UK International
Radio Drama Festival 2018:
British entries
UK: BBC ENTRIES & INDEPENDENT
There are two BBC entries and one independent; information about them is below.
The Man with the Hammer
By Phil Porter. (R4 1415, 25 Jul 17) The play touches on the roots and causes that turn cycling enthusiasts into obsessives. It's told through the eyes of Jodie, a schoolgirl given a bike by her father to avoid walking to and from school. Jodie, whose mum died when she was 12, lives with her father, Tony, who increasingly struggles to bridge the widening gap in his relationship with his teenage daughter as she grows up. Jodie meets up with professional cyclist Noah at a race. Noah coaches her to overcome some of the hurdles to succeed in cycling, and a relationship starts to form. (Summarised from www.reviewshub.com)
The title of the play refers to the mythical figure who waits around a distant bend or halfwayup a steep hill in the middle of nowhere.When your body refuses to respond, you are twenty miles from home and cannot pedal another yard, you have met the man with the hammer.
Link to the bbc page is here: The Man With The Hammer
Cast: Jodie: Harriet Slater, Tony: Jonathan McGuinness, Noah: Jonny Holden, Maxine: Chetna Pandya, with Philip Fox, Emilio Doorgasingh and Charlie Clements. Produced by David Hunter.
Alistair McGowan's latest play, The B Word (R4, 1415, 26 May 2017) was about the events leading to the opening night of Shaw's 'Pygmalion' in 1913; the first time that the word 'bloody' was used on stage. At the time it caused considerable controversy. Producing the play also caused strong reactions between Shaw, his leading man, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and his leading lady, Mrs Patrick Campbell, who played the 19 year old Eliza Doolittle at the age of 49. Richard Huggett wrote a play in 1968 (The First Night of Pygmalion) in which he similarly depicts backstage events during the first production. Shaw was played by Alistair McGowan, Beerbohm Tree by Richard McCabe and Mrs. Campbell by Charlotte Page. The producer was Emma Harding. (ND, 'Diversity' website review, Sep 2017).
25 Feb 18
A VOID IN TIME (UK, Independent)
By Michael Sharp, adapted for radio, from the stage play of the same name. Production details: The Host - Amanda Whiteford, The Guest - Alan Thorley. Radio Production - Steve McCartney. Directed by Valery Miller.
Michael has been writing plays since 1973 and has written over 40 of them, with his work being seen on the London Fringe, the Edinburgh Festival and in Paris. He also has a number of radio plays to his credit, including three for the BBC: Summer Attachment, A Bird in the Hand, and Holding Court, all produced by Glyn Dearman.
7 Mar 18
