Radio Roundup - Election Hangover Edition
Well, it's been an unsettling two weeks, and while there are fights to be fought and civilisations to be saved, sometimes you just need to curl up in a dark corner with some aural opiates and get away from it all. That is what I'm here for, ladies and gentlemen!
First up is a very special rerun:
EREBUS
NON-ELECTION CONTENT
Over Sea, Under Stone - I had a minor obsession with this book in grade 6, which instilled a love of British folklore and Deep Time. It takes itself refreshingly seriously for old-school YA adventure; the peril is real and the fantasy woven into the reality very plausibly. I hope we get The Dark Is Rising for Christmas ...
Watership Down - Speaking of formative childhood reading, I can trace nearly everything in my life back to my dad reading this to me when I was 5. Nice to hear it done seriously in a new production from one of my favourite radio directors.
Open Country: Watership Down - A few years ago, the BBC sent their rambling correspondent to the location of the above book, for an audio exploration – consider it a DVD extra.
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde's story of the perennially fresh-faced dissolute Mr Gray and his dark secret, very capably dramatised. The elder Henry character makes me wonder if it's an allusion, because –
Old Harry's Game - uses an old nickname for Old Nick to title the everlastingly entertaining sitcom starring Satan. Yes.
Listen Against - Radio 4 gets lost in its own navel and finds some amusingly-shaped lint
The Skivers - Barmy sketch comedy, you know how I like these things
Ray Bradbury stories - A series of readings of Ray Bradbury's short sci-fi stories; there are roughly three per episode so you can load up on a whole bunch of brilliance.
The People's Post - A narrative history of the post office. If you, like me, have found Going Postal an adequate prerequisite for current events, this may be of especial interest.
Denmark Hill - Alan Bennett's retelling of Hamlet, set in a modern London suburb
John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme - You know it's good.
Saki - Three hours devoted to the Edwardian short story writer who had a rather sardonic view of his society.
ELECTION CONTENT
The Now Show - Punt and Dennis have the unenviable task of making all this dire news funny. Which they do! Never mind the undercurrent of despair. 'S fine. Everything's fine.
The Unbelievable Truth - This panel game is always worth a listen, but this particular episode has John Finnemore telling a load of fibs about Donald Trump. If you'd rather not hear that name, you can select another episode.
Rich Hall's (US Election) Breakdown - US comedian Rich Hall recorded a topical comedy show in the States for airing in the run-up to the election on Radio 4; this is the post-election episode.
First up is a very special rerun:
EREBUS
This utterly transporting sound/prose/music collage took me completely by surprise when it aired in 2012; remarkably it hasn't been repeated until now – or, that is, last week; I was too busy wallowing post-election to catch it when it aired, so you only have three weeks to listen instead of the usual month. I highly recommend you do, though, as this is pretty much the epitome of what radio is capable of as an artistic medium; even if you're not super into polar stuff, it'll carry you away for three quarters of an hour.
NON-ELECTION CONTENT
Over Sea, Under Stone - I had a minor obsession with this book in grade 6, which instilled a love of British folklore and Deep Time. It takes itself refreshingly seriously for old-school YA adventure; the peril is real and the fantasy woven into the reality very plausibly. I hope we get The Dark Is Rising for Christmas ...
Watership Down - Speaking of formative childhood reading, I can trace nearly everything in my life back to my dad reading this to me when I was 5. Nice to hear it done seriously in a new production from one of my favourite radio directors.
Open Country: Watership Down - A few years ago, the BBC sent their rambling correspondent to the location of the above book, for an audio exploration – consider it a DVD extra.
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde's story of the perennially fresh-faced dissolute Mr Gray and his dark secret, very capably dramatised. The elder Henry character makes me wonder if it's an allusion, because –
Old Harry's Game - uses an old nickname for Old Nick to title the everlastingly entertaining sitcom starring Satan. Yes.
Listen Against - Radio 4 gets lost in its own navel and finds some amusingly-shaped lint
The Skivers - Barmy sketch comedy, you know how I like these things
Ray Bradbury stories - A series of readings of Ray Bradbury's short sci-fi stories; there are roughly three per episode so you can load up on a whole bunch of brilliance.
The People's Post - A narrative history of the post office. If you, like me, have found Going Postal an adequate prerequisite for current events, this may be of especial interest.
Denmark Hill - Alan Bennett's retelling of Hamlet, set in a modern London suburb
John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme - You know it's good.
Saki - Three hours devoted to the Edwardian short story writer who had a rather sardonic view of his society.
ELECTION CONTENT
The Now Show - Punt and Dennis have the unenviable task of making all this dire news funny. Which they do! Never mind the undercurrent of despair. 'S fine. Everything's fine.
The Unbelievable Truth - This panel game is always worth a listen, but this particular episode has John Finnemore telling a load of fibs about Donald Trump. If you'd rather not hear that name, you can select another episode.
Rich Hall's (US Election) Breakdown - US comedian Rich Hall recorded a topical comedy show in the States for airing in the run-up to the election on Radio 4; this is the post-election episode.