Meet the writer...ALAN SPENCE.

Like many people, I became aware James Graham from his success with This House at the National Theatre, a production I didn't see but he was clearly one to watch. This was followed by the engaging film  X+Y, The Angry Brigade at The Bush, Labour of Love, which I read and Best of Enemies at the Young Vic, which was wonderful and Sherwood which was interesting.  I had been trying to interest my partner in this production, as trailers kept popping up on my phone to no avail, so when the Chichester Festival Theatre dates came up, I said we are not going to miss it this time.  Haven't seen so many school and college students at a theatre since National Theatre of Scotland's Beautiful Burnout at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, which gave an air of 'parents evening' at the time. This being a matinee, it was no surprise schools would want to see this production.  And in the multi-generational audien...

When playwright Alan Spence read an article about sexting by Vicki Sheil, he knew he had to start  an education project: My Name Is Tom. Alan had one  simple objective, to get young people and adults  to talk to each other. “In 2001, I was a trustee for Face Front Inclusive Theatre who devised a play  called Text FM. Exploring issues including teen pregnancy, STI’s, sexting, the role of pornography, peer pressure and of consent. In the workshops, how to make informed choices and healthy relationships. With changes in technology and social mores the play became SEX FM, touring very successfully to secondary and special schools every year till 2020”. Gemma* appears to a frenzied drum and bass soundtrack and begins to strip. She took the video herself, adding the title and music later.. It was for her boyfriend and when they broke up he sent it to some friends. “She was a pupil at another school, but it came to our school and yes, we’ve all seen it.” *Not her ...

My Name is Tom –  New  Hard-Hitting School Play  Script  Puts Today’s Teenage  Life  Under the Microscope. Media Contact:  Alan Spence.  Email:  theatreisreallife@live.co.uk                    My Name is Tom is a powerful and timely play script that explores the   lives of teenagers growing up in a world dominated by smartphones, social media, and academic pressure. Set in North London, it follows the emotional journey of Paris and Darnell, highlighting     the digital and social challenges young people face — and the silence of the adults around them . A powerful new release, published on 21 st August, 2025, My Name is Tom invites readers into a world where digital distraction threatens real human connection and puts the dark and often  dangerous aspects of 21 st century teenage relationships centre stage. Reflecting the social and emotional pressures facing tod...

Tracy Dorrington the organiser of this event for the last ten years,   is an amazing person. Pulls together many Drama specialists from all over the UK and beyond, and in so many ways and remains totally unaffected, one the nicest and honest people you could wish to meet.   This weekend offers some great workshops with fantastic practitioners, all the food you can eat in a weekend, downtime and an Anniversary Ball to get your glad rags on, some are even dressing up.   There is even a swimming pool!!     And it was fantastic...roll on 2026  at Warwick University!!

Retrograde had received rave reviews when it opened at the Kiln Theatre and when tickets were announced for a twelve weeks at the Apollo Theatre we just had to get tickets and thankfully we did.  While early promotion and advertising seemed to focus on the comedy in the play, we didn't know what to expect given Cameron's first play. Its the golden age of Hollywood - behind closed doors, aspiring actor Sydney Poitier is offered a lucrative contract that could make him a superstar. But what is he willing to sacrifice? Ryan Calais Cameron's explosive new play explores identity, resilience and integrity as it explores a true event in 1950's Hollywood and the reality of a Black actors journey to stardom. Set in a lawyer's office, the initial dialogue between screenwriter Bobby (Oliver Johnstone) and NBC's snake - like lawyer Parks (Stanley Townsend) was un-c and on point for the period. Drawing gasps from the matinee audience. With Bobby demanding to cast Sydney Poit...

Mary Stone: Arts Professional - 30th June 2025.  Former Shadow Culture Secretary Thangam Debbonaire delivered her maiden speech in the House of Lords during a debate on music education in which peers criticised government 'inaction' on the previous commitments to the arts and creative education.  Debbonaire used her maiden speech during a short debate on music education to make the 'a political case for the arts.' She also urged museums to be "honest about the stories behind their objects"and stressed that the arts can provide a good living for "people from all backgrounds".  Debbonaire as Shadow Culture Secretary curated the Creating Growth: Labours plans for the Arts, Culture and Creative Industries in 2024 and before Sunak had even announced the the next election. She introduced the glossy leaflet and managed to use the words, theatre, plays and drama, just once each in some thirty three pages. If there really is levelling up, then surely they sho...

             The inaugural session of Arts Q Time,  with three very special guests  and a great audience.  Still buzzing.

        "I'd like to thank the cast of actors for portraying  the experience of young  people's lives.  It was very good."   "This production has some important key messages and  the cast are  an amazing   group of people."      “If you have not booked your tickets yet, I recommend that you do so.    “This play should be seen by every school,  it  was excellent and so topical”                            Congratulations Alan Spence. I also thought these actors were great at doubling-up as teenagers and parents”.     “It addresses some serious subject matter that affects young adults and  families of all cultures, ranging from Cyber-bulling, Sexting,Child Exploitation,  Pornography and much mor...

“With your plays, it’s not just about the football and the Steel Strike, it’s all about us. It’s about our lives, how we live”.                               Kay and Tom , Drake the Bookshop signing.   “If you want to know what life was like for an ordinary working-class family on Tees-side, during the steel strike of 1980, you can do no better than buy Nowt Like This in America, a superb Community Play written by Alan Spence. Thoughtful, funny, emotionally powerful, it follows the fortunes of one family, the personal being framed by the political. As an added bonus, the script is contextualised by both background material on the author and the period (heartfelt and honest) as well as production notes".        Bri...

                            

Book and theatre lovers in Saltburn, Stockton and Middlesbrough have the chance to hear Alan Spence talking about and reading from his acclaimed The BORO's 37mins and his new book Nowt Like This in America - an untold history of the 1980 Steel strike. And the dates for your diaries are... Book Corner Saltburn:  Thursday 7th Sept at 11am. Drake - the Bookshop, Stockton: Friday 8th Sept at 3pm. Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough Saturday 9th Sept at 11am. 

1540 – 1570. Mary Queen of Scots   was known to have been a spectator of the sport and a ball formerly in her possession, was found in 1970 during excavation work at Stirling Castle. It was then re-discovered in the archives of Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, and tests confirmed it indeed was created 436 years ago  and claimed by some, to be the oldest football still in existence. 1580: It is impossible to say when women started playing  football, but there is limited evidence suggesting women were occasionally involved, as in the   16th Century poem “A Dialogue Betweene Two Shepherds”, by Sir Phillip Sydney Two Shepherds Will and Dick...   WILL. Dick  since  we  cannot  dance, come, let a  cheerful  voice Show that we do not  grudge  at all when  others  do rejoice. DICK. Ah Will,  though  I  grudge  not, I  count  it  feeble  glee, With  sight  made...