Val Syms Radio Plays
BBC BROADCASTS
2000 *Not like Enid Blyton
2002 *Billy and Elvis
2002 *A fairy lost in the 21st century
2003 *But are you sure it's educational?
2003 *High Noon at the Sad Cafe
2004 Secrets in Sepia, rpt.
Asterisked plays - recordings known to exist in VRPCC collections
NOTES ON THE PLAYS
............Not Like Enid Blyton (R4 1415 26 Apr 00 ) by Val Syms, was a comedy-drama involving two schoolgirls. They are determined to have adventures, but mother insists that they take along baby Dominic. Unfortunately they become distracted and lose the pram. Brenda and Pat were played by Natalie Lynch and Victoria McGovern, and the action was set in the mid 50s; Chris Wallis directed. (VRPCC newsletter, Sep 00)
..................Val Syms has produced some good work recently. Two years ago we had Not like Enid Blyton, (due to be repeated on 6 Aug 02 but replaced by a repeated Tinniswood monologue at the last minute), a comic adventure about two young schoolgirls. Billy and Elvis (R4,1415, 16 Aug 02) was semi-autobiographical; Billy Syms, Val's husband, died on the same day as Elvis. She weaves the stories of the two mens' lives together, and produces a very effective radio piece on the nature of love and loss. Another Syms play, A Fairy lost in the 21st Century (R4, 1415, 16 May 02) was a light comedy with Thelma Barlow as Delphinium, a fairy who has been asleep for 700 years, accidentally woken by 11 year old Darren. He takes her home, and strange things start to happen. Chris Wallis directed both productions. (VRPCC newsletter, Sep 02)
'Till the words come back....2002
Eleven year old Liam is annoying in the extreme, never knows
when to keep his mouth shut. He cannot stop talking, until.......
something happens, and everything changes. With Joy Blakeman, Phil
Hearne, Greg Fossard, Lea Higginson, James Lacey, Stephen
Aintree, Sean Barratt, Heather Bleasdale, Lynda Thornhill. Director
(and producer) Chris Wallis.
.......10 Jun 03 saw the broadcast of a delightful second play with Delphinium the fairy played by Thelma Barlow: But are you sure it's Educational?. This time Delphinium has to help out in running a school trip, and what can go wrong, does....also stars James Lacey, Joy Blakeman, Vincent Davies, Phillip Cotterill as the helpless student teacher, Anna Healey, Phil Hearne, David Thorpe; the little horrors played by Stephanie Davis, Greg Fossard and Gary Molyneux. The director was Chris Wallis. More in the same vein would be very welcome.
High Noon at the Sad Cafe....2003
R4, 3 Nov 03, 1415; Pleasant comedy-drama
about the disillusioned owner of a run-down
cafe. His new wife runs off with all his money and Hughie from
Condiments of Distinction. Then his elderly mother has an idea
to get rhe business back
on its feet. Thelma Barlow plays the clever old lady - as in the
"Delphinium" stories - and the other parts are taken by Phil
Hearne, Paul Broughton, Stephen Fletcher, Rod Arthur,
Phillip Cotterill, Angela Walsh, Stephen Aintree, Genevieve
Walsh and Linda Thornhill. Dir. Chris Wallis. (VRPCC newesletter,
Dec 03)
Secrets in Sepia....2004
R4 18 Aug 04.
Nigel Deacon, Diversity website
