Radio Drama: Little Bexham

The creator of BBC Radio Norfolk's first audio drama Little Bexham, knows all about life in Norfolk.

Sue Welfare was born in the county and now lives near Downham Market, Sue began writing professionally after years of trying in the mid '90s.

"Initially I wrote and sold articles for everything from the Young Soldier, via Practical Crafts to racier top shelf titles. In 1995 I had my first full length novel published for Black Lace and the same year won the Mail On Sunday opening of a novel competition," said Sue.

"This competition got me my first agent and first publishing contract – and was finally something I could tell my mother about," she added.

All of Sue's mainstream novels have a strong East Anglian theme.

A Few Little Lies, set in Wisbech, came out in 1998. Since then Sue has had six books published as herself, four as Gemma Fox and has also penned several 'naughty books' as she calls them.

As an author passionate about the county she's proud to call home, being asked to write Little Bexham was a dream come true.

"I was really excited to be asked to write Little Bexham as I wanted to write something about the Norfolk that I know," said Sue.

"Everything I ever write is always based in Norfolk and East Anglia, so the opportunity to be given free range to develop something was hugely exciting.

"Little Bexham allows us the opportunity to look at Norfolk as it is today. It's multi-cultural, there's lots going on in Norfolk. It's not something that is shown in the media as being that exciting, when actually it's brilliant.

"Little Bexham is about Norfolk life today. What it's like to live in a village, in a small town. It's also about the people you know, it's about your friends and it's about you," she added.

Village idiots

Sue hopes that the themes and plot-lines in Little Bexham paint an accurate, modern-day image of Norfolk life.

"I hope that people will look at it and think that Norfolk life is interesting," said Sue.

"We're often personified as village idiots. There's this terrible thing about Norfolk where people think we don't live a diverse life. We're seen as a farming community, but actually there is a lot of industry.

"I'd really like to think people will recognise and empathise with the characters in the series as we touch on lots of plot strands. It’s a proper soap opera, lots of intrigue, lots of interest and stories," she added.

Norfolk voices

One of the key criteria to the drama was in the use of local voices. More than 50 people auditioned in May 2007, each hoping to land one of the 12 parts in the drama.

Members of the Little Bexham cast

"One of the things that was high on the agenda was that we had people who reflected the area and who could speak with genuine Norfolk accents," said Sue.

"It was important they were real people and brought an authenticity to it. These people [the cast] have really good voices, they bring a great warmth to it and an enthusiasm.

"Having real people cast in it means it's much more lively and authentic and I think that's important," she added.

In addition to her work on Little Bexham, Sue has also written an adaptation of Snow White for the Downham Amateur Dramatic Society and in February 2008 releases Mum's The Word, her latest book under her new writing name of Kate Lawson.

When not writing, Sue works with BBC Voices - the BBC's story-telling and media training centre in Norwich. She also teaches, lectures and runs courses across the region.

"I'm also a total gardening addict – don't get me started on my vegetable garden - I sing in a choir, love photography and am happily living with my lovely – and extremely understanding bloke - Phil," she said.

Little Bexham will be broadcast on BBC Radio Norfolk from Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 for 16 weeks on Tuesday and Thursdays at 1.30pm, with an omnibus edition on Sundays at 1.45pm.

We regret that due to rights issues, we are not able to make the drama available 'on demand' but you can 'listen live' at the time of broadcast using the links on this page.