Persistent and Nasty

Persistent and Nasty
Persistent and Nasty

Persistent and Nasty is a script-reading, debate and art as activism initiative for women and gender minorities in the stage and screen industries. We are committed to an intersectional approach and aim to use the space we’ve created to provide a platform for the spectrum of marginalised voices in our culture. Through a series of script readings, live debates and a regular podcast series, we aim to amplify the unrepresented voices in theatre and film. Our goal is to create a project that is safe and supportive, but that is also an act of protest. Persistent and Nasty is about changing the cultural narrative through the stories we tell.

  1. Episode 245: Ungetable by Ellie Zeegan and Janet Coulson

    13 NOV

    Episode 245: Ungetable by Ellie Zeegan and Janet Coulson

    Final episode of our spooky season. A perfect episode for the crossover between Halloween and Christmas, when the nights are darker and colder and you’re not quite sure if you heard something or caught a glimpse of something out the corner of your eye. Ungetatable by Ellie Zeegan and Janet Coulson. Voice Actors: Eileen O’Shaughnessy – Rebecca Dunn George Orwell – Fergus John McCann Woman – Elaine Stirrat Ellie Zeegan Actress, Producer, Writer Ellie Zeegen founded Firebrand Theatre Company in 2010 which has been an Associate Company at Pitlochry Festival Theatre since Feb 2023. Ellie co-wrote (with Richard Baron) Nan Shepherd: Naked & Unashamed in association with Dr Kerri Andrews which returns to Pitlochry Festival Theatre Studio for their Summer Season 30th May-14th June 2025. Recent TV/Radio credits include: appearances in BBC Alba Sar Sgeoil: Dracula (broadcast Halloween 2024) and BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour. Theatre credits include: White Rabbit, Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour, Anthony in Anthony & Cleopatra with Shake-Scene Shakespeare’s at Shakespeare North Playhouse and an Autumn tour of one woman show A Room of One’s Own by Virgina Woolf this November 2024. Writing credits: Founder of Page to Stage (Scottish Borders) and the Create project which focused on supporting and launching new female voices into the industry. Ellie was a Burn Bright Timebank mentor and The School of Life’s Expert on Acting. Plays: Nan Shepherd: Naked & Unashamed with Richard Baron and Ungetatable with Janet Coulson. Ellie also co-founded The Actors’ Temple, London - the ‘alternative to drama school’ which trained hundreds of actors 2006-2019. Ungetatable When the world has lost all online communication, all data is gone how do we more on. When the tape recordings are found maybe it will hold answers and the voices of the present and the past will merge. OUR WEBSITE - www.persistentandnasty.co.uk HIPA GUIDES: HIPA GUIDES Equity Toolkit: Link Stellar Quines: Link Persistent Pal & Nasty Hero - Pals and Hero Membership Email – persistentandnasty@gmail.com Instagram - @persistentandnasty Twitter - @PersistentNasty Coffee Morning Eventbrite - Coffee Morning Tickets LINKTREE - LINKTR.EE Resources Samaritans - Rape Crisis Scotland - Rape Crisis UK ArtsMinds - BAPAM Freelancers Make Theatre Work Stonewall UK - Trevor Project - Mermaids UK Switchboard LGBT+ - GATE PLANNED PARENTHOOD DONATE - DONATE ABORTION SUPPORT NETWORK UK - ASN.COM- DONATE

    33 min
  2. Episode 244: it comes with rain by Siobhan Murphy

    8 NOV

    Episode 244: it comes with rain by Siobhan Murphy

    Spooky Season. Next up is a spooky season is It comes with rain by Siobhan Murphy . Voice Actor: Amira Al Shanti Siobhan Murphy Siobhan is a Glasgow-based freelance writer and editor with a background in ELT and educational publishing. I am a passionate writer, and, previously successfully applied to pitch a fantasy novel to publishers and agents at Xpo North festival in Inverness. I also had a piece of short fiction published by The Selkie as part of their New Voices workshop. Recently, my short piece on top writing advice was selected as a runner up in a competition by The New Zealand writer's college, and subsequently published on their website. In my free time, I primarily write fantasy and dystopian fiction and English language and educational content. I've written two radio plays available on Soundcloud. I also write professionally for a number of educational companies. I have an MA undergraduate degree in English Literature and Spanish, during which time I was selected for the creative writing dissertation course, for which I received an A grade. You can read more of my creative work on my blog or find out about my professional work on my website. I'm currently seeking representation for my novel. IN COMES WITH RAIN A curse, a spell, generational trauma you decide. Just remember never be out in the rain. OUR WEBSITE - www.persistentandnasty.co.uk HIPA GUIDES: HIPA GUIDES Equity Toolkit: Link Stellar Quines: Link Persistent Pal & Nasty Hero - Pals and Hero Membership Email – persistentandnasty@gmail.com Instagram - @persistentandnasty Twitter - @PersistentNasty Coffee Morning Eventbrite - Coffee Morning Tickets LINKTREE - LINKTR.EE Resources Samaritans - Rape Crisis Scotland - Rape Crisis UK ArtsMinds - BAPAM Freelancers Make Theatre Work Stonewall UK - Trevor Project - Mermaids UK Switchboard LGBT+ - GATE PLANNED PARENTHOOD DONATE - DONATE ABORTION SUPPORT NETWORK UK - ASN.COM- DONATE

    20 min
  3. Episode 243: Bite Pattern by Charlotte Smith

    6 NOV

    Episode 243: Bite Pattern by Charlotte Smith

    Spooky Season. Next up is a spooky season is Bite Pattern by Charlotte Smith. Voice Actors: Kath – ChloeAnn Taylor Imy - Rebekah Lumsden Charlotte Smith Charlotte Smith is an Edinburgh-based playwright. She studied Drama Writing at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and her work has been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, Òran Mór, the Scottish Youth Theatre, the CCA, the Golden Goose Theatre and the Camden Irish Centre. She was longlisted for the David MacLennan Award at Òran Mór in 2022 and 2024, and shortlisted for WonderFools' Positive Stories for Negative Times 2024 programme. Charlotte's play The Sculptor is currently being performed by Not So Nice! Theatre at the Edinburgh Horror Festival. Her work is sometimes surreal, often supernatural, and always queer. BITE PATTEREN Meeting the in-laws is never easy but when true crime is involved the conversations involved lead you to answers you were never expecting. OUR WEBSITE - www.persistentandnasty.co.uk HIPA GUIDES: HIPA GUIDES Equity Toolkit: Link Stellar Quines: Link Persistent Pal & Nasty Hero - Pals and Hero Membership Email – persistentandnasty@gmail.com Instagram - @persistentandnasty Twitter - @PersistentNasty Coffee Morning Eventbrite - Coffee Morning Tickets LINKTREE - LINKTR.EE Resources Samaritans - Rape Crisis Scotland - Rape Crisis UK ArtsMinds - BAPAM Freelancers Make Theatre Work Stonewall UK - Trevor Project - Mermaids UK Switchboard LGBT+ - GATE PLANNED PARENTHOOD DONATE - DONATE ABORTION SUPPORT NETWORK UK - ASN.COM- DONATE

    16 min
  4. Episode 241: The 19th Floor a True Story from Harry Mould

    1 NOV

    Episode 241: The 19th Floor a True Story from Harry Mould

    Spooky Season is back. Spoky season is a mixture of audio plays/scripts and true stories Today is a real life spooky tale from writer artist, wellbeing facilitator, and EDI consultant Harry Mould. Voice Actor: Louise Oliver Harry Mould Harry (they/she) is a queer, mixed-heritage writer, artist, wellbeing facilitator, and EDI consultant. Their critically acclaimed first play, The Brenda Line, was commissioned by Pitlochry Festival Theatre for their 2024/25 season, and their first script for television, The Houdini Detectives, was a finalist in the Studio 21 Drama Series Prize, and has since been optioned for television. Their debut novel, Saturn Devours His Daughter, was a finalist in both the Merky New Writers Book Prize and Peters Fraser Dunlop Queer Literary Prize in 2023/24. Harry is Associate Artist with Sanctuary Queer Arts in Glasgow and is on the board of directors for Summerhall Arts and Wonder Fools theatre company. They like good horror books, bad horror films, and think your dad should be in therapy, already. OUR WEBSITE - www.persistentandnasty.co.uk HIPA GUIDES: HIPA GUIDES Equity Toolkit: Link Stellar Quines: Link Persistent Pal & Nasty Hero - Pals and Hero Membership Email – persistentandnasty@gmail.com Instagram - @persistentandnasty Twitter - @PersistentNasty Coffee Morning Eventbrite - Coffee Morning Tickets LINKTREE - LINKTR.EE Resources Samaritans - Rape Crisis Scotland - Rape Crisis UK ArtsMinds - BAPAM Freelancers Make Theatre Work Stonewall UK - Trevor Project - Mermaids UK Switchboard LGBT+ - GATE PLANNED PARENTHOOD DONATE - DONATE ABORTION SUPPORT NETWORK UK - ASN.COM- DONATE

    13 min
  5. Episode 240: The Revival by Corinne Salisbury

    31 OCT

    Episode 240: The Revival by Corinne Salisbury

    Spooky Season is back. We have a week of brilliant audio drama coming your way. Today is The Revival by Corinne Sailsbury Voice Actors: Alex – Fergus John McCann Iona – Elaine Stirrat Corinne Sailsbury Corinne Salisbury is an Edinburgh-based playwright. She's had plays produced at the Traverse Theatre and the Scottish Storytelling Centre (both commissioned by Strange Town for their youth theatre groups); and digital commissions from Paines Plough and from the National Theatre of Scotland/BBC for the SCENES FOR SURVIVAL series. She's a past Playwrights Studio Scotland New Playwrights Award winner, and was longlisted for the Channel4 New Writers Scheme 2024 and nominated for the Adopt a Playwright Award 2024. She's had development processes supported by Playwrights' Studio Scotland, National Theatre of Scotland, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Creative Scotland and the Peggy Ramsay Foundation. Her work has been performed at venues including Hampstead Theatre, Theatre503, the Spiegeltent, Southwark Playhouse, Live Theatre Newcastle, Camden People's Theatre, the Yard Theatre, the Old Vic Theatre, New York's Public Theater, the Tron, the Traverse, the CCA, Leith Depot, the Village pub and the Hidden Door Festival. Her play GIRLBOSS is published in Routledge’s anthology ‘Short Plays with Great Roles for Women’ The Revival A ghost hunter and property developer meet in an abandoned theatre to communicate with the voices of the past. What could possibly go wrong. OUR WEBSITE - www.persistentandnasty.co.uk HIPA GUIDES: HIPA GUIDES Equity Toolkit: Link Stellar Quines: Link Persistent Pal & Nasty Hero - Pals and Hero Membership Email – persistentandnasty@gmail.com Instagram - @persistentandnasty Twitter - @PersistentNasty Coffee Morning Eventbrite - Coffee Morning Tickets LINKTREE - LINKTR.EE Resources Samaritans - Rape Crisis Scotland - Rape Crisis UK ArtsMinds - BAPAM Freelancers Make Theatre Work Stonewall UK - Trevor Project - Mermaids UK Switchboard LGBT+ - GATE PLANNED PARENTHOOD DONATE - DONATE ABORTION SUPPORT NETWORK UK - ASN.COM- DONATE

    15 min
  6. Episode 238: CULL by Cara Watson

    29 OCT

    Episode 238: CULL by Cara Watson

    Spooky Season is back. We have a week of brilliant audio drama coming your way. First up we have Cull by Cara Watson. This is two extracts from Cara’s script, and we hope it gives you a sense of the story. Content warnings to be aware of themes of blood, violence and animal hunting, although not fully explored in the extracts. Our voice actors in this episode are: Fern – Chloe Kaney Cal – Jamie Cunningham Billy – Joshua Gardner CARA WATSON An actor and playwright from Fife, currently living in Edinburgh. I have a strong interest in new writing, as well as re-approaching the classics. My writing pulls history and Scottish DNA into today with a mystical connection to nature. I am also co-founder of Untie My Tongue Theatre, which focuses on new writing from women and marginalised genders within Scottish theatre. CULL Cull, a thriller set in the remote and bleak landscape of Scotland that explores themes of animal cruelty and misogyny. The play follows Fern in her quest to become a deer stalker in a male dominated business within rural Scotland. Upon arriving, Fern meets Billy, a middle-aged man and experienced deer stalker, and Cal, a local lad who has been working for Billy since he was a teenager. Although Billy welcomes Fern into their unique and brutal way of life, Cal is not as pleased about her arrival and makes various attempts to put her off. However, Fern is determined to stay. Meanwhile, strange things start to happen. Eerie noises are heard at night. There are knocks on the door, but nobody is there. Fern feels like she’s being watched…hunted even. She soon realises that Billy and Cal are not what they seem. And she wonders if the deer are starting to fight back… OUR WEBSITE - www.persistentandnasty.co.uk HIPA GUIDES: HIPA GUIDES Equity Toolkit: Link Stellar Quines: Link Persistent Pal & Nasty Hero - Pals and Hero Membership Email – persistentandnasty@gmail.com Instagram - @persistentandnasty Twitter - @PersistentNasty Coffee Morning Eventbrite - Coffee Morning Tickets LINKTREE - LINKTR.EE Resources Samaritans - Rape Crisis Scotland - Rape Crisis UK ArtsMinds - BAPAM Freelancers Make Theatre Work Stonewall UK - Trevor Project - Mermaids UK Switchboard LGBT+ - GATE PLANNED PARENTHOOD DONATE - DONATE ABORTION SUPPORT NETWORK UK - ASN.COM- DONATE

    13 min
5
out of 5
48 Ratings

About

Persistent and Nasty is a script-reading, debate and art as activism initiative for women and gender minorities in the stage and screen industries. We are committed to an intersectional approach and aim to use the space we’ve created to provide a platform for the spectrum of marginalised voices in our culture. Through a series of script readings, live debates and a regular podcast series, we aim to amplify the unrepresented voices in theatre and film. Our goal is to create a project that is safe and supportive, but that is also an act of protest. Persistent and Nasty is about changing the cultural narrative through the stories we tell.

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