Spoonface Steinberg

Story

The monologue of a seven year old autistic girl who is terminally ill with cancer.

Why we chose it

A radio play which had a profound effect on listeners, which went on to find new audiences on television and on stage.

Where it came from

First broadcast on Radio 4, the play became a radio phenomenon. It was part of a quartet of dramas by Lee Hall called In God’s Country. Each was told from the perspective of a child and they explored issues such as faith, death, parents’ relationships and divorce.

Where it went next

There was a huge listener response with people phoning the BBC to thank them for broadcasting it. A repeat followed only a few days after the original broadcast.

The radio play won awards. Television and stage adaptations followed.

Associated stories

Another of the Gods Own Country plays, I Luv You Jimmy Spud was adapted by Hall in 2000 into a film Gabriel and Me, which starred Billy.

Hall has written for theatre and for film. His play The Pitman Painters tells the story of the Ashington group, a group of miners who became artists.

Hall wrote the script for the stage version of Shakespeare in Love adapted from the film. His best known film is Billy Elliot for which he received an Oscar nomination. More recent films include Rocketman and Victoria and Abdul.