The Last Resort
I’m not very good with compliments and I find it even harder to say nice things about my own writing. I think it’s some kind of overly modest hangover from my Presbyterian days. However, on the rare occasions when I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with other artists I’ve had absolutely no problem shouting about the end result. When you write something as solitary as a novel, all the glory, (and all the shame), sits squarely on your own shoulders. It is -as many of you know personally- an excruciating sort of burden to carry. There’s no feeling in this world quite as lonely as waiting for the book reviews to come in. As such, I’ve always found it a huge relief to work on projects with other artists. If the end product turns out well, I’m more than happy to share the praise. If it’s a huge flop, there are plenty of other folk to point the finger at and blame. It’s nice not to be the only person on stage for a change.
My ten part short story series, The Last Resort, begins this Sunday (January 3rd) at 7:45pm on BBC Radio 4. You’ll be able to listen in weekly every Sunday for the next ten weeks and catch up on BBC Sounds if you miss an episode. The stories will also be published by Doubleday at some point in early Spring. I’ll keep you updated on the details.
I’m probably more proud of this wee series than anything I’ve turned my hand to before. It was not the easiest thing to write. All ten stories were written in less than eight weeks, at the height of Lockdown, in isolation, very far from the coast. I was extremely grateful to receive inspirational help from a bunch of wonderful artists who posted me hand drawn pictures of the caravan park I was writing about. I don’t think Seacliff would ever have come to life in my head, if I hadn’t mapped it out on my dining room wall. Once I’d finished writing, Michael Shannon, (producer extraordinaire), bust a gut, under less than ideal circumstances, editing, tweaking, sourcing the most amazing crew of Northern Irish actors and recording in-studio, with strict social distancing measures in place.
I loved these stories before the actors got their hands on them. They’re little slices of the North coast I grew up with. I hope they’re familiar to a lot of you. They help me navigate the weirdest summer and feel a little less alone. When the final recordings came back, I was absolutely blown away by how the programmes had turned out. It’s a really humbling experience to sit back and listen to ten strangers take your ideas to a place where they seem richer, realer and a hell of a lot funnier, than they were inside your head. I think the actors have made something truly remarkable out of these stories, and I want to make sure they get due credit for their creativity. I’ll be tweeting about each individual actor as their episode airs, but for now, here’s the cast list in entirety. (These are all brilliant, talented and lovely to work with people. Please send lots of work their direction).
1. Pete / Patrick Buchanan
2. Lois / Roísín Gallagher
3. Richard / Chris Grant
4. Anna / Jo Donnelly
5. Vidas / Ignacy Rybarczyk
6. Alma / Beccy Henderson
7. Malcolm / Seamus O’Hara
8. Kathleen / Carol Moore
9. John / Ian McElhinney
10. Lynette / Dearbháile McKinney
Whilst it’s absolutely run of the mill, to watch or listen to UK-wide BBC programmes where every accent is an English accent, it is almost unheard of, to encounter a series which solely showcases Northern Irish talent. I’m really proud of the fact that for the next ten weeks, as we wade through the early implications of Brexit, Radio 4 will be broadcasting Northern Irish stories, voiced by people who live and work here. (I’m particularly delighted to be bringing a couple of pure Ballymena accents your direction over the next few weeks). Both Michael and I were keen to use The Last Resort as a means of showcasing the incredible acting talent we have here in the North and we are beyond pleased with how these programmes have turned out.
I’m looking forward to welcoming you all to Seacliff this Sunday night. Especially all of you who know the particular “joy” of spending a wet weekend in a static caravan up the North Coast. Bring a mug of tea and an anorak. It’ll be solid rain for the next ten we