It's Grim Up North: new comedy
A new radio sitcom pilot about the Roman auxiliaries building Hadrian’s Wall in 126AD.
A new comedy called It’s Grim Up North follows the exploits of dodgy Roman auxiliary soldiers building Hadrian’s Wall in AD126 and listeners wanting a good laugh can tune into the internet to hear the world premiere of the radio sitcom pilot.
It’s Grim Up North has been penned by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, the Tyneside-based writers whose national and international comedy stage play hits include Dirty Dusting, The Revengers, Waiting For Gateaux, Son of Samurai and Maggie’s End.
There is no charge to listen to the half-hour show – all the writers want is your feedback.
The duo, who also scooped the Best Comedy Screenplay award at last year’s New York-based Gotham Screenplay Festival, have set the action when the Roman soldiers were constructing the famous Northumberland wall that is today a World Heritage Site.
The cast of It’s Grim Up North comprises Dale Meeks, Dean Logan , Gary Kitching, Mat Hobbins, Karen Traynor and Jackie Fielding, who also directed the show. They 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.
Jackie Fielding said: “We all had a great time recording the show. It’s very funny and the characters are fantastic. Setting the show on Hadrian’s Wall in 126AD is unique.”
Trevor said: “We‘ve put the full episode on our website and made it available for download on I-tunes. We’d like people to listen to it and give us feedback via our website.”
He added: “The Customs House theatre in South Shields and Sunderland University have worked with us on this project and their support has been invaluable.”
It’s Grim Up North can be heard on this link.
For more information/images contact Ed Waugh on 07960 066377 or (0191) 4550608
