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About The 主播大秀 Editor Jon Jacob returns to Salford after his 听in October, to give us听his personal account of the 'Turn Up The Talent' audio drama showcase preparations.

On the fifth floor of Quay House at 主播大秀 North in Media City UK, actors, aspiring directors from across the 主播大秀 and new writers from the North gather to read through and rehearse short scripts specially written for a drama showcase, hosted at 主播大秀 North under the banner of 鈥楾urn Up The Talent鈥�.听I get to go along to observe it all and then write about it. Perfect.

It鈥檚 been a few months since I was last at Media City UK. Things feel a little different this time. The sun is shining. There鈥檚 a mild breeze. The place feels a little less 鈥渘ew鈥� to me.

I feel less like a cack-handed visitor from London:听The lifts are no longer a baffling ordeal; I鈥檝e become accustomed to the brightly coloured office interiors; and I鈥檝e got a favourite thing on the canteen menu. 主播大秀 North feels like a home from home.

That combination of reassuring familiarity and on-going development echoes the nurturing foundations of Turn up the Talent. Sharon Sephton 鈥� Audio Drama Development Producer, Audio Drama North 鈥� helps set the scene (and undoubtedly the atmosphere) when we meet the day before rehearsals.

She explains about her passion for audio drama and how she came to work in Audio Drama development. A passion for community drama, first suppressed by the pressures of bringing up a young family, later drove her to reignite her interest in the genre, and study drama to degree level. A job in audio drama at the 主播大秀 followed. The fact that she can explain her path to and through the 主播大秀 in a few delicious sentences is enough to hook me into finding out more about the work she鈥檚 doing.

Sharon鈥檚 enthusiasm for audio drama is infectious. She speaks openly about the work that Turn Up The Talent does for the local (and hyper-local) creative community to the extent that I wish I鈥檇 lived in the area and had a chance to participate myself. This particular project provides an opportunity for local writers to try their hand at writing 10 minute dramas. Scripts were vetted for inclusion in the afternoon-long workshop and local jobbing actors looking for further experience and networking opportunities invited along.

Next, a mix of directors are assigned to the various different scripts: some already experienced; others aspiring-types currently working in unrelated 主播大秀 鈥榙ay jobs鈥� are given the chance to develop their directing skills. The scripts are rehearsed during the afternoon, then 鈥榩erformed鈥� to a local audience with the resulting showcase by Salford University media students.

Objectivity quickly goes out of the window when Sharon explains all of this to me. I begin to go a little dewy-eyed. Local actors get to indirectly demonstrate their craft to 鈥榯he 主播大秀鈥�, so too equally enthusiastic and able local writers. Those in other jobs across the 主播大秀 get a chance to try their hand and develop their production skills. Everyone gets to meet one another. Everyone gets something palpable out of the process. A world of possibilities might follow. It鈥檚 what hopelessly romantic writers go weak at the knees for.

The rehearsals don鈥檛 disappoint either. I quickly attach myself to one group in the corner of the fifth floor space at the front of Quay House. 鈥�A Mutual Agreement鈥� written by Keith Carter spotlights a couple in the final throes of their tumultuous relationship:听 he鈥檚 packing his bags to move out and racking up a hefty bill keeping the taxi waiting outside, while she鈥檚听eager to commit the final act on their relationship 鈥� agreeing which one of them gets which friends.

I听maintain a discreet distance on proceedings. They鈥檙e rehearsing, I tell myself. They don鈥檛 need the likes of me hanging around. It鈥檚 already quite stressful (probably). I鈥檒l just smile, nod and keep my note-taking to a minimum. There are moments where I feel like a driving instructor.

This at first seems like a bizarre strategy to adopt given my invitation until I begin to realise that my unease comes more from witnessing two people (albeit actors) having an argument. One moment I鈥檓 shaking hands with both of them and saying 鈥渏ust ignore me 鈥� pretend I鈥檓 not here鈥� and the next I鈥檓 watching two characters arguing about his conviction about James Bond really being gay and her convinced that 鈥渋f it wasn鈥檛 for that game we played at your Dad鈥檚 we wouldn鈥檛 be doing this now鈥�.听Their staccato delivery of a highly rhythmic dialogue has me enthralled and slightly embarrassed all at the same time.

Such is the quality of the performance and the plausibility of the dialogue that I鈥檓 completely sucked into what is going on. This feels like a very special experience. I can鈥檛 remember ever being this close to actors doing what actors do. Suddenly that which I take for granted when I listen to Radio 4 for example 鈥� listening to a drama 鈥� has light thrown on it. What I鈥檓 witnessing now is a snapshot of part of what is involved. So much so in fact, that at the end of the script I want the drama to carry on. Just for me.

At the end of five minute read-through both actors look at each other, then the director and writer. 鈥淲as that OK? What did you think?鈥� Immediately, it鈥檚 obvious that no one person takes ultimate control over the end product. Each discussion about the previous read-through and what might be done next time around is a delicate compromise between the person who wrote the story and those who bring the characters to life. Writer, actors and director bring ideas to 鈥榯he table鈥� but have to remain flexible so they can respond to what each other is saying. Another read-through is done, this time with a different emphasis on a particular part of the script. Then another discussion, then another read-through. It is a remarkably intimate thing to witness and even though I鈥檓 not part of the production, I still 鈥� by proximity alone 鈥� feel a part of something incredibly special. There is a palpable sense of excitement throughout the rehearsals 鈥� in part because I鈥檓 watching someone who鈥檚 day job is normally attending to the diary needs of a member of senior management, successfully try her hand at an entirely different skill: directing.

The script goes through more read-throughs and more tweaks, before the cast get the chance to do a sound check on the stage in the presentation area on the fifth floor. It鈥檚 then I have to leave to make my way back to London. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not staying to see the performance?鈥� asks the director surprised I鈥檓 running away so soon. 鈥淭he truth is,鈥� I explain, 鈥淚 feel as though I鈥檝e had my own special performance already.鈥�

My loyalty to the one script I鈥檝e observed in rehearsals all afternoon makes considering any of the other groups efforts something bordering on betrayal. The journey back to London instead focusses on dreaming about dipping my toe in the water and writing a 10 minute script for myself, buoyed up by the excitement I鈥檝e seen on the faces of those who鈥檝e already dived in.听Even now 鈥� recalling the process a few weeks on 鈥� the听 powerful effects of such an intensive afternoon linger: a safe space for creatives to try out new skills which might just develop into something bigger in the future. A very special thing.

听

Turn Up The Talent showcased acting and writing talent in the North, run by Audio Drama North in partnership with 主播大秀 Writersroom North.

The event was compered by writer and comedian Toby Hadoke and featured six 10 minute plays including:

Order no 58762 by Clair Parker, directed by Michelle Matherson with Brennan Reece and Kimberly Hart-Simpson

Dating for Godot was written by Jim Spiers and was directed by Usman Mullan and saw Smug Roberts and Ed Easton playing the roles of Alan and Colin.

Small Plans by Morgan Sproxton, was directed by Amber Molyneux and featured Sian Weedon, Anna Denise Whelan, Ed Easton and Cesare Taurasi

A Mutual Agreement by Keith Carter was directed by Sally Rhodes and starred Philippa Dunn, Hamish Sturgeon with Stefan Gumbs playing the role of the taxi driver

Single Yellows was written by Ian Winterton, directed by Sophie Williams and featured Cesare Taurasi and Andrew Lindsey