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Michael Chaplin

MICHAEL CHAPLIN  (1951 - )

 Nationality:    English
email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a

Michael Chaplin was born and brought up in the North-East of england. after working as a print and TV journalist, documentary maker and Drama producer, he began to write in the late 80's. In television he created the hit series Grafters for ITV and Monarch of the Glen for the BBC, as well as adapting the work of crime writers like P.D. James and Reginald Hill for the screen. For BBC Radio 4 he has created the comedy Drama Two Pipe Problems starring Richard Briers and Stanley Baxter. He has written some 10 plays for Live Theatre in Newcastle over the last 20 years, the next being an adaptation of the political diaries of the left-leaning Labour MP Chris Mullin, due to open in May 2010.

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below is a list of Michael Chaplin's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Come to Where I am From         Hope, The         Ne1         Tyne         Tyne Bridge Play         Utopia         Walk On Part, A - the Fall Of New Labour         You Couldn't Make It Up

Come to Where I am From

Synopsis:
Sixty one playwrights from across the UK return to their home towns to write plays about the places that shaped them. At 14 theatres from Bristol to Belfast, Cardiff to Coventry and Nottingham to Newcastle, these plays will be performed by the playwrights themselves, coming home to tell their tale. Come To Where I'm From is a theatrical tapestry of the UK, woven by writers asking if home is really where the heart is.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Paines Plough

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
short play

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Hope, The

Synopsis:
Work pressures persuade Jane to abandon her city life and move to the country. On a night out in the village hall she meets farmer Eddie, and she knows that before the year is out, he will propose.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Live Theatre Company

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Ne1

Synopsis:
life on Tyneside in the year 2000

Notes:
part of A show of 12 monologues

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Live Theatre Company

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
short monologue

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Tyne

Synopsis:
Journeying in time and space, along the banks of the Tyne this brand new play maps the epic history, atmosphere and soul of this mighty river in story, music and images. Commissioned as part of Live theatres 40th birthday celebrations, Tyne features the stories of some of the greatest writers of the North east who have collaborated with Live theatre since it began in 1973. Created and edited by Michael Chaplin, the play dramatises extracts from his book Tyne View, woven together with stories from Tom Hadaway, Julia Darling, Alan Plater and Sid Chaplin. Illustrated with evocative imagery of the river, Tyne is accompanied by live songs and music inspired by the river compiled by the shows musical director, Kathryn Tickell. the title song from Stings new album the Last Ship that has just been announced for release in September, will be previewed in the play alongside one of his existing songs All This Time. Other traditional folk songs connected to the river have been adapted and arranged for the play by Kathryn are sung and performed with live musical accompaniment by the cast. As Port of Tynes writer-in-residence, Michael Chaplin walked the tidal length of the Tyne with artist Birtley Aris, photographer Charles Bell and poet Christy Ducker in July 2011. Tyne draws many of its stories from the people they met on their journey and recorded in Tyne View, later published by the Port.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
documentary play

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Tyne Bridge Play

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
part of TWeLVe TaLeS OF TYNeSIDe

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
short play

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
http://www.Theatrerecord.org/, Theatre Record Vol XVII (1997) Page 0684

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Utopia

Synopsis:
enough of the dystopian visions, austerity measures and extreme renditions. UTOPIa is a night of humanity at its best, looking at a different vision of our future, a vision of humankind being both human and kind. Just look at what we could have won... Soho theatre and Live theatre collaborate on the ambitious new writing project - UTOPIa; directed by artistic Directors Steve Marmion and Max Roberts who will commission writers to create new short plays challenging visions of our future.

Notes:
written by Michael Chaplin, Zoe Cooper, Thomas eccleshare, Alistair McDowall, Dylan Moran, Anthony Neilson, Janice Okoh, Simon Stephens, Chi Onwurah

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Live Theatre & Soho Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
short plays

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Walk On Part, A - the Fall Of New Labour

Synopsis:
Chris Mullin served Sunderland South as its MP for 23 years. Shortly after leaving Parliment, he published the second volume of his diaries to universal acclaim. On the first anniversary of the fall of New Labour, Live theatre brings Mullin's witty, irreverent take on contemporary politics to the stage, reflecting three worlds during a time of crisis and change  the febrile political village of Westminster, the flash points of Africa he toured as a Minister and the fragile community he served as its MP.

Notes:
adapted from From the diaries of Chris Mullin

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
documentary adaptation

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  4 extras

Further Reference:
http://www.Theatrerecord.org/, Theatre Record Vol XXXI (2011) Page 0543; http://www.Theatrerecord.org/, Theatre Record Vol XXXI (2011) Page 1263

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You Couldn't Make It Up

Synopsis:
Michael Chaplin explains: With the help of testimony from many football insiders, the production pieces together the real story of the club's take over by Mike ashley in August 2008, his appointment of the so called messiah Kevin Keegan as manager and his turbulent departure a few months later. With the team now staring at possible relegation from the premier league, the play also offers the fans perspective on the biggest crisis in the club's history and gives an insight into what might've happened when Kevin met Mike for the very last time.

Notes:
by father And son writing team Michael Chaplin And Tom Chaplin

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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