Six female actors each play 2 parallel characters in different time periods: 1933 to 1939 and November 2009 to May 2010, switching between them dynamically.
On a “time shift” all the actors smoothly switch character and the action continues without any break, with subtle lighting change where needed to fit the time of year.

It opens as Dorothy, a distinguished scientist with dementia, distressed at a lost document, is placed in a care home. This triggers memories of her difficult start at boarding school, expressed via actors doubling as Dorothy’s mother and daughter; headmistress and manager; maid and carer. Care home residents echo (and perhaps may be) her classmates Hilda and Phyllis.

The play explores choices and constraints for mid-C20th women. The schoolgirls, growing from 12 to 18, develop their values and friendship, choosing divergent paths in the shadow of war. In old age, the women share fragments of memory as they face their current limitations.

A key theme is truth, as the failing 2009 climate summit and media smears of scientists fuel Dorothy’s anxiety to recall where she stored records of earlier research, now relevant. This is resolved, after her death, in the finale.

“a very fine piece of writing with challenges but also rewards for any group that stages it” (Radius judges, 2024)

The play is a form of verbatim theatre, with five characters in their late 80s, who are fictional, but drawn by blending people and stories from the Tavistock Area Support Services oral history collection. Originally to be a live drama for amateur theatre company The Tavonians, due to Coronavirus it became an audio drama recorded during self-isolation and lockdown. My role was to write the script, drawing on ideas from other members of the company, and including original phrasing from the records wherever possible.

Five local octogenarians, with very varied life stories, find themselves seated together at a cream tea, having won a charity raffle. As the conversation unfolds, the three women and two men find points of connection on topics ranging from milking to air raids, and places from Malaya to the local river.

The 45 min audio drama is available to listen to on https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-stories/id1522041608?i=1000482341740

A village drama shaped by national and global crises plays out between August 2019 and May 2020.
Much Wittering’s declared a climate emergency. For teacher Russ it’s about children’s voices, for churchwarden Gordon, hope, and for pub landlady Cherry, getting buses back. Gordon’s granddaughter Amy helps as turbulent weather, cricket and politics play out – but with her heart and the Amazon burning, she longs for more action.
The community comes together to sort the buses - but will that be any help in surviving Covid?

A growing town – troubled families – casualties of war - political scandals. 1809 was surprisingly like 2009. Amid this turbulence, people turned to Methodism – a lively faith when much religion was hollow ritual.

The play imagines two women finding friendship across a 200 year gap, linked by shared faith and place. Hannah holds together the family business with her husband away at war. Melanie, single again, could use her medical skills anywhere – so why here? Through encounters at locations familiar to both, they share the tough decisions.

Their parallel stories involve Saul who shapes wheels and Sean who plants trees, each hoping for more. Also young Rose and Chloe, betrayed by adults, finding a way forward.

Written for a Devon town to mark a bicentenary, the play makes extensive use of local sites and context, so would not be suitable for performance elsewhere. After live performance at 4 places, an audio version was later recorded.

\"You had put so much thought into the play and used the locations so well it was most interesting\"
\"I loved the story line and characters - think they have loads of potential and were really interesting -

November 1919: Jean, confused in an English care home, longs for visits from her granddaughter Lizzie. As Britain plunges through six turbulent months , Italian care assistant Salvio tries to cheer her despite his own worries.
Currently written as an audio play, but could adapt easily to stage or video presentation.