Blind Helping the Blind Through Arts and Abuse Survival
A New Audio Drama From Extant Goes Live This Month
Announced October 3, 2024—the organization Extant will begin touring the UK to promote their newly released audio drama titled “Unseen” and how they provide for the visually impaired. There are five performances starting from October 16-17, 23 and 28. Two of those shows will be online. More information can be found on their website regarding times and venues.
Organization Information
Extant began in 1997 as a performing arts company in the UK. From the beginning they’ve worked with the blind and visually impaired to produce shows and provide opportunities for those individuals in the arts scene. Founder Maria Oshodi and a group of professionals wanted to help remedy the invisibility problem for the blind and partially sighted individuals to explore creative endeavors and to celebrate what their perspective brings to the world of performing arts.
A number of organizations are helping Extant in their fight against social injustices through this audio drama. These include Arts Council England and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. The latter began in 1961 and is known for community building and is one the larger grant-making organizations in the UK. The former serves a similar function as the National Endowment for the Arts does in the United States.
The Mission and Cause
October is domestic abuse awareness month and Extant is using its platform to bring light to issues around domestic abuses. “At least 1 in 12 visually impaired people (around 118k) will be a victim or survivor of domestic abuse, according to an article on Fight for Sight. Fight for Sight is the result of a merger between two separate entities — Fight for Sight and the Vision Foundation and is a supporter of the program. Others include Rising Sun, Refuge, and Safelives.
About the Audio Drama
“Unseen” is directed by Ben Wilson with sound design by Ian Rattray. It stars Maisie Greenwood, Lily An, Georgie Wyatt, Anita Barzey, Michelle Felix, Aqua Ephraim, Maria Oshodi, Steven George, and Tahira Malik. Producer roles include Louisa Sanfey as creative producer and Assistant Producer Tam Gilbert.
The audio drama has two reviews from Tobey Davey and Glen Turner from RNIB Connect and WellEyeNever, respectively. Davey calls it “A very well-crafted audio drama that not only shines a light on the many forms of domestic abuse, but also, I think, in a way gives some hope.” Turner says “Ben Wilson‘s directing and Ian Rattray‘s sound design are both excellent, helping to bring the story to life and giving it extra impact in the right moments.”
“Unseen” is available to stream on Soundcloud since March 4, 2024 during the 50th anniversary of the founding of Women’s Aid — a national charity in the UK “working to end domestic abuse against women and children.”
About the Author
Michael Bergonzi is the founder of AudioDramaReviews.com — a website and podcast dedicated to reviewing podcast fiction and other stories told through sound. He began the site in 2013 and the podcast in 2018. His reviews can also be found on GreatPods: an aggregator like Rotten Tomatoes for podcast reviews. Michael is also a speculative fiction indie author with an epic fantasy series loosely based in Asian history and mythology and a science fiction novella on giant fighting robots where suicide is a punishment for the next of kin. In his spare time, he’s working on a steampunk story where forensic science is an actual magic system.
This substack is for news in the audio drama/podcast fiction space. If interested in coverage, please send press releases to Michael@audiodramareviews.com.