Welcome to my Website
I create books, scripts, musicals, plays, songs, lyrics
and poetry - and I am a professional speaker
CURRENT PROJECTS
Book Writing
BOOKS:
PAINTED ANGEL published 2021 now available as an audio book fom Audible or e-book from Amazon. A love story, with a theme of why we should never judge by appearances...
Claire: born in Guildford, UK
Lives alone and self-sufficient
Always smart, with a well paid job
Independent, despite the wheelchair
Really in control of her emotions -
Except being in love with Archie
* * *
Archie: raised Arlington USA
Really great sculptor, he says...
Constantly seeking perfection
He's unemployed and broke
Is so lucky to live near Claire -
Except he sees her as 'just a friend'
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Two further novels are in first draft,
'MICKY KIDD'
A stand-up comic joins a ribute band tour as compere - as the lead singer / compere has "fallen" from the hotel balcony. Not so much "who-dunnit" as an ingenious
"how-dunnit"
'IT STARTED WELL...'
It was a perfect little family, in a lovely little house - before everything went wrong. He moved out. She moved out. She moved back in with someone else, he came to dinner - then it got complicated...
'FIVE FOOT FIVE AND THREE-QUARTERS'
An autobiographical collection of anecdotes concerning the many interesting (and often celebrity) people encountered in a long career.
'THE CAT ALPHABET'
A unique take on the alphabet, for cats... illustrated by distinguished cartoonist Harry Venning.
Scriptwriting
SCREENPLAYS:
'THE DAY THEY BLEW HIS HEAD OFF'
Light comedy-drama (very) loosely based on a true story. March 1966 , Dublin
How three drama students were accused of blowing up 'The Pillar' in O'Connell Street.
'DEATH DUTY'
Drama in a British Army training camp - inspired by, but NOT retelling the Deepcut tragedies of 1995-2002. Drawn from personal experience.
TV SITCOM:
'SEA VIEW'
A studio based / minimal location series set in “Fretby” East Anglia.
BASIC PREMISE: Semi-detached bungalows in Fretby used to overlook the sea with an uninterrupted view across grassy fields. Now there are a hundred and forty static caravans in between the bungalows and the beach.
JILL (60’s) has inherited the left-hand side of the building from her late Auntie, whom she met only once. She cannot understand why everything takes so long in East Anglia.
PEARL (60’s) has lived in this bungalow all her life. She is a gentle, if quirky soul, nothing is too much trouble, but nothing is done too quickly.
SEA VIEW is the now improbable name of Jill’s bungalow. It is still just possible to see the sea, but only by climbing on to the roof. These two WASPI ladies strike up an uneasy, but close friendship, despite their opposing views and temperament.
Pearl invites Jill to move in to her unused spare room, so that they can convert Jill’s house to a B & B. Easy solution to problems eh? Well, no.
Episode titles are the names of the guests.
Musical Composition
MUSICALS: (ALL 2 ACT)
'OVER HERE'
The USAF stationed in East Anglia mix with the locals. Act1 set in 1944, Act 2 set in 2025. The same characters in parallel circumstances complete the story and resolve their complex relationships. 21 original songs, large adult/children cast with Pro/Am potential. Last produced at The Playhouse Theatre Norwich
'FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT!'
'Backstage' show. 20 songs. The final week of rehearsals where fraught relationships must be resolved before opening night. Great potential for dance numbers. Strong story with final 'twist'.
'COOL SCHOOL'
A pastiche (remember 'Daisy Pulls It Off'?) 20 Songs. Set in a failing boarding school where a year nine girl searching the web late at night makes a freak investment, makes miliions, and buys her school.
'ATLANTIS'
Set in the 'lost city' two factions compete to run the country. The priests have been in charge for centuries, but now a rival faction of union style workers want control. Two lovers from opposite sides escape together by ship. As the prophesy tells, when the priests lose control, Atlantis will perish. They set sail, just in time, for England...
STAGE PLAY:
'SPREAD A LITTLE HAPPINESS'
Five short humorous plays with a cast of five: three female, two male, each with three roles.
Running time: 45 minutes
Perfect for Edinburgh, festivals or lunchtime theatre. Constructed with minimal reset between each, and no cast member appearing in two consecutive pieces apart from the last, with a final character appearing towards the end.
(Other plays in re-write stage...)
Talks
TALKS; (1 hour duration)
'DAD'S ARMY - THE NATION'S FAVOURITE COMEDY'
(with PowerPoint if required)
Charles was assistant to David Croft OBE and Jimmy Perry OBE for more than twenty years. He was a BBC television producer, director and is now a writer, who delivers a fascinating, and predictably amusing talk. It includes anecdotes and personal insights about the writers, the cast, and what sets Dad’s Army apart from the rest of the TV comedy archive.
'FROM VICAR'S SON TO BBC PRODUCER'
Charles has delivered this personal story about his eclectic life across the country. It is delivered with a light touch, and is full of humour. From life in the Vicarage, and behind the scenes in the parish church, to a diverse career as a dancer in a musical, clarinet player in a military band, singer/guitarist and organist in hotels and clubs, cabaret artist and restaurateur in London’s Belgravia, until he joined the BBC as Sir Jonathan Miller’s assistant. He then rose from making the tea on Hi-De-Hi! to becoming producer of David Croft’s last TV comedy series, Oh Doctor Beeching! and series editor of Dad’s Army.
“TELEVISION COMEDY - FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN'”
In this entertaining and informative talk, Charles discusses how a comedy script begins its journey, and the many processes it goes through before it appears on screen, seldom fewer than two years later. With insights into the machinations of TV “Heads of Things”, and an explanation into the mysterious jobs (such as ‘best boy’ and ‘key grip’) which appear in the credits.
Enquire by e-mail :
with suggested dates (not just 'the third Monday in every other month" please ) or visit SpeakerNet.com.
About me
I am a writer based near Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk, United Kingdom. As well as offering my own projects, as listed above, I am open to other ideas - such as collaboration on theatre projects. As a former theatre and television director, I would be interested either to direct, or act as mentor / consultant on a project where experience is sought. Even if you're unsure of my reaction, do ask! You never know what I might suggest... My wife Yvonne, formally a professional dancer with wide experience on stage, is also a script and fiction writer. Her wide experience in theatre shines through in her playwriting, with an instinctive feel for staging and 'what works'. You can easily contat her via this site - just send me an e-mail and I will pass it across the breakfast table...