The Snowman by Neil Flynn is a lyrical monologue telling of an Antarctic explorer’s desperate attempts to make it back to base camp with two colleagues. It was inspired in part by Irish polar explorer Tom Crean’s efforts to save a sick crew member during his first Antarctic expedition. The man is played by Damien Molony.

It won the English as a First Language prize of the International Playwriting Competition hosted by the BBC World Service and the British Council. The competition offers a unique opportunity for playwrights to use the medium of audio drama to reach a global audience. The competition has two first prizes – one for writers with English as a First Language and another for writers with English as a Second Language. Both winners attend an awards ceremony in London and see their plays recorded for broadcast and streaming on the BBC World Service.

Writer: Neil Flynn
Music composer: Jon Nicholls
Sound design: Keith Graham
Director: Tracey Neale

(Photo: Illustration of an Antarctic explorer sitting in the snow outside his tent. Credit: Getty Images) Show less