A series of award-winning radio plays will be aired on Radio Malta 2 in a collaboration between the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and Public Broadcasting Services.

Starting next month, the radio plays will be broadcast on the first Friday of every month at 2.30pm.

The six scripts, which are the winners of the Francis EbejerPrize, the national theatre scriptwriting award, are currently being recorded and post-produced by PBS.

The plays - which include four past winners as well as the winner and runner-up of last year’s edition - are Kwadri minn Wirja written and directed by Joe Friggieri; Kanon għal Erba’ Ilħna, written and directed by George Peresso; Kiesaħ u Biered, written by Anthony Portelli, directed by George Peresso and performed by Bakkanti; Lippu d-Doggi, written by Anthony Portelli and directed by Tyrone Grima; Fuq il-Bjut, written by Vincent Vella, directed by John Suda; and KM613 minn Ruma, written and directed by Joe Friggieri. Actors include well-known names such as Godwin Scerri, Ninette Micallef, Theresa Friggieri and Michael Tabone.

“This initiative was born through PBS’ commitment to contribute towards the strengthening of the accessibility of Maltese literature to its audiences and listeners,” said PBS chairman Tonio Portughese. MCCA chair Albert Marshall added: “The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts felt the need to breathe new life into the radio play genre which has been completely sidelined by stations until now.”