Many of our writers are still working away on novels, scripts and collections, some have begun to build relationships with editors, producers and agents. We have been going six years now and are beginning to celebrate more public successes by Squad writers.
They don't waste time, playwrights in the current Squad, Mwewa Sumbwanyambe and Carrie Holroyd have had short plays staged at Contact Theatre Manchester and West Yorkshire Playhouse respectively, and Mwewa has recently secured a place on the Liverpoll Everyman's Young Writers Programme. Sam Bell and John May who write together as J.S. Hamilton had their one act play Expectations on at Cultureshock.
Ruth Yates is featured in the 10th Anniversay anthology of Foyles Young Poets.
Stickpin has been described as "folk grunge" and "quirky", among other things, but in her own words, their "exceptionally talented singer/guitarist" and Squad writer, Katherine Horrex, just describes them as "fookin' brill maaate, know wor I mean?" Influences include Kirsty MacColl, Husker Du and Sonic Youth. You can hear her and buy the demo here on MySpace. She also took part in the 2008Tower Poetry Summer School.
Wes Brown edits the online magazine The Cadaverine, which already features Squad writers Amy Christmas, Charlotte Wetton, Gavin Husband, Katie Smith, Ellen Osborne, Katherine Horrex, Ruth Yates, Laura Attridge, Leo Topp, Carrie Holroyd and Gavin Hudson.
One of Wes's short stories appeared in route's Bloom anthology, alongside that of another Squad writer Amy Cresswell.
Gavin Husband had part of his Forager's Cookbook in Bradford Square, while Ellen Osborne and Sumeia Ali have had stories in Light Transports a project distributing free books on mainline stations in Yorkshire, and Ellen's short story He Said is a competition winner at normblog along side fellow Squad Members Laura Attridge and her story Angela, and Unwell by Katherine Horrex, Katherine also has a poem in Zygote in My Coffee . Amy Christmas has had her story My Favourite Word is Clarity published in Aesthetica 15, she has also just had a story accepted for the anthology Avante Garde for the New Millenium from the US based Raw Dog Screaming Press.
Penny Broadhurst recently reached the last twenty of the BBC’s Next Big Things competition following the release of her EP Allons-Y!, you can catch up with at www.pennybroadhurst.com
Nick Payne has had rehearsed readings at Soho Theatre and the Royal Court, and has been selected by Paine's Plough and Channel 4 to be a Future Perfect writer, "one of seven of the most exciting young playwrights of their generation."
Chris Bush's TONY! The Blair Musical won awards at the Edinburgh Fringe and transferred to The Pleasance Islington, he followed that up with a tour of Tony of Arabia, go to the White Rose Theatre Company for his latest news.
Joe Shrewsbury was one of the key members of our first Squad. We're still in touch, but don't see him as much as we like now he's a rock star, read the blog, listen to the music and buy the t-shirt at www.65daysofstatic.com, you can read The Guardian review of their latest The Destruction of Small Ideas here.
Gavin Hudson, is an excellent poet recently published by the Oxford magazine Fire, and you can read his reviews in Round Table Review, and soon in PN Review. Visit Gavin's site at www.gavinhudson.com
Tom Donnelly is currently in Advocacy and Communications at Saferworld, an international NGO working with government, parliamentarians, the EU and UN, civil society and the international media to promote Saferworld's advocacy aimed at preventing armed violence. He uses skills learnt with the Squad when writing issue briefings, press releases, web content, feature articles and contributions to Saferworld's publications. Read his recent contribution to The Guardian.
Steve van Riel another Squad 1 regular is now plying his writing trade as a researcher and speech writer for Ed Balls MP, the Education Secretary.
"Early advice about severely tightening up our writing changed the way I write completely. That’s a skill which really helps me now – when you’re drafting a speech or a press release you have to be able to deliver the idea in a clear, arresting way – no one listens to politicians long enough for anything else to work! Although my career isn’t exactly a logical progression from the Squad, the things I learnt from it are vital for my work."
Steve van Riel, Squad 1
"I wouldn’t have an album or a career without the squad, because i needed the confidence, contacts and skills (and cash) as well as the talent and determination."
Penny Broadhurst, Squad 1