AFTER more than two years in production, a new and exciting locally produced audio-drama has now been released to the public.
Written by Briagolong residents, Rod McMillan and Michèle Adler, RYKO – A Wild Life tells the exciting story of Ted Ryko (aka Edward Reichenbach), an adventurous cyclist and photographer who travelled extensively across Australia’s mysterious, dangerous and ‘tantalising’ Top End in 1914-17.
Ryko had conquered the nearly 3000 kilometres overland cycling record across the desert from Adelaide to the frontier town of Darwin, but he soon discovered a divided society that pushed him to new limits.
Narrated by former ABC radio gardening presenter, Michèle Adler (who is Ted Ryko’s granddaughter), Ryko’s exploits and the travails that beset him are vibrantly brought to life by a large number of talented, multi-skilled artists including 26 voice actors, 20 musicians, two brass bands, composers, sound designers, recordists, engineers and foley artists.
Produced by Rod McMillan, the audio-drama has a run time of four-and-a-half hours and is presented in 15 episodes for easy listening.
About half of the performers were Gippslanders, illustrating the wonderful expertise locals have at their own door-step.
Local voices were Helen Waddington, Gavin Prior, Anna Roberts, Robert Leggett, Tony Dawkins, Margie McGown and Nevaeh Bryant.
Musicians included Gary Joyner, Julie Lockhart and Jane Neilson who also accompanied singer Jenny Candy, plus the Sale City Brass Band conducted by Caroline Monck and members of the Gippsland Symphony Orchestra strings section conducted by David Williams (recorded by Barrie Clissold at Wombat Rd Studio).
For a complete list of people involved (and more information) go to www.adland.com.au and follow links to The Ryko Project.
RYKO – A Wild Life is available on 43 audio-book platforms (including Spotify).
The entertaining, creative production accentuates themes of cultural storytelling through a mix of Western, Indigenous and Eastern music and language, all wrapped in classic Australian adventure and humour.
It is an intensely human story based on real events, and presents an authentic representation of the historical, political and cultural context of the time.
It challenges views of prejudice and disenfranchisement, dual citizenship, xenophobia and paranoia in a multi-cultural, de-stabilised environment. It reveals a proto-treaty (still not recognised) from the Indigenous Crocodile Islanders of Arnhem Land to the Northern Territory government.
It also provides a voice for the contribution that the then disenfranchised Chinese made to Australia, and highlights truths of how some Australian citizens of German descent were treated during World War 1.
