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This Year...

Sci-fi Pilots

Dark Smile return to their roots with a series of Sci-fi releases. 

The Paradox Suite  is now broadcasting.....

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Out Now...

The latest Made In Manchester / Dark Smile drama ‘As We Forgive Them’ is now live at www.independent.co.uk/drama together with our previous dramas – Death in Genoa, Turing’s Test - and Suzie Pugh and a Monster Too which can be found at www.independent.co.uk/childrensdrama

America, November 2008: the new President is elected amidst an ‘audacity of hope’.  For newly elected Democrat Congressman, John Daniels, this should be a time of celebration. Instead he must decide the fate of his daughter’s murderer: should he exact revenge or grant redemption …..or both?
 

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MEET SUZIE PUGH AS CORRIE STAR BREAKS NEW GROUND - Download for FREE now at www.independent.co.uk/childrensdrama

Coronation Street star Vicky Binns is the latest actor to take to the web as she becomes the voice of a brand new character for children.

Vicky, who plays Molly in Britain's most popular TV soap opera, is taking on the role of Suzie Pugh in Suzie Pugh and a Monster Too - a new radio adventure for children, made by Made in Manchester, and downloadable via The Independent's website this Christmas.

The kids story is part of a wider initiative by Made in Manchester/Dark Smile to bring original short-form radio drama and comedy to new audiences.  

Vicky Binns says: "I'm very passionate about this initiative to get new writing out there via radio drama. I started out working in radio and continue to do so. It is a wonderful medium for drama and comedy. Anything that gets people to use their imaginations through the power of speech and sound is a great thing."

Suzie Pugh creator and writer Phil Collinge says "I'm really pleased that Made in Manchester and Dark Smile have been able to bring this story to The Independent for this Christmas. In this ever changing world, telling exciting stories for children has never gone out of fashion, and in Suzie Pugh and a Monster Too we've got the best of both worlds as Vicky Binns and Steve Murphy mix their storytelling skills with their acting prowess to bring us a magical and fun packed children's tale for Christmas... and let's be honest, we're all children at heart at this time of year aren't we?"

 Phil added: "I think radio is an ideal medium for Children's storytelling. After all children have such vivid imaginations - and they're going to need them, because we're off on a rollercoaster adventure! I really hope that people like Suzie Pugh, and that we can take her on some more adventures. I think it's time for a new children's hero, and why shouldn't that hero be an ordinary girl from the north of England? Stranger things can happen - just ask Suzie Pugh!"

Suzie Pugh and Monster Too stars Vicky Binns as Suzie Pugh and Steve Murphy (Life on Mars/Shameless/The Street) as Smert (the monster) and is live via The Independent's website over the Christmas period at www.independent.co.uk/childrensdrama It is written by Phil Collinge, Directed by Mike Heath and Produced by Ashley Byrne and Iain Mackness. The music is by Herbie Clarke and Frances M Lynch and the Suzie Pugh artwork is by Tony Byrne. It's a Made in Manchester/Dark Smile Production co-production for The Independent.

 The children's adventure is the third radio feature to be premiered by Made in Manchester/Dark Smile via The Independent online.  Death in Genoa featuring legendary stage and screen actor Simon Callow as Oscar Wilde has been available for free as a download since November '09 at www.independent.co.uk/drama and is regularly in the top 20 in its category on i-tunes. Turing's Test with History Boys star Samuel Barnett as Alan Turing reached number 7 and is still available to listen to at www.independent.co.uk/turing

For further information about the composers, go to www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk

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                        SIMON CALLOW TO PLAY OSCAR WILDE IN GROUND-BREAKING NEW DRAMA

www.independent.co.uk/drama from Friday 4th December 2009

Legendary stage and screen actor Simon Callow stars as Oscar Wilde in a ground-breaking new online drama about a little known period in the life of the 19th Century writer, wit and raconteur.

Death in Genoa is an imaginative dramatic reconstruction of the time Wilde spent in Italy in February 1899, when he visited the grave of his wife, Constance - a poignant and little known episode in his life.

The radio drama is the second to be promoted and premiered via a national newspaper’s website and marks the launch of Independent Drama following the cementing of a relationship between the paper and award-winning production company, Made in Manchester (MIM)

Last month, a 30 minute radio drama about persecuted Enigma Code breaker Alan Turing was promoted in the newspaper and premiered online. Turing’s Test which starred History Boys actor Samuel Barnett was regularly in the Top 20 in its category on i-tunes.

Death in Genoa is written by Thomas Wright. He’s been studying the life and times of Oscar Wilde for two decades and is author of Oscar’s Books (Chatto and Windus 2008).

He says: “I’ve always been fascinated by the post-prison Wilde. Most people seem to think that Wilde died in prison, yet he survived his appalling sentence, and lived on for three years after his release, wandering around the continent under the alias Sebastian Melmoth.

“They were years of pleasure for Wilde, with brandy and young men in plentiful supply, years of marvellous spoken stories and witty conversation. They were also years made up of poverty, insults, failed attempts at writing, and reflection – on his past, on his sexuality, on his imprisonment, and on his extraordinary achievements as an artist.”

Thomas adds: “Wilde’s visit to his wife’s grave in Genoa in February 1899 provided me with the perfect subject for a drama that contained all of these tragi-comic elements. While ‘Death in Genoa’ is based on the few facts we have, it is a work of fiction.”

Death in Genoa also stars History Boys and Desperate Romantics actor Samuel Barnett  as Omero and Blake Ritson (Emma and The League of Gentlemen) as Dr Carlo Bazzani. 

The new initiative to bring regular radio drama via The Independent newspaper is being supported by a whole host of top actors, writers, directors and producers.

MIM Creative Director and Independent Drama Executive Producer Ashley Byrne says: “Apart from a limited number of slots on the BBC, there’s little opportunity for writers or actors to get to grips with radio drama. 

“But with the internet and ipods, listening is enjoying something of a renaissance and now is the time to capitalise on that and really excite people about the extraordinary possibilities with radio drama and to introduce it to fresh audiences.” 

Ashley adds: “Everyone’s talking about what the internet can do but there’s little focus on the quality of the content. Our task is to create original drama which people actually want to stream and download. And that is not simply an add-on or a catch up service from existing mainstream TV or radio.”

Actor Simon Callow says: “Anything which reaffirms the greatness of that extraordinary medium, radio, is to be encouraged. What is especially exciting about Made in Manchester’s outfit is the speed with which they can commission and produce plays and get them on the air, where whole new audiences can experience them.  Great stuff.”

It’s also hoped that Independent Drama, which Made in Manchester will make in conjunction with post-production house Dark Smile, will also be a way to premiere new writing and acting talent.

Eastenders actor and TV writer Chris Coghill says: "As an actor and a writer looking to get into radio, I have always found it something of a closed shop with very specific and limited boundaries. Therefore I am delighted to take this opportunity to get involved with Made In Manchester/Dark Smile. 

“Bringing writers, producers and actors together to pool creative resources in an exciting and less traditional way, this is a truly innovative platform to deliver original work to new audiences.”

Among others supporting Independent Drama are Vicky Binns from Coronation Street, radio and theatre director Joyce Branagh, Doctors writer and director Adrian Bean, writer Tim Fountain, Reggie Perrin creator and writer David Nobbs and poet Ian McMillan.

Ø Death in Genoa is written by Thomas Wright and stars Simon Callow as Oscar Wilde, Samuel Barnett as Omero and Blake Ritson as Dr Carlo Bazzani. It is directed by Joyce Branagh and Neil Gardner and Produced by Ashley Byrne and Iain Mackness. It is a Made in Manchester/Dark Smile Co Production for The Independent.