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Dateline: 9th May, 2006
Plater Joins Thackray Musical Team The Great Jake Thackray Musical, which toured to great acclaim and with huge success in 2005 under the title of Sister Josephine Kicks The Habit, is to have a major makeover for its national tour, now being scheduled for 2007. Already in development under the watchful eye of advisory executive producer Alex Armitage, head of the Noel Gay Organisation, Jake's musical is now back on the work-bench following writer Ian McMillan's decision that writing for the theatre is not where he feels most comfortable. Whilst making it wholly clear that he would not let the project down, Ian invited the producers to look around for someone else to take responsibility for the show's book. TAMAR Scarborough, the show's producer, is now delighted to announce that Alan Plater, one of the UK's foremost screenwriters and dramatists, has enthusiastically accepted the invitation to take on the role of writer of The Great Jake Thackray Musical - though, with his play Blonde Bombshells of 1946 due to open in London in the next two months and several other projects lined up to follow it, he will not be able to get to work on Jake's show until the turn of the year. Alan began his writing career in the same Leeds BBC radio studios where Jake was launching his career in the mid 1960s, and the two were friends (along with Alex Glasgow). Alan moved into television, writing for such series as Z Cars and Softly, Softly, occasionally taking time out to write shows like Close the Coalhouse Door for the theatre. For forty years he has been one of the most prolific and consistently successful screenwriters in the country and was for many years President of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain. For his services to drama he was awarded a CBE in the 2005 New Year's Honours List. For the moment, Alan is keeping his own counsel about the content of the show he is going to write and says he is "not crazy about the title" - so it is quite possible that Sister Josephine's habit has been kicked right into touch. For now, however, the project will continue to develop under the shorthand title of The Sister Josephine Project. Executive Producer Ian Watson, announcing the new agreement following talks in London, said, "This is the best of all possible news. I was a fan of Alan's radio plays 40 years ago, interviewed him myself for radio 38 years ago and worked as Stage Director on the first production of his stage play (with music) Hop, Step and Jump. I've remained a huge admirer of his work ever since, right through to the fabulous screenplay for Last of the Blonde Bombshells - and beyond. And on top of all his achievements, this is a man who speaks with love and great depth of knowledge of Jake's work." Meeting Alan Plater for the first time, Alex Armitage added, "It went very well. I like Alan enormously as well as being a fan of his work. He seemed to totally get what we are about and what we want. Very exciting." "The whole thing sounds like a really good adventure for 2007," says Alan Plater himself, "and you may quote me." The reaction from outgoing writer Ian McMillan - whom the producers thank very warmly for his invaluable contribution in getting the project off the ground - is "Great news! A win-win situation, as they say!" A DVD (PAL format, all regions) of the show (see our review) is available from the Sister Josephine website at www.sisterjosephine.com, priced at £18, including post and packing. The show was reviewed by Peter Lathan when it premiered at Helmsley Arts Centre and later by Ray Brown at the City Varieties, Leeds. Please note that all three Archive indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
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