Orson Welles once called it “the greatest single radio script ever written”. On Monday, January 4th New English American Theatre (Neat) presented Lucille Fletcher’s SORRY, WRONG NUMBER at Merlin Kulturzentrum in Stuttgart. “The audience reaction to this project was extremely enthusiastic and has encouraged us to do more shows from the Golden Age of Radio”, said director Charles C. Urban. The cast presented the legendary 1943 Lux Radio Theatre version authentically using sound effects, period music, costumes and original soap commercials.
The audience was transported back to a Hollywood Studio in the Gold Era of Radio and listened raptly as the thrilling story of a woman’s unwitting eavesdropping of a planned murder unfolded. Some audience members closed their eyes and followed the plot as if listening to the radio of their youth. Those that kept their eyes opened were rewarded by the magnificent character portrayal of Jeanne Ragonese in the leading role, a fine psychological study in terror.
In 2015, the Library of Congress deemed the original broadcast of “Sorry, Wrong Number” “culturally, historically, aesthetically significant” and selected it for inclusion in the National Recording Registry. The next performance of the radio play will be on Thursday, March 17 at 8 PM in Theater am Olgaeck.
New English American Theater Stuttgart 