'BBC' invites radio plays for int'l competition

'BBC' invites radio plays for int'l competition

JAKARTA (JP): BBC World Service has launched Writer Around the World, its sixth International Playwriting Competition -- run this year in conjunction with The British Council.

Writers, both professional and amateur, are invited to submit an original radio play for the chance to win a trip to London to see their work recorded and a cash prize of 2,000. Winning plays will also be broadcast to World Service's 35 million listeners in English worldwide.

In addition to the overall winner, there are prizes on offer for the best radio play written by someone for whom English is not a first language, and also for the five best regional entries, according to a statement received by The Jakarta Post last week.

Since the first competition in 1988, a number of very talented new writers have been introduced to radio, all of whom have gone on to write extensively for radio and other media.

Full details and entry forms can be obtained from BBC World Service Drama, Playwriting Competition, Room 636, Broadcasting House, London W1A 1AA, UK or by emailing worldservicedrama@bbc.co.uk.

A new web site has also been launched in conjunction with the competition: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/drama.

All plays must be about 60 minutes in length, be written in English and submitted from writers who are not normally resident in the UK. The closing date for entries is April 30, 1999.

The competition regularly attracts over 2,000 entries and this year, Gordon House, executive producer of World Service Drama hopes there will be many more. "I want to encourage more people to discover for themselves the joys of writing for radio - this wonderful, 'anything-is-possible' medium."