My Caribbean Heart
In this episode writers Patricia Cumper and Pauline Walker are joined by children’s writer and writer for theatre, TV, Radio and film, actress Trish Cooke
The short description of this writer is that she’s a playwright and a children’s book writer, an actress and television presenter to that. She’s written for EastEnders and storylined for Emmerdale, has been writer in residence at BBC North, Liverpool Playhouse and the Bush Theatre. Her pantomimes at Theatre Royal Stratford East were legendary. Her Cinderella was the first panto to be nominated for an Olivier Award. She also writes book for children. So Much won the Smarties Book Prize, Kurt Maschler Award and was voted one of the 100 Best Children’s Book by Time Out in 2016. She’s a fellow of The Royal Literary Fund. And those are just the highlights of her stellar career.
In this podcast, Trisha talks to hosts Pat Cumper and Pauline Walker about how words and stories have always been part of her life, writing scripts for pantomime that include a wide audience, what the Caribbean means to her and storytelling for children.
The Caribbean is my heart really. It's part of me.
Trish Cooke has written seventeen books for children including So Much, which won the 1994 Kurt Maschler Award and the Nestle Smarties Book Prize. It was Highly Commended for the 1995 Kate Greenaway Medal.
Her other books include: Full, Full, Full Of Love, illustrated by Paul Howard; Catch!, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max, Look Back, illustrated by Caroline Binch, and Hey Crazy Riddle published by Frances Lincoln.
She is the author of the Puffin Classics edition of Tales from the Caribbean.
Trish was a presenter on the BBC’s children’s television programme Playdays. She also appeared on You And Me. She has acted in and written plays for theatre, radio and television, both for children and adults. Her children’s television scriptwriting credits include The Tweenies and Mags And Mo and she has participated in the BBC Children’s Drama New Writing Initiative.
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