Wireless Theatre Company
Encyclopedia
The Wireless Theatre Company is a not-for-profit online audio theatre company, founded in July 2007 by Mariele Runacre Temple, daughter of actress Jenny Runacre
, the company produces radio plays
, audio comedy and short stories
for free download. The company was formed to create a modern forum for radio drama, bringing it to the "Facebook Generation" - producing free plays for easy download. The company specialises in new writing, with authors from all over the world.
In February 2008, Nicholas Parsons
became patron of the company, recording an interview and appearing at the company's live launch party in July 2008. In May 2008, Prunella Scales
starred in its production of the Youth Of Old Age with Knight Mantell, and later directed The Ceremony, which featured Jenny Runacre, Anthony Sergeant and Jack Bowman.
The company has also worked with notable actors such as Julian Glover
on the company's first audio serial, The Strange Case of Springheel'd Jack - which was released in December 2010 - and David Benson
, Timothy West
and Josephine Tewson.
The company launched its LIVE recordings in 2008, the first being the Wireless Theatre Company pantomime, Pig in Boots written by Richard O'Brien
in December 2008. Live productions include The Grimm of Stottesden Hall, loosely based on the stories of Edgar Allan Poe
, and 2010: Space Commander!, both written by Stuart Price. They produced a live radio recording of lost Frankie Howerd
play Not Tonight Caligula by Ray Galton and John Antrobus
, at Leicester Square Theatre, London, and a second Halloween special entitled Phonophobia, co-written by Robert Valentine and Gareth Parker.
The Wireless Theatre Company has been featured in The Telegraph
, Metro Time Out magazine. and Live Radio Theatre? The Perfect Night Out or In in The Guardian
.
In November 2010 the company launched Wireless Theatre Kids to produce original radio drama and stories for children. In 2011 The Wireless Theatre Company won Best Entertainment Producer and Best Online Multi-Platform Creator at The Radio Academy Radio Production Awards, and were accepted onto the BBC Radio 4
BBC's preferred suppliers list. They are also members of the Radio Independents Group
.
Jenny Runacre
Jenny Runacre is an actress.Runacre was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She relocated to London as a child, attended The Actor's Workshop there, and trained in the Stanislavski System....
, the company produces radio plays
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
, audio comedy and short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
for free download. The company was formed to create a modern forum for radio drama, bringing it to the "Facebook Generation" - producing free plays for easy download. The company specialises in new writing, with authors from all over the world.
In February 2008, Nicholas Parsons
Nicholas Parsons
Nicholas Parsons OBE is a British actor and radio and television presenter.-Early life:...
became patron of the company, recording an interview and appearing at the company's live launch party in July 2008. In May 2008, Prunella Scales
Prunella Scales
Prunella Scales CBE is an English actress, known for her role as Basil Fawlty's long-suffering wife in the British comedy Fawlty Towers and her award-nominated role as Queen Elizabeth II in the British film A Question of Attribution.-Career:Throughout her long career, Scales has usually been cast...
starred in its production of the Youth Of Old Age with Knight Mantell, and later directed The Ceremony, which featured Jenny Runacre, Anthony Sergeant and Jack Bowman.
The company has also worked with notable actors such as Julian Glover
Julian Glover
Julian Wyatt Glover is a British actor best known for such roles as General Maximilian Veers in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the Bond villain Aristotle Kristatos in For Your Eyes Only, and Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.-Personal life:Glover was born in...
on the company's first audio serial, The Strange Case of Springheel'd Jack - which was released in December 2010 - and David Benson
David Benson
David Benson is an English character actor, writer and comedian, most famous for his one-man show entitled 'Think No Evil of Us: My Life with Kenneth Williams' about the life and career of the late comedian, for which he won the Scotsman's Fringe First award in 1996, and for his television role as...
, Timothy West
Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...
and Josephine Tewson.
The company launched its LIVE recordings in 2008, the first being the Wireless Theatre Company pantomime, Pig in Boots written by Richard O'Brien
Richard O'Brien
Richard Timothy Smith , better known under his stage name Richard O'Brien, is an English writer, actor, television presenter and theatre performer. He is perhaps best known for writing the cult musical The Rocky Horror Show and for his role in presenting the popular TV show The Crystal Maze...
in December 2008. Live productions include The Grimm of Stottesden Hall, loosely based on the stories of Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
, and 2010: Space Commander!, both written by Stuart Price. They produced a live radio recording of lost Frankie Howerd
Frankie Howerd
Francis Alick "Frankie" Howerd OBE was an English comedian and comic actor whose career, described by fellow comedian Barry Cryer as "a series of comebacks", spanned six decades.-Early career:...
play Not Tonight Caligula by Ray Galton and John Antrobus
John Antrobus
John Antrobus is an English playwright and script writer. He has written extensively for stage, screen, TV and radio, including the epic World War II play, Crete and Sergeant Pepper at the Royal Court...
, at Leicester Square Theatre, London, and a second Halloween special entitled Phonophobia, co-written by Robert Valentine and Gareth Parker.
The Wireless Theatre Company has been featured in The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, Metro Time Out magazine. and Live Radio Theatre? The Perfect Night Out or In in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
In November 2010 the company launched Wireless Theatre Kids to produce original radio drama and stories for children. In 2011 The Wireless Theatre Company won Best Entertainment Producer and Best Online Multi-Platform Creator at The Radio Academy Radio Production Awards, and were accepted onto the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
BBC's preferred suppliers list. They are also members of the Radio Independents Group
Radio Independents Group
The Radio Independents Group, or RIG, is the trade body that represents the interests of the independent radio producers of the United Kingdom. Established in June 2004, RIG is mandated to negotiate terms with broadcasters and audio consumers such as digital publishers, that are to the benefit of...
.