RTÉ Ireland produces audio drama by Catalan writer

The National Radio of Ireland, RTÉ premieres on Sunday the audio-drama "Escapism and Dime Novels" by the Catalan scriptwriter, filmmaker, and illustrator, Gerard Freixes Ribera. 

"Escapism and Dime Novels," tell the story of two writers, both working in a Catalan prison during the reign of General Franco, but on different sides of the bars. The main protagonist is a prison guard named Carlos Gallardo.  

Freixes was inspired by the life of Luis García Lecha, a guard at La Model who wrote several pulp novels mentored by the inmate and author Francisco González Ledesma. While working, Lecha produced hundreds of short stories under the nom de plume Clark Carrados or Louis G. Milk. 

“The best way to write about a fiction writer is by writing another fiction,” expressed Freixes in an article for RTÉ website.

Despite being in English, the sound fiction has a predominantly a Hispanic cast hailing from Spain, El Salvador, Chile and San Francisco. Some of the actors are Antonio Gil, Carlos Gallardo, José Miguel Jiménez, the Catalan Leticia Vaquero, Fede Gonzales and Marcos Isla. 

Ahead of the series released, RTÉ ​​broadcasted the program 'In The Wings: Escapism and Dime Novels' which featured interviews with the actors and promoted the new audio drama.

"Escapism and Dime Novels" will be broadcast on 4 September at 8 pm on RTÉ and can be heard in Catalonia via streaming or later on RTÉ's Drama on One podcast. 

The Irish radio station has produced sound fiction series since its origins in 1926, however, this is the first time the audio theatre department at RTÉ Radio Drama is presenting to its listeners a script by a Catalan author. 

“I’m used to listening to radio drama in English and wanted to try writing it in English too, as far-fetched as that seems, when English isn’t your native language,” said Freixes.