articles by Tim

articles by Tim

Mar 29, 2026

The Thirty

A long time ago, in a galaxy of hope and possibility… We devised a creative exercise that we called ‘The Thirty’. Essentially, it was the two of us talking through a list of 30 ideas that we felt …
Feb 21, 2025

Don't Give Up: being a caring artist in a capitalist world – part 2

I’ve been working on a kind of self-help tract for my own self, to reconcile some of the contradictions of being a caring artist in the shadow of capitalism. This is the second notebook post on the …
Dec 8, 2024

Don't Give Up: being a caring artist in a capitalist world – part 1

Since late lockdown, I’ve been working on a kind of self-help tract for my own self, to reconcile some of the contradictions of being a caring artist in the shadow of capitalism. For a while I …
May 25, 2023

Something Ending

The story of Something Ending, a song from A Million Tiny Glitches... Something Ending from A Million Tiny Glitches by Sleepdogs When my brother Mike died in 2012 he did so in a dramatic way very …
Apr 14, 2023

Various Short Circuits

Some subroutines I’m trying to run for my writing, whenever possible. Or whenever I remember. Warning: contains pedantry. 1. No roles, only desires Many of my stories are about people who wouldn’t …
Feb 18, 2022

Arc Of Noise #2

How being a musician affects scriptwriting and storytelling – The second in a series of short (ish) articles – WARNING: contains autobiography – 2. Craft work I've been thinking about a gig I went to …
Nov 15, 2021

Arc Of Noise #1

How being a musician affects scriptwriting and storytelling – The first in a series of short (OK, short-ish) articles – 1. Story ghosts One of the amazing things about making digital music – …
Apr 18, 2021

Some Cause For Hope

It's been a tough year for anyone working in the performing arts, and I want to pick apart something I'm hearing more and more, especially as theatres announce their re-opening programmes and …
Apr 13, 2021

26 Years of Babel's Cupid

So my play Babel's Cupid has just been announced as one of the three runners-up for the Yale Drama Series Prize 2021. Over the moon, me. Many thanks to judge Paula Vogel and Yale Drama Series, and …
Oct 19, 2020

Honestly what were you THINKING

On quantum emotions. Writing drama, you're regularly asked to justify the actions of the fictional people you're creating, to give them clear reasons for doing what they do and saying what they say. …
Oct 18, 2019

Creative Intelligence: stick it up your chart

I made this for the Sleepdogs office. It’s about not always doing things the same way, with the same patterns (unless that’s the right thing to do.) Also: trying to be clear and kind – to others, to …
Sep 27, 2018

What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Power

[EDIT, 2021. This article from 2018 contains thoughts and reflections on the practice of Chris Goode, who at the time was horrendously abusing many people involved in his work, and beyond. But I've …
Jun 7, 2018

2: Interviews

Here's two interviews with me talking about making stuff and all that. The questions were from students at Bath Spa University. 1. Interview by Connor Sullivan on sound design and site-specific …
May 12, 2018

Review: Now Is The Time To Say Nothing

Now Is The Time To Say Nothing By Caroline Williams and Reem Karssli at Arnolfini, Mayfest 2018 Walking out into the May sunshine after seeing Now Is The Time To Say Nothing, I knew I was going to be …
Apr 2, 2018

Proper Lanka

On tourism, and a tourist’s job. I’ve been working in Sri Lanka for the last 6 weeks, although my visa is technically correct when it says I’ve been here on holiday. I haven’t been paid for what I’m …
Mar 1, 2018

Uncanny Lanka

Horse God The pantheon of gods in Sri Lanka is a complex hierarchy of beings ultimately subject to the cycle of birth and rebirth in the same manner humans are; a process that in Theravada Buddhism …
Feb 20, 2018

People Take Pictures Of People

Hikkaduwa 2018 On the beach a tourist couple are ankle-deep in the surf, and she's performing the kind of frolicking you only perform at the edge of the sea if you have a camera's gaze upon you. The …
Feb 18, 2018

The Museum Of Important Incidents

The Museum of Important Incidents was established some years ago (precisely when is unimportant) in order to celebrate the truth. Fame and infamy and the works of so-called significant persons are …
Jan 28, 2018

The Modern Spirit

We don’t see the ghosts we used to. Because of course the cities are brighter than they once were, they cast a glow over the countryside, the nights are full of cars and noise. The skies above us are …
Nov 28, 2017

Thought Residency #7: Piano Thought

Here's our final Thought Residency thought #7, Piano Thought: Thanks for listening. Our November 2017 Thought Residency was commissioned by MAYK, as part of the their Thought Residency series.
Nov 15, 2017

Thought Residency #6: Nightshift Thought

Here's Thought Residency thought #6 Nightshift Thought: Our November 2017 Thought Residency was commissioned by MAYK, as part of the their Thought Residency series.
Nov 4, 2017

Thought Residency #3: Techno Thought

Here's Thought Residency thought #3, Techno Thought: Our November 2017 Thought Residency was commissioned by MAYK, as part of the their Thought Residency series.
Nov 8, 2016

A humble request to theatre critics

(Author’s note: I am, occasionally, a theatre critic.) Please do not use the phrase ‘self-indulgent.’ It will almost always be factually incorrect. You’re perfectly entitled to use the word …
Oct 10, 2016

Drama: problems

Watch out. Absolute marathon, this one. Over the next few months I’m working as a dramaturg and writer alongside some great artists, as well as giving a few talks and workshops about sound design for …
Jul 18, 2016

Dangerous and/or Impossible Instruments, part one

Sep 13, 2015

Doctor Version

Edit, 2018: so you might have arrived here because I've posted up a new mix of the DW theme. Good. Thanks. This post was all about my original take, back in 2015. Scroll down to the bottom of the …
Aug 29, 2015

Writing (at) Utah

The film above is edited from footage we shot in Normandy this summer, around a screenplay I've been writing called Utah. I’ve been writing it for about 7 years now, on and off. Well I say ‘writing’. …
Dec 16, 2014

Why not / because usually / what else

Oh hello. Well, a while back you might have seen Rupert Christiansen’s Telegraph blog on the subject of women in theatre. If not, here it is. I’m not going to get rude about Mr Christiansen’s …
Nov 20, 2014

Writing Dark Land Light House

How I’m writing Dark Land Light House: – In 2008 we outlined a story. A sci-fi horror set on a lighthouse in space. It was meant for radio at first. – Then we thought about it as a film for a while. …
Sep 26, 2014

WHY IS YOUR PLAY BORING?

To be clear, I made this chart for myself... (Click here for full-size readability fun.) I’ve been getting back into the frame of mind where I’m writing theatre for other people to produce. And I …
May 1, 2014

An interview about The Bullet And The Bass Trombone

With The Bullet And The Bass Trombone about to hit the Caravan showcase at Brighton Festival, we thought it might be interesting to dig out this blog interview we did before the first previews of the …