Projects in genres: Drama

Synopsis

Hull 1955; Philip Larkin arrives at Hull University to take up the post of Head Librarian. His love affair with Monica Jones is already five years old and, with the publication of The Less Deceived, he is about to be catapulted into the public eye. But while Monica enjoys the reflected glory of their relationship, Larkin is terrified of the extra commitment she wants. In response, he begins a secret affair with one of his library staff, Maeve Brennan. While this relationship draws form Larkin some of his most romantic insights, it flounders on Maeve's Catholic faith; she doesn't believe in sex before marriage. And marriage is something Larkin cannot face.
 
Over the next fifteen years Larkin juggles Maeve and Monica, all the time playing faithful son to his mother Eva, while writing some of his greatest poems. But with Eva's death and the ending of his relationship with Maeve, the poems dry up. Not even a brief affair with his loyal secretary Betty provides any inspiration. Having sacrificed his life for his writing, Larkin is left with nothing. Until, haunted by impending death and his failed talent, Larkin in old age returns to his soul mate Monica.

Synopsis

An enigmatic traveller seeks shelter from a religious hermit after an accident. The hermit appears mad or dangerous, but the traveller may not be what he appears.

Synopsis

When Belfast boys Mo Chara and his friends Scud Murphy and Cerebral Palsy come into a young greyhound as payment for a favour done for hooky bookie J.P. McCallion, it's a dream come true. Owning their own dog is surely going to end a run of bad luck that's lasted since they placed their very first bets. But Cerebus is a greyhound with a mind of his own and until they have worked out the not-so-complex doggy psychology behind what makes him run, they're mired in a losing streak that's a mile wide. Deep in debt to the ruthless McCallion, sworn enemies of gypsies they have ripped off, for the boys everything's at stake at the most important event in the dog-racing calendar - the Clonmel meet - if only they and c]Cerbeus can get there in one piece.
 
A comedy of underdogs coming good without the aid of wisdom, guile or any natural or unnatural advantage whatsoever, proving that if you're not smart enough to recognise when you're beaten, you might actually end up winning.

Synopsis

An intimate portrait of a psychiatric patient tormented by the relentless clanging of the hospital bell.

Synopsis

Two childhood friends, Darren and Gary, re-unite for the funeral of an old acquaintance. Gary boasts of the life he's made in London in the four years since he's moved on. Darren is still living in the same town they're from. It doesn't take long before the timid and easily led Darren, drawn in by his charasmatic friend, finds himself in trouble as the pair check out their old haunts, mates and ex-girlfriends.

Synopsis

In the summer of 1970, Belfast's lines of division were still being drawn. Two young boys from 'up the road' and 'over the bridge' escape the confines of a city overshadowed by hatred and fear by becoming their heroes, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Together they swear an oath to be blood brothers for life and flee an imploding city for the freedom of the Australian outback.

Synopsis

The countdown is on - in 7 days' time Britain converts to the Euro. It's the biggest opportunity the criminal world has ever had. Billions of sterling head for the incinerator. When a railway heist goes wrong and an enormous bag of money falls from the sky into the hands of Damian and Anthony, there's only one thing to do - spend it like there's no tomorrow.
 
But how can a 7 and 9 year-old hope to spend a quarter of a million quid a week? Anthony's black market operations bring hyper-inflation to the school playground and Damian wants to help the poor, but they're in short supply. Oh, and the train robbers want their money back.
 
Will they manage to spend the money before it's worthless. Will the school authorities discover what's going on? Or will the robbers get there first?

Synopsis

Heathcote, a young English officer, arrives on the Island where Napoleon is being held prisoner. His mission is to keep a close watch on his military idol. Lowe, the new Governor of the island, has just arrived too and rules the island like a prison. Napoleon's valet and childhood friend, Cipriani, waits on this little world. The microcosm of the French court stands united in continuing to treat Napoleon with the utmost respect.
 
An escape plot is hatched by an American Pirate and the former Grande Armee general. They plan to carry the Emperor away from Saint Helena on board the mythical Flying Dutchman and it becomes increasingly clear to Heathcote that Napoleon has a plan. Heathcote remembers the day when he lost Napoleon who galloped off across Deadwood Plain. He now realises that this allowed Napoleon to calculate the time needed to reach the coast. Everything for the escape goes as planned but, at the last minute, Napoleon seems to change his mind. Napoleon's rescuers are killed in the course of a bloody battle.
 
We see Napoleon on his deathbed clearly finding some comfort in the priest at his side. In front of Napoleon's coffin, Heathcote gathers together the threads of the story and realises that Napoleon's only chance of leaving the island was to stop being the Emperor. Cipriani laid down his life so that Napoleon could live an ordinary life at last. Heathcote likes to think that this return to a simple and anonymous life is the finest proof of Napoleon's tactical genius.

Synopsis

Screwed-up supermodels, closet lesbians, mother-fixated transvestites or simply lonely, everyone needs a friendly ear and that is the chosen profession of Lorraine, a psychotherapist who 'brings everything down to the mother'. But to whom does the therapist talk? As her clients work through their issues Lorraine has to face the reality of her own destiny. Lorraine's devoutly Catholic mother Mary, having brought her children up very strictly, now has Alzheimer's. Mary cannot remember whether she has eaten and has lost control of her bodily functions. Lorraine delegates the problems of her mothers Alzheimer's between her cheque book and her sister, Nina, who has seen her dreams of a singing career and hopes of love and relationships slip by. Stagnation has turned to slow decline as Nina dedicates her life to caring for a woman she despises. The matriarch has become the infant and the relationship of the adult siblings disintegrates into all-out war and misunderstanding.

Synopsis

Mr Thompson is a very old man, who wakes up every morning to buy a drooping flower from Miss Simmons, the forever-unmarried flower shop lady. She secretly believes this is just an excuse for him to see her but she never does anything about it. Today, however, through some strange turn of fate, they have managed to set themselves a date.

Synopsis

A boy idolises his absent father and awaits for his return. One day he does return.

Synopsis

Mona has just got hold of a brilliant moped that only cost a tenner. No engine but still dirt-cheap. She lives with her brother, Phil, who used to run a pub before he found God and poured away all the booze. Tamsin is rich, spoilt and trying to live a life of seductive decadence.
 
Mona and Tamsin meet on the moors, above their quiet Yorkshire village and begin an intense, unlikely friendship. While Tamsin is tragic and fantastical, Mona is rough and witty. Tamsin is quickly charmed and Mona is hooked. Both want to escape their lives but Phil wants to save them, and everybody else. Mona wants the old, dangerous Phil back; the brother that she loved, but Tamsin wants to see what it takes to break him. As the lives of the three characters converge, a sexually charged struggle between good and evil leads to a dramatic and shocking climax.