One of our fan favourite shows has a new listener. Laurence Raw reviews One by One in his Radio Drama Review site.

Darker Musings Anthology, 30 October 2012

This disturbing tale, with more than a distinct echo of Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds, concerned Dan Cummings (John Bell), the self-styled ‘Old-Tmey Man’ of a local Canadian radio station, who is about to retire after having spent a long career in broadcasting, and built up a loyal following. 

 

One Hallowe’en night be begins his nightly programme as usual by exchanging platitudes with a caller, even though it becomes slightly embarrassing when that caller refers to his wife.  However the entertainment is abruptly interrupted by a newsflash: an accidental crash in the locality of Halifax, Nova Scotia has caused widespread panic.  Cummings tries his best to make light of the news, and introduces an archive broadcast of a 1980s radio classic of horror, especially for the occasion. 

 

Despite his valiant attempts to create a nostalgic – and perhaps comforting ambience – painful reality keeps intruding.  The broadcast keeps being interrupted by worse and worse news; eventually leading to panic and violent death.

 

One by One is a consciously intertextual piece, designed to remind listeners that horror stories are not just for pleasure; they can intrude in our lives.  We have to be vigilant and guard against complacency so as to protect ourselves.  John Bell gave a chilling performance as the elderly host, whose smooth-as-molasses voice gradually became more and more panicky as he discovered the reality of what was happening around him.  The director/ writer was Jack J. Ward.