Ed Harris Radio Plays
Ed Harris writes plays for stage and radio. He also writes poetry, which he has performed on radio 4.
- Taken from BBC blurb for radio 4 dramas, June 2024; edited slightly for clarity.
.... Ed Harris is a dramatist and comedy writer. He has had over 20 audio plays broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and 4, and three series of his popular wartime sitcom, Dot. He has received awards for his work from the Writers’ Guild Award, the BBC, and Sony. He has written many plays for the stage. He is a Royal Literary Fellow at Brighton University and writer-in-Residence for the Oxford 'Kafka 2024' programme at Oxford University.
30 Dec 20: Wasteland
By Ed Harris. A new comedy set in the world of Brighton Seafront refuse collection. Blake, an idealist, is determined to clean up the sea front. Are his methods too unusual?
Blake ..... Matt King,
Cromwell ..... Michael Bertenshaw,
Diana ..... Cecilia Appiah,
Wilf ..... Simon Scardifield,
Long Pete ..... Hasan Dixon,
Jaws ..... Jane Whittenshaw,
Agent ..... Charlotte East,
Frankenstein ..... Ian Dunnett Jr.
Producer: Jessica Dromgoole.
15 Dec 20: Dot and the Russian Dossier
By Ed Harris. May, 1941. The future of the war hangs in the balance, and Dot has been selected for a most perilous mission. Ed Harris' witty wartime comedy sees Dot casting off the shackles of her desk job in the personnel department in Whitehall's War Rooms and entering the field of conflict.
Dot . . . . . Fenella Woolgar,
Myrtle . . . . . Kate O'Flynn,
Peabody . . . . . David Acton,
Archie . . . . . Carl Prekopp,
Sister Frances . . . . . Clare Corbett.
Editing . . . . . Peter Ringrose.
Producer. . . . . Sasha Yevtushenko.
4 Oct 17: The Slow Kapow
By Ed Harris. Comedy drama about how people are affected by trauma and how events experienced when young carry forward into adult life. They call it transference. A single moment in Ed's childhood is revealed. The trouble with memories is that they're not always accurate, because of the way memory works.Ed: Ed Harris, Ricky: Carl Prekopp, JJ: Ewan Bailey, Expert: Clare Corbett. Producer: Jeremy Mortimer. Rpt. 26 Sep 19.
26 Jul 17: The Life and Times of Arthur Miller, 1
By Mike Walker, rpt. Play 1 of 4, all based on events in Miller's life. This one looks at the effect of the Wall St. Crash on his well-off family. Narrator: Ed Harris, Arthur: Ben Feldman, Isidore Miller: Gregory Itzin, Augusta Miller: Kate Burton, with Matt Wolf, Andre Sogliuzzo, Devon Sorvari, Michael Kirby and Anna Lyse Erikson. Producer: Susan Loewenberg. Director: Kate McAll. (Ed also narrated plays 2 and 3 about Arthur Miller, both written by Jonathan Holloway, on 7 Aug and 9 Aug).
24 May 16: Your Perfect Summer, On Sale Here
By Ed Harris. What would happen if virtual reality games could deliver real love? Ben Tavassoli, Claudie Blakley, Oliver Chris, Scarlett Brookes, Adie Allen, Nicola Ferguson, Nick Underwood. Producer: Jonquil Panting. Rpt. 11 Apr. 19.
10 May 15: Classic Serial: The Castle
By Kafka, dram. Ed Harris. Ep. 1/2. K is summoned to work at the mysterious Castle in a bureaucracy gone mad. He is drawn into a labyrinth of terror and absurdity. K: Dominic Rowan, Frieda: Sammy T. Dobson, with Mark Benton, Daniel WEyman, Rachel Bavidge, Victoria Elliott, Neil Grainger, Jonathan Cullen, Dominic Deakin, Stephen Greif. Music: Jackie Palmer Children's Choir. Produced by John Taylor. Indie (Fiction Factory, I think). Note also that Kafka's novel "The Trial" was broadcast on R3 on the same day at 10pm, dram. Mark Ravenhill. Sam Troughton as Joseph K, Caroline Catz as Caroline. Producer Polly Thomas. 90m.
17 May 15: Classic Serial: The Castle
By Kafka, dram. Ed Harris. Ep. 2 of 2. K. continues to struggle to gain access to the mysterious authorities of a castle who govern the village for unknown reasons. It seems to illustrate alienation, bureaucracy, the frustrations of a man's attempt to stand against the system, and the futile pursuit of an unobtainable goal. K: Dominic Rowan, Sammy Dobson, Mark Benton, Daniel Weyman, Rachel Bavidge, Victoria Elliott, Neil Grainger, Jonathan Cullen, Trevor Fox, Ross Walton, Dominic Deakin, Stephen Greif. Produced by John Taylor. Indie. (Fiction Factory)
PIXIE JUICE....2014
By Ed Harris. A fantastic tale - a woman is visited by a magical creature, which, perhaps, will change her luck. She is struggling to run her father's business, a tatoo parlour, and his sight is failing. Indira Varma, Peter Polycarpou, Paul Bazely, Louise Brealey, Will Howard, Priyanga Burford, Carolyn Pickles. Producer Jonquil Panting. Rpt 8 Dec 15.
DANGEROUS VISIONS: BILLIONS....2013
This sci-fi play (R4, 1415, 17 Jun 13) was a rather disturbing vision of the future; Mark arrives home to find that his dead wife has been replaced by a technologically perfect replica provided by her insurance company. He was coming to terms with her death, but if the replica is perfect, is she really deceased? Blake Ritson played the bewildered husband and Raquel Cassidy was Donna; Jonquil Panting produced. This was part of the Radio 4 'Dystopia' season. (....ND, Diversity website review, Sep 2013)
THE WALL....2011
Rather grim play where a couple wake up one morning to find that their neighbourhood has been enclosed by a wall. Property - or even a small part of a property - becomes extremely expensive and scarce. Violence is rife. R3, "The Wire" series, 60m. With Javone Prince, Louise Bradley, Dona Croll, Sam Dale, Jessica Raine, Nyasha Hatendi, Sean Baker, Stuart McLoughlin, Jo Monro. Producer Jonquuil Panting.
TROLL....2010
By Ed Harris, 14 Jul 10. Afternoon play. A comment from the messageboard read:
- Very good cast, great voices. The play was advertised as a comic fairytale, but I found it quite scary at times. The Troll was awesome! The bit when the brother James told his side of the childhood encounter with the Troll was very touching.
THE MOMENT YOU FEEL IT....2009
18 5 2009, afternoon play. Part of radio 4's season on memory loss. Alf's memories come in patches. Finding a strange coat in his kitchen reminds him that he doesn't need a bath..... Alf....Richard Briers, Young Alf ...... Rory Kinnear, Pru ...... Tracy Wiles, Steven ...... Hugh Ross, Marina ...... Caroline Guthrie; other parts ...... Janice Acquah.
AROMATHERAPY....2009
4 Apr 09. By Ed Harris. Robert has left his girlfriend. He has all sorts of problems. He gets too involved with people, and too emotional. He finds a man who can remove his soul. With Martin Freeman as Robert, Pip Torrens as the Doctor, Clare Corbett as the cousin, and Polly Lister as the girlfriend. Producer Chris Wallis.
PORSHIA....2007
27 Apr 2007; rpt. 5 9 2008 By Ed Harris. Thomas is a no-hope poet obsessed with Porshia; a young woman at the office. When one day he literally wakes up inside her head; he begins to experience the life of his fantasy woman from closer than he might like; including when her hunky boyfriend pays a visit. There is a particularly fruity orgasm scene, which got lots of write-ups in the papers. ...wondered why my neighbour smiled at me the next morning ...... must have left the bedroom window open!
Cast: Thomas ...... Robert Webb, Porshia ...... Laura Rogers, Ethan ...... Oliver J Hembrough, Louisa ...... Mina Anwar, Eva ...... Ella Kenion, Tim ...... Kieran Bew. Directed by Graham Frost.
ABSOLUTE SILENCE....2006
28 Mar 06. A man regains his hearing after years of deafness. Monologue, Anthony Glennon, producer Colin Guthrie. I think this was on radio 3.
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
Above plays known to exist in VRPCC collections
