2.3. TECHNICAL TOOLS USED IN RADIO DRAMA
2.3.1 THE MICROPHONE
Basically, the radio dramatist relies and depends primarily on sound and dialogue for the effective depiction of his play. In writing a play, the playwright has to take into consideration the role of the microphone in the play. The script has to indicate clearly how the voices and the microphonewill interact to convey a coherent message to the listener. With regard to the use ofthe microphone in a play, Makosana (1991:95) says:
Talking about sound, the microphone plays a prominent role in radio because it is the disseminator of sound.
Tshamano (1994:22) reiterates the importance ofthe microphone when he says:
The microphone is the first and most important of the technical tools the use of which the scriptwriter must understand.
Hilliard (1984), Moeketsi (1988) Makosana (1991), Cruywagen (1992) and Tshamano (1994) all agree that there are basically five microphone positions: 'on mike', 'off mike', 'fading on mike', 'fading offmike' and 'behind obstruction'.
The different positions of the microphone as used in the play create different impressions on the listener. This is in its own of vital importance since there need not be a narrator in a good and well-written play. In order to follow the action and dialogue of the characters, the listener is only guided by the level and position of sound that is produced and disseminated by the microphone.
Let us now look at the different microphone positions and see how they impact on the listener, and most importantly, how Ntuli uses theminhis one-act radio plays.
2.3.1.1 THE 'ON MIKE' PosmON
Inthis position, the actor speaks directly to the microphone. This position is also called the 'Close Focus'.Itis used to create the feeling of intimacy between the actor and the listener as it creates the impression that the actor is speaking and addressing the listener directly.
The 'on mike' position is used to indicate that the character or the actor is on the scene. It therefore makes the listener feel that he is at the same place or physical position as the character or actor. Inmost cases, this. position is not indicated on the script. It is simply taken for granted that the actor is at this position if nothing is indicated next to his or her dialogue. In ail ofNtuli's plays, the 'on mike' position is not indicated or differentiated.
2.3.1.2.
THE
'OFF MIKE' POSmONThe actor is said to be in the 'off mike' position if he is put at a distance from the microphone. This creates an impression that the performer is at a distance from the focal point of the action being depicted. According to Makosana (1991:95), this position serves to indicate that:
The performer is not only distancing himselffrom the mike, but also from the listener.
NtuIi makes use of this position, especially to create suspense in his plays. There is an
• indication that the actor is no longer in the same physical spot with the listener. The intimacy between them is therefore lost.
2.3.1.3THE 'FADING ON' POSmON
In this position the actor or performer approaches the centre of the action and moves towards the microphone while speaking. This prepares the listener for the action that is
going to accompany the character's approach. In most cases this position enhances suspense in the listener.
InNtuli's one-act radio plays, this position is indicated by the raising of the character's voice which shows his approach. The listener can therefore feel that the character is approaching the focal point of action. In some cases, this position is preceded by the sound of the character's footsteps, which in itself is an effective creator of suspense on the listener.
In most cases, Ntuli uses esondela (approaching) to indicate this position. This can be seen in the following example:
MANGCOBO: (Esondela) Cha, Thoko, sengithi angilunguze ngoba selokhu kuthe nya...
(Ntuli, 1990:25)
MANGCOBO: (Approaching) Well, Thoko, I've decided to come and have a look"since it's been quite for some time.
2.3.1.4THE 'FADINGOFF'PosmON
The actor is said to be 'fading off' when he moves away from the' on mike' position while speaking. This creates an impression that the actor is moving away from the centre of the action, thus leaving other characters and the listener behind. In this regard, the listener is guided by the level of the actor's voice. If it gradually descends and fades off, the listener is made aware of the actor's retreat from the scene and action without necessarily being directly told that by the character or the narrator.
InNtuli's one-act radio plays, the 'fading off' position is often indicated by words like eqheluk!!, buqamaml!, ekude and so on. Thiscan, for example, be seen in Umthakathi:
INDUNA: Yebo Nkosi(Eqheluka) ngizobalanda.
(Ntuli, 1992:10)
This indicates clearly that Induna is moving away while speaking. He does not necessarily mentions this himself. It is only the distance at which he is speaking from the microphone that the listener uses to determine the 'fading off' from the focal point of action.
2.3.1.5THE 'BEHIND OBSTRUCTION' POSmON
In this position the actor sounds asifthere is a barrier between him and the centre of action. The impression created is that of a person speaking over a telephone, outside a house, behind a door and so forth. To indicate this position, producers usually use a type of a microphone called a 'filter mike' which creates an impression that the voice is coming over a telephone.
This position is also indicated by the use of the echo chamber which creates echo sounds. Ntuli uses this device to a very large extent, especially when flashbacks or scenes that took place in the past are indicated. In the play an echo sound of the character's voice is used to denote this.
In the script, however, Ntuli uses isenanelo (echo) to show that the action concerned took place prior to the scene at hand. In other words the word isenanelo helps the producer and the reader of the text to see that the action concerned occurred in the past.
The echo chamber also comes handy when amazwi (voices) are heard, in most cases by a character alone. Ntuli makes use of this device in Umtitilizo:
AMAZWI: Ikhon'indlel'esheshayo. Kumanje nje abanye basebenzisa yona. Bawutholil'umtitilizo, umtitilizo, umtitili...zo.
DOLLY: Kuhle ngisebenzis'ingqonjwana engayiphiwa uMdali...
AMAZWI: Siphukuphuku, awuhlakaniphile njengabanye, uyisiJima, uyisilima, uyisili....ma.
(Ntuli, 1985:72)
VOICES: There is a fast way. Others are using it right now. They
have received a bargain, a bargain, a barga....in.
DOLLY: It's appropriate that I use my God-given brain.
VOICES: Fool, you are not clever like others, you are a fool, a fool, a fo.... ol.
The voices that Dolly hears signify the turmoil that takes place within her. The echo chamber is also used to indicate that a character is dreaming. Ntuli uses this in Ucingo when Nduduzo visits his parents in a dream on two separate occasions. The listeners hear Nduduzo's voice emanating from the 'behind obstruction' position when an echo chamber has been used.