Anita Sullivan Radio Plays

BBC RADIO BROADCASTS

SILOS .... 2024
High quality drama continues to be commissioned but it is getting harder to find gems. There have been some high-profile occasions (such as New Year's Day 2024) when an afternoon drama would normally be expected but nothing was scheduled. Nevertheless we must not be too negative. We've had some unusual choices for the old 'Classic Serial' slot on Sunday afternoons, a Daphne du Maurier mini-season, and some good 5 x 30m podcast series under the general heading 'Limelight'. Anita Sullivan's dystopian sci-fi thriller 'Silos' set in the future was very effective. In this tale, environmental misdemeanors are paid for by being locked away in suspended animation. It was thought-provoking on several levels... (ND, Diversity Website review, Apr 2023)

22 Mar 2024: Silos, 1: Silo 605 In five episodes. 'Take a deep sleep vacation. No work, no stress. Guaranteed sweet dreams.' But weather patterns are changing. Ill-equipped governments and flawed technology try to meet the challenges. Nat, a newly qualified lawyer in stasis law, must deal with the fallout. This new drama is set on Lanza, a fictional island, possibly a few years from now. Nat - Anastasia Hille, Riv - Paul Bazely, Rozmay - Rakie Ayola, Carol - Rebekah Staton, Barry - Ben Crowe, Honour - Raad Rawi, Jodie - Anna Fenton-Garvey, Infovert Voice - Teresa Gallagher, Director: Karen Rose. Producer: Sarah Tombling. Sound Designer: David Thomas. Composer: Simon Slater. Indie (Sweet Talk). 30m.

On 2 Jul 22 we had END OF TRANSMISSION, by Anita Sullivan (R4, 1500) as the Saturday Play. Jude has lived for 20 years with HIV and now she's 50. She starts to ask questions about the virus, which actually appears as a speaking character in the play. The virus takes her on a transmission journey skipping across continents, centuries, decades and diverse hosts to meet the person who gave her HIV. The play includes Positive Voices speakers from the Terence Higgins Trust. Niamh, Stephen, Allan, Tim, Roland, Ese, Jess and Mary are people living with HIV who share their stories to help end the associated stigma. Anita Sullivan has been living well with HIV since the year 2000. The Virus was played by David Haig and Jude by Louise Brealey. Production Coordinators were Jacob and Sarah Tombling and the producer was Karen Rose, for Sweet Talk Productions. (ND, Diversity Website review, Sep 2022)

Update - The production won the Audio Drama Award in 2023 for 'Best Single Play'.

16 May 2021: Classic Serial slot: Hardy's Women -Two on a Tower
By Thomas Hardy, ad. Anita Sullivan in two episodes. Part 1 - The Astronomer. Viviette Constantine is isolated, trapped in a small village in England in the 1880’s. Her husband Sir Blount Constantine is brutal, but he has been away hunting lions for several years. One day she meets Swithin, a young astronomer who shows her the stars. Then her husband is reported dead. Lady Viviette Constantine - Olivia Poulet, Swithin St Cleeve - Callum Scott Howells, Louis Glanville - Tommy Sim’aan, Tabitha Lark - Scarlett Courtney, Bishop Helmsdale and Mr Cecil - Tony Turner, Parson Torkingham - Keiron Self, Haymoss and Sir Blount - Marc Danbury, Mrs Martin and Mrs Poulter - Jane Slavin. Produced by John Norton. BBC Wales.

17 Jan 2021: Classic Serial slot: Heart of Darkness
By Joseph Conrad, ad. Anita Sullivan, set in the 21st Century. Maya is an environmental scientist, sent into the heart of the Congo Rainforest after contact is lost with a research team. The story is reshaped and describes a world of deforestation and climate catastrophe. Maya…. Georgia Henshaw, Leon…. Peter Bankole, Blaise…. Jude Akuwudike, Daisy…. Ashleigh Haddad, Kurtz…. Stephen Hogan, The Commissioner…. Steve Toussaint, Script Consultant…. Ange Kasongo, Lingala Consultant…. Tracey Nyemba. Producer: James Robinson. BBC Wales.

9 Jun 2018: Saturday Play - Shadowbahn
In the series 'Dangerous Visions'. By Steve Erickson. From the novel of the same title, adapted for radio by Anita Sullivan. The Twin Towers have reappeared in South Dakota. Some teenagers go there to investigate. Zan: Mike Iveson, Zema: Antu Yacob, with Robbie Tann, Patch Darragh, Tasha Lawrence, Gibson Frazier and Robert J McArthur, Pete McElligott, Chris Dwane, Sara Berg, Reynaldo Piniella and Raphael Martin. Producers: Judith Kampfner and Steve Bond. 60m. Rpt. 2020.

21 Dec 2016: Mercury 13
By Anita Sullivan. In the early 1960s, Wally Funk and Jerris Cobb were two of 13 young women pilots who took NASA's astronaut selection tests. They scored highly, in some cases beating the men. In spite of this they were not allowed to go into space. This is a drama-documentary and includes an interview with Wally. Jerrie: Samantha Dakin, Randolf Lovelace/Tom Harris/John Glenn: William Hope, Jackie Cochran: Laurel Lefkow, Jane Hart: Claire Inie-Roberts, Brigadier General Flickinger: Dr. Shurley: Morgan Deare, Narrator: Laurel Lefkow; with an appearance by Wally Funk. Producer: Kate McAll. Rpt.

12 Aug 15: Gull Therapy
By Anita Sullivan. BBC blurb describes this as being about sound, language and meaning. A divorced speech therapist, Alice, tries to help a man who has suffered brain damage following a stroke. Alice: Susan Lynch, Dan, stroke victim: Carl Prekopp, Stepan: Ben Crowe, Narrator: Owen Roe. Producer: Karen Rose.

14 Apr 15: The Last Breath
By Ben Fearnside and Anita Sullivan. Fake documentary about an artist who wants to capture a dying breath in a jar and exhibit it as a work of art. The story is constructed using improvisations and interviews. The writers appear in the lead roles. Nicky is played by Nicola Walker. The interviewees are Derek and Mo Fearnside, Ben Fletcher, Professor Emma Jones, Anthony Chopper White, Linda Keenan and Dr Mark Gretason. The Static State artists are Kenny Watson, Alex Allan, Joseph Watts and Robert Perry. Music written and played by Nick Tettersell. Producer: Karen Rose . Indie production (Sweet Talk).

THE BEE MAKER....2014
Anita Sullivan's plays are always worth hearing, and in 'The Bee Maker' (R4, 1415, 16 Jun 14), a robotics expert builds artificial insects to help pollinate the fruit trees. It's 2020, and most of the world's bees have died out. (As an aside I wonder if readers know that some fruit trees don't need pollinating. The apple "Spenser Seedless" forms fruit whether it is pollinated or not; its flowers have no petals and it usually produces no seeds. Grapes don't need bees either.) This was an interesting piece of science fiction. The cast included Alice Lowe, Harriet Walter and Stuart McLoughlin, and the producer was James Robinson. (....ND, 'Diversity' review, Sep 2014..)

Further update on bees - I recently found out, at one of our apples talks, that the vast majority of pollinating of food plants is done by solitary bees; only a tiny fraction is done by honey bees. The curious among you could do worse than find out about this - a fascinating subject. - ND

ROCK OF EYE....2014
13 Feb 14: Three elderly tailors are making a suit for an up-and-coming politician. It was designed by the mysterious Mrs. White, whom they've never met. As the garment takes shape it begins to have a powerful effect on anyone who comes into contact with it. Allan Corduner, Malcolm Storry, Stephen Marzella, Catrin Stewart, Liza Sadovy, Claire Cage, Richard Nichols. Producer Anita Sullivan.

21 Nov 2012: Afternoon Drama - Selfless
By Anita Sullivan. Suffering from amnesia after a motorboke accident, a man is taken to hospital by a car-driver who saw it happen. Eventually he is discharged and the driver offers to put him up for the night. Andrew cannot remember where he lives; the only thing he remembers is a girl's name. RT described this as a psychological thriller. Drew ....... Adrian Bower, Owen ....... Mark Meadows, Elspeth ....... Nisha Nayar, Nurse ....... Rebecca Harries, Producer Kate McAll.

6 July 2012: Afternoon Drama - The Last Breath
By Ben Fearnside and Anita Sullivan. The drama is set in 2018. The story is based on the hypothetical premise that by that time, assisted suicide will have been legalised in the UK. Ben Fearnside is an abstract expressionist painter. He has had some success with London galleries but his work has now fallen out of fashion. Without an audience his life-work is unwitnessed and 'uncreated'. He decides to make one final piece of art: he will capture a dying breath in a jar and exhibit it. So - he Ben invites radio producer Anita Sullivan to profile him and document the process of capturing The Last Breath. But as the date for breath capture approaches, the identity of the donor remains a mystery. The play is a blend of drama and documentary. Nicky is played by Nicola Walker. The interviewees are Derek and Mo Fearnside, Ben Fletcher, Professor Emma Jones, Anthony Chopper White, Linda Keenan and Dr Mark Gretason. The Static State artists are Kenny Watson, Alex Allan, Joseph Watts and Robert Perry. Music written and played by Nick Tettersell. Producer: Karen Rose . Indie production (Sweet Talk).

27 April 2012: Afternoon Drama - The Hedge
By Anita Sullivan. Rpt. 20 Oct 2014. Marion and Richard live a quiet life in their perfect garden, sheltered from a turbulent world by their manicured hedge. Then one day, after an explosive row with their daughter Sophie, out of the hedge emerges a mysterious hand. Slowly the outside world starts to bleed into their fragile haven. An allegorical tale about a family and its fears. Marion: Fiona Shaw, Richard: Peter Ellis, Sophie: Tanya Franks, The Narrator: Dorien Thomas. Producer James Robinson. BBC Wales.

23 Jan 2012: Afternoon Drama - The Great Swim
Adapted by Anita Sullivan from the book by Gavin Mortimer. In the roaring twenties the world was changing at an electric pace. In science, commerce and art, everything seemed possible and the challenges were there to be confronted. By 1926, only five men had ever conquered the English Channel, and the race to become the first woman to swim the Channel captivated two continents. Many doubted that a woman could do it. Gertrude Ederle, a brilliant young swimmer, was the 19-year-old daughter of a German migrant to the United States. Her father Henry Ederle ran a successful butcher's business in New York. Ederle's cross-channel swim was sponsored by the New York Daily News. The News sent a crime reporter, Julia Harpman, to accompany the swimmer and cover the story and this drama is told through Julia's eyes. Cast: Julia Harpman ..... Madeleine Potter, Trudy Ederle ..... Emily Bruni, Lillian Cannon ..... Samantha Dakin, Bill Burgess/Rutherford ..... Philip Jackson, Arthur Sorensen ..... Nathan Nolan, Joe Costa/Frank Pegler/Williams ..... Sam Dale, Henry "Pop" Ederle/Abbot ..... Nathan Osgood. Producer: Karen Rose. Indie production (Sweet Talk).


MANDRAKE....2010
A social worker is called in to assess an old woman's health, but as she gets to know her, something very strange happens. With Sara Kestelman, Martina Laird, Kate Aspinall, Hugh Cross, Nicholas Boulton. Producer Karen Rose.

HOMESICK....2009
11 Mar 09. Outstanding sci-fi play about a stranded alien. Stars Mark Heap, Paul Ritter, Maxine Peake, Susam Jameson, Ewan Bailey, Mia Soteriou. Producer Karen Rose; director Anita Sullivan. Reminded me a little of the famous short story 'Meteor' by John Wyndham.

FULL-BLOWN (R4, 2102, 28 Nov 03) was a play about AIDS and its consequences. Roz is 30 years old, middle-class, clean living and healthy. She is like you or me. But one day she develops a nasty cough which will not go away. Two weeks later, she is fighting for her life. The plot sounds dire and depressing; to my surprise, it was anything but, and showed what a good playwright can do with difficult material. Make no mistake - AIDS doesn't just affect the promiscuous, and the sooner people realise this, the better. It starred Claire Skinner, Charlie Simpson, Clive Wedderburn, Daniel Ryan, David Holt, David Collings, Dona Croll, Joanne Good and Ian Masters; music was by Joe Young and the director was Karen Rose.


EXILED FROM PARADISE....2005
1 Jun 05. Based on the true story of the inhabitants of a small island, Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean. They were evicted from it in the 1970s. With Adjoa Andoh, Jude Akuwudike; dir. Claudine Toutoungi.

Nigel Deacon / Diversity Website

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