The Pod Play

Dan has returned to his student house after the Christmas break. His house-mate Mark is watching television. As their self-absorbed reality unravels, Dan reveals some shocking news that is about to rattle their house and force them to confront the seriousness of life.

The mundane collides with the tragic in this examination of the relationships we form during ‘the best years of our lives’ 

Written by Julian Felice

Starring Jordan Reece and Sean Chriscole

Produced by Paul Ludden 

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Fourteen Fifty Nine is about trying to find love in a pandemic. Gloria and Dave met on line and this is their first date, but Gloria has strict rules. After all, who wants to spend fourteen days in isolation because of a lousy date.... Now Dave has fourteen minutes fifty nine seconds to prove he was worth the risk.

Written by Paul Daley

Starring Rachel Isbister & Jack Wagman

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What's the craziest thing you've ever done for love? When Hampshire born and bred Beatrice declares her love for Salford lad Darren - her Uni flat mate, Chantelle's, cousin - she quickly realises one thing... Darren will only like her if she ditches the accent and 'Mancs Up'. She's got 24 hours.

Written by Emma Stoker. 

Starring Anna Jobarteh, Bronwyn Elizabeth and Marcus Christopherson. 

Produced by Paul Ludden.

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The magic of ‘Ol Blue eyes’ has waned. The voice, like his marriage to Hollywood superstar Ava Gardner is cracked. A despondent Frank needs a few drinks fast, and a shoulder to lean on. A trouble shared is one halved, so to speak. It’s close to midnight. Outside, in a doorway of the Palace theatre, Frank stands having a smoke, contemplating a worrying future, when inspiration to go on arrives from a most unusual source. A Newton Heath born policeman, a bobby on the beat, Harry Cooper. We tell the tale of their unlikely friendship. Two men simply chatting, having a beer and a laugh from totally different parts of the world, but, whom on that Mancunian evening, now lost in the midst of time, got on like long lost brothers. From Newton Heath, to New York, New York.

Written by John Ludden. 

Starring Graham Eaglesham, Rik S Carr, Jason Ward & Nicole Evans. 

Produced by Paul Ludden.

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It’s the late 70s in a northern, pit fuelled town, and two best mates Mick and Tony look to have one last night of freedom before venturing into the world of adulthood. Filled with rough and ready boozers, northern soul, and the iconic Wigan Casino, this is a night both lads will never forget. A story about friendship, music, and being working class.

Mick (Nathan Lea) 

Tony (Kyle Rowe) 

Landlord (Steve Cain) 

Bouncer (Bryan Dunne) 

Dan (Liam Collins) 

Narrator (Pamela Mayoss) 

Written by Joe Walsh

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The Salford Sioux, in this age of Corona, are self-isolating in their tepees, down on the Irwell. In these worrying times, the warriors Black Elk, Surrounded by the Enemy and Charging Thunder, along with their one-time boss, Buffalo Bill, tell their tall-tales of how they all ended up in the dirty old town-over Skype. In the background, screaming through the night there are constant ambulance sirens, it disturbs, but the Sioux speak, they laugh, and they cry. The heartaches, the loves, how Salford took them to their hearts, and still do. We begin with a buried tomahawk that’s found whilst building Media City. In between its once upon a time in Salford, and we end today. In the age of Corona. As clouds drift across the moon, they remember trains setting the night on fire. ‘Stay in and stay safe!’ urges Black Elk. 

Welcome to the Salford Sioux.

Written by John Ludden. 

Produced by Paul Ludden. 

Starring Annie Rogers, Louis Emerick, Jack Wagman, Trevor Dwyer-Lynch & Steve Connolly.

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We went to the Jolly Angler to record the first in the series of The Pod Play, a live performance of John Ludden's George Best: After Hours.

Here we chat with John and the actors in the performance before the play in full.

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We went to the Jolly Angler to record the first in the series of The Pod Play, a live performance of John Ludden's George Best: After Hours.

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On 14th January 1969, Sir Matt Busby finally stepped down from his position as manager of Manchester United. What wasn’t known at the time was his relationship with close Lieutenant, Jimmy Murphy, had become increasingly strained over the past decade, with the two drifting apart following the Munich air crash. 

Matt and Jimmy is a Pod Play which recreates, using dramatic license, a meeting that took place later the same day in an empty Old Trafford football ground between the two men. 

Their attempts to put a decade of hurt to right as they open their hearts and lay bare the brutal pain of Munich still cutting deep with them both. So much laid unspoken is said, nothing spared, there are tears, anger and laughter as Busby and Murphy finally confront the torment of losing their fallen Angels…

James Quinn as Sir Matt Busby 

Ian Puleston-Davies as Jimmy Murphy

Trevor Dwyer-Lynch as The Narrator

Abide with Me by kind permission of Martin Toal

Written by: John Ludden

Producer: Paul Ludden

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What is true is way back in the midst of time, Madonna played at the Hacienda. The rest? HAC84 takes you on a mystery tour of late night Machester with Tony Wilson as your guide and a starstruck Madonna listening on. For one night only only Anthony H is back. A love story about a city. Our city. Enjoy!

Graham Eaglesham as Tony Wilson

Annie Rogers as Madonna

Gemma Hepworth as Tracey Donnelly 

Matthew Heywood as Morrissey 

Steve Evets as Lord Charles 

Michelle Parker as Narrator 

Music written & performed by Gaz Whelan 

Written by John Ludden

Recorded live at The Lowry Theatre.

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