Peter Cox Speaks & Norman's Invasion

May 17th brings us an exciting double bill. First up is a talk by award-winning playwright Peter Cox. Let Peter introduce himself:

"I began my writing career at the Royal Court Theatre where winning the George Devine Award for most promising new playwright changed my life. Since then my stage plays have been performed throughout Britain - from the Royal National Theatre and Belfast Opera House to miner's welfare halls. (The latter during a stint with 7:84 Theatre Company (England).)

Over the years I've also written and developed film and television drama for the BBC and BBC Wales as well as various independent companies. My radio drama has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 & 4 and BBC Radio Wales. A huge chunk of my career was spent writing 227 episodes (I know!) of the Channel 4 drama serial, Brookside, between 1986 and 2003. (It was my drug of choice!) During that time I was a member of the writers' 'team' that created multiple-strand stories for more than 2,400 episodes!! As you might guess I love story and the power of story metaphor in people's lives".

And that's just the tip of a veritable iceberg of creativity. He told me he could talk for hours, but we're settling for half an hour, followed by questions, on the broad subject of rewriting. Something some of us don't do enough of, I suspect.

Then, after a ten minute break for beer and skittles, there is a brand new tv sitcom by the P-P legend that is Tim Gambrell, a man who needs no introduction. Unless you don't know who he is. Anyway, this is the set-up:

"Norman Flyte is a 21st century office facilities manager in the city. He's not bad at his job, but his face doesn't quite fit the corporate image and professionally he's probably got as far as he's going to get. Privately he is a lonely batchelor who's never had much luck with women and has spent too long under the watchful gaze of his mother.
One day, randomly, Norman finds himself transported from his office to the West Country in Norman England. There, suddenly, many aspects of his life start to become more successful - but it's not all plain sailing for sure. Why has Norman been sent to Dipford, near Trull, in 1067? What does the future there hold for him, and why do calls from his mother still seem to get through on his mobile phone?

You won't find answers to all of these questions in episode one - if you did there wouldn't be any reason to tune in for the rest of the series!"

I'm rather proud of this one as, even before it had been written, I thought up the title. I haven't actually read it, but rest assured if it's half as good as Tim's usual stuff it'll still probably be quite funny. And twice as good as most of the stuff that actually gets on the telly.

So, 7.45. Green Man. Be there.