7.8.1
Moseley was a newspaper critic and he wrote a range of articles in 'The Radio Times', particulary the series in 1928, 'Letters from a Fond Uncle', on listening correctly. This article is strongly individualist and opinionated, as well as amusing. The precedent was started by Archibald Haddon, the B.B.C.'s Dramatic Critic until 1924. Moseley had written about 'My Haunting Radio Memories' ('The Radio Times' 21 August 1925 p. 362), recalling Henry Ainley as Manfred and of the playlets:
… the most haunting was that in which realistic tom-toms were employed. The recollection of this sets me shuddering.
This must have been Richard Hughes's 'Congo Nights' (premiered 23 March 1925 Newcastle 8.45-9). He was also among the first to break the taboo and admit to listening as a secondary activity:
.. The other night I tried to listen to Stephen Phillip's 'Herod' while playing a duty game of bridge. I knew then how easily and how hastily one might criticize unjustly. How many of us do really endeavour to combine the joys of listening with other joys?
('The Radio Times' 30 October 1925 p 246)
The interest in 'Does Realism Get Across?' is the raising of the topic of verisimilitude and broadcasting, and the refreshingly doubtful attitude Moseley adopts. He also gives instances of plays:
This criticism applies to the realistic transmission some time ago of a party of travellers who were supposed to be pursued across the Steppes of Russia. The music was excellent and the atmosphere at the beginning was convincing enough. The whole thing promised to develop into a thrilling climax. But, according to my view, the whole effect was spoilt by the too realistic shrieking of the lady when she found, to her horror, that the wolves were after her. An excellent actress, I should say, but not for the microphone – at any rate, not when she is being pursued by wolves!
7.8.2
I cannot trace this play but in Moseley's view 'realism is apt to be overdone'. The next examples are sea plays:
… the simulation of the lapping of the waves of the sea. The production of the sound of the sea across the ether is a fine achievement, and on more than one occasion I have enjoyed listening to the lapping of the water on a shingly beach, but, after a while, one finds it becomes rather a nuisance, especially when it is persisted in to the point of rendering inaudible certain essential parts of the play or story.
Again, the realism employed in broadcasting a storm during a recent evening programme gave me little enjoyment and much headache. Continual sheet lightning and peals of tin thunder cut out much of the dialogue on this occasion – although I confess that the little I managed to hear somewhat reconciled me to my loss.
See 6.3.3 for a discussion of sea plays and effects, and 'By Virtue of a Broadcast' (Frank Shaw) had just premiered (9 February 1927 Manchester 7.45-8.10), though not in London. Moseley then recalls successful realistic effects in what must have been a revival of 'Danger':
I remember in the broadcasting of a scene in a play about the flooding of a coal mine. That was very well done. It offered a fine scope for realism which was successfully carried out, but not in such a way as to interfere with the 'business' part of the play. We heard the inrushing water and yet we have lost none of the words of the imprisoned visitors.
His conclusion was to become a familiar one in the 'The Radio Times' letters, that effects should be minimised:
To sum up, I suggest that the B.B.C. should confine the transmission of realism to the less sound-confusing phases, and that those who attend to these matters should always remember Lewis Carroll's advice: 'Take care of the sense and the sounds will take care of themselves.'
The nightingale rather than Niagara!
A follow-up letter challenges effects on Spot rather possibly on gramophone:
I agree with your contributor, Mr. Sydney Moseley, that many radio plays are spoiled by the sound effects. Some of the noises heard are very helpful to the imagination of listeners, but there are others – such as the galloping of horses, the clatter of hoofs on cobble stones – which are not a bit real and would be better omitted. I have often wondered if it would not be possible to make a gramophone records of sounds like these, and then to broadcast the record.
L. Appleby, Millbank, Westminster, S.W.1
('The Radio Times' 22 April 1927 p 148)
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