Douglas Livingstone
Radio Plays
Douglas Livingstone: an experienced actor who is also well-known for his 'Road' plays (1983- present) done with radio producer Jane Morgan. There's also a fun play about Lobby Lud - see below.
19 Sep 2019: Road to Ferrara
By Douglas Livingstone. A divorcee, Raymond, hopes for romance when his mother's carer invites him to the country's oldest palio. This is the latest in a long line of 'road' plays by Douglas Livingstone and Jane Morgan, in which location recordings taken during a festival are incorporated into a drama. Raymond: Peter Wight, Lucia: Rebecca Lee, Martha: Joanna McCallum, Marco: Sebastiano Kiniger, Maria: Flaminia Cinque, Maid: Emma Noakes, restaurant owner: Jane Bertish. Producer: Jane Morgan.
ROAD TO LISBON ....2018
Douglas Livingstone's latest play, ROAD TO LISBON (R4, 1415, 15 Oct 2018) was the latest in a long series of collaborations with producer Jane Morgan which began in 1983. In each of the 'Road' plays, a specially recorded soundtrack made at a major festival is used to create a drama. This time it's the Feast of St. Anthony; the Lisbon Sardine festival. St. Anthony is the patron saint of missing objects, but in Portugal, he’s the patron saint for singles - the matchmaker. During the festival, charcoal-cooked sardines and barbecues can be smelled all over the city. But the play is not just about sardines and sangria - we learn about life under the dictatorship of Dr. Salazar and the effect that the Carnation Revolution had on Tony's father: one of the so-called ‘Returnados’ who had to return to the home country after the fall of the Portuguese fascists. He found himself equally unwelcome in his native Lisbon, so made a new life in England. Then on his death, his son unearths a secret... Tony was played by Carl Prekopp, Paolo, the father by David Westhead, Sharmila by Carlyss Peer and Joan by Elizabeth Rider. The producer, as mentioned above, was Jane Morgan. (....ND, Diversity Website review, Dec 2018)
30 Nov 2017: Road to Lautrec
By Douglas Livingstone and Jane Morgan(director). Another in the 'road' series, recorded on location. The later plays in this series have all been from festivals around the world. This one is a romance set during the annual garlic festival in Lautrec, France, a medieval hilltop village. Three people from a cookery course visit the event, staying with an ex-pat. Mary: Cheryl Campbell, Colin: Robin Ellis, Harry: Nigel Anthony, Susannah: Emma Cunliffe, Young Mary: Bronte Tadman, and Philippe: Pierre Elliott. Producer (in this and all of the other 'road' plays, dating back to 1983): Jane Morgan.
30 Nov 2016: Road to Oxford
By Douglas Livingstone. The latest in a long line of 'Road' plays by Douglas and producer Jane Morgan. This one centres on young David as he goes up to Oxford: the first member of his family to go to university. The drama is set at the celebration of the dawn on 1 May, when choristers sing from the top of Magdalen tower and after a night of partying the students shiver in their evening clothes at the base. The production team went to Oxford to record the overnight festivities, and a number of the actors are making their radio debuts as graduates of the Oxford School of Drama or from the University itself. Bernard: John McAndrew, David: Michael Gilbert, Shirley: Annabel Smith, Mary: Jane Whittenshaw, Julian: Jordan Metcalfe, Christopher: Charlie Bateman, the porter: Christopher Benjamin, The senior tutor: Frank Stirling, The guide: Ella Road, The policeman: Christopher Royle. Producer: Frank Stirling, director: Jane Morgan.
29 June 2015: Road to St. David's
By Douglas Livingstone. The colourful celebrations of ancient myths at the St. David's Day festival are the setting for a story about two pilgrims seeking help from the city's two saints. David: Matt Addis, Sonia: Faye Costelow, Owen: Matthew Morgan, Jean: Grainne Keenan, with Charlotte Worthing and Ioan Meredith. Producer: Jane Morgan.
22 Apr 2014: Road to Venice
By Douglas Livingstone. Before she remarries, an elderly widow goes on a hen party to Venice with two old school friends. Comedy recorded during the Regata Storica in Venice. (.....good to have another Douglas Livingstone play - Ed. ) Barbara Flynn, Gabrielle Lloyd and Angela Pleasance as the three women, Ronald Pickup as Simon, with Vincenzo Nicoli and Eugenia Caruso. Producer - Jane Morgan.
28 June 2012: Road to the Borders
By Douglas Livingstone. Set in Hawick over the weekend of the Reivers' Festival - a few days when the deeds of the reivers (dictionary definition: one who makes raids or plunders) are celebrated. 'Road to the Borders' is the sixth play in the Road series, in which Douglas Livingstone and director Jane Morgan team up at an event. The particular sounds are recorded and the atmosphere absorbed before Douglas writes the play. On this occasion, he responded to the romance and melodrama of the story of the reivers. The fact that his own father was a Scot played some part in the making of the play.
Indie: Unique Productions. Producer Jane Morgan. No casting details.
BBC blurb for the 15 Apr 2015 repeat...... A love story set in Hawick over the weekend of the Reivers' Festival, when the deeds of the marauding plunderers are celebrated. Hamish's father was born in the Borders and Jim's pride in his ancestry increases as he gets older. He wishes his son could be more like the reivers of old. Hamish: Jasper Britton, Jim: Ralph Riach, Flora / woman: Vivien Heolbron, Anna: Sophie Roberts, Robbie: Rob Hastie, Jack: Callum Docherty. Producer: Jane Morgan.
18 4 2009. Saturday Play: Road to Durham
Douglas Livingstone's play about Bevin Boys; the young men who were sent down the mines instead of joining the armed forces in the Second World War. Two 80-year-old former Bevin Boys; who have not seen each other for 63 years; decide to go to the Durham Miners' Gala together and confront their memories of the past. Christopher ...... Timothy West, Benny ...... Douglas Livingstone, Young Christopher ...... Fergus Rees, Young Benny ...... Sam Fletcher, Sally ...... Faye Castelow, Jim ...... Christopher Connel, Michael ...... David Whitaker, Older Sally ...... Jane Whittenshaw, Headmaster ...... Brian Lonsdale; with recordings made at the Durham Miners' Gala and at West Pelton Primary School. Producer: Jane Morgan. Indie - A Unique production.
3sep94 SNT: Road to Lisdoonvarna
By Douglas Livingstone. Most people who go to the match-making fair in County Clare protest that they're just there for a good time. But things happen there.... Maggie: Frances Barber, Derek: James Fleet, Danny: Conleth Hill, Dad: John Hollis, O'Brien: Mark Lambert, Fergus: Dominic Letts, Pearce: John Rogan, Bookies: Stephen Tompkinson, James Hayes, with Sam Dale , Shay Gorman, James Greene , Deborah Berlin and Marcella Riordan. Producer: Jane Morgan.
12sep92: Road to Munich
By Douglas Livingstone. 12 Sep 92; Saturday Play. It's nearly 40 years since
Roy last saw Mickey Batty and he'd have been happy never to see him again.
They're both on their way to the October Bierfest, though with very different
reasons for going and with totally different ideas of having a good time.
Mickey .......... Nicky Henson, Roy .......... David Collings,
Herman .......... John Reming, Greta .......... Pauline Letts,
Jean .......... Anne Carroll, Vilma .......... Sheila Reid,
Young Mickey .......... Ross Livingstone, Young Roy .......... Matthew Sim,
Young Jean .......... Federay Holmes, with Jonathan Adams , Jill Graham , Melanie Hudson , Peter Penry Jones. Nicholas Murthte. Jonathan Tafler. Julian Rhind Tutt and Ann Windsor. Producer: Jane Morgan. SMs Richard Beadsmore, Ann Bunting and Ian Harker.
4 Nov 85, Monday Play: Road to Normandy
For 40 years Dave has put behind him the fact that he landed on the Normandy beaches on D-Day - 6 June 1944. He doesn't remember his comrades with any special affection and has no wish to indulge in memories. But in June 1984 he goes back to Normandy and faces the ghosts of the past, and one ghost in particular. Location effects recorded by Richard Beadsmoore. SMs David Greenwood assisted by Richard Beadsmoore and Ros Mason. Produced by Jane Morgan.
Dave .......... Ronald Pickup, Pete .......... Mick Ford,
Simon .......... Trevor Nichols, Thelma .......... Brenda Blethyn,
Bill .......... Douglas Livingstone, Mary .......... Tessa Worsley,
Harry Price .......... David Garth, Arthur .......... Sam Kelly,
Major Morris .......... David Sinclair, Sgt Floyd .......... Stephen Thorne,
Tim .......... Garard Green, Veterans .......... John Church,
Richard Durden, Adrian Egan,Ronald Herdman, Gordon Reid,Christopher Scott,
Robin Summers,Alan Thompson. French woman .......... Gwen Cherrell.
Rpt. 4jun94: 40th anniversary of D.Day.
OLE....1984
8 Aug 84. 23.30hrs. 30m. Two years ago a recording team went to the Andalusian Festival of El Rocio. On the way they came across two very different musical events.
Douglas Livingstone describes the events and introduces the sounds.
Location recordings by Paul Pearson; producer: Jane Morgan.
ROAD TO ROCIO....1983
16 May 83. By Douglas Livingstone. 90m. The annual extravaganza at Rocio, Spain, is visited by a group determined to make an audio programme about Andalusia's most famous pilgrimage. James Bolam, Sara Kestelman, Michael Kitchen. Producer Jane Morgan. The play won a Sony Award and was favourably reviewed in The Times and The Listener.
BBC blurb: Religion, booze, sex, macho men, brotherhood, gypsies, singing and dancing - all those things came into it, but for the four English people who went on the pilgrimage to this tiny place in the south of Spain, it was difficult to find out why it meant so much to the Spaniards. Perhaps it was something to do with a face.
OTHER PLAYS
LOBBY LUD........1997
Lobby Lud by Douglas Livingstone (R4 1430 28 June) was the true story of how a National newspaper improved its flagging circulation. "You are Lobby Lud and I claim the Gazette prize of £50" - in 1927, this phrase was on everybody's lips. Lobby Lud was the pseudonym of a Gazette reporter who was paid to be pursued and identified by the public and he had a number of entertaining scrapes which made the headlines. The cast included Jestyn Jones, Malcolm Storry (from the TV series "The Knock") & Stephen Thorne. The producer was Alison Hindell. (.....ND, VRPCC review, Sep 1997)
compiled by Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
