Fiona Thraille
Actor
A Scottish Podcast (2016-)
Role
“Jane.”
Bio
“Fiona Thraille is an actor, writer and audio producer. She has produced several audio dramas for Wireless Theatre Company, including co-producing What Walls Hold - BBC Radio 3's Christmas Day feature - and has also recently worked as a Broadcast Assistant on Audible's immersive, full cast productions of Oliver Twist and David Copperfield.
She is the founder and producer of Dashing Onions Audio podcast. Otherwise, she can be heard in various audio dramas, including most recently A Scottish Podcast, Cyclone, Vanishment and Edict Zero FIS.”
“prepare lots, train, and be a person they’ll be happy to spend hours working with.”
How did you become aware of A Scottish Podcast?
“I got involved in audio drama podcasting when very few people were making it - around 2006/7 - so knew Matthew McLean from that community. I narrated a children’s audiobook that his company, Yap Audio, produced, and knew him and Robert Cudmore as friends, so listened to all his work - and got involved. He asked if I wanted to play Jane in A Scottish Podcast and I always love to work with him, so said yes!”
What was your aim in getting involved?
“I love Matthew’s writing - how funny and truthful it is. And he’s great to work with, so it was really just to enjoy being a part of the show!.”
What was the biggest challenge?
“To be honest, there wasn’t really a challenge beyond the pressure of wanting to do justice to the script, because it is so well written. I record my lines in my own time at home, and send several takes for Matthew to plough through and decide what fits, so it’s a very relaxed way of working…”
Have you continued to work in the field?
“Yes. I work in a lot of areas of audio drama and, while I don’t do as much acting as I’d like, I still manage to do it regularly in various indie shows.
I used to work purely in independent audio drama: acting, and also writing, as well as mixing/producing my own series and audio books.
In the last two years, though, I’ve been working as first a Production Manager, and then a freelance Producer for Wireless Theatre, and have gone behind the scenes in some of their large-scale productions at Audible studios, script-supervising on recent full cast productions of Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, and assisting with casting and scheduling for Anne of Green Gables (2023).
Through Wireless, I produced the dramatised sections of the Christmas Day BBC Radio 3 play What Walls Hold, so it’s been a fascinating time, working on studio series with a full production team, as well as still working alone, and with tiny groups where one or two people wear all the hats! I love all those experiences equally, and would like to continue doing exactly this.”
What would be your dream project?
“In acting, I’ve really enjoyed taking on characters in long-running series. I think it’s helpful in improving skills, in getting to know a character, and every time trying to make them more believable, more layered.
Beyond that, I just love being involved in the moment of the creating, and there’s nothing quite as satisfying as working in a team where you all have the same end goal, and hearing it come together. To be honest, I’m working with friends or friendly colleagues, so this is really my ideal situation.”
How did you land the role? Any tips for a strong audio reel (or virtual audition)?
“Pure chance. I had worked with Matthew before a few times, and I had just happened to be around.
As I’ve been learning more about casting from the other side, the things that are great in a casting reel are a show of your range of sustainable voices (so the ones you could do for a long monologue, easily). Show a range of emotion, of tone, of accents if you can do those – and don’t forget to showcase your acting ability. It’s a lot to fit in, but it’s really helpful.
It’s horrible to say it, but there really is only a certain amount you can do to land a role, as you really don’t know what’s in the casting director/producer’s head, and especially what the other actors’ voices are like – that’s a big factor, making all parts sound different, and that’s nothing you can control, so try not to take it personally. All you can do is prepare lots, train, and be a person they’ll be happy to spend hours working with, asking you to do different takes!
Focus on the role and the end result that you’re all going for, and I’d highly recommend writing and creating your own roles too.”
How does acting for audio compare to other media, for you? Any skills or techniques you’d recommend learning?
“At its absolute core, it’s acting and responding with emotional honesty in an intimate space. I originally had theatre training, so of course went way too ‘big’ when I first tried audio, and it’s been a process of reducing it ever since!
It is different from, say, theatre acting in that the microphone can pick up a lot of emotion and it’s delivering it right into your listeners’ ears – so it needs to be comparatively subtle. But it also has to carry a lot of physicality that isn’t visible. It’s definitely worth getting specific training if you can, and practising a lot.
Also do read up on treating your voice well. It’s a stamina thing – especially with longer pieces/audio books – so you need to build that up and make sure you’re never straining yourself.”
If your character was an occasional part, how did you characterise them quickly and memorably? Or: if they’re a member of the regular cast, how do you keep them fresh to play?
“Initially, I thought Jane was a guest part. She tends to turn up more in later series.
She was always different in being English, unlike the predominantly Scottish cast, and Matthew gave her the great situation of being the ‘reasonable’ one in the room, fed up with the unprofessional antics she sees around her, which is always a fun role to play in comedy, and a very clear stance to start with. Over the series, it’s finally wound her up to swearing-point, which is wonderful. She finally gets to join in with the language of the show!
She has two ‘modes’ – radio voice and normal voice, as she’s a presenter, so that also is just a gift in offering variety to play, too.”