‘Voices Out of the Air’ is a 44 minute radio drama about the 1934 Royal Christmas Broadcast - the first global reaching live radio communication in history.
Produced by Run Home Productions in summer 2020 during Covid-19 restrictions at Ilmington Manor, the location from where the original words were broadcast.
First Broadcast on BBC
First broadcast on BBC CWR 23/12/2020
Future broadcasts TBC - For all enquiries, info@runhome.co.uk
It's 1934.
The BBC have an audacious idea…
The plan is to broadcast, for the very first time, live on Christmas day. The estimated audience around the world will be 20 million people. As if this isn't challenging enough, the broadcast will take place from two locations, 125 miles apart: the Royal Estate at Sandringham and the tiny Cotswold village of Ilmington.
The play follows the true story of how the BBC produced the first ever live Christmas address, told through the eyes of a young radio engineer. In the course of the play, we also meet Spenser Flower and Walton Handy, two ordinary men from the Midlands who spoke eloquently to the world in a time when global communication was considered impossible.
Although a period piece, Voices Out of the Air has strong parallels with today's world. In the early 30s technology was changing fast, the monarchy was struggling to retain relevance and the stories of 'ordinary people' were being told.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the story of the 1934 Christmas Broadcast is that it has never been told before, until now.
CAST INCLUDES:
Richard Derrington - Adam Dalgliesh - 'P.D James' Mysteries', Mark Hebden - 'The Archers' (1980-1994)
Alison Belbin - Mrs Tulliver - 'The Mill on the Floss', Susan Garth - 'Middlemarch'
Miles Richardson - George Allen - 'The Crown', Colonel Chadwick - 'Outlander'
Josh Harper - Dec Lonsdale - 'Coronation Street', Alex Redwood - 'The Archers'
Keith Osborn - Sergeant Allbright - 'Father Brown', Marcellus 'Hamlet' (RSC/BBC)
Mark Carey - Mr Lockwood - 'Wuthering Heights', John Rossiter - 'Home Front’
“A gem of a story, utterly and delightfully played. This snapshot from the early days of outside broadcast is exquisite. I loved it.”
“A piece of Ilmington history brought to life, well done!”
“I really enjoyed this radio play - sounds great, has a lovely story with excellent performances - COVID-19 wasn’t going to stop this piece of work!”
“This is wonderful!”
“How brilliant! Wonderful stuff!”
“What a great idea! I used to drive through Ilmington every day to the RSC but never knew about this story”