Shirleymander

Shirleymander
GenreRadio comedy drama
Running time58 minutes
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Language(s)English
Home stationBBC Radio 4
StarringTracy-Ann Oberman
Maggie Steed
Bruce Alexander
Written byGregory Evans
Directed byMarc Beeby
No. of series1
No. of episodes1
Audio formatStereophonic sound
Opening theme"My Heart Belongs to Daddy"
Ending theme"My Heart Belongs to Daddy"

Shirleymander is a radio comedy drama written by Gregory Evans.[1] It was inspired by Today journalist Andrew Hosken's book Nothing Like a Dame (2006).[2][3] Shirleymander was first broadcast as the Friday Play by BBC Radio 4 on 27 November 2009. The play's title is a portmanteau referencing the gerrymandering policy adopted by Shirley Porter while leader of Westminster City Council in the 1980s which "forced homeless families to substandard housing in order to manipulate the borough's voting demographic."[4]

Shirleymander dramatises Porter's time as leader of the council and the scandals that ensued around the illegal homes for votes policy and the sale of 3 cemeteries for 5 pence each. Porter is depicted as "vain, arrogant, bullying and desperate to keep the borough from falling into the hands of her arch-enemies, the socialists."[5] Evans said of his play:

I haven't invented stuff, I haven't needed to. The material in Andrew's book was all carefully researched. The problem is that there is too much and so I have to leave a lot out... I know she is litigious or used to be but I am not making any new allegations in the play.[6]

Maureen Lipman and Imelda Staunton had both been linked with the lead role, which was eventually awarded to Tracy-Ann Oberman.[1][4][7] Of her portrayal of Porter, Oberman said:

When I first read the script I couldn't believe that she really did all these dreadful things. I had to be assured that the play was based on fact, not fiction. I actually tried to portray her with a human dimension, but when I spoke to people who knew her from her City Hall days they said I shouldn't bother, as they recalled she didn't have one. I then worked out that Shirley was one of those people who will always see themselves as the victims.[7]

  1. ^ a b "An everyday story of corrupt folk". London Evening Standard. London. 24 August 2009. p. 14. (The article's title is a pun around long-running radio soap opera The Archers, billed as "an everyday story of country folk.").
  2. ^ Wavell, Stuart (30 August 2009). "Shirley's antics could bring the house down". The Sunday Times. London. p. 21.
  3. ^ Welham, Jamie (2 October 2009). "EastEnders star gets Porter role to kill for". West End Extra. London. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  4. ^ a b Nathan, John (8 May 2008). "Maureen Lipman to play Dame Shirley — maybe". The Jewish Chronicle. London. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  5. ^ Campling, Chris (27 November 2009). "Radio Choice". The Times. London. p. 21.
  6. ^ "Don't cry for me Westminster: it's Shirley the play". London Evening Standard. London. 28 April 2008. p. 14.
  7. ^ a b "From East End to West End villain". London Evening Standard. London. 30 November 2009. p. 16.