It's Grim Up North: new comedy
A new radio drama sitcom about the Roman auxiliaries building Hadrian's Wall in 126AD
Written by Tyneside-based playwrights Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, the new series was commissioned by BBC Cumbria managing director Nigel Dyson after he heard the pilot show on the duo's website.
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Waugh and Wood's national and international comedy stage play hits include Dirty Dusting, Waiting For Gateaux, Son of Samurai and Maggie's End. They recently wrote a couple of sketches for Geordie TV stars Denise Welsh and Charlie Hardwick at the Sunday For Sammy charity show at Newcastle's City Hall which was attended by more than 4,000 people. They also scooped the Best Comedy Screenplay award at last year's New York-based Gotham Screenplay Festival
It's Grim Up North follows the exploits of dodgy Roman auxiliary soldiers building Hadrian's Wall in AD126.
The cast comprises Dale Meeks, Dean Logan, Gary Kitching, Mat Hobbins, Karen Traynor, Chris Connel and Jackie Fielding, who play a variety of characters based around Drizzlewort, a milecastle on the wall: Britons from south of the wall, rebellious Picts and auxiliaries from sunnier parts of the vast Roman Empire; hence their dislike of the constant rain in the wilds of Northumberland's picturesque but cold and wet moors.
Mr Dyson said: "It's terrific to have such writers as Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood producing new writing for us and it's fantastic for our audience to be able to enjoy this. I can't wait to hear it"
Trevor said: "We are grateful to Nigel and BBC Radio Cumbria for being so positive and pro-active. We loved working on the show and it's great fun. We are always keen to hear feedback via our website."
The five, six-minute episodes of It's Grim Up North can be heard live on BBC Radio Cumbria at 10.10am, starting on Monday, March 5, with the subsequent episodes transmitting at the same time throughout the week. Those outside the BBC Radio Cumbria remit can listen to the episodes at "Listen Live" or "Listen Again" on the BBC Radio Cumbria website bbc.co.uk/cumbria. It will be available on-line from March 5 until March 18.
For more information/images contact Ed Waugh on 07960 066377 or (0191) 4550608
