RADIO DRAMA NEWSLETTER: FINLANDIA

FINLANDIA is Drama of the Week on the Radio Drama Newsletter email with a podcast available.

FINLANDIA: RADIO TIMES AND OTHER PREVIEWS

"Knowing very little about the Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius, I was intrigued by Stephen Wyatt's drama - and what a beautifully crafted story it is. It's 1945 and the octogenarian Sibelius (played with great crotchety verve by Tim Pigott-Smith) is harangued about the delivery of the Eighth Symphony - Finland awaits his opus, he's told to help lift the country's collective spirit. That's not my problem, he protests. But the one person he can't bear to disappoint is his wife, Aino (the superb Barbara Flynn). It's a detailed exploration into the psyche of the Finlandia composer, embittered by his own creativity."

Fatima Hasan in Radio Times

FINLANDIA was also a pick of the day in the Independent on Sunday, The Guardian/ Observer and the Sunday Telegraph. Paul Donovan in the Sunday Times wrote: 'a new drama about Finland's greatest national composer, Sibelius, by Stephen Wyatt, the author of a fine radio play about Cardinal Newman some years ago.' 

FINLANDIA: BBC WEBSITE

As part of BBC Radio 3's Northern Lights season, award-winning writer, Stephen Wyatt, has woven the psyche of Jean Sibelius, his music and a Finnish epic into a compelling drama.

See website.

FINLANDIA ON RADIO 3

FINLANDIA by Stephen Wyatt with Tim Pigott-Smith as Sibelius. Directed  by Tracey Neale. Sunday 6^th December 9 pm BBC Radio Three (available then on iPlayer for 30 days.

TOLD LOOK YOUNGER: PUBLICATION

The script of my comedy TOLD LOOK YOUNGER is now available for sale on Amazon.

THE SINGING RINGING TREE

Working with Kinny on polishing the script for the latest Krazy Kat show THE SINGING RINGING TREE which goes into rehearsals next week. Details on the Krazy Kat website.

WRITING FOR TV AND RADIO

Bloomsbury have announced the publication in November of Writing for TV and Radio: A Writers' and Artists' Companion.

It's written by the formidably experienced team of Sue Teddern and Nick Warburton. It also includes short contributions by a number of writers including my own thoughts on the pitfalls of creating historical characters on radio: "The name's Bach. Johann Sebastian Bach".

ADVANCED RADIO DRAMA COURSE

Early next year I will be teaching my course in advanced radio drama for New Writing South in collaboration with the distinguished radio producer Martin Jenkins.

Details of the course and how to book are on the NWS website and in their latest brochure out very soon.

FINLANDIA

Three very productive days this week in the crumbling BBC Maida Vale Studios recording Finlandia, my play about Sibelius, directed by Tracey Neale with an excellent cast headed by Tim Pigott-Smith. The play broadcasts in December on Radio 3 as part of the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Sibeiius' birth.

TOLD LOOK YOUNGER: PRIDE IN LONDON

Page 77 of the Pride in London free magazine is devoted to Told Look Younger.