Fiction

 Three stories from Fraser’s Wrestling Angels collection were broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January

 2009.Tuesday   January 20- Once I was Dead- read by James Fleet.

Wednesday   January 21- The Assassin's Mother-in-Law- read by Noma Dumezweni.

Thursday   January 22- The Jeweller's Wife- read by Deborah Findlay.

The readings were produced by Karen Rose (at Sweet Talk Productions) and directed by Marilyn Imrie. See the Radio page & click on one of the interactive buttons for an excerpt of a short story of your choice.

*Thanks to all those who have e-mailed to to say they enjoyed these readings : a number of people have also asked when and where they can get hold of these stories in book-form. The answer is: Sorry! You can't yet! We hope that this will change in the very near future. Watch this space for news!

Absolute Fiction

The winners of the 2008 Escalator Awards have formally adopted the name Absolute Fiction (AbFic)-and are available for public readings. The first of these took place on Saturday 25th April at the ADC Theatre, Cambridge as part of the Cambridge Wordfest. Fraser and the other members read quickfire extracts from new fiction to an audience.

Next appearance: at the Welbourne Festival near Norwich on Saturday 13th June. For more details of personnel and dates, follow the link to the AbFic website www.absolutefiction.co.uk

Hotbed Festival

This new theatre writing festival in Cambridge has now become an annual event, organised as ever, by the indefatigable Menagerie Theatre Company. Once again,  Fraser will be involved throughout the festival, hosting a set of readings of new plays by students of Anglia Ruskin University, and also launching some exciting new work-in-progress, of his own. Follow the link to Hotbed for more details: www.menagerietheatre.co.uk/hotbedfest

  Theatre

The new stage play, The Lifesavers, has now ended its run in London (until February 21, 2009) and also the two week run at the Colchester Mercury Studio (Wednesday February 24- -Saturday 7th March, 2009).

Brief synopsis: Plunging us into a frighteningly paranoid parallel world, the play explores what happens when a society pursues the goal of a safe society to its logical conclusion. In an era of atrocity, the play asks simply, how should we live to the Studio Theatre at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester February 24 – March 7.

Directed by Paul Robinson for Theatre 503 in association with the Mercury Theatre,  Colchester, the cast includes ; Keith Bartlett, Gina Isaac, Laurence Mitchell, Ed Hughes and Rupert Simonian. The full script for The Lifesavers is now available direct from Oberon Books  (£8.99; www.oberonbooks.com )

Production shots from  Theatre 503, Latchmere Pub, London SW11 3BW:

Keith Bartlett as The Senator	Gina Isaac as Cathy and Laurence Mitchell as Robert	Edward Hughes (Mark) with Rupert Simionian, making his stage his Stage debut as Jack.

The Lifesavers attracted great reviews, and this was reflected by robust ticket sales.