Little Fictions On Air

In this episode, we celebrate Queer life with two stories from our Little Fictions’ show, ‘I HEART LGBTQI’ which was performed at the Knox Street Bar in Chippendale back in February, 2017. The event was held during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, a  hugely popular festival, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras aims to raise the visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex communities. The two stories we are presenting in this episode do just that.

In our first story, ‘Asexual Gelatinous Blobs’ by Sydney author, Harry Kolotas, the writer attempts to walk in the shoes of his gay son. It is narrated by actor, Mark Dessaix.

In ‘Danny Boy’, Melbourne author, Marian Matta tells the story of someone who feels they were born into the wrong body. It is narrated by actor, Kurt Pimblett.

A warning, some of this episode contains strong language.

Presenter: Ella Watson-Russell

Audio technician: Scott Harrison

Theme tune written and performed by Annie Vidler

Producer: Bronwyn Mehan

In this episode, we bring you the second in our series of sport-themed stories. We present four stories – ‘Artemis’ by Melbourne author, Duncan Reid in which the game of hockey takes on a mythic quality; Brisbane writer, Trina Denner’s ‘Playing Outside’ for the joggers amongst you; a microfiction by Kim Waters called ‘Over Time’ about a retired cyclist and finally, a Cliff Hardy story about a foot race written by the late crime writer, Peter Corris. Actors featured in this episode are Mark Dessaix, Eleni Schumacher and Felix Johnson.

Just a warning, this episode does contain strong language.

Presenter: Ella Watson-Russell

Audio technician: Lachlan Perry

Theme tune written and performed by Annie Vidler

Producer: Bronwyn Mehan

In this episode we present two very different perspectives on the Australian sporting scene. ‘Balls and Broken Bones’ by South Australian author, Debra Mackay takes a humorous look at sport played at the community level. It is read by Sydney actor, Kate Fraser. ‘Hall of Fame’ by Melbourne film director, Matt Holcomb follows the failing fortunes of a former footie star. It is read by sport tragic and talented Little Fictions actor, Felix Johnson. Both were recorded at our live show at Knox Street Bar in Sydney and both were selected via a Little Fictions’ call out.

Just a warning, this episode does contain strong language.

Presenter: Ella Watson-Russell

Audio technician: Lachlan Perry

Producer: Bronwyn Mehan

In this episode, your host Ella Watson-Russell brings you stories of births, deaths and marriages. The stories featured in this show are published by Spineless Wonders and are narrated by actors Felix Johnson, Joel Horwood and Eleni Schumacher. The stories include Matthew Bulman’s ‘The Incredible Exploding Baby’, Jon Steiner’s ‘Rights of Man’, Melissa Beit’s ‘A Hospital Birth’, Susan McCreery’s ‘Mexican Stand-off’ and Julie Chevalier’s ‘The Youngest Lecturer’s Wife’.

Little Fictions is produced by Spineless Wonders’ publisher, Bronwyn Mehan.

The show’s theme song is ‘Attune’ written and performed by Annie Vidler.

 Sound design is by Lachlan Perry

Warning: this episode contains strong language.

In this episode we hear many of the talented actors you would have heard over the previous episodes of Little Fictions. This is a radio play adapted from Melbourne writer Eddie Berger's quirky short fiction of the same name originally published by Spineless Wonders in the anthology, Crime Scenes. The play was recorded at Sydney's Haymarket Library as part of the "Late Night Library Series" 2017.

Warning: this episode does contain some colourful language.

Presenter: Ella Watson-Russell

Theme tune written and performed by Annie Vidler

Producer: Bronwyn Mehan

In this episode we bring you short stories set on the north coast of New South Wales. ‘Saturday Night on Johnson St’ by Paul Kew, immersing us in the hectic nightlife of Byron Bay. It is performed by Mark Dessaix. Byron Bay writer and academic, Moya Costello’s ‘Northern Rivers: A Gothic Tale’ evokes the lush tropical environment. It is performed by Ella Watson-Russell.  ‘The Blouse’ is by poet, playwright, fiction writer, Vivienne Plumb who is of both New Zealand and Australian heritage. The story, from her collection, The Glove Box & other stories, is set in the rainforests of the Byron hinterland, and tells of a young woman who hitches a ride into a bizarre community. It is performed by Eleni Schumacher.

Warning: this episode does contain some colourful language.

Presenter: Ella Watson-Russell

Audio technician: Chester Chew

Producer: Bronwyn Mehan

Original Broadcast Date 17.12.2018

In this episode called Surreal Stories, our host Ella Watson-Russell brings you two short stories with extraordinary, offbeat characters.

Our first story, ‘Ducks’ is a radio play based on a short story by Miles Franklin Award-winning author, A.S. Patric. The year is 1956. Melbourne is host to the Olympic Games and American literary figures Anais Nin and June Miller (both former lovers of Henry Miller) are living out their sometimes fractious old age in the quiet seaside suburb of Elwood. The play is performed by Ella, Joel Horwood and Eleni Schumacher. Our second short story is ‘Carrot on the Edge’ and it comes from comic West Australian author, Jude Bridge and is performed by Little Fictions’ regular Lauren Hamilton Neill.

This episode is produced by Bronwyn Mehan with sound design by Chester Chew.

Just a warning, some of this episode does contain strong language and confronting issues.

In this episode we bring you two short stories about the impact of crime on people’s lives. ‘Croc’ is by Melbourne author Pierz Newton-John and is published in his collection, Fault Lines. Pierz worked as a psychotherapist and this story is inspired by a true story. It is read by Ella Watson-Russell and was recorded at Knox Street Bar, Chippendale. The second short story comes from Blue Mountains’ author, Mark O’Flynn. It is called ‘A Lovely Outing’ and is published in Mark’s collection White Light. Mark has worked as a prison educator for many years. His story is performed by Felix Johnson.

Warning: this episode does contain some colourful language.

Presenter: Ella Watson-Russell

Audio technician: Oliver Agbisit

Producer: Bronwyn Mehan

In this episode we feature stories from the inner west Sydney suburbs connected by Parramatta Road. Harriet McInerney’s microfiction, ‘Average Morning’ takes us on a bus trip down Parramatta Road. It is performed by Little Fictions’ regular, Joel Horwood. ‘Parramatta Road’ by Tess Ridgway takes us along this same stretch of road but this time at night and on a bicycle. It is performed by actor Claire Oehme. Sydney author, Jill O’Maera takes us behind one of the shopfronts along Parramatta Road in ‘Trixie Depraved Does Leichhardt’. It is performed by Eleni Schumacher. ‘Wedding Dress’ by Canberra author, Sarah St Vincent Welch is written from the point of view of a very recognisable feature of shops which line the Leichhardt stretch of Parramatta Road. It is performed by Joel Horwood. ‘In Search of the Machine’ has Sydney author, Jen Craig searching for a coffee machine in contemporary Leichhardt. Performed by Eleni Schumacher, the story vividly evokes life in Leichhardt in the 70s.

Warning: this episode does contain some colourful language.

Presenter: Ella Watson-Russell

Audio technician: Oliver Agbisit

Producer: Bronwyn Mehan

Original Broadcast on 2RPH: 5.11.2018

In this episode, our host, Ella Watson-Russell presents two stories which take a look behind the curtain at fiction in film, on TV as well as on stage.

'Film Study 101'; by the late Mary Manning uses well-known films to reflect on the life of a young man who works at a movie theatre in a country town.

Published in Damaged In Transit by Spineless Wonders, the story is performed by Little Fictions’ regular, Joel Horwood. The second story featured in this episode takes us into the world of TV. It is based on the life of a character from the popular show, Friends. 'Ross Geller Man' is written by Patrick Lenton and is published in his collection, A Man Made Entirely of Bats. It is performed by Lauren Hamilton Neill. This podcast version of the episode includes an extended interview with both author, Patrick Lenton and actor, Lauren Hamilton Neill.

Little Fictions On Air is brought to you by Sydney short story publisher, SPINELESS WONDERS. This episode was originally broadcast on Radio 2RPH at 3pm on Monday, 22 October, 2018. It is produced by Bronwyn Mehan and our sound engineer is Kit McCutcheon. Our theme song, ‘Attune’ is written and performed by Annie Vidler.