Ben Tagoe is a screenwriter and playwright. His plays Bittersweet Sunshine (2010) and The Thing About Psychopaths (2013) were produced by Red Ladder Theatre. He is a consulting producer on season 3 of Amazon Prime’s hit series The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, and is adapting his stage play Better Days for TV. His numerous TV writing credits include EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

When did you first work with Red Ladder Theatre and what was the production?

Bittersweet Sunshine was actually my first professional commission, so it was a huge deal for me. At the time the BBC had launched the BBC Writer’s Academy and I’d applied for it two years in a row, even though I didn’t really have the professional credentials because the stipulation was you needed to have a professional theatre commission, or a TV or radio commission. That first proper professional allowed me to apply for the Writer’s Academy properly and I got in the next year, which I wouldn’t have been able to do without that Red Ladder commission.

What are your standout memories of collaborating with the theatre company?

I was having a lot of meetings with various different people and I met Rod Dixon, who was artistic director at the time, through Freedom Studios in Bradford. Rod was a bit of a maverick and I went in with a couple of ideas for stage plays and he liked the idea for Bittersweet Sunshine and I walked out of that meeting with my first professional commission. Bittersweet Sunshine was the first time I’d seen my work performed in front of a paying audience and the fear, thrill and excitement of that awoke something in me. A play that goes well is the best experience you will have as a writer because you see people’s responses in the room and you can tell when they’re really enjoying it. And I had that with this.

What makes Red Ladder important?

In terms of the writing ecosystem in Leeds, Red Ladder has always been really important. The Thing About Psychopaths was initially a seed commission, put on as a scratch night upstairs with a few other plays, before becoming a full commission. So there’s a real willingness to take a chance and to be passionate about fostering new talent.

How crucial are organisations like Red Ladder when it comes to nurturing new creative talent in the North?

Down the years I don’t think there’s any other organisation in Leeds that has done as much to promote, help and nurse new writing talent, and probably acting talent as well. Certainly from a writing point of view, Red Ladder has been the organisation in Leeds that has done more than any other in that regard. There was this Red Writers group that went on for a couple of years. We used to meet up every few months and there was me, David Peace, Boff Whalley, Alice Nutter, Nick Ahad, Emma Adams and people like that. It was a Red Ladder thing that went a bit under the radar. They provided tea and biscuits and a room, and we met up to talk about writing and mentor each other and support one another’s careers.

What impact has Red Ladder had on your career?

It’s never just about one big break, but that first Red Ladder commission really started off a chain of events that moved my career forward massively in those first few years. Smaller companies like Red Ladder, and Freedom Studios over in Bradford, have helped bring on new writers and without them I don’t think people really know where to go. I don’t think my career would have taken off in the way it has without Red Ladder, that’s for sure.

The Thing About Psychopaths: Babajide Fado, Shaun Cowlishaw, Kyla Goddey and William Fox credit Tim Smith

What does Red Ladder mean to you now?

There’s a passion and affection for the company for what they’ve done, not just for me personally, but many other people. I recognise that having an organisation like Red Ladder in the city is really important, because there’s got to be somewhere for the next generation of writing talent to start off. Also, it’s not just about the theatre world, it’s about being there for the communities throughout the city and people of all classes and backgrounds.

How would you describe Red Ladder to a friend?

It’s a small Leeds-based theatre organisation (and the Leeds-based aspect is really important) that punches above its weight, especially when it comes to nurturing new talent.