Alan Connor's Blog, page 9
November 14, 2015
On Stage: Live From Television Centre | BBC
Tomorrow night, Live From Television Centre, a four-play theatrical collaboration with Battersea Arts Centre, is on BBC4.
I am proud to have made a contribution to the last part, Jess Thom‘s Broadcast from Biscuit Land, which also features Jess Mabel Jones and, fleetingly, me.
9pm, Sunday 15 November 2015, BBC Four
Battersea Arts Centre blog post | BBC press release
Live At Television Centre | BBC
Tomorrow night, Live At Television Centre, a four-play theatrical collaboration with Battersea Arts Centre, is on BBC4.
I am proud to have made a contribution to the last part, Jess Thom‘s Broadcast from Biscuit Land, which also features Jess Mabel Jones and, fleetingly, me.
9pm, Sunday 15 November 2015, BBC Four
Battersea Arts Centre blog post | BBC press release
September 28, 2015
The Rack Pack | BBC iPlayer
The Rack Pack is iPlayer’s first comedy-drama feature film:
Directed by Brian Welsh (Glasgow Girls, Black Mirror) this comedy drama explores the glory days of the Seventies and Eighties snooker scene, when huge characters became household names and Snooker Loopy troubled the pop charts. The film is written by Shaun Pye, Mark Chappell and Alan Connor, who are the team behind A Young Doctor’s Notebook.
The story tells of the rivalry between Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins (Luke Treadaway), whose natural talent and showmanship transformed the image of the traditional game and captivated audiences across the country, and Steve ‘The Nugget’ Davis (Will Merrick) who under the guidance of manager Barry Hearn (Kevin Bishop) dominated the sport throughout the Eighties and ushered in a new era of professionalism. Nichola Burley plays Alex’s wife, Lynn Higgins, and James Bailey takes on the role of the greatest player never to be World Champion, Jimmy White.
This rip roaring romp through the snooker scene of Eighties Britain is a celebration of the huge personalities of the time and an affectionate look at a gloriously nostalgic period of this very British sport.
TX details TBC
The Rack Pack | BBC
The Rack Pack is iPlayer’s first comedy-drama feature film:
Directed by Brian Welsh (Glasgow Girls, Black Mirror) this comedy drama explores the glory days of the Seventies and Eighties snooker scene, when huge characters became household names and Snooker Loopy troubled the pop charts. The film is written by Shaun Pye, Mark Chappell and Alan Connor, who are the team behind A Young Doctor’s Notebook.
The story tells of the rivalry between Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins (Luke Treadaway), whose natural talent and showmanship transformed the image of the traditional game and captivated audiences across the country, and Steve ‘The Nugget’ Davis (Will Merrick) who under the guidance of manager Barry Hearn (Kevin Bishop) dominated the sport throughout the Eighties and ushered in a new era of professionalism. Nichola Burley plays Alex’s wife, Lynn Higgins, and James Bailey takes on the role of the greatest player never to be World Champion, Jimmy White.
This rip roaring romp through the snooker scene of Eighties Britain is a celebration of the huge personalities of the time and an affectionate look at a gloriously nostalgic period of this very British sport.
TX details TBC
Live At Television Centre | BBC
I am enjoying working on Live At Television Centre, a four-play theatrical collaboration with Battersea Arts Centre.
9pm, Sunday 15 November 2015, BBC Four
July 12, 2015
Only Connect | BBC2
Series 11 of Only Connect, with me in the question-editor chair, begins tonight on BBC Two at 8.30pm.
Only Connect for BBC Two
Series 11 of Only Connect, with me in the question-editor chair, begins tonight on BBC Two at 8.30pm.
April 30, 2015
Louie Louie by Richard Berry, and the Kingsmen | BBC News
A piece about the origins of Louie Louie and the FBI’s investigation for the BBC News Magazine.
I am indebted to Alec Palao’s notes for the ace Ace Records Louie compilation Love That Louie: The Louie Louie Files, Dave Marsh’s Louie Louie: The History and Mythology of the World’s Most Famous Rock ‘n Roll Song; Including the Full Details of Its Torture and Persecution at the Hands of the Kingsmen, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI, and a Cast of Millions; and Introducing for the First Time Anywhere, the Actual Dirty Lyrics and the Radio 2 documentary Louie and the G-Men.
Also of interest:
• Kurt Cobain’s journal reference to ‘the famous musical knowledge of the louie louie chords’
• FBI files: Louie Louie (The Song)
• ‘a small sample of [Robert Lindahl’s] side of the story‘
Guitar-like image, Bermondsey, November 2005
Charlie Brooker’s Election Wipe | BBC2
I am a proud member of Team Election Wipe, the fruits of whose labours will be broadcast shortly before the polls open.
9pm, 6 May 2015, BBC Two
