Tales of the homeless inspire Bishop's Stortford dramatist and former council housing chief Alan Hall
A Bishop's Stortford writer's short radio play airs today (Thursday, November 10) on BBC Essex.
Alan Hall, 61, will also be interviewed about his work during the Rob Jelly Show from 8pm alongside actor and fellow Stortford resident Clive Weatherley, who performed Alan's play, Body & Soul, with Linda Clark and Eloise Jones.
It's the contemporary tale of Scott, who works in an adult male dancing club and finds himself giving a personal performance for his former teacher, Jessie, who has been given the "experience" by her friends as a birthday present. The play twists and turns over 20 minutes to an unexpected finale.
Alan also produced and directed the piece, which was recorded and edited in the front room of his Clover Avenue home.
He said: "Body & Soul illustrates the dilemmas that many have to face in life – and how the strength of words can help to choose the right path – through the use of iconic quotes from famous women in history."
It follows the success of Alan's first radio play, A Stable Home, broadcast on BBC Essex in February. It is set in a budget hotel where a pregnant homeless woman, placed there by the council, meets a couple on a short break. Alan said it sought to change initial misconceptions and stereotypical views about homeless people in temporary accommodation.
Alan previously worked in local government, ending his career as director of housing and communities with Epping Forest District Council. He began writing just before his retirement in 2018 and has drawn on his experiences of working with the homeless in his plays.
In all, he has written five short plays for the theatre and three have been adapted for radio and broadcast on Radio Essex.
His first, Sunny Side Up, was selected for production by six theatre companies in London and the South East and long-listed by a number of others. It was first performed by the Putney Theatre Company over six nights in May 2018. It is also set in a budget hotel and involves a homeless woman temporarily accommodated there by her council and a couple on a break.
"Encouraged by this success, I wrote my second play, Crimson Eyes, a monologue – again drawing on my housing experience – looking through the eyes of Phoebe, a young woman living on the streets.
"The title refers to the vacant, distant stare of rough sleepers, looking through a mist of despondency. This has also been successful, having been produced and performed by six theatre companies to date, as well as being broadcast on BBC Essex."
Alan, who has lived in Stortford since 1995 with wife Jude, recently set up Nurturing Productions to support playwrights and actors from East Herts and West Essex. His next project is to write a full-length musical, but he is keeping the details under wraps.
He was born and educated in Harlow, where he became friends with Clive, who is artistic director of the Barn Theatre in Welwyn Garden City.
Clive works for a marketing agency in Cambridge. His long list of theatre roles includes Billy Liar at Harlow Playhouse with film credits including parts in Hot Fuzz, Breaking and Entering, The Best Man and Martha: Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence.
