麻豆约拍

It鈥檚 25 years since radio鈥檚 first Young Playwrights鈥� Festival. It was a call to arms for young writers, aged between 15 and 30, to send in their scripts to 麻豆约拍 Radio Drama and write for radio for the first time. By way of celebration, drama producer Jeremy Mortimer has put together a season of ten specially chosen plays from festivals over the years, for 麻豆约拍 Radio 4 Extra.

Jeremy also went back to talk to some of the writers involved: Benjamin Zephaniah (), Hattie Naylor (), Abigail Docherty (), Roy Williams (), Craig Warner () and Andrew Wallace (). He spoke to directors, Claire Grove and Jeremy Howe (now Drama Commissioning Editor) and the former Controller of Radio 4, Michael Green.

As part of the season, 麻豆约拍 Radio 4 Extra is also rebroadcasting the comedy show that launched the first festival, in 1988: . It was compered by Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson, and features an early radio appearance by Steve Coogan.

Background

Over the course of 3 festivals (writing competitions) in 1988, 1991 and 1996, over 80 writers had their work broadcast for the first time on 麻豆约拍 Radio.

Jeanette Winterson and Benjamin Zephaniah were already established. But the festivals commissioned first plays by a very distinguished group of writers who went on to write further plays and novels. The list includes April de Angelis, Parv Bancil, Craig Baxter, Maya Chowdhry, Beatrice Colin, Pearse Elliot, Tobias Hill, Gary Mitchell, Abi Morgan, Hattie Naylor, Anthony Neilson, Jeremy Raison, Roy Williams, Craig Warner, Sarah Woods.

Radio Drama drew on eight different production centres. Actors featured included Norman Beaton, Alan Cumming, Maurice Denham, Philip Davis, Michael Sheen, Charles Gray, Ian Dury and Mary Wimbush.

Context

鈥淚 thought we ought to take a few risks鈥�

(Michael Green, ex-Controller, Radio 4)

In a short feature broadcast prior to The Word Made Fresh, we hear Jeremy Mortimer, who ran the first festival in 1988, putting the festivals in context. Right from the start the aim was to encourage writers from all over the country, from all walks of life. Jeremy began by visiting schools, colleges, theatres and writers鈥� groups. He met Hattie Naylor in Bristol. He visited Eton, Sunderland Polytechnic and the Theatre Royal, Stratford East. The only thing the final and successful list of plays had in common was an originality of voice and an imaginative approach to the medium.

鈥淩adio Drama really got its act together in terms of commissioning new writing...that legacy is still evident in the Radio 4 schedules today,鈥�

(Drama Commissioning Editor, Jeremy Howe, producer in Belfast in 1988)

Broadcasts and listen online with 麻豆约拍 iPlayer

The plays are broadcast on Radio 4 Extra between 12 - 18 October 2013. Each play is also available to listen to online for 7 days following the first broadcast.

The Plays

Written by Benjamin Zephaniah

The Word Made Fresh was a comedy show, hastily put together by producer Clive Brill. 聽The show featured a young Steve Coogan, in what is possibly his first ever radio appearance, as the character Duncan Thickett. It also featured Simon Munnery, with poems from Lemn Sissay, music from Miles and Milner, with Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson aka Victor and Barry as comperes.

Written by Craig Warner

Written by Roy Williams

Written by Hattie Naylor

Written by Andrew Wallace

Written by Abigail Docherty

Written by Sean Moffatt. Directed by Jeremy Howe.

Written by Sarah Woods

Written by Antony Neilson

Written by Abi Morgan