Spec Fic Radio Theatre

In the county of Cornwall in the far southwest of England, a strange game has been played between villages for centuries. When the covid lockdown brings Holly to the area she learns more about the game and the mysterious stone circles dotting the landscape. The county is rich in folklore and Holly's aunt, Helen shares some of it in this tale of folklore and fantasy written by Cornish poet and folklorist, Anna Chorlton.

The Silver Ball was recorded and produced during the UK's Covid lockdown using actors from or with close connections to the county of Cornwall. Sound quality varies a little and we hope this does not spoil your enjoyment of the story. The Silver Ball was selected as Cornwall's entry into the British Library's archive of artistic projects created in the Covid pandemic lockdowns. It's a hug pleasure to share this magical story as the final episode in season 2 of Spec Fic Radio Theatre.

In the Silver Ball by Anna Chorlton you heard, in order of appearance

Tim Cartwright As Conan

Michael Fenner as the Vicar of St Cleer

Jowan Jacobs as Hedrek

Jamie Trotter as Jago

Tiffany Clare as Holly

Kate Edney as Helen

Carly Barnes as Amy and Heather

And Sally Walker-Taylor as Mary

Other voices were played by members of the cast

The music in The Silver Ball was arranged and performed by Mike O’Connor based on traditional Cornish tunes. Additional music is by Chris Gregory

Production, sound design and soundscapes were by Chris Gregory

Sound effects are from Freesound.org

If you would like to find out more about the author of The Silver Ball, the Cornish poet and folklorist Anna Chorlton you can do so by visiting her website here https://annachorlton.com/

And follow Anna on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/chorltonanna

All the locations and customs mentioned in the story are based on real sites and events in Cornwall. 

If you enjoy Spec Fic Radio Theatre you might enjoy other Alternative Stories podcasts.  We have a number of drama series including our award winning science fiction drama The Dex Legacy and our podcast about world building 'Writing Worlds'. Find all our shows and links to our social media, website and more here https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories

To get early release and ad-free listening to all alternative stories shows, bonus content, newsletters and more you can join the Alternative Stories Patreon.   You'll get access to our discord where you can connect with other fans, our production team and actors and you'll be supporting us to make more of the shows you enjoy.  To find out more and choose your membership tier please click the link below https://www.patreon.com/AltStories

Spec Fic Radio Theatre is an Alternative Stories production.

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A Memory of Robin by David Green tells the story of Gem, the daughter of a woman called Robin who we follow through extracts from her voice diary as she seeks to escape the confines of an increasingly oppressive and totalitarian government.

In A Memory of Robin by David Green you heard:

Jackie Jorgenson as Robin

Abby Hilden as Gem, Robin's daughter

Keli Winkler as the Voice of the Nation

A Memory of Robin is based on the short story of the same name by David Green. 

Additional material and adaptation were by Chris Gregory.

Music, sound design and mixing were by Chris Gregory

Find out more about writer David Green by following him on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidgreenwriter/

And visit his website www.davidgreenwritercom.wordpress.com

Find David on Facebook here   https://www.facebook.com/davidgreenwriter/

If you enjoy Spec Fic Radio Theatre you might enjoy other Alternative Stories podcasts.  We have a number of drama series including our award winning science fiction drama The Dex Legacy and our podcast about world building 'Writing Worlds'. Find all our shows and links to our social media, website and more here https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories

To get early release and ad-free listening to all alternative stories shows, bonus content, newsletters and more you can join the Alternative Stories Patreon.   You'll get access to our discord where you can connect with other fans, our production team and actors and you'll be supporting us to make more of the shows you enjoy.  To find out more and choose your membership tier please click the link below https://www.patreon.com/AltStories

Spec Fic Radio Theatre is an Alternative Stories production.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few things more mysterious in nature than an island in a lake. This psychological drama explores the pull and attraction of one such island in a Highland Loch which we view against the backdrop of the fracturing of a familial relationship.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

W.B Yeats from his poem 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree'

In the Lake Isle you heard

Kelsey Griffin as Kirsty Monroe

Sophie Macnair as Helena Monroe

Carl Wharton as Mr Monroe

Warren Graham as Michael, the counsellor

Chris Gregory as the man in the coffee shop

The Lake Isle was written by Chris Gregory with script review by Sophie Macnair and Kelsey Griffin

Music, sound design and mixing were by Chris Gregory

If you enjoy Spec Fic Radio Theatre you might enjoy other Alternative Stories podcast.  We have a number of drama series including our award winning science fiction drama The Dex Legacy and our podcast about world building 'Writing Worlds'. You'll find a link in our show notes to find out more

To get early release and ad-free listening to all alternative stories shows, bonus content, newletters and more you can join the Alternative Stories patreon.   You'll get access to our discord where you can connect with other fans, our production team and actors and you'll be supporting us to make more of the shows you enjoy. 

To find out more and choose your membership tier please click the link below

https://www.patreon.com/AltStories

Find all our shows and links to our social media, website and more here https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories

Spec Fic Radio Theatre is an Alternative Stories production.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the aftermath of her husband's death Martha and her teenage children Emmy and Henry are struggling to adapt to life without him.  Strange things are happening in their lives and whilst things may be starting to look up, no one is quite sure what is causing these coincidences.  Please note : There is some strong language in this audio drama.
The Ark is written by Madeleine F White.  It is adapted from her novel 'Mother of Floods' which is published by Crowsnest Books 
In The Ark you heard:
Sarah Golding as Martha 
Holly Skinner as Emmy
Harri Rees Jones as Henry 
Chris Gregory as Dave
Other voices were by Madeleine F White and members of the cast. 
Music, soundscape, direction and production were by Chris Gregory 
The Ark is adapted from the novel Mother of Floods by Madeleine F White.  “Mother of Floods” is published by Crows Nest Books and we would like to thank them for their kind permission to adapt the novel in this drama. You can visit their website and purchase Mother of Floods here 
https://www.crowsnestbooks.com/
You can find out more about Madeleine F White by visiting her Good reads page here 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50646333-mothe…

Follow Madeleine on instagram here https://www.instagram.com/madeleinefwhite/

The script for The Ark is copyright madeleine F White and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the author.

If you enjoy Spec Fic Radio Theatre you might enjoy other Alternative Stories podcast.  We have a number of drama series including our award winning science fiction drama The Dex Legacy and our podcast about world building 'Writing Worlds'.

Find all our shows and links here https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories

To find out more and choose your membership tier please click the link below https://www.patreon.com/AltStories

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a small alpine village Stella contemplates her strange life and origins as a number of mysterious events unfold around her.  Stella's Constellation is a magical realist story by Swiss American author TAK Erzinger.
In Stella’s Constellation by TAK Erzinger you heard 
Sadie Pepperrell as Stella,
Simone Low as the Narrator
Marie Claire Wood as Lagrimas
Rhys Anderson as Jurgen 

Music, sound design, direction and soundscapes were by Chris Gregory
Nana De Falla was sung by Marie-Claire Wood
TAK Erzinger is an American/Swiss poet and artist with a Colombian background. Her poetry has been featured in Bien Acompañada from Cornell University, The Muse from McMaster University, The Galway Review, River South from Wilkes University and more. Her debut poetry collection entitled, “Found: Between the Trees” was published by Grey Border Books, in Canada in 2019 and her forthcoming poetry book “At the Foot of the Mountain” is being published by Floricanto Press.  The audio drama you just heard, “Stella’s Constellation” is an excerpt from a book she is currently writing under the same title, inspired by magical realism and the folklore of South America and central Europe.  She lives in a Swiss valley with her husband and cats.

 You can find out more about TAK by visiting her website and following her on social media 
 https://takerzinger.wixsite.com/poet

And follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/takerzinger/

If you have enjoyed this episode of Spec Fic Radio Theatre please subscribe and leave us a like, rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.

 You may like to know that Alternative Stories now has a Patreon page where you can listen to all of our shows ad free and ahead of general release.  You can find out more and join here  https://www.patreon.com/AltStories.
To find out more about Alternative Stories and our work you can follow us on social media
https://www.instagram.com/stories.alt/
or visit our website https://alternativestories.com/
and Linktree here https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories
Contact us by email at [email protected]

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Thank you for listening to Spec Fic Radio Theatre. For this episode we're sharing an award winning eco-comedy with a serious message.

In orbit around our planet, an alien creature is listening in on Earth noise.  One sound in particular seems to have a greater significance than others but what does it mean and how will Skim and Beta find out more about it?  In our final Alternative Stories episode of 2024 we are bringing you the winner of the 2024 Pen to Print Audio Play Competition “The Earth Serenades” by Emma Griffiths.   

 In “The Earth Serenades” by Emma Griffiths you can hear

 Tiffany Clare as Skim

Emily Inkpen as Beta 

Sophie Macnair as Pree 

And Chris Gregory as Shakarn

Other voices were played by Sophie Macnair and Emma Griffiths 

 The Earth Serenades was Directed by Chris Gregory and Emily Inkpen and recorded at Orpheus Studio in London

The sound engineer was Richard 'Orpheus' Campbell

Music, sound design and editing were by Chris Gregory

 The script for the earth serenades is copyright Emma Griffiths and may not be used in whole or in part except with the permission of the author

 If you would like to enter the 2026 Pen to Print Audio Play Competition you need to be an unpublished audio drama writer and resident in the United Kingdom.  The competition is open for entries until March.   You can find out more and download entry terms and conditions via the link below

https://pentoprint.org/get-involved/competitions/

If you have enjoyed this episode of Spec Fic Radio Theatre please subscribe and leave us a like, rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.

 You may like to know that Alternative Stories now has a Patreon page where you can listen to all of our shows ad free and ahead of general release.  You can find out more and join here  https://www.patreon.com/AltStories.
To find out more about Alternative Stories and our work you can follow us on social media
https://www.instagram.com/stories.alt/
or visit our website https://alternativestories.com/
and Linktree here https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories
Contact us by email at [email protected]

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Thank you for listening to Spec Fic Radio Theatre. For this episode we're sharing three short stories from a new Alternative Stories podcast called "Terror Tapes". The concept behind the show is of short recordings found on a batch of cassettes purchased from a car boot sale. Each double-sided tape contains two stories with no background or context. It's up to listeners to build stories around them and decide how they began or finish

For this selection you can hear three stories from our seasonal batch of cassettes. The stories are

'The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year' written by Lewis Carter and starring Kathryn Georghiou and Adam Reilly

'Baby Monitor' written by Ant Moran and starring Kathryn Georghiou, Adam Reilly and Dave McClelland

'Driving Home For Christmas' written by Kathryn Georghiou and starring Kathryn Georghiou and Dave McClelland

You can listen and subscribe to Terror Tapes in your favourite podcast app to hear 9 more stories and have new episodes delivered to you on release by following the link below https://pod.link/1862732836

You can follow Terror Tapes on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/terror_tapes_podcast/

Terror Tapes was created by Kathryn Georghiou, Ant Moran and Dave McClelland

Sound design is by Chris Gregory

If you have enjoyed this episode of Spec Fic Radio Theatre please subscribe and leave us a like, rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.

 You may like to know that Alternative Stories now has a Patreon page where you can listen to all of our shows ad free and ahead of general release.  You can find out more and join here  https://www.patreon.com/AltStories.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thank you for listening to Spec Fic Radio Theatre, anthology of full-cast original audio dramas in the genres of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Season Two continues with folk horror set in Cornwall. The Angry House is an award-winning script by novelist Thomas Wrightson.

In 'The Angry House' by Thomas Wrightson you can hear:

Charlie Richards as Harry

Marie-Claire Wood as Agnes

David Monteith as Gerald

and Sarah Golding as Samantha Gregory

Whispers and other voices by the cast and Thomas Wrightson

The Angry House was produced and directed by Chris Gregory

Casting was by Chris Gregory and Thomas Wrightson

The original score for The Angry House was arranged and performed by Chris Gregory
Sound design, mixing and editing are by Chris Gregory for Alternative Stories

Thomas Wrightson is a novelist based in Anglesey in North Wales. You can find out more about Thomas and his work by visiting his website here:  https://thomaswrightson.co.uk/

The Angry House was the winning script in the 2025 Pen to Print Audio Play Competition. The competition which is open to audio drama writers who have not previously had an audio drama produced runs annually and a number of the winning scripts can be heard on this podcast. To find out more about the competition and to enter the 2026 version please visit the Pen to Print website here  https://pentoprint.org/get-involved/competitions/

Alternative Stories would like to thank Pen to Print for running the competition and Lucy Kaufman and Emily Inkpen for judging entries alongside Chris Gregory.

If you have enjoyed this episode of Spec Fic Radio Theatre please subscribe and leave us a like, rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.

You may like to know that Alternative Stories now has a Patreon page where you can listen to all of our shows ad free and ahead of general release.  You can find out more and join here  https://www.patreon.com/AltStories.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Season Two of Speculative Fiction Radio Theatre and a wonderful fantasy audio drama based on the Selkie stories of Scottish folklore by writer and folklorist Signe Maene.

In Selkie by Signe Maene you can hear:
Sophie Macnair as The Selkie
Lewie Watson as Andrew
Simone Low as Andrew's Mother
Kelsey Griffin as a Selkie and singer of Ae Fond Kiss
Stevie Skinner as a Selkie

Selkie was directed by Chris Gregory

Casting was by Signe Maene and Chrs Gregory

The music was arranged and performed by John Spiers based on the traditional folk tune "The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry"

"Ae Fond Kiss" (trad. with lyrics by Robert Burns) is performed by Kelsey Griffin
Additional music and soundscapes are by Chris Gregory
Sound design, mixing and editing are by Chris Gregory

Signe Maene is a Belgian writer of stories mainly inspired by Flemish folklore, and she shares her passion for this frightening yet wonderful world on Substack. She is the author of Flemish Folktales Retold and The Witches of Flemish Folklore. Another short story collection, The Witch's Child, is coming soon. Signe has worked on several folkloric projects for the Alternative Stories and Fake Realities Podcast. Her work has been published in The Copperfield Review, The Seelie Crow and Atrium Poetry, among others. When Signe is not writing, she is sewing, reading, or walking around in dark churches, haunted forests and the melancholic streets of Belgium's medieval cities.

You can follow Signe on Substack here: https://signe.substack.com and visit her website here  https://signemaene.com 

John Spiers is a folk musician and player of many squeezebox style instruments.  He’s a member of a number of  bands including  Bellowhead, Spiers and Boden and the Gigspanner Big Band.  You can find out more about John and his work by visiting his website here https://www.johnspiers.co.uk/

If you have enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a like, rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.

 You may like to know that Alternative Stories now has a Patreon page where you can listen to all of our shows ad free and ahead of general release.  You can find out more and join here  https://www.patreon.com/AltStories

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the final episode of season one of Spec Fic Radio Theatre

In Daughter of Fire and water by Lyndsey Croal you heard

Kelsey Griffin as Brida

Lewie Watson as Angus

Peter Forbes as Cernun

and Simone Low as Callie

Music was by Cameron Mackay

Sound design, direction and soundscapes were by Chris Gregory

 If you would like to find out more about the writer of Daughter of Fire and Water, Lyndsey Croal you can follow the link below to visit her website.

https://lyndseycroal.co.uk/

 Follow Lyndsey on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/lyndseycroal

You can hear Lyndsey Croal chatting with Spec Fic Radio Theatre producers Chris Gregory and Emily Inkpen in this special live recording of our new Writing Worlds Podcast.  This episode was recorded

This is the last episode in season one of Spec Fic Radio Theatre.  On behalf of all of our writers and our producers, Emily Inkpen and me Chris Gregory, we'd like to thank you for listening.  

If you have enjoyed the show please leave us a like, rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.

 You may like to know that Alternative Stories now has a Patreon page where you can listen to all of our shows ad free and ahead of general release.  You can find out more and join here  https://www.patreon.com/c/AltStories

 One of the things you'll be able to enjoy is the third series of our award-winning science fiction drama The Dex legacy which will be launching on Friday 25th July. 

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