Rise

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Drama: Rise

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BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, Rise

Looked-after black British teen discovers her family history and rises - literally.

Aimee, young looked-after black British teenager, finds inner strength from discovering her past. By award-winning writer Lorna French and  starring new voice Olivia Triste.

Lorna French’s compelling drama explores  the importance of history and the human spirit. It introduces us to Aimee, a, looked-after British Black girl, who finds inner strength from looking at, and learning from, her past, including an unexpected link to some of the pioneers of gospel music. As she untangles her own web of identity, discovery and belonging, she starts to rise – literally.

15-year-old Aimee Long's History homework is entitled Tell Us Your History. The problem for this cared-for Black girl is that history is something that she thinks she doesn’t have. When her key worker Dani introduces Aimee to life story worker Rose, her life changes, as she discovers that she has a history as rich, deep and close, as her beloved Entwhistle reservoir.

Featuring Laurietta Essien (Rules of the Game, Eastenders, Eden), and Andrea Crewe (Waterloo Road, Coronation Street, Line of Duty), the cast is completed by newcomer Olivia Triste as Aimee, alongside Rosa Brooks and Femi Nylander, all making their BBC Radio 4 debut in this heart-warming drama.

Recorded on location, this contemporary drama set in Bolton is directed by Dermot Daly, who co-produced sections of the first series of United Kingdoms for BBC Radio 4 and recently directed the critically acclaimed theatre show, My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored which won the Lustrum Award during its Edinburgh Fringe Festival run and saw him nominated as Best Director at the 2022 Black British Theatre Awards.

The writer Lorna French is a two-time winner of the Alfred Fagon Award. She is currently under commission to Pentabus Theatre Company and Limbik Theatre, with recent work on the Hear Me Now monologues series (Titlola Dawudu and Tamasha Theatre Company) published by Methuen Drama. Her audio work includes The Last Flag for Radio 4, short radio drama NFA for Menagerie Theatre Company and Cambridge University, October 2020. Her play Esther was shortlisted for Theatre Uncut Political Playwright Award 2 in 2021 and shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting in 2020. 

Cast:
Aimee..........................................Olivia Triste
Rose............................................Laurietta Essien
Dani.............................................Rosa Brooks
Mrs Taylor / Grandmother...........Andrea Crewe
Isaac William Cisco.....................Femi Nylander

		
Writer............................................Lorna French
Director ……………………………..Dermot Daly
Sound Recordist……………………Louis Blatherwick
Sound Designer…………………….Sami El Enany 
Illustration……………………………Tessie Orange-Turner
Production Manager………………..Darren Spruce
Producer……………………………..Polly Thomas
Executive Producer…………………Eloise Whitmore

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