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This article aims to demonstrate how Samuel Beckett's work for radio was produced within a very particular context: as part of the cultural experiment in radio broadcasting undertaken by the Third Programme, and how there were concerted efforts on the part of the BBC Drama Department to encourage Beckett to write for them, resulting in work he wrote specifically for the radio medium between 1956 and 1962. It also explores responses to Beckett's radio work recorded by Audience Research Reports, discussing them in relation to the processes of listening as regards mass and minority broadcasting.
Cet article se propose de montrer que le travail de Beckett pour la radio s'est fait dans un contexte bien particulier. Il a constitué une partie intégrante d'une expérience culturelle lancée par le Troisième Programme de la BBC, la rédaction du Drama Department déployant tous ses efforts pour encourager Beckett à écrire pour cette station. Aussi a-t-il contribué avec prédilection à leur production entre 1956 et 1962. En même temps on procède à une analyse des réactions du public que le travail de Beckett a suscitées, pour les situer par rapport au média de la radiodiffusion de masse et à celui de la radiodiffusion pour un public restreint.
Beckett was contacted by the BBC in 1956 to discover if he would be interested in writing a play for them. Their interest followed the success of En attendant Godot (1952). The result was All That Fall (written in 1956; first broadcast in 1957),1 which was followed by Embers (written and first broadcast in 1959), Words and Music (written in 1961; first broadcast in 1962), Cascando (written in 1962; first broadcast in 1963 [ORTF]; 1964 [BBC]) and Rough for Radio (written in early 1960s;2 first broadcast in 1976). Thus Beckett's writing for the radio medium took place during the very short time span of six years, yet the plays have been produced and broadcast widely, with repeats by the BBC, and productions in many countries around the world. As recently as 2006 all these radio plays were produced by the Gare St. Lazare Players on Irish radio (RTE Radio One). There are only five plays (six if Rough for Radio I is included), and yet they have an important, if neglected,...