PlayME podcast | Listen online for free

155 episodes

Nicolas Billon: Hitchcock, Fatherhood, and the Art of the Thriller
20/05/2026 | 44 mins.
Governor General's Award-winning playwright Nicolas Billon joins Laura Mullin to talk about his play The Neighbours and why the thriller form is the best tool he has for asking the questions that haunt him. Billon traces his love of suspense back to Hitchcock and explains why dread is one of the most honest ways to get an audience leaning in. He breaks down his choice to use direct address, what it does to an audience when a character looks right at them, and how becoming a father has changed him as a writer.
The Neighbours by Nicolas Billon (Part One)
13/05/2026 | 46 mins.
Denise and Simon have lived on Stanley Court for thirty-one years. They know their neighbours, they wave hello, and they throw a barbecue every May. But seven months ago, their next-door neighbour was exposed as the man who kidnapped ten-year-old Kayla Brown and kept her locked in a cage in his basement for twelve years. Now, as the couple pieces together the aftermath, the uncomfortable questions are just beginning.

Featuring: Ordena Stephens-Thompson, Tony Nappo and Richard Tse.

And if you are looking for more thrillers by Nicolas Billon, check out Butcher available on PlayME in our archives.
The Neighbours by Nicolas Billon (Part Two)
13/05/2026 | 51 mins.
When Denise and Simon are called to the police station, what they find there will connect their family to Kayla's story in ways they never could have imagined and force them to reckon with a question with no comfortable answer: how much did they really know?

Featuring: Ordena Stephens-Thompson, Tony Nappo and Richard Tse.
Special Episode: Interview with Artistic Director Brian Quirt
06/05/2026 | 1h 5 mins.
In this special PlayME episode, host Chris Tolley sits down with Brian Quirt of Night Swimming as the company celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Brian shares insights into the long, collaborative process of developing new plays, Night Swimming’s philosophy of “faith over hope,” and the re-release of Boys With Cars by Anita Majumdar—exploring how the work resonates with audiences today.
NEW (Interview with Pamela Mala Sinha)
22/04/2026 | 1h 3 mins.
Playwright and actor Pamela Mala Sinha joins Chris Tolley to talk about NEW, her play about a generation of South Asian immigrants who came of age in 1970s Winnipeg. Sinha shares how a box of old photographs and her mother's stories sparked the idea, and why she felt compelled to tell the story of a generation that built this country but has been largely skipped over in our cultural narrative. She talks about casting her own mother as cultural consultant, what it means to take notes from a parent, and the unexpected rehearsal room moment that unlocked the emotional truth of a key scene. She also reflects on writing trauma without centering it, the role of comedy in her work, and what she wishes she had known at the start of her writing life.

More Fiction podcasts

Trending Fiction podcasts

About PlayME

Welcome to your digital stage, where bold theatre meets cutting-edge audio drama. Each episode draws you into captivating stories brought to life by top actors, acclaimed writers, and cinematic sound design that places you at the center of the action. Winner of the 2020 New York Festival Gold Medal winner for Audio Drama, PlayME has dozens of productions, from daring, original audio dramas to groundbreaking plays. We offer an experience for people who love theatre and audio fiction. Whether you like dark, atmospheric thrillers, raw emotional drama, irreverent comedies, or theatre that push boundaries, our carefully curated collection has something to captivate every adventurous listener. Plus, enjoy in-depth interviews with playwrights, offering unique insights into their creative processes and the stories behind the plays.

Podcast website

Fiction