AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS:
Dust in the Sugar House (feature on the life and work of writer Antonia White) Runner-up for Pye Radio Award, l979. (Radio 3: 45 mins.)
The Ultimate Astonisher (feature on the life and work of writer Dorothy Richardson) Copy in the National Sound Archives, l982. (Radio 3: 45 mins.)
Kipps (dramatisation of novel by H. G. Wells) Runner-up for Sony Radio Award, l984. (Radio 4: five parts, 55 mins each.)
The Belle of Amherst (adaptation of stage play by William Luce) International Emmy Award, l987. (Thames TV: 50 mins.)
Ben Venga Maggio (poem-play woven round Italian Renaissance carnival music) Runner-up for the Innsbruck Early Music Festival Prize, l990. Nominated for Sony Radio Award, l991. Nominated for Prix Italia, l991. (Radio 3: 40 mins.)
The Courtier, the Prince and the Lady (play set in Renaissance Italy) Nominated for Sony Radio Award, l990. (Radio 3: 40 mins.)
The Jungle Book (dramatisation of stories by Rudyard Kipling) Nominated for Best Radio Dramatisation, Writers' Guild Award, l994. (Radio 5: 5 x 30 mins. BBC Enterprises cassette.)
The Piano (dramatisation of the novel of the film) Nominated for Best Dramatisation, Writers' Guild Award, l996. (Radio 4, 3 x 60 mins, Classic serial.)
PUBLICATIONS: Poetry
Cutlasses & Earrings: editor and contributor to anthology of poetry by women. (Playbooks, l977)
Upbeat: poems and stories. (Journeyman Press, l981)
Touch Papers: poetry collection, with Judith Kazantzis and Michele Roberts. (Allison & Busby, l982)
Gardens of Eden: poems for Eve and Lilith. (Journeyman Press, l984)
Gardens of Eden: collected poems. (Random Century, l990.)
Gardens of Eden Revisited new edition, with new poems (Five Leaves, l999)
Poetry selected for numerous anthologies, including One Foot on the Mountain, London Lines, Angels of Fire, In the Pink, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Apples and Snakes, Ain't I a Woman, New British Poetry, A Picnic of Poetry, Poems on the Buses, 1998.
PUBLICATIONS: Drama
Sink Songs: five short duologues. (Playbooks, l975.)
Strike While the Iron is Hot: editor and contributor to anthology of plays about sexual politics, from Red Ladder, the Women's Theatre Group and Gay Sweatshop. Own play, 'Care and Control', about women and custody. (Journeyman Press, l980.)
Play Nine, ed. Robin Rook. Collection of plays, including work by John Bowen, Howard Brenton, David Cregan, Frank Marcus. Own plays 'Mal de Mere' and 'Spilt Milk'. (Edward Arnold, l981.)
Five Plays: 'To Die Among Friends', 'Whores D'Oeuvres', 'The Old Wives' Tale', 'Scissors', 'AID Thy Neighbour'. (Journeyman Press, l984.)
Plays by Women, Vols 1-4 (editor).
Vol 1 (Methuen, 1982): Plays by Caryl Churchill, Pam Gems, Louise Page, and own play, 'Aurora Leigh', after Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Vol 2 (l983): Plays by Maureen Duffy, Olwen Wymark, Rose Leiman Goldemberg, Claire Luckham.
Vol 3 (l984): Plays by Debbie Horsfield, Pam Gems, Sharon Pollock, Women's Theatre Group and Lou Wakefield.
Vol 4 (l985): Plays by Caryl Churchill, Grace Dayley, Liz Lochhead, Alison Lyssa.
The Wandering Jew: dramatisation of Eugene Sue's epic nineteenth-century novel. (Methuen, l987.)
Wanted: surreal play about surrogacy. (Playbooks, l988.)
PROSE FICTION:
Tales I Tell My Mother: anthology of stories with Sara Maitland, Zoe Fairbairns, Michele Roberts and Valerie Miner. (Journeyman Press, l978.)
Guests in the Body own first short story collection. (Virago, l986.)
More Tales I Tell My Mother: same authors as above, ten years on. (Journeyman Press, l987.)
Arky Types, epistolary novel, co-written with Sara Maitland. (Methuen, l987.)
False Relations collection of short stories (Five Leaves, 2004)
Short stories also included in Passion Fruit, ed. Jeanette Winterson (Pandora Press, l986); Stepping Out, ed. Ann Oosthuizen (Pandora Press, l986); Close Company, eds. Christine Park and Caroline Heaton (Virago, l987); Storia, ed. Kate Figes (Pandora Press, l988, l989), Contemporary British Jewish Writers, ed. Brian Cheyette.
Short stories also commissioned by BBC Radio.
NON-FICTION:
The Body Politic: first anthology of British Women's Liberation writings. Editor and contributor. (Stage One, l972.)
The Great Divide: contributor to Open University coursebook on the sexual division of labour in the home and in art. (OU, l976.)
Precious Bane by Mary Webb. Introduction to new edition. (Virago, l978.)
Why Children? ed. Stephanie Dowrick. Contributor to anthology on motherhood. (The Women's Press, l990.)
Dreams and Deconstructions, ed Sandy Craig. Essay on feminism and theatre. (Amber Lane Press, l980.)
British Alternative Theatre Directory. Foreword. (John Offord, l982.)
On Gender and Writing: essays by male and female contributors. Editor and contributor. (Pandora Press, l983.)
Walking on the Water, eds Sara Maitland and Jo Garcia. Essay on spirituality. (Virago, l983.)
Women's Writing: a Challenge to Theory, ed Moira Monteith. Essay on roots and language. (Harvester Press, l986.)
Carry On, Understudies: theatre and sexual politics in Britain, from l968. First edition, Methuen, l981. Revised, expanded and updated. (Routledge, l986.)
Look Back in Gender: the family and sexuality in post-war British drama. (Methuen, l987.)
Once a Feminist: book on the founding of the Women's Liberation Movement. Interviews. (Virago, l990.)
Very Heaven, ed. Sara Maitland. Essay-poem on the sixties. (Virago, l988.)
Drama Today: post-war British Drama l970-l990. (British Council, l993.)
PostWar British Drama: Looking Back in Gender (Routledge, 2001) Revised, updated and expanded version of 'Look Back in Gender'.
'Feminism and Theatre now: Continuities and Discontinuities' in Trends and Traditions in Contemporary Theatre and Drama in English, ed Margarete Rubik and Elke Mettinger-Schartmann (Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier, 2002).
'A Creative Writing Manifesto' in Creative Writing: A Good Practice Guide by Siobhan Holland, Report Series no 6, English Subject Centre, February, 2003.
Salamone Rossi, Judaism and the Musical Canon, article on early 17th century Jewish composer. European Judaism, Spring, 2003.
Salamone Rossi: Jewish Composer from Mantua, article on composer. Jewish Renaissance, 2002.
PERFORMANCE: Theatre
You Two Can be Ticklish (a couple tickle a stranger to death). Lamb and Flag Theatre, l970.
The Day After Yesterday (Miss World and the rest of us). Act Inn Theatre Club, l972.
Spilt Milk and Mal de Mere (traps of mother- and daughterhood). Portable Theatre, l972.
To Die Among Friends (five minimalist duologues about identity and sexual politics). Paradise Foundry, l974.
Penthesilea (version of Kleist's play about the Queen of the Amazons). Salt Theatre, l977.
The Old Wives' Tale (three women in retirement). Soho Poly Theatre, l977.
Care and Control (the state and motherhood). Scripted for Gay Sweatshop, l977.
Floorshow (cabaret on women and work, co-authored with Caryl Churchill and Bryony Lavery). Monstrous Regiment, l977.
Whores D'Oeuvres (two prostitutes cast adrift on a raft). Institute of Contemporary Arts, l978.
Scissors (Jewish family and a hi-jacking). Almost Free Theatre, l978.
AID Thy Neighbour (comedy about two couples and their desires for parenthood - AID meaning here Artificial Insemination by Donor). Theatre at New End, l978.
Correspondence (divorced woman becomes a mature student). Adaptation of own radio play. Institute of Contemporary Arts, l979. (Also see Radio.)
Rutherford and Son (adaptation of play by Githa Sowerby). Mrs Worthington's Daughters at the Royal Court, l980.
Aurora Leigh (dramatisation of verse-novel by Elizabeth Barrett Browning about love, writing and female independence). Mrs Worthington's Daughters, l979. National Theatre, l981. (Also see Radio.)
The Blind Goddess (adaptation of play by Ernst Toller). Red Ladder Theatre Company, l981.
Future Perfect (efforts to create a utopia). Co-authored with Paul Thompson and Steve Gooch. Wakefield Tricycle, l981.
Wild Diamonds (South Africa through the eyes of Olive Schreiner and Cecil Rhodes). Commissioned by Hampstead Theatre Club. Unproduced.
The Wandering Jew (dramatisation of novel by Eugene Sue, about Paris and the Jesuits). National Theatre, l987.
Whose Greenham and Mal de Mere: Early Stages, Royal Shakespeare Company, Barbican, l986.
Wanted (surrogacy, an angel and Sarah from the Old Testament). Arc Theatre Company, the Drill Hall, l988.
Silk Thistle (Pankhursts, mother and daughters). Commissioned by Contact Theatre, Manchester. Unproduced.
PERFORMANCE: Music - Theatre
York (poem-libretto for two voices commissioned for the anniversary of the massacre of the Jews in York, 1190.) Music by Malcolm Singer. St Michael le Belfrey, York, l990.
Spain (poem-libretto based on poem by John Cornford about the Spanish Civil War). Music by Matthew Linley. Oriel College, Oxford, l993.
Samson Agonistes (libretto based on poem by Milton, for bass voice and choir). Music by Matthew Power. Hillingdon Church, l994.
The Indian Queen (new version of play by Dryden and Howard). Music by Henry Purcell. Fully staged production by the Kings Consort. Queen Elizabeth Hall, l995.
Brecht and Weill: a Diversion: an entertainment in words and music. Greenwich Festival, l995. With Janet Suzman, Janis Kelly and Julius Drake.
The Barthelemon Circle script to accompany performance of music by women composers, Barthelemon and Gambarini: 'The Barthelemon Circle', women composers working in London 1750-1830. London, 1999.
Who Wrote Salamone Rossi? poetic script for a concert of sacred and secular music by Salamone Rossi, Jewish musician in Renaissance Mantua. Music performed by SIENA ENSEMBLE (qv). Purcell Room, June, 2000. Forthcoming CD.
Plain and Fancy: a portrait of Benvenuto Cellini and his century in words and music. 16th century music performed by SIENA ENSEMBLE, with script. Summer, 2001.
The Marriage of True Minds, the story of Shakespeare and the (Jewish) Dark Lady of the Sonnets; script woven round early 17th century English music. 2003.
The Rake and the Harlot in London Town, a dramatic and poetic journey round early 18th century London, with music from John Gay's 'The Beggar's Opera'. Airs and Graces, 2003.
RADIO:
Correspondence: (a divorced woman becomes a mature student). Radio 4, l978. 45 mins.
Dust in the Sugar House: (feature on the life and work of writer Antonia White). Runner-up for Pye Radio Award. Radio 3, l979. 45 mins.
The Unlit Lamp: (dramatisation of novel by Radclyffe Hall). Radio 4, l980. 90 mins.
Aurora Leigh: (dramatisation of verse-novel by Elizabeth Barrett Browning). Radio 3, l981. 70 mins. (See also Theatre.) With Sara Kestelman.
Precious Bane: (three-part classic serial dramatisation of novel by Mary Webb). Radio 4, l981. 55 mins each. With Miriam Margolyes.
The Ultimate Astonisher: (feature about the life, work and ideas of writer Dorothy Richardson). Radio 3, l982. 45 mins. (Copy in National Sound Archives.)
Lolly Willowes: (dramatisation of novel by Sylvia Townsend Warner). Radio 4, l983, 45 mins.
An Uncommon Love: (play based on the diaries of Victorian man-of-letters Arthur Munby, and his secret love and wife, maid-of-all-work, Hannah Cullwick). Radio 4, l984. 90 mins.
Kipps: (five-part classic serial dramatisation of novel by H. G. Wells). Runner-up for Sony Radio Award. Radio 4, l984. 55 mins each. With Paul Daneman.
Friend to Friend: (feature about friendship of two working-class women at the turn of the century). Radio 4, l984. 45 mins.
Venus Smiles: (dramatisation of short story by J. G. Ballard). Radio 4, l985. 45 mins.
A Consoling Blue: (feature about Jean Rhys and her writing of 'Wide Sargasso Sea'). Radio 4, l985. 30 mins
The Nine Tailors: (dramatisation of thriller by Dorothy L. Sayers). Radio 4, l986. 120 mins.
The Brothers Karamazov: eight-part classic serial dramatisation of the novel by Dostoyevsky). Radio 4, l989. 55 mins each.
Persuasion: (three-part classic serial dramatisation of novel by Jane Austen). Radio 4, l987. 55 mins each. With Juliet Stevenson.
Helbeck of Bannisdale: (dramatisation of novel by Mrs Humphry Ward). Radio 4, l987. 90 mins.
Whose Body?: (dramatisation of thriller by Dorothy L. Sayers). Radio 4, l987. 90 mins.
The Dwelling Place: (dramatisation of novel by Catherine Cookson). Radio 4, l988. 90 mins.
Peter Pan: (adaptation of play by J. M. Barrie for radio). BBC World Service, l988. 60 mins.
Fanny Burney's Cheltenham Diary: (adaptation of diaries about the King's visit to Cheltenham in l788). Radio 3, l988. 40 mins.
Separation: (adaptation of play by Tom Kempinski for radio). BBC World Service, l989. 60 mins.
Frenchman's Creek: ( six-part dramatisation of novel by Daphne du Maurier). Radio 4, l989. 30 mins each. Issued as BBC Enterprises Cassette.
The Mill on the Floss: (five-part classic serial dramatisation of novel by George Eliot). Radio 4, l991. 60 mins each.
Killing Orders: (six-part dramatisation of thriller by Sara Paretsky, starring Kathleen Turner). Radio 4, l991. 30 mins each.
A Question of Courage: (five-part dramatisation of novel about suffragettes by Marjorie Darke). Radio 5, l992. 30 mins each.
A Rose from Blighty: (five-part dramatisation of sequel by Marjorie Darke). Radio 5. 30 mins each.
The King's General: (dramatisation of novel by Daphne du Maurier). Radio 4, l992. 90 mins.
Deadlock: (six-part dramatisation of thriller by Sara Paretsky). Radio 4, l993. 30 mins each. With Kathleen Turner.
Bitter Medicine: (six-part dramatisation of thriller by Sara Paretsky). Radio 4. 30 mins each. With Sharon Gless.
Jane Eyre: (four-part classic serial dramatisation of novel by Charlotte Bronte). Radio 4, l994. 60 mins each.
The Jungle Book: (five-part dramatisation of stories by Rudyard Kipling). Radio 5, l994. 30 mins each. Runner-up for Best Radio Dramatisation, Writers' Guild Award. Issued on BBC Enterprises Cassette. With Eartha Kitt.
Power Cut: short story. Radio 4, l994. 15 mins.
Body of Glass: (dramatisation of novel by Marge Piercy). Radio 4, l995. 90 mins. With Eleanor Bron.
The Go-Between: (abridgement of novel by L.P. Hartley). Radio 4, l995. 10x 15 mins.
The Long Road to Freedom: (abridgement of autobiography of Nelson Mandela). BBC World Service, l995. 12 x 15 mins.
Ethan Frome : (dramatisation of novel by Edith Wharton). Radio 4, l997. 90 mins.
Arms and the Man : (adaptation of play by G.B. Shaw for radio). BBC World Service, l995. 60 mins.
The Devil in the Cupboard , short story. 15 mins. Radio 4. 1996
The Piano: (three-part classic serial dramatisation of novel by Jane Campion and Kate Pullinger). Radio 4, l995. 60 mins each. (Nominated for Writers' Guild Award, l996.)
New for Old: Myths Retold; eight re-written Greek myths, in modern settings. Radio 3, l996, 13 mins each.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Dramatised for the World Service English programme. Fifteen parts, l5 mins each. 1996.
Gone to Earth by Mary Webb. Three-part classic serial. Radio 4. 60 mins each.
The Mill on The Floss 15 episodes dramatised for BBC English, World Service, l997.
The Queen of Spades original play based on Pushkin short story. Radio 4, 90mins, l997.
Crumbs short story. Radio 4. 1996.
Scarlet and Black by Stendhal, abridged for Radio 4, 10 episodes, 15 mins each. 1996. Audio Book, BBC.
The Tailor of Panama by John le Carre. Abridged for Hodder Headline audio cassette. 1996.
Greensleeves original radio play, Radio 4, 90 mins.
The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins; dramatised in 15 x 15 min. episodes for BBC English, World Service. 1998.
The Castel of Otranto dramatisation of novel by Horace Walpole. Radio 4. 1997.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean Dominique Bauby; abridged, with sound, for World Service Drama. 60 mins. 2000. With Tim Piggott-Smith.
Hemlock and After by Angus Wilson; dramatised for Radio 4's Classic Serial slot; 2 x 60 mins. l999. With Derek Jacobi and Anna Massey.
Corridors of Light and Shadow a fantasy encounter between Henry V111 and Isabella d'Este, during a weekend in Mantua. Location sound, and fictional script. Produced by Piers Plowright. Radio 3, 45 mins, l999.
Toccata and Fugue short story. 15 mins. Radio 4. 1999.
A Lifelong Passion impressionistic story of the relationship between Nicholas and Alexandra, based on memoirs, diaries and letters. 45 mins, Radio 4, l999.
The Shade Catcher, the search for Charlotte Mew. Impressionistic feature on early 20th century writer. With Fiona Shaw. 45 mins. Radio 4, l999.
In The Cage by Henry James. Dramatised for Radio 4. 60 mins. 1999.
The Clock of Heaven the story of the discovery of Longitude. Play. 45 mins. Radio 4, 1999. With Barbara Flynn, Nicky Henson, Finetime Fontayne.
A Country House dramatisation of short story by Dorothy Edwards. Radio 4, 2000. 45 mins. With Jane Lapotaire.
Of Abrupt Self, programme about John Blow's Ode on the Death of Purcell, docu-drama. Radio 4, 30 mins. 2000.
Lady Windermere’s Fan Oscar Wilde play adapted for BBC World Service. 60 mins. 2000. Issued on BBC cassette.
National Velvet dramatisation of novel by Enid Bagnold; 2 x 45 mins. Radio 4, 2001.
The Holiday dramatisation of novel by Stevie Smith. 60 mins. Radio 4. 2001.
The Millstone dramatisation of novel by Margaret Drabble. 5x 15 mins. Radio 4. 2002.
Via Angelica short story. Radio 4. 2002.
Enchantment, original 15-minute play. Radio 4, 2002.
Out of Sweetness, original 20-minute play. Radio 3, 2002. With Eleanor Bron.
The Little Photographer dramatisation of short story by Daphne du Maurier. Afternoon Theatre, Radio 4. 45 mins. 2003.
Zuleika Dobson dramatisation of novel by Max Beerbohm. 60 mins. Radio 4, 2003.
Every Eye dramatisation of novel by Isobel English. 45 mins. Radio 4. 2004.
The Perfect Courtier original impressionist story about Cellini and his times, told through the eyes of Perseus and Medusa. Radio 3. 20 mins. 2003. With Eleanor Bron and Oliver Ford Davies
She Fell Among Thieves dramatisation of novel by Dornford Yates. 60 mins. Radio 4, 2004.
RADIO: Words/Music
Gardens of Eden: (play based on own poems, with music specially written by Michael Nyman). Radio 4, l987. 40 mins.
Ben Venga Maggio: (Poem-play woven round Italian carnival music from the Renaissance. Music played by Musica Antiqua of London). Radio 3, l990. 45 mins. Runner-up for the Innsbruck Early Music Festival Prize, l990. Nominated for Sony Award, l991. Nominated for Prix Italia, l991.
The Courtier, the Prince and the Lady: (play set in Renaissance Italy, drawing on Machiavelli and Castiglione as source material.Produced by Piers Plowright. Music by Josquin and his contemporaries). Radio 3, l990. 40 mins. Nominated for Sony Award, l990.
A Summer Wedding: (drama to frame the music written for the celebration of the wedding of Cosimo de Medici, in Florence in l539. Produced by Graham Dixon and Piers Plowright. Music played by Musica Antiqua of London). Radio 3, l991. 90 mins.
Love and Friendship: (two pastoral plays by Spanish Renaissance writer and composer, Encina. Recreated with music played by Musica Antiqua of London). Radio 3, l992. 30 mins.
Orlando and Friends: play inspired by 'Orlando Furioso', epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto. Produced by Piers Plowright. Arranged music from fifteenth century, and played by own group, SIENA. Radio 3, l995. 45 mins.
Corridors of Light and Shadow : 45-minute fantasia to evoke Mantua, past and present. Authentic, location sound, recorder music (MW), and an encounter between Henry V111 and Isabella d'Este. Producer Piers Plowright. Radio 3, 1999.
TELEVISION:
The Unlit Lamp: (see Radio. Commissioned by BBC TV). Unproduced.
All Out in the Wash: (play about a launderette. Commissioned by BBC TV.) Unproduced.
Wild Diamonds: (play about the life of Olive Schreiner. Commissioned by Channel 4). Unproduced.
Play about prostitutes occupying a church. Commissioned by BBC TV. Unproduced.
The Well Woman: (drama-documentary about Radclyffe Hall and the banning of her novel, 'The Well of Loneliness'. Commissioned by BBC TV). Unproduced.
The Belle of Amherst: (adaptation for TV of play by William Luce about Emily Dickinson). With Claire Bloom. Thames TV, l986. 50 mins. Winner of International Emmy Award, l987.
The Story of an Hour: (film based on short story by Kate Chopin). Thames TV, l988. 7 mins.
CD:
SALAMONE ROSSI HEBREO MANTOVANO, music by Salamone Rossi, Jewish musician at the Mantuan court in the early 17th century. 2002, Classical Recording Company.
JOURNALISM & BROADCASTING:
1971-1982: Poetry Editor of TIME OUT magazine. Also regular contributor to theatre, books and film sections.
Reviewer for New Statesman, The Listener, Sunday Times, Radio Times, Hampstead and Highgate Express, the Guardian, The Jewish Chronicle, International Record Review and numerous Early Music publications.
Broadcaster and presenter for a wide variety of programmes on Radios 3 and 4, and the BBC World Service: Kaleidoscope, Third Opinion, Night Waves, Meridian, Saturday Review, interviews and concert programmes, including Spirit of the Age.
MUSIC:
Director of two Early Music groups: SIENA, which specialises in music from the 14th-17th centuries, on reproduction Renaissance viols, recorders and lute; already broadcast in ORLANDO AND FRIENDS, and PIZZA BAROQUE, a group whose varied instrumentation includes recorders, viola da gamba, baroque flute and bassoon and harpsichord, and performs music from the 17th and l8th centuries, as well as the extensive repertoire for viola da gamba, and twentieth-century compositions for recorders.
SIENA has given a number of concerts of the music of Salamone Rossi, late Renaissance Jewish composer from Mantua, contemporary of Monteverdi, the most recent of which, at the Purcell Room, London, 20 June 2000, is recorded on CD: Salamone Rossi Hebreo Mantovano, released in 2002.
SIENA also has a number of other programmes:
Plain and Fancy, a words/music mix based on the life, times and music of Benvenuto Cellini, with music from sixteenth-century Europe. Touring 2000-2001, at Warwick Festival 2002.
The Marriage of True Minds, the story of Shakespeare and the Dark (Jewish) Lady of the sonnets: words and early 17th century English music.
Sisters, a programme about the stormy personal and political relationship between Isabella d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia: words and 16th century music.
The Harlot, the Rake and London town: a words and music entertainment which weaves songs from John Gay's 'Beggar's Opera', with scenes from Upstairs and Downstairs life in late 17th-early 18th century London.
TEACHING:
A variety of prose fiction, poetry and drama workshops/courses to order; but regular playwriting course at the Guildhall School of Drama, London; a weekly playwriting class at the City Lit, London, for BADA (British and American Drama Association), Birkbeck College, and short courses at the Actors' Centre, London.
Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing London Metropolitan University.
External Examiner for the BA in Creative Writing at Middlesex University.
Creative Writing Residencies at Mainz University, Teatro di Pisa, University of Tel Aviv, Oxford Summer School, etc.