Meet the writer...ALAN SPENCE.

                A question asked by...Lucy V Hay. Script Editor | Bestselling Author | Story Coach | Structure, Genre & Character Specialist | Trusted by Oscar-Winning Creatives on Linkedin. I start with a belief that there are too many playwrights and not enough opportunities. But that is the least of our worries. More importantly, I was keen  to share my experience Two local opportunities: one - a call out for plays to work with local writers, where I got a Dear John. It wasn’t even that, just Dear…, no reasons why or even how the play could be developed. The fact that I was in discussions with them, for me to self-produce, puts that in doubt. Will there even be time on the calender?   A local competition that would have hundreds and hundreds of entries, even from Australia and the US!!! But they were a small group of voluntary readers and couldn’t possibly read them all. 🤐🤫🤐🤫 The third example was for a well-k...

In 2009, playwright Alan Spence read an article 'Indecent Exposure' by Vicki Sheil in the Times Education Supplement. He knew then he had to start an education project: My Name Is Tom. With one simple objective, to get young people and adults to talk to each other. Vicki Sheil's reported on a disturbing twist in the communications evolution, resulting in children becoming major consumers of pornography and with mobile phones, had the opportunity to create  content, often using their peers as “performers”. 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 real name. After reading the article, I told my colleagues... “Teenage relationships had stepped over a very dark and dangerous line”.  I had to write a play. My N...

Congress Theatre. Eastbourne 3rd December 2025.    Since moving to Eastbourne, I have enjoyed a number of visits to the Congress Theatre, to see Manfred Mann, Squeeze, Diversity, Jools Holland and even James Martin. I know, a long story.  Only recently have we ventured to see theatre there and the Harper Lee classic was as good as any starting point. Not least because it was a West End Production by Jonathan Church Theatre productions, opening at the Leeds Playhouse in September and arriving in Eastbourne in early December. Set in 1934 Alabama,  To Kill a Mockingbird  was inspired by novelist  Harper Lee ’s own childhood and has sold more than 45 million copies worldwide. It won the  Pulitzer Prize  for Literature and was long at the top of the banned book lists. Successful lawyer, Atticus Finch, encourages kindness and empathy in his children, but is pushed to the limits of these qualities himself when he resolves to uncover the truth in a town t...

  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 ...

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.