GW Theatre Company

Mike Harris's Work :

Radio Drama: ADA (30 min, Radio 4, broadcast 1989); LOVING MOTHER (90mins, R4, broadcast 1990); STRANGERS IN PARADISE (Series, R4, four 45 min. Episodes, broadcast 1991); AN OLD FASHIONED VILLAIN (90 min, R4 broadcast, 1992); DEADLINE (Series, R4, four 45 min. Episodes, 1992); CITIZENS (20-odd episodes of Radio 4 soap 1990-1992); FOREIGN BODIES (80 min, R4, 1992); MR. WROE’S VIRGINS (120 min, Novel -adaptation, Radio 3, Broadcast 1992); DARK MESSIAH (80 min, R4, broadcast 1993); THE BRAHMIN AND THE LADY (90 min, R4, Broadcast 4/96); BEAUTY & THE BEASTS (60 Min, Watchmaker for R4. Broadcast 9/98; A FEW CRUSTED CHARACTERS (45mins, Hardy adaptation Watchmaker for Radio 4 broadcast Nov 98); DIARY OF A PROVINCIAL LADY (Adaptation - 25 Episodes 1999-2000); THE BLEEPER MAN (60 MINS, Watchmaker for R4, broadcast 7/00); THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF ARMITAGE SHANKS: Watchmaker for R4, (45 Min. R4 Broadcast Feb 2001); SONYA AND LEO (5-Part series Pacificus Prod for R4. broadcast 2002); THE OTHER MAN - adaptation of Bernard Schlink short story. Pacificus for R4 broadcast 2003); The Man Who Mistook His Life For An 0rganiser (Broadcast R4 09/04)

Television: JOYRIDE, (episode of THE BILL for Thames TV 1991). Diary of a Provincial Lady (Pilot for TV drama series with Jane Rogers, Commissioned by Pacificus productions 2000)

Theatre: Rep and Professional Touring.


SONYA AND LEO (Commissioned by Pacificus Productions 2003); FOREIGN BODIES: Simultaneously commissioned by Contact Theatre in Manchester and BBC Radio Four (Dec. 90); EMPEROR OF HERRINGS: Commissioned by Bolton Octagon Theatre 92. RED WINTER: For Market Forces Theatre Co. UK Tour and Edinburgh Festival 92, Toronto Theatre Festival Spring 93, Palace of Culture, Moscow Electronics Institute Oct. 93; TO HAVE AND TO HOLD: for GW Theatre. Touring spring 97. BRAVE OLD WORLD*: Performed by GW Theatre at Manchester Earth Summit Sept. 93 (hereafter "GW") BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS*: GW Theatre Co. Tour of UK Sept. 91; CATHY'S HOME*: GW tour of community venues and housing organizations, 90; SPEAK OF THE DEVIL*: National GW tours of studio and community venues in 90. Revived by "Bootleg Theatre Co" in Salisbury and London 92. TUPPENCE SHORT*: Two national GW tours in 89. OUT OF THE ASHES: For Leeds Laughing Stock Theatre Co. (Tour of theatres, colleges and schools in Belgium, France and Germany in spring 1989). BLOOD FEUDS*: National GW tours in Spring and Autumn 1988, Edinburgh Fringe 1989, Boddingtons Manchester festival 1992; LOVE AND TRUFFLES *: Ten night run For GW Theatre and Foundation Promotions at Neptune theatre in Liverpool March 87, Manchester Festival Sept. 87, revived by Crumpet Theatre Co at Edinburgh Fringe in 88, and 92, Etcetera Theatre London, 89); ADA*: (For GW. Toured 86-87).

Theatre in Education:


All toured extensively round North West Junior or Secondary schools unless otherwise stated:
ACTING YOUR AGE (2005 – for GW Theatre, and various Youth Crime agencies); MOVING ON* (2003 – for GW Theatre, and Breezone Education Action Zone); A LIKELY STORY* (2003 – GW Theatre and Children’s Society 2003); LOVE ‘N LULLABIES* (2002- for GW Theatre, Oldham Connections & Brook advisory service); DOING YOUR HEAD IN* (for GW Theatre & Wigan AHA); *MOVING UP: (2001- for GW Theatre & Oldham careers service); *EXCLUDED; For GW Theatre and Oldham Pupil Reintegration Unit; *TO HAVE & TO HOLD: for GW Theatre & Manchester Youth Service (97); SMASHED* for GW Theatre and Wigan Community crime prevention (Sept 97) *HIGHS AND LOWS*: For GW theatre, Manchester City Education Dept., Greater Manchester Police and Probation Service;. JOYRIDE*: With GW theatre, Manchester City Education Dept., Greater Manchester Police and Probation Service. (Touring schools 91-98). 2250- A SEX ODYSSEY*: For GW theatre, Manchester Aids Unit and Manchester City Youth Service. (Toured Manchester youth clubs 91-92.) INSIDE-OUTSIDE*: For GW Theatre and Manchester E.S.G. multicultural project (Toured community centres, youth clubs, studio spaces and Manchester Schools in 87-88); FIESTA: (For Community Arts Workshop, Manchester. Tour of community venues 82); GIRO DREAMS*: For Tameside Community Theatre (Tour of schools, youth clubs and community centres Spring 83, Edinburgh Festival Summer 83); THE BOGEYMASTER*: For Tameside Community Theatre tour of Junior schools 82).

Large Scale Community Plays:


OUT OF THIS WORLD (for Mossley Community Arts No 2004); GRACE NOTES (Libretto for Community Opera – Oldham Walton festival 2002); DEAD MEN WALKING (Lincoln Community Play 2002); E-TIME (Directed for Salford Open Theatre, in Ellesmere shopping centre Oct 2000); *SPIN (for Oldham MBC, In Tokyo Project Nightclub, Nov 1999); *NETS for Manchester Museum of Science and Industry Jun 98; *LOVE DEBTS for Voices From the Tower Community Theatre, Cork, Ireland June 97; *NEWTON’S CHILDREN: For Salford Open Theatre and Salford University May 96; *THE PETERLOO MASSACRE*: promenade production for Boddingtons Manchester Festival of Theatre and Television, and Manchester City of Drama 94. FLESH AND BLOOD*: With Salford Open Theatre, performed Salford, March 90; GHOST OF A FLEA: For Up The Hill Community Theatre, performed at the Abraham Moss Centre theatre (AMCT) in December 88; SO MANY PROMISES: Community musical AMCT March 89; ACROSS THE BARRICADES*: Scripted from improvisations with Up The Hill Community Theatre for performance at AMCT March 88; HIGH RISE*: For Up The Hill Community Theatre based on interviews with local people (Commission from Manchester Festival for performance at Abraham Moss Theatre and Library Theatre Manchester Sept. 87); EMPIRE*: For Up The Hill Community Theatre (performed at AMCT March 87); I'VE GOT NOTHING AGAINST MARTIANS, BUT..*: For Up The Hill Community Theatre (performed at AMCT March 86); UP THE HILL*: for Abraham Moss Centre Theatre, Manchester Dec. 1985; LEYTHE BENTE AND BOMBS*: Community play, written with Turnpike Community Theatre (performed Leigh Drama Centre March 85). Current commissions for community plays in Cork and Oldham

Youth and Children’s Theatre:


BODYSNATCHERS (For Lemon Tree Youth Theatre, Aberdeen 2002); Written and directed 1979 to 1985 with Gorton Workshop Youth theatre, Manchester: *GENERATIONS: *MARY BARTON; *MAKING IT; *DROPPING ONE; *LESSONS; *SISTERS. Plays written and devised with children from Livingstone Junior School Mossley (91, 92, 93, 95): *TERROR IN TOYLAND, *THE HADDOCK THAT MENACED MOSSLEY, *SPAGHETTI ISLAND, *NOT IN FRONT OF THE PARENTS, *ELECTRON


Directing and Drama work:


GW Theatre in Education Company. Written and directed (see above) 20 plus plays with them (1985 onwards): Artistic Director, Tameside Community Theatre. Scripted, devised and directed plays for touring community venues (1982-3); Community drama worker, North Area, Manchester City Community Education Dept. Drama and writing-workshops with youth clubs, schools, play groups, students, unemployed and old people (1984-85). Directed numerous large-scale community plays (see * above): Co-founded Gorton Workshop Youth theatre (1980-86). Co-wrote and directed five large-cast plays for them. Toured local schools, youth clubs, and to Edinburgh fringe.


Residencies:


Writer-in-Residence Lemon Tree Arts Centre, Aberdeen, 2001-2002: developing drama and writing skills with young people.
Writer-in Residence, University College Cork (Jan-July 97). Irish Arts Council funded residency Wrote and directed “Love Debts,” community play with people from Knocknaheeny, council estate in North Cork. Performed at The Sense of Cork arts festival.
Arts Council Writer-in-Residence, H.M.P Wakefield (a maximum security prison for Category A male prisoners and sex offenders) and H.M.P. New Hall, (a local prison for women) (1994-95)
Writer-director-in-Residence, Abraham Moss Centre Theatre, Manchester 1985-88. Working with local people in inner city, multi-racial area. Wrote and directed seven community plays of varying shapes and sizes (see above). Established "Up The Hill Community Theatre", as a large scale non-professional, multi-racial company of local people.