Dan Rebellato - Negative Signs Of Progress


Negative Signs of Progress is a trilogy of radio plays that unfold against the backdrop of the Arab Spring. The story begins with a junior NGO strategy team thrown into training for kidnap crisis negotiation, as they grapple with the disappearance of one of their field workers.

In the first episode, 'Here', a British aid worker goes missing, prompting her husband to question everything he thought he knew about her. The second episode, 'There', follows the strategists as they role-play scenarios to negotiate with a potential kidnapper, struggling to separate truth from fiction. The final episode, 'Somewhere', explores the complex dynamics between the West and the East through the lens of a frightened hostage in a Syrian library.

Directed by Polly Thomas, this series delves into themes of identity, politics, and the often harsh realities of international aid work.


This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.