A theatre show for babies
The good folk at Cubbin Theatre Company are on a mission to prove theatre is for everybody - even babies! Audio
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The week that was
1 Nov 2019Comedians Te Radar and Elisabeth Easther with a wry look at some of the lighter headlines. Audio
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Mediawatch for 20 October 2019
20 Oct 2019MediaWorks TV on the block; comedy cuts point to bigger TV problems; rugby TV deal creates claims of conflicts and compromise Audio
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The week that was
18 Oct 2019Te Radar and James Elliott take a wry look at the week, including the Vatican's new "click to pray" E-Rosary. Audio
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Sudden comedy cuts no laughing matter for MediaWorks
Broadcaster MediaWorks is cutting key local TV comedies. Mediawatch says it’s a further sign of the company’s deepening problems and wider troubles in free-to-air television. And it is also a headache… Audio
