Jim Allen: A Man of His Words

Available for over a year

In 1978, actor Christopher Eccleston was inspired to work in TV after watching the BBC Play For Today, The Spongers. This was a shattering piece of drama about the impact of welfare cuts. Its devastating ending shocked the viewing public. Christopher returns to Manchester to discover more about the playwright behind The Spongers - Jim Allen. Jim was a man who "wrote beautifully about real people's lives". His many works include Days of Hope, United Kingdom, Raining Stones, Land & Freedom, and the controversial theatre piece, Perdition. With contributions from Ken Loach and Jimmy McGovern, we hear about the life of the former docker, miner and labourer, a lifelong passionate Socialist with an acute ear for the rhythms of working class speech. Producer: Elizabeth Foster First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015.