Paul Cornell

Thanks!

I listened live to this and it was great!

Hell yesssss

Nowadays* people who visit the BBC Sounds site from outside the UK get blocked. The method of the block is just a very crude "Error 404 - Oops, the page you're looking for is no longer here"

* I forget when this began, but maybe a year or so ago

It is regrettable

It's been years since I heard this, but usually at least twice a week I'll see something that makes me think "...and it's not even that hard!"

I still can't quite accept that Antony Sher's gone.

Oh what? What??? On it!!

I'd somehow forgotten how wonderful Nina Sosanya and Paterson Joseph are in this. And Antony Sher is perfect as the good ship Arbitrary.

The State of the Art by Iain M Banks - BBC Sounds A spaceship arrives on Earth and finds a planet obsessed with alien concepts like 'money'.

My BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Iain M. Banks' The State of the Art can now be found and played here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Thanks!

Finished. Great adaptation of a poignant story.

The Oslo bit is being broadcast now!

Listening now, really enjoying it. I'd forgotten how much I liked The Culture.

4pm today on BBC Radio 4 Extra it’s the repeat of my adaptation of Iain M. Banks’ The State of the Art, with Sir Antony Sher as the ship. So proud of this amazing production by @nadiamolinari.bsky.social

BBC Radio 4 Extra - The State of the Art by Iain M Banks A spaceship arrives on Earth and finds a planet obsessed with alien concepts like 'money'.

Here's a link to the page on BBC Sounds. Should be able to listen live at 1600 GMT today (07/03/2025), it's 45mins long and due to be available online in full shortly after broadcast.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b...

Ha ha! True. And if that happens, you should know I’m keeping it.

Well, if we win, you have a reasonable chance of being sent the award.

I mean, I was expecting a hand-crafted “Thank you” card containing a personalized poem, but I guess this is fine too. 😉

This is essential listening for audio drama fans, sci-fi fans, humans, Minds, and all sentient objects with ears or equivalent organs.

This is a superb piece of radio drama. Also a fantastic adaptation of the novella. Recommended listen.

Checking the possibilities for targeted marketing to my feed: did the interlude in Oslo's vigeland park get included in the adaptation, or was it cut for time?

I can’t remember, I’m afraid, but it doesn’t ring a bell.

This is worth a listen if you have access to BBC Sounds. If you're a Culture fan then you may not have realised that Antony Sher is exactly the right voice for a ship. But he is.

Iain was very involved, approved the script, wanted Sir Antony for the part. @nadiamolinari.bsky.social created such an inspirational recording space, as always.

I’m very much looking forward to it too as its existence had previously passed me by, big fan of both Iain and Paul here

BBC 4 extra scheduling for The State of the Art

Due to be available on BBC Sounds later today👍

I’ll keep an eye out for it. Plus a couple of ears.

I don’t know for sure, but it seems very likely.

Agreed!

Every time I listen to something on 4 Extra and think 'This is great', it seems to be @nadiamolinari.bsky.social's name at the end, so I'll definitely be listening.