Scattered by movement through and around the protests, five objects go unseen on the city streets, and each has a story to tell. These unexpected narrators share very different perspectives, looking from the ground up.

Looking from the angle of disposable things; gum, glue, chalk; ‘Ground Up’ shows how ‘throwaway’ objects are often grounded in timescales far beyond humankind. ‘Ground Up’ opens up large questions of permanence and purpose, by sharing the stories of small and everyday things.

Ground Up by Fiona Glen

Fiona Glen is an emerging writer and artist from Edinburgh, based in London. Her writing has been published in various periodicals and anthologies, and she has read at the London Science Museum and galleries across London. Her audio and multi-media projects have recently been commissioned by BBC x ICA New Creatives and Robert Young Antiques.

Ground Up

Written & Directed by Fiona Glen

Produced by Nikta Mohammadi

‘Gum’ – Esme Boggis

‘Teabag’ – Olivia Brady

‘Glue’ – Fiona Glen

‘Moss’ – Greg Esplin

‘Chalk’ – Ellora Torchia

Sound Design & Composition by Babak Mirsalari

Foley Recording by Kaveh Soori 

Script Consultancy by Molly Morphew & James Ireland

Ground Up was originally commissioned by BBC New Creatives programme in partnership with the ICA. Many thanks to both organisations, and Arts Council England for funding the production.

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MAGGIE TURNER IN CAKE

Written, Directed & Produced by Simon James Collier, Evcol Entertainment
Music & Soundscape Design: Zachary Elliott-Hatton
Co-Producer: Adam Dechanel
Graphic Design: Clockwork Digital Studios
Engineer: Callum Mirames
Recorded at Umbrella Sound, London

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“A beautifully written and exquisitely performed piece of theatre”

BroadwaytoVegas

Performed by Glen Dickson, Karen Fraser and Titch McClean

1101 Wellington Way by Vivian Lermond

Vivian is an award-winning playwright who has penned more than 100 plays and monologues that have entertained audiences in the US, Mexico, England, Scotland, Canada and Australia. Her full length drama/comedy, Back to Bethlehem (PA), premiered Off Broadway in 2006 at the Manhattan Theatre Club. In addition to her stage plays, Vivian has also written two full length
screenplays that were awarded first place in two highly competitive screenwriting contests.
She has taught playwriting at a local college and has facilitated playwriting workshops at writing conferences. Vivian has lent her talents to Gallagher Literary, an LA talent management company,
where she evaluated pitches and screenplay submissions. She also has freelanced for afilmwriter.com, where she was a script analysis specialist for stage plays.

Vivian has been a proud member of The Dramatists Guild since 1998.

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The Packsaddle Librarian

In depression era America, a scheme was set up to deliver books on horseback to isolated remote families of the Appalachia region. A young woman recounts her very first house call to her horse Betsy Girl.

The Interrogator

A seasoned inquisitor tries every trick he knows to extract a confession and ‘turn’ his prisoner. A psychological battle of wits ensues.

Retired Upstage

Retired actors Ian and Pat wait for the evening meal in their residential home.

The Packsaddle Librarian

Written by Benjamin Peel
Performed by Karen Fraser
Produced by Glen Dickson

The Interrogator

Written & Produced by Benjamin Peel
The Interrogator – Edward Peel
The Prisoner – Stacey J Gough
Recorded at County Linx Studios by Steve Kent

Retired Upstage

Written and Produced by Benjamin Peel
Ian – Edward Peel
Pat – Richard Simpson

All music and SFX sourced from free to use sites.

Benjamin Peel

Benjamin Peel’s play Not a Game for Girls, published by Oberon Books in 2018, has been performed many times.

His play The Interrogator was performed as part of the New Short Play Festival at the John Cullum Theatre at the American Theatre of Actors, New York in 2019. The Long Player featured in Ragged Foil’s second podcast season with The Fastest Ever Singer appearing in the same company’s lock down Isolation Sessions.

Four audio dramas were commissioned by the online SOfa Fest 2020, produced by Breakwater Theatre Company. Several of Benjamin’s short audio plays have been broadcast as part of Writer’s Block Radio Hour by Super Sound Radio Scotland and the BBC Radio Lincolnshire Upload show. 

Benjamin wrote the screenplays for the short films The Runner and Silence in the Library both of which were selected for the Fear in the Fens Festivals of 2018 and 2020 respectively.

His play Singin’ for Engerland was performed live via Zoom in May 2020 during lock down and presented by Up ‘Ere Productions.

In February 2021 a series of Benjamin’s audio dramas featured in the Hastings Virtual Fringe Festival, under the umbrella title The March of the Women.

Benjamin’s audio dramas can be heard at https://soundcloud.com/benjaminpeel

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If you would like to make a donation after listening, the charity is www.investinme.org.

Presented by The OFFSTAGE Theatre Group, in association with Wireless Theatre  (supported by BBC Radio Gloucestershire), and in aid of Invest In ME.

Running To Stand Still first toured around schools and colleges in 1997, exactly 15 years ago, as well as being performed at an International Conference about the illness it was trying to raise awareness of (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). It also had the distinction of being the first play to be broadcast on BBC Radio Gloucestershire in 1996.

This is a charitable endeavour, which sees all profits going to Invest In ME (www.investinme.org); who are fundraising to set up a research centre into the much-misunderstood and life-threatening disease.

Actor/Director/Writer and M.E. sufferer, Barnaby Eaton-Jones said: “The script was first written in 1992, which makes this the 20^th anniversary of that event. But, a lot has changed since then. It was often sad, very frustrating and constantly bewildering to read so much new research since the play was last performed and find that there isstill prejudice, wrong information and lack of knowledge out there in the general public. Hopefully, this play will play a small part in helping to redress the balance.”

Running to Stand Still

Starring: Jilly Breeze, Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Dawn Stanley, Rob Leetham, Rowena Perkins

The real-life radio personalities and presenters featured were, in alphabetical order…Richard Atkins, Claire Carter, Dominic Cotter, Rachel Darcy, Faye Hatcher, Steve Kitchen and Annie McKie

With grateful thanks to Nick Bull and BBC Radio Gloucestershire

Script and Songs (Music/Lyrics) by Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Sound, Production and Editing by Steve Bradbury

Mastered by David Pickering Pick at FFG, 

The musical accompaniment was written and arranged by Paul Arthurs (Bass, Percussion, Additional Guitar), Steve Bradbury (Piano, Hammond Organ, Strings), With Barnaby Eaton-Jones (Guitar)

Artwork supplied by Carolyn Edwards and Helen Morris

Graphic Design by Scott Bishop at Jump Creative

‘Running To Stand Still’ was produced by Steve Bradbury and directed by Barnaby Eaton-Jones

The OFFSTAGE Theatre Group: offstagetheatregroup.com, Barnaby Eaton-Jones: barnabyeatonjones.com

FFG: ffg.org.uk, BBC Radio Gloucestershire: bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire, Carolyn Edwards: carolynedwards.blogspot.co.uk, Helen Morris: creativechaosart.blogspot.co.uk

Purple Moon and Federico Garcia Lorca

Purple Moon celebrates the genius that Lorca was, 76 years after his assassination by Franco’s facist regime. Avi Nassa wrote Purple Moon because he felt that not enough people know the truth behind Lorca’s work and shocking death, especially new generations. Avi Nassa brings a fresh new approch to Lorca’s work and character. During his research, Nassa was helped with information supplied in the book ‘Lorca Assasination’ by Ian Gibson – and would like to thank Gibson for his fantastic research.

Avi Nassa

Avi Nassa is the artisic director of Whispering Eyes Theatre Co. Actor, writer and magician, he has worked for the past 30 years in all aspects of the media and was nominated for a BAFTA Award. Avi Nassa would also like to take this opportunity to thank Saul Reichlin for his invaluable assistance in developing Purple Moon.

Starring : Andrew Ward and Avi Nassa

Avi Nassa whisperingeyes.co.uk

Andrew Ward andrewwardactor.com

Esteban Antonio estebanantonio.co.uk

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Karen’s Town by Michelle Bonnard

Written for The Market Estate Project 2010, Karen’s Town follows the life of resident Karen Frost, which runs in strange parallel to the life of the estate itself. A dramatic, funny and touching story that questions the extent to which the place in which we live, influences and moulds the person we become? And what we can do to fight for change?

Starring : Kellie Shirley (EastEnders, In the Long Run, The Office), Caroline Martin, Rachael Chisolm, Martha Swann, Michelle Bonnard, Robin Pearce and Justin Mitchell-Davey.

Written By: Michelle Bonnard

Edited By: Lester Barry

Directed By: Hannah Eidinow

CONTAINS SWEARING AND ADULT CONTENT

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