SCUTTLED is ready to moor up! - SEP 2024 🎙️ 🎧

SCUTTLED

The Cast of SCUTTLED

The Writers of SCUTTLED

We're delighted to announce that SCUTTLED will be making its way into the docks for all to hear this September.

SCUTTLED

a five-part audio drama

Directed by James Steventon

Written by Ian Winterton

With Neil Bell, Isabel Hague, Janine Lanek, Katie Moore & Paul Rigby

Starring: Christopher Eccleston, Joyce Branagh, Kymberley Cochrane, Becky Kershaw, Jonathon Carley, Adam Grayson, Steven Hillman, Annie Connell-Welsh, James Steventon & Bailey Cockroft 

Title music, traditional canal ballad ‘The Cruise of the Calabar’, performed by Jennifer Reid.

For more information on singer and historian Jennifer Reid and her work, visit https://www.jenniferballads.com/

In collaboration with MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology), Bamalam Productions is proud to bring you Scuttled, a bold project drawing on historical research and archaeology to create a unique full-cast audio drama. Starring Christopher Eccleston, the five-episode saga follows the Ashworths, a family living and working on the Rochdale Canal between 1840 and 1922. Rochdale Canal at Slattocks, reproduced with permission of Rochdale Local Studies.

The entire project was funded by an Impact Acceleration Account Grant from MOLA, made possible by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). The aim of the IAA is to extend the impact of archaeology beyond the usual collaborators and audiences and to carry out projects that make a measurable difference for people and the planet.

The initial idea came from the project’s archaeological consultant and co-producer, Kelly Griffiths when she was running a dig for MOLA in the centre of Rochdale. She says: “I was working on an archaeological watching brief in the historic canal basin of Rochdale, a disused car park that was being redeveloped. The excavations revealed the remains of barge boats abandoned in the boat-holes of a warehouse. The vessels were 72ft long and 14ft wide and were worked by families and pulled by horses on the Rochdale Canal

carrying cargoes of coal, cotton and produce. These boats – known as Mersey Flats – were left scuttled in the basin in 1921 and at the time of deposition were likely a century old. Whilst I was standing in one of the hulks I realised I wanted to explore the lives of the families who worked and lived on these beautiful wide beam barges. Luckily, MOLA were

distributing IAA (Impact Acceleration Account) grants for projects to creatively interpret archaeology and the idea of Scuttled was formed.”

She took the idea to Bamalam and, in partnership with them, put in the bid with the Arts and

Humanities Research Council. Once the funding had been awarded, writer Ian Winterton – also a trustee and associate producer at Bamalam, came on board to oversee the project and develop the proposed storyline. But first, Ian, Kelly and Bamalam’s first task was to hire five writers from North West England.

“The project really sparked my imagination,” says Ian, “and, judging by the response we had to the call-out, I wasn’t the only one. Thanks to local writers and history groups, plus a call-out on the BBC Writersroom’s Opportunities webpage, we were inundated with applications – 132 in total – and whittling these down to just five was tough. But, once we’d

assembled our team, it was time to take them down to the archives in Rochdale Local Studies to see what aspects of canal life they felt inspired by.”

“For me,” says Kelly, “I think this was one of the most exciting parts of the

project. It was brilliant to see our five writers in the archives accessing the stories of these people through old records, newspapers and photographs. And it was so much fun too.”

During their research session, the writers each identified an aspect of canal life that they wanted to use as a basis for a short audio script. They were initially briefed to write 10-minute vignettes but, once the writers came back with their initial ideas, Ian began to wonder if Scuttled couldn’t become something more ambitious – and bigger.

“When we were talking in our story sessions,” Ian says, “I kept thinking about how much it felt like a family saga, especially as the five writers were each drawn to aspects and stories of canal life from various points in history. So, once the writers’ scripts were in, it became my job to write connecting tissue and a voice-over from our two narrators, and plot out the family saga, create a theme and story for each episode and, where necessary, rewrite each of the vignettes.”

Eventually, the script became five 25-minute episodes telling a saga over four

generations. Thoughts turned to casting, beginning with the main protagonist, Thomas, whose life story Scuttled had now become. There had only ever been one name in mind right from the beginning – Christopher Eccleston – and, to the team’s delight, he came on board right away.

While Chris was recorded at Jungle Studios in London, the rest of the adult

cast were recorded over two days at Oscillate Recording Studios in

Manchester, with Bamalam’s Artistic Director, James Steventon, directing.

“Bringing the stories of the Rochdale Canal's bargees to life has been a profound journey. Their resilience and grit, navigating the waters of the late 1800s, echo in every line of this drama and once you dive deeper into their lives, you notice the parallels with our lives even today. We've also had the utter privilege to work with Christopher Eccleston, whose depth and authenticity enrich every moment of the piece. Together, I do believe we've honoured the voices of those who once lived and worked along these storied waters.”

The final element of the drama was casting the children’s roles. For this, the team went to St

Edward’s Primary School in Rochdale, situated just yards from the site of the MOLA dig that inspired the drama. After a day of workshops in the school itself, six child actors were selected and the recording took place at Rochdale’s own Voltalab Studios.

Finally, with all parts recorded, it fell to director James to put his sound designer hat on.

“Hearing the stories come to life with a cast of just nine voices in the recording studio, and then expanding this soundscape in the finals edits most definitely demanded creativity and precision. Each voice and sound had to carry the weight of a multitude of characters, and in doing so, we've crafted a world that feels as lived in as our canals once were.”

The first episode of Scuttled goes live on Wednesday 4th September 2024, free to stream or

download online, with subsequent episodes following every Wednesday. Just search for "TheMidweek Drama" where you usually listen to your podcasts, or visit our Audioboom page here: https://audioboom.com/channels/4949173-the-midweek-drama

To discuss interview opportunities or for further information on the project, please

contact bamalamproductions@gmail.com with the subject heading ‘SCUTTLED’.