Alex River Clarke
I’m a working-class Irish/Manc writer living in rural Shropshire. I'm disabled and neurodiverse. All my work explores women’s lives and/or working-class experience. I find women’s experience ceaselessly fascinating, especially non-conforming women and outsiders. I also work as a hypnotherapist and therapeutic writing facilitator with adult surviours of dysfunctional childhoods to help them tell their hidden stories.
Currently, I’m writing a semi-autobiographical TV dramady THE LITTLE GOLD DOOR STORYTELLING CLUB.
I’m in development with my original drama REFUGE with Dancing Ledge Productions and the BBC.
In 2022 I was selected for The BBC Northern Voices Scheme to develop my original TV dramady THE KING OF CONS – a story about drag kings, footballers and fake kidnappings.
The same year I was selected for the DYSPLA Writer’s Residency with my comedy VENUS IN 13.
Later the same year I was commissioned to develop my surreal project C.L.A.W into an experimental volumetrically captured film, funded by Earls Court Film Festival.
In 2022 I also completed a Screenskills mentorship in documentary filmmaking with the massively talented mentor Maria Hasse Coelho.
In 2021 I was selected for the Dancing Ledge and ITV New Talent Mentoring Scheme and developed a new original drama with my mentor Paula Milne (THE POLITICIAN’S WIFE / THE VIRGIN QUEEN).
The same year I was also selected for a BAFTA mentorship with Lisa McGee (DERRY GIRLS).
In 2019 I won the BBC’s Alfred Bradley Award with my radio drama WAKING BEAUTY which you can listen to HERE!
I was also selected for the BFI/Film Hub North Development Scheme to work on my TV comedy THE GREAT BRITISH VAMPIRE PAGEANT.
The same year I was longlisted for the Thousand Films Screenwriting Competition with my TV comedy BELLA IN THE AFTERNOON.
2019 also saw me longlisted for The Old Vic 12 with my urban fairy-tale stage-play WHEN I WAS A TROLL based on my experiences of the joy-riding girl gangs in 90’s Manchester.
I was also selected for a Raising Films Writer’s Residency and The Royal Exchange Theatre’s Disabled Directors Scheme.
In 2018 I was selected for the STAGE ONE’S “Bridging the Gap” scheme which aimed at bringing more working class theatre producers into commercial theatre production.
In 2017 I won The New Writing North and C4 TV drama writing award with my original drama BELOW and left Salford University with a post-grad cert in TV and Radio scriptwriting.
I was also selected for the Raising Films Development Scheme “CLOSR17” and developed the short film THE GIRL WHO DRESSED AS A BEAR – a story about finding your tribe in the most unlikely of places. That was later published in Hashtag Queer vol 1.
Currently, I’m writing a semi-autobiographical TV dramady THE LITTLE GOLD DOOR STORYTELLING CLUB.
I’m in development with my original drama REFUGE with Dancing Ledge Productions and the BBC.
In 2022 I was selected for The BBC Northern Voices Scheme to develop my original TV dramady THE KING OF CONS – a story about drag kings, footballers and fake kidnappings.
The same year I was selected for the DYSPLA Writer’s Residency with my comedy VENUS IN 13.
Later the same year I was commissioned to develop my surreal project C.L.A.W into an experimental volumetrically captured film, funded by Earls Court Film Festival.
In 2022 I also completed a Screenskills mentorship in documentary filmmaking with the massively talented mentor Maria Hasse Coelho.
In 2021 I was selected for the Dancing Ledge and ITV New Talent Mentoring Scheme and developed a new original drama with my mentor Paula Milne (THE POLITICIAN’S WIFE / THE VIRGIN QUEEN).
The same year I was also selected for a BAFTA mentorship with Lisa McGee (DERRY GIRLS).
In 2019 I won the BBC’s Alfred Bradley Award with my radio drama WAKING BEAUTY which you can listen to HERE!
I was also selected for the BFI/Film Hub North Development Scheme to work on my TV comedy THE GREAT BRITISH VAMPIRE PAGEANT.
The same year I was longlisted for the Thousand Films Screenwriting Competition with my TV comedy BELLA IN THE AFTERNOON.
2019 also saw me longlisted for The Old Vic 12 with my urban fairy-tale stage-play WHEN I WAS A TROLL based on my experiences of the joy-riding girl gangs in 90’s Manchester.
I was also selected for a Raising Films Writer’s Residency and The Royal Exchange Theatre’s Disabled Directors Scheme.
In 2018 I was selected for the STAGE ONE’S “Bridging the Gap” scheme which aimed at bringing more working class theatre producers into commercial theatre production.
In 2017 I won The New Writing North and C4 TV drama writing award with my original drama BELOW and left Salford University with a post-grad cert in TV and Radio scriptwriting.
I was also selected for the Raising Films Development Scheme “CLOSR17” and developed the short film THE GIRL WHO DRESSED AS A BEAR – a story about finding your tribe in the most unlikely of places. That was later published in Hashtag Queer vol 1.
West Midlands
TV & FILM
REFUGE (2023) - Dancing Ledge Productions/BBC - original TV drama series (in development)
HUNTER'S MOON (2022) - Hipster Films - Folk Horror Feature
HOW TO BE AUTISTIC (2021) - Adapted Pictures/BFI - y/a TV dramady adaption of Charlotte Amelia Poe's memoir of the same name.
BELOW (2018) - Bonafide Films/C4 - original y/a TV fantasy/horror mini-series (development)
RADIO
WAKING BEAUTY (2019) - BBC Radio 4 - Winner of the BBC Alfred Bradley Award.
THEATRE
SISTER’S OF THE MIDNIGHT BERRIES (2019) – Salford Art’s Theatre – original comedy stage play.
MY NAME IS HUNGER (2013) – Salon Collective – original comedy stage play.
OUR KID JESUS (2013) – Salon Collective – original comedy stage play . Winner of 24:7 Theatre Festivals’ Next Big Idea Competition.
DANCING DOG GETS A CREDIT CARD (2013) – Writer’s Avenue – original comedy.
SECONDS (2011- 2012) – Writer’s Avenue – original drama. Winner of “The First 20 Mins”, “The Next Stage” and “The Final Stage” Playwriting Competitions.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF MADELINE MCKAY (OR WHAT THE OWL MAN KNEW AND THE GIRL FOUND OUT) (2009) – Missfit Productions – original drama.
REFUGE (2023) - Dancing Ledge Productions/BBC - original TV drama series (in development)
HUNTER'S MOON (2022) - Hipster Films - Folk Horror Feature
HOW TO BE AUTISTIC (2021) - Adapted Pictures/BFI - y/a TV dramady adaption of Charlotte Amelia Poe's memoir of the same name.
BELOW (2018) - Bonafide Films/C4 - original y/a TV fantasy/horror mini-series (development)
RADIO
WAKING BEAUTY (2019) - BBC Radio 4 - Winner of the BBC Alfred Bradley Award.
THEATRE
SISTER’S OF THE MIDNIGHT BERRIES (2019) – Salford Art’s Theatre – original comedy stage play.
MY NAME IS HUNGER (2013) – Salon Collective – original comedy stage play.
OUR KID JESUS (2013) – Salon Collective – original comedy stage play . Winner of 24:7 Theatre Festivals’ Next Big Idea Competition.
DANCING DOG GETS A CREDIT CARD (2013) – Writer’s Avenue – original comedy.
SECONDS (2011- 2012) – Writer’s Avenue – original drama. Winner of “The First 20 Mins”, “The Next Stage” and “The Final Stage” Playwriting Competitions.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF MADELINE MCKAY (OR WHAT THE OWL MAN KNEW AND THE GIRL FOUND OUT) (2009) – Missfit Productions – original drama.
Comedy, Film, Online writing, Radio, Television
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000t7zh