Radio Roundup
Jul. 8th, 2019 07:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tealinFACTUAL
A Weekend in Butetown - Did you know Cardiff has had a thriving Somali community for over a hundred years? I learned that from this documentary several years ago, and that's why I have a Somali wagon driver delivering goods to the Terra Nova in my comic.
Britain's Black Revolutionary - As the working class grew and enabled the Industrial Revolution, campaigns to extend voting rights to them got more heated. William Cuffay, son of a slave, was a leader of that struggle in 1840s London, but has been largely forgotten by history.
Van Gogh: Seeing Red - Getting to know Vincent Van Gogh through his vibrant and unique correspondence.
FICTIONAL
Doctor Who: Curse of Davros - The Doctor (in this case Colin Baker) is once again battling to save the universe from the Daleks – in this case by preventing them from throwing the Battle of Waterloo. I'd forgotten what a fun time the Big Finish audio dramas are, and how well produced.
Cadfael - Solving murders during the 12th Century English civil war is a tough job and probably feels like a drop in the bucket, but when you're the monastery's apothecary it's just what you do.
Alice Through the Looking Glass - I confess I haven't listened to this one yet, but it looks like a good cast, and radio is better for doing surrealism than practically anything else.
Day of the Triffids - I link to this reading of John Wyndham's iconic classic every time it comes around because it's fantastic. The idea of monster man-eating plants may sound corny, but the story is actually about societal collapse and human nature, and it does it brilliantly.
Pygmalion - George Bernard Shaw's play from which My Fair Lady was adapted. This production is slightly plodding, but it's interesting to get the class and gender commentary which was mostly too inconvenient for the musical.
FUNNY
John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme - Look, all of Series 8 is online right now; if you have three hours' worth of work to do, this will carry you through it like one of those giant eagles from Lord of the Rings. And if that wasn't enough ...
Cabin Pressure Series 3 is rerunning, which is my personal favouite, so if you want Lemons in Play or Otters in the Flight Deck, join Captain Martin du Creff and the Yogi Bear of the Drinks Trolley as they fly the (mostly) friendly skies.
A Trespasser's Guide to the Classics - Several well-known works of literature are invaded by two troublemakers and, to varying degrees, upended. Prior knowledge of literature is not required, but if you would prefer to have some, looking up the Wishbone episode will probably suffice. (I don't think Wishbone did The Cherry Orchard, though.)
The Horne Section - The children's show for grownups is back, with its oh-so-charming mix of music, comedy, and late-night silliness.
The 99p Challenge - I simply cannot overstate the brilliance of this barmy panel game, nor how proud I am of 'my' 99p gang for all becoming big big stars (though it'd be nice to hear them on the radio again). Sue Perkins, Simon Pegg, Peter Serafinowicz, Armando Iannucci, etc on ONE SHOW, it's mad! In more ways than one!
The Armando Iannucci Show - Speaking of the 99p Gang, before he was doing things like The Thick of It, The Death of Stalin, and Veep, Armando Iannucci was being weird on Radio 1. Luckily it was recorded. We are quite possibly living in his imagination now, so it behoves you to know who he is.
Elephant in the Room - A new panel show in which the participants are compared to a survey sample in terms of the averageness – or lack thereof – of their tastes and life experiences. If for nothing else, listen for the large library of hilarious names. (You will probably laugh a few times in between those, too.)
Andrew Maxwell's Public Enemies - The Irish comedian talks about Scottish independence, UKIP, and nationalism in a depressingly prescient standup show from 2013.
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue - It will never be the same since the loss of Jeremy Hardy's great musical talent, but holy bananas Pippa Evans brings down the house. Also nice to see a gesture to equal opportunity in the scorer's seat.
A Weekend in Butetown - Did you know Cardiff has had a thriving Somali community for over a hundred years? I learned that from this documentary several years ago, and that's why I have a Somali wagon driver delivering goods to the Terra Nova in my comic.
Britain's Black Revolutionary - As the working class grew and enabled the Industrial Revolution, campaigns to extend voting rights to them got more heated. William Cuffay, son of a slave, was a leader of that struggle in 1840s London, but has been largely forgotten by history.
Van Gogh: Seeing Red - Getting to know Vincent Van Gogh through his vibrant and unique correspondence.
FICTIONAL
Doctor Who: Curse of Davros - The Doctor (in this case Colin Baker) is once again battling to save the universe from the Daleks – in this case by preventing them from throwing the Battle of Waterloo. I'd forgotten what a fun time the Big Finish audio dramas are, and how well produced.
Cadfael - Solving murders during the 12th Century English civil war is a tough job and probably feels like a drop in the bucket, but when you're the monastery's apothecary it's just what you do.
Alice Through the Looking Glass - I confess I haven't listened to this one yet, but it looks like a good cast, and radio is better for doing surrealism than practically anything else.
Day of the Triffids - I link to this reading of John Wyndham's iconic classic every time it comes around because it's fantastic. The idea of monster man-eating plants may sound corny, but the story is actually about societal collapse and human nature, and it does it brilliantly.
Pygmalion - George Bernard Shaw's play from which My Fair Lady was adapted. This production is slightly plodding, but it's interesting to get the class and gender commentary which was mostly too inconvenient for the musical.
FUNNY
John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme - Look, all of Series 8 is online right now; if you have three hours' worth of work to do, this will carry you through it like one of those giant eagles from Lord of the Rings. And if that wasn't enough ...
Cabin Pressure Series 3 is rerunning, which is my personal favouite, so if you want Lemons in Play or Otters in the Flight Deck, join Captain Martin du Creff and the Yogi Bear of the Drinks Trolley as they fly the (mostly) friendly skies.
A Trespasser's Guide to the Classics - Several well-known works of literature are invaded by two troublemakers and, to varying degrees, upended. Prior knowledge of literature is not required, but if you would prefer to have some, looking up the Wishbone episode will probably suffice. (I don't think Wishbone did The Cherry Orchard, though.)
The Horne Section - The children's show for grownups is back, with its oh-so-charming mix of music, comedy, and late-night silliness.
The 99p Challenge - I simply cannot overstate the brilliance of this barmy panel game, nor how proud I am of 'my' 99p gang for all becoming big big stars (though it'd be nice to hear them on the radio again). Sue Perkins, Simon Pegg, Peter Serafinowicz, Armando Iannucci, etc on ONE SHOW, it's mad! In more ways than one!
The Armando Iannucci Show - Speaking of the 99p Gang, before he was doing things like The Thick of It, The Death of Stalin, and Veep, Armando Iannucci was being weird on Radio 1. Luckily it was recorded. We are quite possibly living in his imagination now, so it behoves you to know who he is.
Elephant in the Room - A new panel show in which the participants are compared to a survey sample in terms of the averageness – or lack thereof – of their tastes and life experiences. If for nothing else, listen for the large library of hilarious names. (You will probably laugh a few times in between those, too.)
Andrew Maxwell's Public Enemies - The Irish comedian talks about Scottish independence, UKIP, and nationalism in a depressingly prescient standup show from 2013.
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue - It will never be the same since the loss of Jeremy Hardy's great musical talent, but holy bananas Pippa Evans brings down the house. Also nice to see a gesture to equal opportunity in the scorer's seat.
