Writing CV

PLAYS: STAGE

PICASSO'S ARTFUL OCCUPATION - Showcased, Old Red Lion, March 2005. Directed Harry Saks. 1940 - the German army gains control of France. All valuables in Paris banks are to be inventoried. Picasso hurries to have his works listed. Exactly how much hangs in the balance as Picasso battles with two German Officers to put a price on his works? 60 mins 3M

THE TAILORS' LAST STAND - semi-staged reading, North London Actors, the Grand Union, Highgate Road, 18th May 2011, directed Gareth Pilkington. To be given semi-staged reading, Actors and Writers London, September 19th 2011. In a Bethnal Green meeting room four old Savile Row tailors - all communists - meet for the very last time. Comrades and sparring partners for so many years, will this last meeting pass off more smoothly than they usually do? Even in the twilight of their lives sparks can still fly and old truths can still surface to delight some and hurt others. A sometimes hilarious, sometimes sad comic look at four wonderful old men. 1hr 40 mins, 4M 2F

THE MOMENT WE MET - Reading Actors and Writers of London Feb 2009, directed Alan McCormack. Reading ScriptTank May 2010, directed by author. Long short-listed for Bench Theatre Original Playwriting Competition 2009. Liz and Alan know there’s something between them the moment they meet. Is it love? Will it endure? All the signs say yes. Their affection deepens over time. Alan loves Liz. Liz loves Alan. The future looks inviting, until one day an incident, a silly nothing sort of thing, begins to sow the seeds of doubt…  1hr 20mins 1M 1F

ENGLAND'S PLEASANT LANDReading Actors and Writers of London March 2010, directed Alan McCormack. Reached advanced reading stage at Finborough Arms. Hazel is caught between a Prime Minister and a Chancellor who hate each other and a colleague who can't decide between her and his wife. She needs to beware the cross-currents don't carry her into political oblivion and personal unhappiness. 1hr 40 mins 3M 3F

THE RETURN - 2nd round Verity Bargate Award 2007. Long short-list Bruntwood Playwriting Competition 2008. Reading Actors and Writers London, Jan’ 2008. Directed Mark Solomon. Ben has served his sentence. For a brief afternoon he can unite with his family in a ‘safe house’ before his new life begins with a changed identity and changed perspectives. Past secrets and future fears collide on this most important of days. 1hr 40 mins 4M 4F

REALIFE TV - Read Actors & Writers of London, November 2006, directed Harry Saks. A tv documentarist for a ‘human interest’ slot gets involved with the family she's documenting. Shouldn’t she simply be there to observe? And how much is she to blame for the explosive 'real-life' conclusion to her documentary?  1hr 50mins 2M 2F

TAINTED LOVE (6 character version) - read Hammersmith Actors/Writers Workshop. Gil’s first wife died accidentally, 20 years ago. Now his son Mitchell wants to know exactly how. 1hr 45mins 3M 3F

TAINTED LOVE (2 character version) - given public ‘Page To Stage’ workshop by Stop-Gap Theatre Co in association with Yvonne Arnaud Theatre - May, 2001. Showcased, Old Red Lion, Oct’ 2005. Produced by Lazarus Theatre Co. at Young Actors Theatre March 2008, directed by Hal Iggulden.
Mitchell and Lisanne, half-brother and sister deal with past family secrets. Structurally a mix of monologue and naturalistic scenes. 65 mins 1M 1F

SUITS & BLOUSES - performed, The Orange Tree Theatre, London, May 13-30, 1999. Directed Richard Cullen. Sarah, a spirited sixth-former, is fighting changes aimed at taking her school up-market. When her relationship with a member of staff is uncovered, those in charge have a lever against her. New second act added since production. 1hr 35 mins 2M 2F

FIRST TIMERS - developed Soho Theatre’s Writer-Director workshops. Performed Duke’s Head 1992, Directed David Gillies. A desperate young man seeks sexual release. A young girl is forced into prostitution. For both it’s a first. 1hr 20mins 2M 1F

ENIGMAS - 2nd round Verity Bargate Award - Second Stage Workshop Week, organised by Paul Sirett, Soho Theatre. Reading Actors and Writers Group, directed Harry Landis. A successful emigre businessman is accused of war-crimes. True or false and how does his family react to the man they know as father? 1hr 45mins 5M 3F

JAMES BONNEY M.P. - short-listed, Verity Bargate award, 1987 - rehearsed public reading Soho Theatre. The life and loves of a sitting Labour M.P. as he comes under attack from a young militant.
1hr 45mins 3M 3F

KEEPING FAITH
- short-listed Maddermarket Theatre full-length play competition. Produced Dacorum College, directed by author. Micki’s father’s a traditionalist but Jake - her partner - thinks monogamy’s days are numbered. 1hr 45mins 4M 4F

KEEPING FAITH - revised 3 character version. Performed Kings Head by Elephant Theatre Co. Directed Nicki Rensten. Jake thinks monogamy’s dead until Micki takes him at his word. 60mins 1M 2F

DOWN THE RIVER - community touring play commissioned and performed by Theatre Royal, Stratford East. Directed Jules Wright. Dockers’ livelihoods come under threat from containerisation. Each docker has a choice: resist or adapt? Sometimes friendships depend on the path chosen. 1hr 45mins 3M 1F

ISOBEL AND THE MATADOR - runner-up National Festival of Community Drama. A fanatic of the bull-fight decides if he can’t practise with a bull a human substitute will have to do. 45mins 2M 1F

BEST FRIENDS - entered National Student Drama Festival, Dacorum College student drama group. Directed by author. Writing commended (Stephen Jeffries) - White and Asian adolescents love and battle in a London School. 1hr 20mins 5M 2F

SAY YOU DO - comedy of domestic relationships on day after wedding-day of young couple 1hr 40mins 3M 3F

DR RICHTER AND PERO - awarded ARTS COUNCIL Writer’s Bursary to undertake this project. Lenin and his wife Krupskaya meet Trotsky in London in 1902 for the first time. Emerging differences between Lenin and Martov are beginning to make themselves felt. Can their friendship survive? 1hr 45mins 4M 1F

RESCUE ME - a young man, recently out of nick, tries to keep to the straight and narrow, but temptations grow. 1hr 40mins 2M 2F

SPELLING IT OUT - public reading ‘The Play’s The Thing Festival’, Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. Directed Harry Landis. An internationally renowned star of ‘serious’ films agrees to be interviewed for a biog-doc. The process takes an unexpected turn when questions of his sexuality arise during filming. 1hr 40mins 4M

AFRICA STORY - An English girl falls in love with an African while holidaying in Gambia. Getting married and settling in England prove to be no simple matter. 1hr 40mins 4M 1F PLATFORM SOULS - completed July 2000 - submitted Verity Bargate Award. Kal, Richie and Jan home in on commuters as they pass through Kings Cross station. They need to make money and are not too fussed how they do it. 1hr 45 mins 5M 1F

PHILLIP GLIN & THE TEACHING BUG - performed in SHOWCASE at Soho Theatre, 13th July 2000.. Maths lecturer Phillip’s sex life is a mystery to himself and others. Is his friendship for Matthew purely platonic? It’s affecting his professional as well as his personal life. He needs to sort it out. Reading Hammersmith Writers and actors Group, 5th February 2001, directed John Melainey 40 mins 1M


PLAYS: RADIO

CHANGING GEAR - Broadcast BBC Radio 4 (directed Gerry Jones) and subsequently Hessische Rundfunk - a husband teaches his wife to drive with comic consequences. With Martin Jarvis and Rosalind Ayres. 15mins 1M 1F

THE REVOLUTIONARY - Hessische Rundfunk (Frankfurt,1989) A second-hand car-dealer devotes his profits to the cause of the revolution. 30mins 2M

TWIN PLAY - (written 2000) - twin sons from a footballing family, head for success under the tutelage of their father. Though they don’t know it, only one is going to make it. Submitted to TAPS 60mins 4M 3F


PLAYS : TV

PUBLIC FAVOUR - a single headmistress gets pregnant by a married teacher. The Governors are shocked - should she be dismissed? They decide to put it to a parent-vote. 60 mins 2M 2F

S.W.A.L.K. - an impressionable girl sends patriotic letters to a young Gulf soldier. Returned home, he finds she wants the relationship to continue and will not be dissuaded. 50 mins 4M 3F

BUCKING BRONCO - a comic look at a women’s evening Keep-Fit class. Submitted to tv co’s with a number of follow-up episodes 30 mins 5F 2M

OTHERWORLDS - A two-part political thriller written for t.v. When Ben meets his childhood sweetheart unexpectedly he wants to know what she does for a living. The truth leads him into a world of political blackmail. Submitted to TAPS. 60 mins x2 3M 2F

FIREFIGHTERS - a single drama. When a body is discovered in a burned out art-room in a local school, Douglas Foster is given the case. Suicide, accident or murder? As he and his assistant Siva work to uncover the truth, the investigation leads him in an unexpected and unwanted direction. 60 mins x2 7M 7F