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(terry608books/flickr)
Three contemporary female authors, three splendid actresses and three rather different stories, each about women in transition—geographically, morally, or emotionally.
“They had been in England for three days but they knew no one here. This country was just a safe place. Now all the money they had could be lifted in the palm of a hand to a stranger in a toilet.”—Andrea Levy, “Loose Change.”
Three contemporary female authors, three splendid actresses and three rather different stories, each about women in transition—geographically, morally, or emotionally.
The first two stories on this program were part of a SELECTED SHORTS evening at Symphony Space called PASSPORT TO LONDON, and were written by two women who represent different strands in the multi-racial, multi-ethnic fabric of that great metropolis. Shereen Pandit was a lawyer and political activist in South Africa before she was exiled in 1987 and moved to London. The first-person narrator of her story “She Shall Not Be Moved” is also a political exile, and experiences a crisis of conscience during an incident on a London bus. Reader Rita Wolf began her career at London’s Royal Court Theatre and appeared “My Beautiful Laundrette” among other films and stage plays.
The program’s second London-based story, “Loose Change,” was written by Andrea Levy, a Londoner whose four novels explore the issues faced by black Jamaican emigrants living in that city. In this case, the confident narrator, whose grandmother was one of those emigrants, is faced with the plight of a more recent émigré, from Eastern Europe. The story is read by Eve Best, who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and starred in the revival of Harold Pinter’s “THE HOMECOMING” both in London and on Broadway. She currently co-stars on the television series “NURSE JACKIE.”
Our third and final story returns us to America, and Molly Giles’ whimsical story “Pie Dance.” A woman, her former husband, his current wife, and the family dog are the principal characters in this little domestic comedy. Giles teaches in the Creative Writing Department at San Francisco State University. The reader is the award-winning actress Kate Burton, whose Broadway roles include “Hedda Gabler” and Ranevskaya in “The Cherry Orchard.”
The musical interlude in this program is from Modest Moussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”, and the SELECTED SHORTS theme is Roger Kellaway’s “Come to the Meadow.”
“She Shall Not Be Moved,” by Shereen Pandit, read by Rita Wolf
“Loose Change,” by Andrea Levy read by Eve Best
“Pie Dance,” by Molly Giles read by Kate Burton.
For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit Symphony Space
We’re interested in your response to these programs. Please comment on this site or visit www.selectedshorts.org.
The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Contest
Have you always wanted to try your hand at a story story? Here’s your chance: our annual writing contest. Go to symphonyspace.org for details of the 2009 contest.
Listener’s choice!
On June 9th, 2010, SELECTED SHORTS at Symphony Space in New York will feature stories selected by our nationwide audience. Go to to submit your suggestions for a published story you think we should read. Then in the spring, you’ll vote for your favorite from among the final contenders.
Three contemporary female authors, three splendid actresses and three rather different stories, each about women in transition—geographically, morally, or emotionally.
The first two stories on this program were part of a SELECTED SHORTS evening at Symphony Space called PASSPORT TO LONDON, and were written by two women who represent different strands in the multi-racial, multi-ethnic fabric of that great metropolis. Shereen Pandit was a lawyer and political activist in South Africa before she was exiled in 1987 and moved to London. The first-person narrator of her story “She Shall Not Be Moved” is also a political exile, and experiences a crisis of conscience during an incident on a London bus. Reader Rita Wolf began her career at London’s Royal Court Theatre and appeared “My Beautiful Laundrette” among other films and stage plays.
The program’s second London-based story, “Loose Change,” was written by Andrea Levy, a Londoner whose four novels explore the issues faced by black Jamaican emigrants living in that city. In this case, the confident narrator, whose grandmother was one of those emigrants, is faced with the plight of a more recent émigré, from Eastern Europe. The story is read by Eve Best, who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and starred in the revival of Harold Pinter’s “THE HOMECOMING” both in London and on Broadway. She currently co-stars on the television series “NURSE JACKIE.”
Our third and final story returns us to America, and Molly Giles’ whimsical story “Pie Dance.” A woman, her former husband, his current wife, and the family dog are the principal characters in this little domestic comedy. Giles teaches in the Creative Writing Department at San Francisco State University. The reader is the award-winning actress Kate Burton, whose Broadway roles include “Hedda Gabler” and Ranevskaya in “The Cherry Orchard.”
The musical interlude in this program is from Modest Moussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”, and the SELECTED SHORTS theme is Roger Kellaway’s “Come to the Meadow.”
“She Shall Not Be Moved,” by Shereen Pandit, read by Rita Wolf
“Loose Change,” by Andrea Levy read by Eve Best
“Pie Dance,” by Molly Giles read by Kate Burton.
For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit Symphony Space
We’re interested in your response to these programs. Please comment on this site or visit www.selectedshorts.org.
The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Contest
Have you always wanted to try your hand at a story story? Here’s your chance: our annual writing contest. Go to symphonyspace.org for details of the 2009 contest.
Listener’s choice!
On June 9th, 2010, SELECTED SHORTS at Symphony Space in New York will feature stories selected by our nationwide audience. Go to to submit your suggestions for a published story you think we should read. Then in the spring, you’ll vote for your favorite from among the final contenders.
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