Sonnets in the City

Five short, edgy contemporary dramas taking place in the city from sunset to sunrise. In collaboration with the BBC Philharmonic five writers team with composers and respond to Shakespeare's most powerful sonnets.

Sonnet 29 read by Maxine Peake

Baba Ganoush
by Tom Wells with music composed by Tom Coult
Lee arrives late for the pop-up restaurant he works in. The boss, Bev, is waiting for him and is in a foul mood. But Dan is also there and he makes everything alright.

Lee ..... Luke Newberry
Bev ..... Emily Pithon
Dan ..... Ben Addis

Directed and produced by Gary Brown

Sonnet 61 read by Maxine Peake

Tattered Heart
written and performed by Francesca Martinez with music composed by Nina Whiteman
On a night heavy with expectation, two lovers meet and take a late night stroll to the park.

Girl ..... Francesca Martinez
Boy ..... Kevin Hely
Lover .... Verity Henry

Directed and produced by Charlotte Riches

Sonnet 73 read by Maxine Peake

After Sunset Fades
by Esther Wilson with music composed by Aaron Parker
Midnight in Manchester. An enigmatic exploration of the breadth and fire of life. Old and young collide, as an adolescent girl wants to end her life and an old lady has other plans.

Suzanne Amser (younger) ..... Jodie Comer
Suzanne Amser (older) ..... Eileen O'Brien

Produced and directed by Pauline Harris

Sonnet 140 read by Maxine Peake

Tongue
written by Lee Mattinson with music composed by Chiu-Yu Chou
It's 3am, the height of the mistake-making hour, and in a sweat-drenched club Noel has bitten off someone's tongue. Consumed by jealousy and rage, Noel tries to find his way home, which isn't so easy when you are blind, high on drugs and being pursued by a talking tongue.

Noel ..... Will Ash
Oliver ..... Kevin Hely
Aaron ..... Luke Bailey
Imogen .....Verity Henry

Directed by Nadia Molinari

Sonnet 154 read by Maxine Peake

Love Again
written by Zodwa Nyoni with music composed by Daniel Kidane
It's 5am and solicitor Thandie has been on call all night and browsing dating websites to keep awake. But she soon becomes embroiled in someone else's love-life when an argument kicks off under her window.

Thandie ..... Wunmi Mosaku
Mike ..... Curtis Cole
Ash ..... Ben Addis
Lucy ..... Emily Pithon

Directed by Nadia Molinari.