Wireless Theatre Company


The Wireless Theatre Company is an online audio theatre company specializing in creating modern audio drama. It was founded in July 2007 by Mariele Runacre Temple, daughter of actress Jenny Runacre.

Overview

The company produces radio drama, audio comedy and short stories for digital download in MP3 format, creating a modern forum for radio productions and specialises in new writing from international authors, originally beginning as a not-for-profit company. In February 2008, Nicholas Parsons became patron of the company, recorded an interview and appeared at the company's official launch party in July 2008, along with Richard O'Brien.
It has showcased as of the end of 2013, 177 actors, as well as 43 new writers and 35 crew members and had won several radio awards and nominations for its output, all "designed to nurture and encourage fresh new writers, up and coming acting talent and bring audio theatre to the 'iPod generation'". Its recent output was named as one of the Best Twenty Radio Productions of 2012, while Mariele Runacre Temple was placed on the top 200 Sound Women List. It is a member of the Radio Independents Group and in 2011 won a place on the BBC Radio Preferred Supplier's List.
As of the end of 2013, the current website is visited by 15,000 unique visitors per month, of which 7% become subscribers.

Notable developments (2008-2016)

In May 2008, Prunella Scales starred in its production of the Youth of Old Age with Knight Mantell and directed The Ceremony, which featured Jenny Runacre. Wireless Theatre Company has also worked with Julian Glover, David Benson, Timothy West, Christopher Timothy and Josephine Tewson. Glover worked on the company's first audio series, – the first series of The Springheel Saga – based around the legend of Springheeled Jack.
The Wireless Theatre Company has been featured in Metro and Live Radio Theatre? The Perfect Night Out or In in The Guardian.
Since early 2015 Wireless Theatre have been producing full length multi-cast dramas for Audible UK, including Passenger 23 starring Max Beesley and Rebecca Hall and the double Audie Award winning Jungle Book, The Mowgli Stories starring Bill Bailey, Richard E Grant and Martin Shaw.

Notable contributors

The Wireless Theatre Company has attracted several notable contributors; in 2012 Stephen Fry recorded a guest appearance, playing a fictional version of himself, in the company's production of .
ContributorProduction or RoleYear
Nicholas ParsonsCompany Patron; performing in "We Are The BBC", "The Springheel Saga, Series Two: The Legend Of Springheel'd Jack"2008, 2012, 2013-2014
Richard O'BrienWriter of "Pig In Boots", London Horror Festival Judge2008, 2012
Kim NewmanLondon Horror Festival Judge2013
Prunella ScalesPerforming in "The Youth of Old Age", "On Three, Seasons"; Director of "The Ceremony"2009
Timothy West"On Three", "Seasons"2009
Jenny Runacre"The Ceremony", "Shared", "The Springheel Saga, Series Three: The Secret Of Springheel'd Jack"2014
Josephine Tewson"Leaves In The Wind"2009
Julian Glover"The Springheel Saga, Series One: The Strange Case Of Springheel'd Jack"2011-2012
David Benson"Spook Squad", "The Springheel Saga, Series One, Two & Three"2008, 2010, 2013, 2014
Abi Titmuss"Stage Fright"2010
Lionel Blair"Gino Ginelli Is Still Dead"2011
Rula Lenska"Shared"2011
Gordon Kennedy"The Maiden Without Hands"2011
Christopher Timothy"We Are Not The BBC"2011
John AntrobusDirector/Co-writer of "Not Tonight Caligula"2010
Ray GaltonCo-writer of "Not Tonight Caligula"2010
Stephen Fry"We Are The BBC"2012
Linda Robson"Gino Ginelli Lives!"2012
Shane Rimmer"The Mighty Carlins"2013
Brian BlessedNarrator of "Life At Death's Door", performer in "Dead London"2013
Matthew Kelly"The Springheel Saga, Series Three: The Secret Of Springheel'd Jack"2015-2016
Jo BrandNarrator of "Life At Death's Door II"2015
Dominic West"Les Liaisons Dangereuses", Wireless Theatre for Audible UK2015
Bill Bailey"The Jungle Book, The Mowgli Stories", Wireless Theatre for Audible UK2016
Derek JacobiNarrator in "A Christmas Carol", Wireless Theatre for Audible UK2016
Nigel Planer"The Chief"2016
Alison Steadman"Ladies"2017
Ben Miles"Just One Damned Thing After Another" for Audible UK2017
Gemma Whelan"Just One Damned Thing After Another" for Audible UK2017
Tom Conti"Murder on the Orient Express" for Audible UK2017
Eddie Marsan"Murder on the Orient Express" for Audible UK2017
Sophie Okonedo"Murder on the Orient Express" for Audible UK2017
Philip Glenister"Treasure Island" for Audible UK2017
Daniel Mays"Treasure Island" for Audible UK2017
Catherine Tate"Treasure Island" for Audible UK2017
William Hope"Red Moon"2018

Wireless Theatre Live

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. The company produced a live radio recording of Frankie Howerd's 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. In 2011, it undertook a season of live recordings of Grimm's Fairytales at the Roundhouse Theatre, while since 2012 it has launched the London Horror Festival. 2013 saw live shows produced by Wireless Theatre in London and at the Buxton Festival.

Wireless Theatre Kids

In November 2010 the company launched Wireless Theatre Kids to produce original radio drama and stories for children.

Awards and nominations

Since 2009 The Wireless Theatre Company has received several award nominations and awards, most notably in 2011 when it won Best Entertainment Producer and Best Online Multi-Platform Creator at The Radio Academy Radio Production Awards and in 2016 when it won two Audie awards for The Jungle Book, The Mowgli Stories produced for Audible UK.


AwardOrganisation/YearNominationWin
Best Radio Drama ProducerFringe Report Awards, 2009Mariele Runacre TempleWon
Best Entertainment ProducerRadio Production Awards, 2011Mariele Runacre TempleWon
Best Online PlatformRadio Production Awards, 2011Mariele Runacre TempleWon
Best Drama ProducerRadio Production Awards, 2011Mariele Runacre Termple, Robert Valentine, Jack BowmanNomination
Best CreativeRadio Production Awards, 2011Jack BowmanNomination
Silver Award - Best Fantasy Audio ProductionMark Time Ogles, 2011The Springheel Saga: The Strange Case Of Springheel'd JackWon
Best Drama ProductionBritish Public Radio Awards, 2013The Springheel Saga: The Strange Case Of Springheel'd JackNomination
Best Entertainment ProductionBritish Public Radio Awards, 2013Radio Hoo-HaaNomination
Best Documentary British Public Radio Awards, 2013Life At Death's DoorWon
Best ProductionWar Of The Worlds 75, 2013Dead LondonWon
Gold Award - Best Fantasy Audio ProductionMark Time Ogles, 2013The Springheel Saga: The Legend Of Springheel'd JackWon
Best SF/Fantasy AwardOutpost Skaro, 2014The Springheel SagaWon
Best Drama ProducerAudio Production Awards, 2015Cherry CooksonNominated
Best DramaAudie Awards, 2016The Jungle Book, The Mowgli StoriesWon
Excellence In ProductionAudie Awards, 2016The Jungle Book, The Mowgli StoriesWon
Silver - Best Drama SpecialNew York Festival Awards, 2016The Murder of Roger AckroydWon
Silver - Best Fantasy Audio ProductionMark Time Ogles, 2016The Springheel Saga: Series ThreeWon
Best Audio Drama Production Company, UKTMT Media Awards 2016 Wireless Theatre CompanyWon
Most Outstanding Radio Drama Production Co.AI Global Excellence Awards, 2016 Wireless Theatre CompanyWon
Best Multi-Voiced PerformanceAudie Awards, 2017Les Liaisons DangereusesNominated
DramaNew York Festivals World's Best Radio Programs Awards 2017The Secret of Springheel'd Jack: The Tunnels of Death / The Lords of the WorldFinalist
Best Podcast or Online Audio DramaBBC Audio Drama Awards, 2019Red MoonWon

2013 - Current (Documentaries, BBC Radio 4, Audible, New Model and Relaunch)

2013 saw the company branch into documentaries, beginning with "Life At Death's Door", narrated by Brian Blessed, followed by "The Springheel Files", narrated by Cameron K. McEwan.
October saw its first production broadcast on BBC Radio 4 as part of the Wednesday Afternoon Play, written by Marty Ross, a dramatic adaptation of "The Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk", directed by Cherry Cookson.
In the summer of 2013, it was announced that The Wireless Theatre Company would change its business model, relaunching as Wireless Theatre Ltd. This decision was made to help increase production and support the actors, writers and crew involved in the company, and as such, was seeking investment as a result, a move supported by Parsons as Company Patron in an online video. As such, in December 2013, Wireless Theatre ceased to be a not-for-profit company and became a subscription-based audio platform.
At the end of 2013, it finished the year with releasing "Cross Party" co-written by Tom Harris with his wife, Carolyn and the second series of The Springheel Saga, , featuring Nicholas Parsons. From 2015 to present day it combines in-house productions for the website subscribers with large-scale productions for Audible UK. The company has also partnered with AudioBoom to offer free drama and behind the scenes extras.