The S.P.A. Weekend

Drama on Newstalk

The S.P.A. Weekend is a spooky and hilarious new audio drama written by Emily Gillmor Murphy and produced by the award-winning production team of Hugh Hick and Heather MacLeod.

The S.P.A. Weekend will be broadcast on Newstalk on Sunday 11th August at 7am, repeated Saturday 17th August at 9pm, and will be available as a podcast, on GoLoud and all major platforms.

Billie and Sophie are booked into a S.P.A. (Supernatural, Paranormal, Activity) weekend with a difference in the infamous Manor Hill House – a place full of bizarre characters and even more bizarre stories. But will they find the ghosts within the walls of the hotel or in their own pasts?

One part Fawlty Towers and one part Agatha Christie, The S.P.A. Weekend takes a fresh and witty look at what ghosts still lurk in 21st century Ireland and what we do about them.

This is Emily’s second collaboration with Heather and Hugh, after the Prix-Europa nominated drama The Horror Writer. Emily’s sharp and twisting script for the drama was previously shortlisted for 2022 P.J. O’Connor Radio Drama Awards.

The cast is led by Lorna Fox and Chloe O’Reilly as two best friends in over their heads when what should be a relaxing weekend together turns into a chaotic mix of hidden secrets, paranormal activity and an out-of-control dog.

Rounding out the cast is Mary Murray (BBC Audio Drama Award ‘Best Actress’ winner 2023) alongside Karl Quinn, Donncha O’Dea and Katie McCann. Original music for the play was composed by pianist Justin McCann while Peter Dunne of the internationally acclaimed horror-anthology podcast ‘Petrified’ served as script editor.

The S.P.A. Weekend was made with the support of Coimisiún na Mean with the television licence fee.