Meet the writer...ALAN SPENCE.

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... DICK. Ah Will, though I grudge not, I count it feeble glee, With sight made dim with daily tears another's sport to see. Whoever lambkins saw, yet lambkins  love to play, To play when that their loved dams are stolen or gone astray? If this in them be true, as true in men think I, A lustless song forsooth thinks he t...

Life-long Boro fan Steve Cook  sat having a beer🍺 sat on P&Os Iona.  Reading Alan Spence's book. #UTB #believe. Steve said...it was an amazing read!!   And here's a little reminder for you...                              

  An untold history of the 1980 Steel strike. The story of a family, a community and an industry.  Coming in Autumn 2023. 

 Fun activities with games, exercises, movement and even song.  As well as reading play extracts of Shakespeare, Churchill, Miller, Littlewood, Wesker and many more...

So proud to be involved for the first time, nominating John and Viv Berry from the Printers Playhouse in Eastbourne, so well deserved. (That's John and Viv end left and me end right) The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain has announced the winners for its annual Olwen Wymark Awards, which celebrate those who have championed new writing.  Founded by playwrights Mark Ravenhill and David James, the awards give writers the opportunity to publicly thank those who have given them a positive experience related to new writing in the previous year.  The winners include directors at Printers Playhouse John and Viv Berry, who were nominated by Alan Spence for their support of his proposals, including workshops, plays, courses and festivals, and producer Matt Brinkler who was nominated by David Kent for the support of his musical Soul Sisters.  Other winners include associate producer at Harrogate Theatre Porl Cooper, who was nominated by Rachael Halliwell for his mentorship and champio...

  So grateful to all at Middlesbrough FC and Middlesbrough Reads for their support in this. Really looking forward to reading the entries. Good luck everyone!! Good afternoon, I am writing to you today with details of a Literacy Challenge that we, The MFC Foundation, are running in partnership with Middlesbrough Reads (National Literacy Trust) and writer Alan Spence, author of the play “The Boro’s 37 Minutes”. The objective of the challenge is the get the children to create a piece of work about George Camsell, a Middlesbrough FC legend of days gone by. This could be a poem, song, rap or poster telling of his life, career and his importance to the club and town. The winning student will win a goody bag and a tour of the Riverside Stadium for their class. Runners up will also receive a goody bag.   This challenge will be going out to our partner schools as well as online via our website, The National Literacy Trust and Virtual Schools and will be judged by Alan himself as well ...

The BORO's 37mins is now available on Amazon.        £9.99 plus p & p. or £4.99 ebook. The BORO's 37mins: Celebrating 25 years...Back from the brink.: Official Script and Handbook : Spence, Alan, Spence, Alan: Amazon.co.uk: Books Great for Christmas, Birthdays, Easter, Anniversaries, educating family and friends or just for being you and give yourself  a treat!!!

  What is Seize The Day? In March 2022 the DTEA co-ordinated events led by schools, theatre companies and practitioners, who invited their local MP and press to visit them and witness their experience.    Why not get involved? You don't have to do anything special - just do whatever it is you do best, but invite your local MP, councillors, and press to experience it with you! And...whatever you do, shout about it! Drama in schools and Theatre for young audiences has been dismissed, underfunded and undervalued for decades. We need decision makers, Government, MPs and school governors, to understand the value of Drama and Theatre Education.   Between 2010 and 2017 there was a 24% drop in students taking GCSE Drama. The Covid pandemic has had a devastating impact upon theatres that produce work for young audience despite emergency funding to sustain companies through the worst of it. The government has reneged on promised funding for arts subjects in schools while slash...

  Bournefree is a monthly free newspaper based in Eastbourne and packed with news, articles and coverage of the local arts scene and a very interesting read each month. 

 Even when it  means, a 700 mile round trip from the South coast. Not the best game of football you will ever see, but the right team won and three very useful points. The antics of Luton and the ref, gave the game a World Cup feel. Great to see Chuba continue his scoring streak and Matty back in the goals. Especially, as it looked like Matty had missed, the one chance we were gonna get!! Had very good crack with the guy next to me, who was there with his grandson. Who of course, couldn't watch the closing minutes, but screamed like the rest of us, when the winner went in.  My new 'friend' wished me all the best, see you next time, he said.  If only. 

                            32 scenes.  27 characters.  15 Pop classics.   9 Football Chants.  6 goals.  2 halves.  Just one team:  The BORO!!   Educational activities... KS 3 Geography/Research/Maths. KS3/4/Communication:  Music/Media Studies: KS 3/4 EnglishLit/ Communication/ History/PE Plus memories, photographs and stories. What more could you ask for?  But ask nicely and you might just get it !!