Yet Another Cycling Forum

Off Topic => The Pub => Arts and Entertainment => Topic started by: citoyen on 03 April, 2019, 09:25:41 am

Title: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 03 April, 2019, 09:25:41 am
We have a TV thread but not, as far as I am aware, a general one for radio. So here you go...

And I'll kick it off with a recommendation for the new series of Meet David Sedaris, starting on Radio 4 at 6.30pm tomorrow.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003rk8

I know this will be good because I went to one of the recordings. He's very entertaining.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 03 April, 2019, 10:27:27 am
We have a TV thread but not, as far as I am aware, a general one for radio. So here you go...

And I'll kick it off with a recommendation for the new series of Meet David Sedaris, starting on Radio 4 at 6.30pm tomorrow.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003rk8

I know this will be good because I went to one of the recordings. He's very entertaining.
... and pretty unique, IMHO!

Massive fan here.

I started reading one of his books last week. I was pessimistic, as his stage delivery is so brilliant - would the stories work on the quiet page? The answer so far is yes.
[I think it's called Lets Talk to Owls about Dyslexia - or something equally surreal.]
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 03 April, 2019, 10:52:38 am
We have a TV thread but not, as far as I am aware, a general one for radio. So here you go...

And I'll kick it off with a recommendation for the new series of Meet David Sedaris, starting on Radio 4 at 6.30pm tomorrow.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003rk8

I know this will be good because I went to one of the recordings. He's very entertaining.
... and pretty unique, IMHO!

Massive fan here.

I started reading one of his books last week. I was pessimistic, as his stage delivery is so brilliant - would the stories work on the quiet page? The answer so far is yes.
[I think it's called Lets Talk to Owls about Dyslexia - or something equally surreal.]
"Pretty unique"? <twitch>.  But yes, he's well worth a listen.

There's a new series of John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme on the way. I know this because I went to a recording last night, in London's famous London.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 03 April, 2019, 11:04:12 am
There's a new series of John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme on the way.

 :thumbsup:

 Consistently the funniest radio sketch show. Although I only discovered it after he'd already done about five series - though obviously I was already familiar with him through other stuff, eg Cabin Pressure. Luckily they're frequently repeated on 4 Extra.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 03 April, 2019, 11:12:56 am
I started reading one of his books last week. I was pessimistic, as his stage delivery is so brilliant - would the stories work on the quiet page? The answer so far is yes.

I've never read any of his books but I imagine that it would be impossible to read one without "hearing" his voice.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 03 April, 2019, 11:19:44 am
"Pretty unique"? <twitch>.
:D

You are welcome to report me on The Other Thread, where I'm sure many will delight in my ignorance of Proper English!
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 03 April, 2019, 11:21:44 am
There's a new series of John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme on the way.

 :thumbsup:

 Consistently the funniest radio sketch show. Although I only discovered it after he'd already done about five series - though obviously I was already familiar with him through other stuff, eg Cabin Pressure. Luckily they're frequently repeated on 4 Extra.
Also luckily I've downloaded them all using get_iplayer.  Did you catch Double Acts as well?
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 03 April, 2019, 11:39:07 am
There's a new series of John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme on the way.

 :thumbsup:

 Consistently the funniest radio sketch show.

The sketch that really hooked me was the "Kirates". (the pirates skulls that had no lips - sorry, should that be "pirate's skulls' " ?)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 03 April, 2019, 11:48:33 am
Did anyone catch Tumanbay, the third series of which has just finished? The BBC website says "Epic saga created by John Dryden and Mike Walker, inspired by the Mamluk slave dynasty of Egypt."

Palace plotting, intrigue and death. Lots of death.  A wide range of actors, some of whom I've never encountered before and some old favourites (Anton Lesser, John Sessions for example)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 03 April, 2019, 12:36:15 pm
Did you catch Double Acts as well?

No, that one passed me by. Will keep an ear out for it on 4 Extra.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 03 April, 2019, 02:48:56 pm
Did you catch Double Acts as well?

No, that one passed me by. Will keep an ear out for it on 4 Extra.
I can do stuff with dropbox if you want.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: De Sisti on 03 April, 2019, 04:19:54 pm
When I saw the headline I was about to recommend a Roberts radio that I had just purchased.
Perhaps the title should be changed slightly to something like: Radio listening recommndations,
or What's worth listening to on the radio?
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 03 April, 2019, 05:49:42 pm
I can do stuff with dropbox if you want.

YHPM
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 03 April, 2019, 06:24:51 pm
Did you catch Double Acts as well?

No, that one passed me by. Will keep an ear out for it on 4 Extra.
I can do stuff with dropbox if you want.
Repeats start Friday 12th!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08t17yt/broadcasts/upcoming
(an awful picture of the brilliant Isy Suttie there)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Redlight on 08 April, 2019, 02:13:15 pm
I just listened to about 20 minutes of a new Radio 4 "comedy" called Saddled.

Yes, it's about a cycling club.

No, it isn't worth wasting your time on.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 15 April, 2019, 10:19:22 am
Been listening to Double Acts over the weekend (thanks, Tim). It's brilliant. Has a touch of Inside No.9 about it.

The one with Alison Steadman and Isy Suttie (Wysinnwyg) is my favourite so far - proper LOL hilarious.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 15 April, 2019, 11:19:00 pm
Been listening to Double Acts over the weekend (thanks, Tim). It's brilliant. Has a touch of Inside No.9 about it.

The one with Alison Steadman and Isy Suttie (Wysinnwyg) is my favourite so far - proper LOL hilarious.
No problems, glad you're enjoying them. I think English for Pony Lovers is my favourite from that series.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 16 April, 2019, 10:18:05 am
I think English for Pony Lovers is my favourite from that series.

Listened to that one last night. Very good. Took a few unexpected turns!
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 02 May, 2019, 11:43:03 am
There's a new series of Simon Evans goes to Market in the six thirty slot on Wednesday on The Home Service Radio 4. He's looking at three big figures from the world of economics, last week was Adam Smith, this week was Karl Marx, next week will be John Maynard Keynes. The final episode will be a fight to the death between the three. Or something. Helped by Tim Harford, off of More or Less, it's v funny. They shoe horned several groan making Marx puns into the latest episode.   
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Man in a tree on 02 May, 2019, 05:07:04 pm
I thought Simon Evans Goes to Market was good, although he does sometimes get a bit overexcited and shouty, which I like less. I am also glad John Finnemore is returning; that man has funny bones.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 03 May, 2019, 07:49:41 am
"Love in recovery" a Radio 4 comedy set at an alcoholics anonymous meeting is one of the best radio things I have heard for a while. Funny and poignant in equal measures. Has a stellar cast, John Hannah, Sue Johnston, Paul Kaye and Rebecca Front amongst others. Series 3 is still available to download from teh BBC.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 03 May, 2019, 07:52:13 am
Another good one is "War and Peace" that's been repeated on Radio4 Extra at the moment.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04wz7q2/episodes/player
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 06 May, 2019, 09:54:45 pm
Cerys Matthews Blues Show - Radio 2 Mondays at 9:00pm

Reliably good with great guests.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 10 May, 2019, 10:40:35 am
If anyone heard David Sedaris on R4 and was wondering what was the brilliant money-making idea deemed not fit for radio, I can tell you that it was...

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 11 May, 2019, 07:39:30 pm
I hope you are listening to the 3-hr Sedaris-athon on 7extra now - includes his appearance on Ramblings (mainly about litter-picking).

I can't think of anything more down-wiv-the-kidz that I could listen to right now.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 13 May, 2019, 08:30:49 pm
Saturday afternoon's drama was the third Teodor Szacki mystery to grace the airwaves. He's a Polish Prosecutor, doing the investigation stuff. Written by Zygmunt Milosewszki, translated by  Antonia Lloyd Jones and produced by Mark Lawson off of the wireless. I enjoyed the previous outing, around a year ago, so will give this a go too.


Meanwhile, this coming Sunday sees a tribute to Jeremy Hardy on 4Extra, with his production of Dario Fo's "Acciodental Death of an Anarchist" featuring Adrian Edmonson, Jennifer Saunders, Jill Gascoine, Stephen Frost and Mark Steel.

There's more Hardy (not Thomas) stuff coming up.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 16 May, 2019, 05:06:49 pm
I've just finished listening to China Towns, a series of 11 plays based on the novels of Arnold Bennett. Historical drama set in the "five towns" (six in Real Life) which became Stoke on Trent.  Go and grab them off BBC Sounds.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 16 May, 2019, 05:21:23 pm
I've just finished listening to China Towns, a series of 11 plays based on the novels of Arnold Bennett. Historical drama set in the "five towns" (six in Real Life) which became Stoke on Trent.  Go and grab them off BBC Sounds.

Thanks. I'm a fan of his books so I'll definitely give those a go.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Ham on 16 May, 2019, 08:23:29 pm
I need to be following this thread.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 17 May, 2019, 11:18:17 am
There's more Hardy (not Thomas) stuff coming up.

And last night at 1830, Sandy Toksvig presented show 1 of 2 of "When Jeremy Hardy Spoke to the Nation".
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Paul on 17 May, 2019, 12:48:55 pm
There's more Hardy (not Thomas) stuff coming up.

And last night at 1830, Sandy Toksvig presented show 1 of 2 of "When Jeremy Hardy Spoke to the Nation".

I enjoyed this, but not as much as I'd expected. I like Sandy Toksvig, but I thought she was a bit intrusive. I also thought the chosen clips weren't the best, but maybe JH's work suffers more than some when fragmented/taken out of context?

Still, good enough.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 18 May, 2019, 03:05:04 pm
Saturday afternoon's drama was the third Teodor Szacki mystery to grace the airwaves. He's a Polish Prosecutor, doing the investigation stuff. Written by Zygmunt Milosewszki, translated by  Antonia Lloyd Jones and produced by Mark Lawson off of the wireless. I enjoyed the previous outing, around a year ago, so will give this a go too.


Part two is on this afternoon. Nearly finish so BBC sounds or get_iplayer are your friends.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 20 May, 2019, 02:33:21 pm
There's a Lee Hall series under way on 4 Extra.  First offering was broadcast today "I Luv You Jimmy Spud".  Starts off light hearted (our hero is a trainee Angel in Newcastle) but gets a bit dark as it goes on.

Tomorrow we've got "The Love Letters of Regie Patel", Wednesday sees "The Sorrows of Sandra Saint" and Thursday has the magnificent "Spoonface Steinberg".   


I'll have a hanky ready.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 May, 2019, 08:58:56 am
New series of John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme starts tonight at 1830, R4.

Meanwhile the 15 minute drama (1040 & 1945 R4) is the latest series of Gudrun. a "Viking epic of love revenge and faith", although as it's in Iceland shouldn't that be a "saga"?

Finally there's a series of Raffles on 4 Extra that I don't think I've head before, with Jeremy Clyde as AJ Raffles and Oliver Sterling Michael Cochrane as Bunny Manders. In a fit of coincidence, Mikchael Cochrane popped up half an hour later in something called Terminal Journals, a comedy set in a Victorian publishers.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Riggers on 22 May, 2019, 10:04:50 am
We have a TV thread but not, as far as I am aware, a general one for radio. So here you go...

And I'll kick it off with a recommendation for the new series of Meet David Sedaris, starting on Radio 4 at 6.30pm tomorrow.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003rk8

I know this will be good because I went to one of the recordings. He's very entertaining.
... and pretty unique, IMHO!

It helps when, in-your-head, you read it in the same voice and delivery as David.

Massive fan here.

I started reading one of his books last week. I was pessimistic, as his stage delivery is so brilliant - would the stories work on the quiet page? The answer so far is yes.
[I think it's called Lets Talk to Owls about Dyslexia - or something equally surreal.]
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Riggers on 22 May, 2019, 10:06:04 am
^ It might help if my bon mot was sat outside the quote! Doh!!!

It helps when, in-your-head, you read it in the same voice and delivery as David.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 22 May, 2019, 11:30:54 am
New series of John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme starts tonight at 1830, R4.

Woo!

Quote
Finally there's a series of Raffles on 4 Extra that I don't think I've head before, with Jeremy Clyde as AJ Raffles and Oliver Sterling Michael Cochrane as Bunny Manders. In a fit of coincidence, Mikchael Cochrane popped up half an hour later in something called Terminal Journals, a comedy set in a Victorian publishers.

I started listening to that last night. Good, gentle fun. I thought that voice sounded familiar!
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 22 May, 2019, 11:53:16 am
Ed Reardon's Week always makes me smile. Just checked and its in its 13th series!
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 22 May, 2019, 01:34:13 pm
Ed Reardon's Week always makes me smile. Just checked and its in its 13th series!

What's really interesting is listening to some of the older ones and realising how it has evolved over the years - very much changing with the times. Also following Ping's career progression from office junior to head of the agency.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 22 May, 2019, 01:47:58 pm
This weeks episode where he and Jaz Milvane took part in a scripted reality show was brilliant.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 May, 2019, 02:06:33 pm

Quote
Finally there's a series of Raffles on 4 Extra that I don't think I've head before, with Jeremy Clyde as AJ Raffles and Oliver Sterling Michael Cochrane as Bunny Manders. In a fit of coincidence, Mikchael Cochrane popped up half an hour later in something called Terminal Journals, a comedy set in a Victorian publishers.

I started listening to that last night. Good, gentle fun. I thought that voice sounded familiar!
Trivia time: EW Hornung, creator of Raffles, gentleman jewel thief, was the brother in law of Arthur Conan Doyle.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 22 May, 2019, 04:01:17 pm
Trivia time: EW Hornung, creator of Raffles, gentleman jewel thief, was the brother in law of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Funnily enough, the episode I was listening to last night seemed to be somewhat 'inspired' by Sherlock Holmes - with Bunny believing his friend to be dead then being interviewed by a strange character who turns out to be none other than <redacted for spoilers! - ed>
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 May, 2019, 04:55:58 pm
Ed Reardon's Week always makes me smile. Just checked and its in its 13th series!
Speaking of Ed Reardon's Week reminds me of this:

Quote
The story deals with the literary world that Gissing himself had experienced. Its title refers to the London street, Grub Street, which in the 18th century became synonymous with hack literature; by Gissing's time, Grub Street itself no longer existed, though hack-writing certainly did. Its two central characters are a sharply contrasted pair of writers: Edwin Reardon, a novelist of some talent but limited commercial prospects, and a shy, cerebral man; and Jasper Milvain, a young journalist, hard-working and capable of generosity, but cynical and only semi-scrupulous about writing and its purpose in the modern (i.e. late Victorian) world.

That's from the Wikipedia article about George Gissing's "New Grub street", published 1891. There was a Radio 4 adaptation a couple of years ago, adapted by a certain Christopher Douglas and featuring, umm, Christopher Douglas as Edwin Reardon.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 May, 2019, 05:10:06 pm
Meanwhile in what used to be the "Afternoon Play" slot this week sees a second series of "Keeping The Wolf Out" by Philip Palmer. It's Cold War era detective drama set in Hungary. Murder, intrigue, betrayal, that kind of stuff.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 22 May, 2019, 06:05:06 pm
That's from the Wikipedia article about George Gissing's "New Grub street", published 1891. There was a Radio 4 adaptation a couple of years ago, adapted by a certain Christopher Douglas and featuring, umm, Christopher Douglas as Edwin Reardon.

I read that some years ago (before it was on the radio) and was much amused at discovering Christopher Douglas's source of inspiration. It's a superb book, highly recommended. Although the similarities between Edwin/Ed and Jasper/Jaz are fairly superficial.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Man in a tree on 29 May, 2019, 10:49:18 am
Meanwhile the 15 minute drama (1040 & 1945 R4) is the latest series of Gudrun. a "Viking epic of love revenge and faith", although as it's in Iceland shouldn't that be a "saga"?

I don't know, but it does seem to be going on ... and on ... and on. Maybe it's just me, but it absolutely makes me want to pack my ears with snow so I don't have to hear Gudrun's (that's Guthrrrrrrrrun's) flat monotone, weak-Bjork-impersonating voice droning on.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 29 May, 2019, 09:55:14 pm
Meanwhile the 15 minute drama (1040 & 1945 R4) is the latest series of Gudrun. a "Viking epic of love revenge and faith", although as it's in Iceland shouldn't that be a "saga"?

I don't know, but it does seem to be going on ... and on ... and on. Maybe it's just me, but it absolutely makes me want to pack my ears with snow so I don't have to hear Gudrun's (that's Guthrrrrrrrrun's) flat monotone, weak-Bjork-impersonating voice droning on.

It needs a certain mind set I find. It took me several goes to get through the last series (I had it downloaded).  Long motorway journeys seem to work best.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 13 June, 2019, 09:18:13 am
Just catching up on "The Write Stuff" on BBC Sounds.  Author of the week is Ernest Hemingway and for the set piece the guests provide Christmas round robin letters written in Papa's style.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 13 June, 2019, 09:19:31 pm
This Sunday evening sees another series of Anika Strandhed, chief of the Osli Police boat patrol. Scandi crime on the wireless.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 14 June, 2019, 03:19:31 pm
4 Extra are broadcasting a 1957 production of Rattigan's "The Browning Version" with dear, dear Johnny taking the role of Crocker Harris.  You could say it's the Gielgud Version of The Browning Version.  I've not heard this one before. I've got the Martin Jarvis production downloaded, which, I've just noticed, stars Joanne Whalley (little moment).
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 16 June, 2019, 07:18:41 pm
Series 3 of Cabin Pressure, by John Finnemore, gets another airing, starting tonight on 4 Extra.  Finnemore is also in it, with Stephanie Cole, Benedict Cumberbatch and the marvellously dry Roger Allam.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 17 June, 2019, 11:20:02 am
Meanwhile, this morning my mind is being distracted from work and Real Life by listening to Doonesburyland, a documentary/comment/history of the first cartoon strip to win a Pulitzer prize. 4 Extra. 
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 20 June, 2019, 12:14:06 pm
FX: tap tap <is this thing on?>

Years ago, on Not The Nine O'clock News, there was a sketch taking the piss out of late night arts shows. Mel Smith (probably) played a hairy arsed oik. The dialogue went something like this:


Mel Smith: "I don't know a lot about art, but I know what I like"

Pamela Stevenson (probably): "And what do you like?"

MS: "Stock car racing"

Anyway, this memory caused a slight boggle, when I spotted in the 4Extra schedule "Stock Car Sewell" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tjvxc) where Brian Sewell "explores his passion for the noise, drama and destruction of stock car racing. From 2010."
 
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 20 June, 2019, 09:03:42 pm
FX: tap tap <is this thing on?>

Heh. I’m still following the thread, just haven’t had anything to contribute lately.

I saw that Brian Sewell thing in the listings and was intrigued but haven’t listened yet. Will give it a go.

BBC Sounds has the whole nine series of Mark Steel’s In Town available to listen to at the moment. Some of his material is a bit past its sell-by date, and the gags are basically the sane everywhere he goes, he just tweaks them a bit to suit the location. But I like it. It makes good bedtime listening - amusing but not too challenging. And Mark Steel himself is very personable - which is why he can get away with being so rude about everywhere he visits.

That’s probably a bit too half-hearted to count as a real recommendation.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 20 June, 2019, 09:06:48 pm
Cycling content klaxon: Gideon Coe is doing his regular (ie annual) Tour de France themed special on his 6music evening show imminently. He did mention it the other night but I was only half listening so didn’t catch the date.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 21 June, 2019, 12:15:37 pm
FX: tap tap <is this thing on?>

Heh. I’m still following the thread, just haven’t had anything to contribute lately.

I saw that Brian Sewell thing in the listings and was intrigued but haven’t listened yet. Will give it a go.

BBC Sounds has the whole nine series of Mark Steel’s In Town available to listen to at the moment. Some of his material is a bit past its sell-by date, and the gags are basically the sane everywhere he goes, he just tweaks them a bit to suit the location. But I like it. It makes good bedtime listening - amusing but not too challenging. And Mark Steel himself is very personable - which is why he can get away with being so rude about everywhere he visits.

That’s probably a bit too half-hearted to count as a real recommendation.
Did you catch the episode where he was on Alderney? One of his recurring themes was lack of local services vs low taxation.  There was some booing...
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 21 June, 2019, 12:27:52 pm
Cycling content klaxon: Gideon Coe is doing his regular (ie annual) Tour de France themed special on his 6music evening show imminently. He did mention it the other night but I was only half listening so didn’t catch the date.

Ooh, I'll point get_iplayer at that. Also worth a delve is 6 Music Live Hour. Amongst the stuff I've never heard of are some gems.  The current episode has Elvis Costello at Barrowlands in 2004 while in their archive is a gig featuring Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames and "five young gentlemen making such an impact on the hit parade currently". Which is how the Rolling Stones were described by Long John Baldry, going full on Jazz Club, in 1964.

Download, mangle in Audacity into separate tracks, voila live album.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 21 June, 2019, 12:49:43 pm
Did you catch the episode where he was on Alderney? One of his recurring themes was lack of local services vs low taxation.  There was some booing...

Yes. I think he went easy on them - there are plenty of other things he could have mentioned about Alderney but chose not to...
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 27 June, 2019, 10:28:33 pm
Four Extra next week has a version of Day of The Triffids from 1968 and a series of Cadfael, the 17th century monk/detective.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 30 June, 2019, 05:01:05 pm
Cycling content klaxon: Gideon Coe is doing his regular (ie annual) Tour de France themed special on his 6music evening show imminently. He did mention it the other night but I was only half listening so didn’t catch the date.

Just heard another trailer - it's this Thursday (4th July) at 9pm. As well as the general cycling-themed stuff, he'll also be playing some Belgian tunes to celebrate the fact that's where the race is starting this year (the trailer included snatches of Kraftwerk's Tour de France and Plastic Bertrand's Ça Plane Pour Moi by way of a taster).
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 03 July, 2019, 10:34:56 pm
I've just listened, by chance, to an excellent play on 4 Extra. Life Cycles by Jonathan Davidson. 

Here's what the blurb says:
Quote
Three lives on three bicycles from three different eras.

1960s: Bill might win the Tour de France but his legs are begging him to stop.

1930s: Tom is out with his cycling club in Yorkshire, but is it his last ride as a single man?

2002: Susan wants to ride around the world but the men in her life are struggling to keep up. Then the wheels begin to turn.

Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Mr Larrington on 04 July, 2019, 12:49:37 pm
Bill needs to channel his inner Jens.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 04 July, 2019, 05:18:59 pm
Bill needs to channel his inner Jens.
After a penc day at jbex, that made I larf out loud. Cheers M Le Maire.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 12 July, 2019, 09:53:12 pm
There's a brand new series of The Absolutely Radio Show on 4 Extra.

Stoneybridge , famed for its Stoney Bridge, is getting its own radio station.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Mr Larrington on 13 July, 2019, 12:05:57 am
Professor Larrington is scheduled to be on the Toady programme at 08:45 tomorrow.  Stupid time, I know.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 24 July, 2019, 01:07:21 pm
Somewhere on 4 Extra there's a series called Street and Lane.  Written by Dave Sheasby and Ian McMillan (the bard of Barnsley) it's a sitcom of sorts about some jobbing builders/white van men. Sheasby and McMillan know their way around a script, which is beautifully delivered by the fantastically named Fine Time Fontayne (previously heard in Sheasby and McMillan's "The Blackburn Files") and Nick Lane. 
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 18 August, 2019, 08:01:23 pm
I see that Radio 4 have The Inspector Chen novels running in the Sunday afternoon drama slot. Written by Qiu Xiaolong, they feature poetry loving Inspector Chen doing police type things in contemporary (ish) China. They're dramatised by John Harvey, who wrote Inspector Resnick, the Nottingham based jazz loving Polish detective.

Last week's episode was a new one, while this week's,  Don't Cry, Tai Lake was previously broadcast last year.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 29 August, 2019, 10:17:15 am
On 4 Extra right now is The Castle by Franz Kafka. To cheer us all up, obvs.

Part 2 follows tomorrow.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Basil on 29 August, 2019, 10:33:20 am
The News Quiz returns tomorrow at 6.30   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Peter on 29 August, 2019, 10:54:41 am
I see that Radio 4 have The Inspector Chen novels running in the Sunday afternoon drama slot. Written by Qiu Xiaolong, they feature poetry loving Inspector Chen doing police type things in contemporary (ish) China. They're dramatised by John Harvey, who wrote Inspector Resnick, the Nottingham based jazz loving Polish detective.

Last week's episode was a new one, while this week's,  Don't Cry, Tai Lake was previously broadcast last year.

I'd never heard one before, and I enjoyed that.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 30 August, 2019, 10:35:10 am
I see that Radio 4 have The Inspector Chen novels running in the Sunday afternoon drama slot. Written by Qiu Xiaolong, they feature poetry loving Inspector Chen doing police type things in contemporary (ish) China. They're dramatised by John Harvey, who wrote Inspector Resnick, the Nottingham based jazz loving Polish detective.

Last week's episode was a new one, while this week's,  Don't Cry, Tai Lake was previously broadcast last year.

I'd never heard one before, and I enjoyed that.
I've got some more of those which I grabbed when they were broadcast last year.  i can send you a link if you're interested.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Peter on 02 September, 2019, 11:48:28 am
Yes, please Tim.  Thank you.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 02 September, 2019, 03:22:44 pm
Yes, please Tim.  Thank you.
Peter, I've sent you a PM
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 04 September, 2019, 10:10:18 pm
Paul Sinha's General Knowledge in the six thirty slot on Tuesday is good value.

This week, as a bonus, has a big segment about Beryl Burton.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 06 September, 2019, 09:59:10 am
The 15-minute drama slot on R4 at the moment is How Does That Make You Feel? - short pieces with characters talking to their psychiatrist. Good cast including Frances Tomelty, Roger Allam and Tim McInnerny. It's the 11th series, apparently - I've heard it before but didn't know it had been going that long.

Not sure exactly when it's broadcast but it's available on BBC Sounds.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 13 September, 2019, 10:48:07 am
There was a new production of A Kestrel for a Knave in the Saturday afternoon drama slot last week. Recorded on location in Barnsley, I've yet to listen to it but have downloaded it.
"Fisher"
"German Bight"
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 13 September, 2019, 10:58:22 am
The afternoon drama this week has the latest series of Undercover Mumbai. It's  (yet another) police procedural but set and recorded in India.

Last night in the six thirty comedy slot saw a new series of Alexei Sayle's Imaginary Sandwich Bar. The subject of this episode was Jeremy Corbyn and the Left.
"I divide my friends into those who love and adore Jeremy Corbyn and those who are Nazi fascist shitbags.

Jacob Rees Mogg is going to have to do a show for balance."
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 28 October, 2019, 10:46:20 pm
A new series of Tracks started today on Radio 4. It's a conspiracy theory thriller thing by Matthew Broughton and stars Romola Garai. The first three series had 45 minute episodes, but this one is down to 15 minutes,  chiz,
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Von Broad on 29 October, 2019, 08:36:52 am
BBC Sounds - Tunnel 29 - It's an account of a true story about tunneling under the Berlin Wall in 1962. All 10 episodes available to listen too now. Currently being aired on Radio 4 each day. Really enjoyed it.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 05 November, 2019, 12:13:39 pm
Somewhere on 4 Extra there's a series called Street and Lane.  Written by Dave Sheasby and Ian McMillan (the bard of Barnsley) it's a sitcom of sorts about some jobbing builders/white van men. Sheasby and McMillan know their way around a script, which is beautifully delivered by the fantastically named Fine Time Fontayne (previously heard in Sheasby and McMillan's "The Blackburn Files") and Nick Lane.

Series 2 is running now. Nick Lane has been replaced by Shaun Dooley, which makes it easier for me to differentiate between the various Norvern Monkey Yorkshire accents.  I really heart Ian McMillan's writing.

Ob. Trivia: Shaun Dooley is involved, in a producery kind of way, with "Got It Covered" an album of cover versions by unexpected performers, out now as part of Children in Need.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 05 November, 2019, 12:24:13 pm
Sunday, when I was out riding alongside the Veteran Car Run, saw a production of Genevieve on 4 Extra.  I've not heard it yet, but have it downloaded ready for later consumption.

Robert Bathurst and Samantha Bond are in the cast.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 23 December, 2019, 10:27:17 pm
Ooh! I see that there's a dramatisation of "Puckoon" by Spine Milligna, the well known spelling mistake, on Radio 4, Saturday 28th.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Basil on 24 December, 2019, 01:10:48 am
Ooh.  Thanks Tim.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 28 December, 2019, 12:32:51 pm
Scattered around 4 Extra at the moment are various James Bond stories. Toby Stephens plays Bond and the narrator/Ian Fleming is Martin Jarvis.

Meanwhile, in the Book at Bedtime a d 12-noon-slot-that-thankfully-shortens-You-andYours is Phillip Pullman's "The Secret Commonwealth".  It's  the sequel to "Book of Dust" which was broadcast last year and repeated a week or so back.

Finally Esther, there's a serialisation of Clive James "Unreliable Memoirs" starting Monday at 0945.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 04 January, 2020, 06:15:04 pm
Series 2 of the marvelous "On The Hour" is getting an airing on Monday evenings on 4 Extra.  Episode 1 went out earlier this week.

"Such is politics. It's a painful business"
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 18 January, 2020, 05:48:09 pm
A dramatisation of Animal Farm was on Radio 4 this afternoon, as part of "The Real George Orwell" series. It was on a few years ago but worth a listen. In a colliding of worlds moment, the narrator is Tamsin Greig, close friend of Debbie Aldridge, off of The Archers.

In the just gone noon slot and book at bedtime of the week just gone was Tim McInnerny reading Orwell's "Coming up for Air"
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 02 February, 2020, 07:33:19 pm
The Skewer is on Radio 4 at the moment. From the depths of John Holmes' mind, it's a different review of the past week's news.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 03 February, 2020, 07:21:57 am
The Skewer is on Radio 4 at the moment. From the depths of John Holmes' mind, it's a different review of the past week's news.
Always good  :thumbsup: I would never have guessed john Holmes would do something like this.

Mind you, yesterday's was well grim - he's clearly not feeling positive about Br***t! Hopefully something will cheer him up in this week's news ...
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 03 February, 2020, 10:23:59 am
I was glad to see Rebecca Front won a BBC Audio Drama Award for her acting in Love and Recovery on Radio 4. Its one of my favourites.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 February, 2020, 06:45:19 pm
This afternoon on Radio 4 was an excellent adaptation of Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King". It was broadcast last year too, but it was nice to find as I was out for a pootle.

The dramatisation is by Mike Walker, who also did the dramatisation of Vasily Grossman's Staligrad and Life and Fate. Staligrad is still available to Listen Again.


This evening on 4 Extra is a reworking of The Kraken Wakes, with Tamsin Greig off of The Archers. This too has been broadcast before but it is Very Good.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 17 March, 2020, 10:45:59 am
Balding midfield maestro, Ricky Lenin graces the airwaves on Radio 4 Extra some time in the mornings.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00c8ygy (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00c8ygy)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 19 March, 2020, 08:54:09 am
One* of the finest voices on the wireless, Anton Lesser, reads the third part of Hilary Mantel's trilogy of Tudor pltoting, goings on and scheming, The Mirror and The Light. 12:00 and again at 22:45, Radio 4.


* other contenders, IMHO are Sam Dale, who tries to hide his slightly breathy delivery in many Radio 4 dramas and Barbara Flynn, who I could listen to reading a phone book. All day.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Mr Larrington on 19 March, 2020, 01:42:22 pm
(Recalls Barbara Flynn in "A Very Peculiar Practice"; has moment)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 19 March, 2020, 02:25:30 pm
World Radio Map

http://worldradiomap.com/map/

A map of the world. Click on a location and it lists all the radio stations that are streaming from that location. Click on one and listen to it.
You fancy an FM station from Dar es Salaam, fill your boots there are about thirty.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 19 March, 2020, 06:35:40 pm
(Recalls Barbara Flynn in "A Very Peculiar Practice"; has moment)
I have The Beiderbecke Affair nestling on my Raspberry Pi. Self Isolation holds no fears for me.

Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 19 March, 2020, 06:51:31 pm
(Recalls Barbara Flynn in "A Very Peculiar Practice"; has moment)
I have The Beiderbecke Affair nestling on my Raspberry Pi. Self Isolation holds no fears for me.

The car chase in the Beiderbecke Affair went past the house I used to live in (although admittedly it was some years after the series was filmed that I lived there, as a penniless student oaf).

Average-size Jill Swinburne had an, ahem, formative influence on my teenage years. As did Rose Marie.

<wistful sigh>

Anyway, thanks for the tip on the Mantel - though I'm undecided whether to listen to it before I've read the book...

On the subject of A Very Peculiar Practice, it's a bit odd to think that Bob Buzzard and Tony Archer are the same person.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 22 March, 2020, 10:59:52 am
D.I.Discs today(on 7), a repeat of the excellent Alison Moyet.

One of the best music selections ever!

And I bet no-one guesses her book choice ...
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 March, 2020, 02:26:04 pm
D.I.Discs today(on 7), a repeat of the excellent Alison Moyet.

One of the best music selections ever!

And I bet no-one guesses her book choice ...
Get with beat, Daddio. 7 is 4  Extra these days. But, yes, an excellent edition of thd the programme. Good book choice too. I'm sure Roy Plomley wouldn't have allowed her choice of luxury ( a bath), as she gave a list of practical uses ( shelter etc) for it. Mind you,Lauren Laverne allowed a grand piano as Helena Morrissey's luxury on the Radio 4 version today. Standards are slipping.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 22 March, 2020, 06:46:46 pm
It's on Preset 7 on all our DABs, so it shall ever be thus known  ;D

(Is Radio 5 still going?)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 March, 2020, 08:30:46 pm
It's on Preset 7 on all our DABs, so it shall ever be thus known  ;D

(Is Radio 5 still going?)

I'm not sure. I fairly certain The Light Programme has bitten the dust though while the status of Hilversum is confusing.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 23 March, 2020, 06:51:04 am
Does anyone still listen to the now defunct Radio 2?

Anyway, back on topic, I tend not to listen to much stuff live, but I do use the Sounds app a lot, and recent listening include an adaptation of Hillary Mantel’s Beyond Black with Alison Steadman. It starts off quite whimsical but quickly turns very, very dark. Really good.

Also quite enjoyed Welcome To Our Village, Please Invade Carefully - a sitcom about an alien invasion.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 21 April, 2020, 08:20:50 pm
There's a new series of G F Newman's "The Corrupted" on this week in the afternoon drama slot on Radio 4. The first series started in and just after WW2 and charts the rise and rise of a fictional criminal family as they climb their way to the top, interacting with real names.  We're now on series 5, set in the 1990s.  I think there's been a bit of dramatic time dilation.

Toby Jones stars Joseph Oldman.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Torslanda on 11 May, 2020, 05:03:47 pm
Does anyone still listen to the now defunct Radio 2?


Me, Sir!
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 12 May, 2020, 09:55:59 am
Does anyone still listen to the now defunct Radio 2?

About 14.5 million people a week according to the stats :)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 12 May, 2020, 10:14:33 am
Obviously the gag is wasted on you lot. Doesn't matter. It's not funny anyway.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 12 May, 2020, 03:07:38 pm
Here's an unrecommendation. I listened so you don't have to.

Comedy Greats, 1970s on 4 Extra.  This was a compilation of radio comedy from the 70s, compered by Barry Cryer, who found himself very funny.

We started with the tortuous News Hudlines. While it may have been funnier when it was written, relying on what was in the news at the time for inspiration, it was dull, dull, dull.
Next up was All Gas and Gaiters, which made a pleasant noise as it burbled in my headphones.

The Frankie Howerd Show. I can't remember much about it. Ooh, no. Yes. Ooh.

Parsley Sidings. Arthur Lowe and Ian Lavendar reprise their Dad's Army roles, but this time they're father and son and work on the railway.

What Ever Happened to The Likely Lads? Now this, as expected, was good. A bit dated, but it was from 1973 after all. Clement and La Frenais can write good gags and Bolam and Bewes can deliver them. It was the one where Bob is getting married.

Finally we had Hello Cheeky, as mentioned by Wow elsewhere. Barry Cryer was one of the script writers, something he didn't stop telling us. I stuck with it all the way, as I was on my bike and couldn't be arsed to stop but by heck it was laboured and terrible.
 
There was a companion show last week, with stuff from the 60s, which included Beyond Our Ken (tolerable forerunner to Round The Horne), , It's A Fair Cop, which was an Eric Sykes/Hattie Jacques vehicle, The Navy Lark, which is again something I can listen too, some Benny Hill thing which was marginal, The Clitheroe Kid, which is just rubbish and I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again which is rubbisher.

To make myself feel better I found an episode of John Fennimore's Souvenir Programme.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 12 May, 2020, 03:27:23 pm
To make myself feel better I found an episode of John Fennimore's Souvenir Programme.

They're currently repeating the series with the kirates sketch. You know... kirates. With keg legs and carrots on their shoulder. So funny. So clever.

I think my dad likes Round the Horne, but he's old enough to remember when it was new.


ETA: just found on youtube that someone has made animations to go with John Finnemore sketches - these are lovely:
https://youtu.be/seYVm9BfIys
https://youtu.be/Ys8IYK0uHnQ
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 12 May, 2020, 03:48:48 pm
To make myself feel better I found an episode of John Fennimore's Souvenir Programme.

They're currently repeating the series with the kirates sketch. You know... kirates. With keg legs and carrots on their shoulder. So funny. So clever.

I think my dad likes Round the Horne, but he's old enough to remember when it was new.

Someone <fx:tappity tap>ben pics has done an animation of kirates on You Tube. It maketh me laugh.

Here's a thing: Round The Horne, Beyond Our Ken and The Goon Show all feature musical breaks. The Goons had Ray Ellington and Max Geldray while Round The Horne used The Fraser Hayes Four doing close harmony singing that does my head in. Beyond Our Ken had Pat Lancaster who would have a cheesy intro from Kenneth Horne and some other close harmony group.  Why? Was it some kind of contractual requirement.

There's a pub* near here that instead of piped music in the loo has Round The Horne playing.

*pub, or public house, is an establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. Apparently they were A Thing before The Event. Your dad might remember them too.   
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 12 May, 2020, 03:49:12 pm
The Navy Lark is good. I can listen to that one and it raises a chuckle. I can also see why it appealed at the time when millions of people had been in the forces, the idiot officers / canny non comms is a pretty universal military gag.
The Goon show on the other hand I find has dated incredibly badly. You can see why it was so radical at the time compared to the way other comedy shows had been until then but I just find it wearing and annoying.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 12 May, 2020, 03:57:13 pm
Someone <fx:tappity tap>ben pics has done an animation of kirates on You Tube. It maketh me laugh.

How funny - found that myself just a few minutes ago.

Quote
Here's a thing: Round The Horne, Beyond Our Ken and The Goon Show all feature musical breaks. The Goons had Ray Ellington and Max Geldray while Round The Horne used The Fraser Hayes Four doing close harmony singing that does my head in. Beyond Our Ken had Pat Lancaster who would have a cheesy intro from Kenneth Horne and some other close harmony group.  Why? Was it some kind of contractual requirement.

Suspect it's a hangover from the music hall "variety" tradition.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 12 May, 2020, 04:05:09 pm
The Navy Lark is good. I can listen to that one and it raises a chuckle. I can also see why it appealed at the time when millions of people had been in the forces, the idiot officers / canny non comms is a pretty universal military gag.
The Goon show on the other hand I find has dated incredibly badly. You can see why it was so radical at the time compared to the way other comedy shows had been until then but I just find it wearing and annoying.
Re The Navy Lark. Yes, there's an understanding bubbling along in the script that the audience know what it is/was like to serve in the armed forces (although I'm commenting from a position of ignorance, never having worn a uniform).  National service was just about still going when it first aired.  Have you heard "Our Brave Boys"?  The funniest* radio sitcom set in an MOD office.. Written in 2001 by Christopher Lee and featuring, amongst others, Fiona Shaw who later pops up in Killing Eve and Fleabag.  It's similar in tone, I think, to The Navy Lark, but not so slapstick.

The Goon Show seems to bwe held in the same reverence by some people of my Dad's generation as Monty Python is by some of mine.

*OK, probably the only radio sitcom in an MOD office.


Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 12 May, 2020, 04:11:07 pm
I still like the Goon Show, though I agree much of it has aged badly. Still very funny at times though. And tbh, quite a lot of Monty Python hasn't aged that well either.

Going off tangentially from radio, but since we're talking about things that are dated, my son decided to break his Marx Brothers virginity the other day and watched Duck Soup. My god... the sound quality is terrible and it's all very "stagey", and there was even a warning before it started (it was recorded off TCM) that some of the views expressed were "of their time". And yet... it is still incredibly funny. The mirror scene is pantwettingly brilliant.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 12 May, 2020, 04:22:44 pm
I still like the Goon Show, though I agree much of it has aged badly. Still very funny at times though. And tbh, quite a lot of Monty Python hasn't aged that well either.

Going off tangentially from radio, but since we're talking about things that are dated, my son decided to break his Marx Brothers virginity the other day and watched Duck Soup. My god... the sound quality is terrible and it's all very "stagey", and there was even a warning before it started (it was recorded off TCM) that some of the views expressed were "of their time". And yet... it is still incredibly funny. The mirror scene is pantwettingly brilliant.
Have you tried Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel?  A radio series originally written for Groucho and Chico, who played characters called Flywheel (an incompetent/bent lawyer) and Ravelli (his hapless sidekick) it got rejuvenated in 1990 by the BBC with Michael Roberts playing Groucho playing Flywheel and Franz Lazarus playing Chico playing Ravelli.  As it's American or set in America and is by the BBC it has Lorelei King playing the female roles. Spike Milligan pops up from time to time too,
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 12 May, 2020, 04:55:46 pm
Have you tried Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel?

I have indeed!

I had a book of the scripts even before they did the radio remakes - IIRC the book came out shortly after they discovered the scripts, the original broadcasts having never been recorded, and the radio remakes came later. And then they subsequently discovered recordings of some of the originals.

ISTR that some of the gags are familiar from the Marx Bros films. They were never ashamed to re-use a good line.

Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 12 May, 2020, 04:59:46 pm
Just remembered another old favourite that has had a repeat airing on R4Extra recently - the original series of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

I recorded them off the radio on cassette when they were first broadcast (1988!) and listened to them over and over and over again. Although I binned my vast collection of cassettes some years ago, I could still remember some of the sketches almost verbatim.

The funniest thing about them now, though, is Clive Anderson - I think it was his very first job in broadcasting and to say his performance as host lacks polish is seriously understating it. You might imagine that as a former barrister it would come naturally to him, but you'd be mistaken.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Andrew Br on 12 May, 2020, 05:03:41 pm
Obviously the gag is wasted on you lot. Doesn't matter. It's not funny anyway.

I got it citoyen
They haven't told Craig Charles it's closed, they just give him a toy microphone and let him sit in a studio (according to Radcliffe and Maconie that is).

Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 12 May, 2020, 05:04:44 pm
Obviously the gag is wasted on you lot. Doesn't matter. It's not funny anyway.

I got it citoyen
They haven't told Craig Charles it's closed, they just give him a toy microphone and let him sit in a studio (according to Radcliffe and Maconie that is).

 :thumbsup:

 ;D
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: graculus on 12 May, 2020, 07:23:56 pm
I am looking forward to this, starting on Sunday. I missed the first few the first time around:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cb5k4 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cb5k4)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Redlight on 13 May, 2020, 04:01:19 pm
I am looking forward to this, starting on Sunday. I missed the first few the first time around:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cb5k4 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cb5k4)

I did hear a couple and couldn't believe how so many talented actors could end up in something so dire.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 13 May, 2020, 10:35:34 pm
Here's a thing: Round The Horne, Beyond Our Ken and The Goon Show all feature musical breaks. The Goons had Ray Ellington and Max Geldray while Round The Horne used The Fraser Hayes Four doing close harmony singing that does my head in. Beyond Our Ken had Pat Lancaster who would have a cheesy intro from Kenneth Horne and some other close harmony group.  Why? Was it some kind of contractual requirement.
Something like that - I think it was a BBC rule. The music made it "general/light entertainment" or some such. You could have as much as you liked in the schedule. Parliament had huge control over Auntie Beeb in those days.
Whereas a pure spoken comedy was under some other archaic category ("scripted theatre"??), which you could only have 29minutes a month. Maybe.

The few Goon Shows I've heard always had some jolly harmonica element. I'm rather fond of harmonicas.

I *think* the Young Ones fell under a version of the same legislation. But that might be a story Ben Elton told to fool young oiks like me ...
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Nuncio on 14 May, 2020, 08:23:26 am
Down the Line 'Lockdown Special' with Gary Bellamy tonight R4, 11pm. Given, like The Fast Show, part of its humour was derived from repetition, I don't know how well a 'one-off special' will work so many years later. I'm not sure if I will remember the foibles of 'regular' callers from 8+ years ago.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Basil on 14 May, 2020, 10:04:04 am
Today's Women's Hour on R4 today will include "The Beauty of Cycling During Lockdown"
W'sH starts at 10am.  (Oh. Thats now) The article could be any time after that.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 14 May, 2020, 10:09:20 am
Down the Line 'Lockdown Special' with Gary Bellamy tonight R4, 11pm.

That'll be good. :thumbsup:

I have a feeling it will all come back to you quickly enough.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: graculus on 14 May, 2020, 05:02:59 pm
Today's Women's Hour on R4 today will include "The Beauty of Cycling During Lockdown"
W'sH starts at 10am.  (Oh. Thats now) The article could be any time after that.

It starts about 40 minutes in and is about 5 mins in length. Discussion includes Bristol Bike Project and cycling in general.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 17 May, 2020, 02:48:23 pm
Saturday Afternoon Drama was a re running of Havana Blue, the first in The Havana Quartet detective series. Set in Cuba in 1989 and written by Leonard Padura, I enjoyed it the first time round. For Sam Dale spotters (or is thast just me?), he's in there, as is Michael Bertenshaw, who I first encountered in The Home Front.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 May, 2020, 09:56:32 am
I see series two of Listen Against started a run last night on 4 Extra. Jon Holmes (his most recent thing was, I think, The Skewer) wrote it and Alice Arnold helps him present. It's respliced sound bite spoof new and a lot funnier than I've described it.  (I think Cassette Boy gets a credit in one episoded or another)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 22 May, 2020, 09:57:45 am
Saturday Afternoon Drama was a re running of Havana Blue, the first in The Havana Quartet detective series. Set in Cuba in 1989 and written by Leonard Padura, I enjoyed it the first time round. For Sam Dale spotters (or is thast just me?), he's in there, as is Michael Bertenshaw, who I first encountered in The Home Front.

Caught some of that. It was good and I have now ordered the first book in the series.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 May, 2020, 11:27:25 am
My sister who art in Kingston informs me there's a new series of Charles Paris on R4 at 1130. Bill Nighy playing, as ever, a faded actor, this time with added amateur detective.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 24 May, 2020, 06:41:30 pm
They're repeating Cabin Pressure from s1ep1 :
still sheer class.
Blackadder-style sarcasm cranked up to 11.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Nuncio on 24 May, 2020, 06:55:26 pm
We have a difference of opinion.

They're repeating Cabin Pressure from s1ep1 :
still sheer class.

I did hear a couple and couldn't believe how so many talented actors could end up in something so dire.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 24 May, 2020, 08:30:17 pm
I find Cabin Pressure a bit hit and miss, but it’s occasionally very funny indeed.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: pcolbeck on 24 May, 2020, 09:52:29 pm
Natalie Haynes Stands Up For The Classics is good (radio 4) Funny and informative. You do need to have some interest in classical history though I suppose.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 24 May, 2020, 10:59:29 pm
We have a difference of opinion.

They're repeating Cabin Pressure from s1ep1 :
still sheer class.

I did hear a couple and couldn't believe how so many talented actors could end up in something so dire.
He is dead to me.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 25 May, 2020, 07:45:33 pm
Natalie Haynes Stands Up For The Classics is good (radio 4) Funny and informative. You do need to have some interest in classical history though I suppose.
Yes, she's good. I have to concentrate though. (No bad thing)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 01 June, 2020, 06:51:26 pm
Some time ago I posted on this thread that there was a new series of Tumanbay.   Well there's another - series four started last week, in the afternoon drama slot. It's a set in a fictional ancient city, based on the Mamluk empire of Egypt. There's intrigue, murder, plotting, sex. And Anton Lesser.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 11 June, 2020, 09:42:01 pm
Currently enjoying the adaptation of Pratchett’s Small Gods on 4 Extra (first broadcast in 2006).
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Jakob W on 11 June, 2020, 11:44:34 pm
Enjoying the current Charles Paris adaptation with Bill Nighy on R4 - as ever there's some rather nice insider jokes about acting and theatre (with added performance art this time round...)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 17 July, 2020, 10:05:06 am
I see series two of Listen Against started a run last night on 4 Extra. Jon Holmes (his most recent thing was, I think, The Skewer) wrote it and Alice Arnold helps him present. It's respliced sound bite spoof new and a lot funnier than I've described it.  (I think Cassette Boy gets a credit in one episoded or another)

Series three is running at the moment.  Jeremy Paxman has gone on the rampage.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 17 July, 2020, 11:07:29 am
Enjoying the current Charles Paris adaptation with Bill Nighy on R4 - as ever there's some rather nice insider jokes about acting and theatre (with added performance art this time round...)

I enjoyed that too, although I did get a slight feeling that it tries a wee bit too hard to be "quirky".

I reckon it would work well on screen too, whether TV or cinema. Hard to imagine anyone other than Bill Nighy in the role.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 17 July, 2020, 01:44:37 pm
Enjoying the current Charles Paris adaptation with Bill Nighy on R4 - as ever there's some rather nice insider jokes about acting and theatre (with added performance art this time round...)

I enjoyed that too, although I did get a slight feeling that it tries a wee bit too hard to be "quirky".

I reckon it would work well on screen too, whether TV or cinema. Hard to imagine anyone other than Bill Nighy in the role.
An early adaptation had Captain Scarlet Francis Matthews as Charles Paris. It was a much more srious portrayal, not many (any?) laughs, more violence (I think) and more shagging.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 17 July, 2020, 01:48:16 pm
Francis Matthews also played Paul Temple on TV, which is... unsurprising.

I do enjoy the Paul Temple radio adaptations with Peter Coke, though they are beyond even Agatha Christie levels of ridiculousness.

Likewise Peter Wimsey.

Currently very much enjoying the re-runs of Raffles on 4Extra, which are only marginally less preposterous.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 17 July, 2020, 01:57:14 pm
Remember that Raffles was written by E W Hornung, whose day job was being Conan Doyle's brother in law, which is why there are occassional digs at Sherlock Holmes.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Mr Larrington on 17 July, 2020, 02:10:33 pm
Francis Matthews also played Paul Temple on TV, which is... unsurprising.

Around these parts Mr Temple will always be known as Tall Pimple.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 26 July, 2020, 09:50:14 pm
The Saturday afternoon drama slot on the Home Service is currently doing a rerun of the Martin Beck Killings. Steven Mackintosh as Martin Beck, Neil Pearson as Lennart Kollberg and the gravelly voiced Ralph Ineson as Gunvald Larsson.

Meanwhile, today saw the radio premiere of Camus' The Plague. The blurb says
Quote
World radio premiere of Albert Camus’s classic novel of a town hit by plague and how its residents respond to quarantine. Recorded during UK lockdown with actors self isolating.
  I'll give that a listen.

And finally Esther, Tom Robinson's show this evening on 6 Music was a tribute to Peter Green.
Quote
A special three hour listener curated playlist dedicated to Peter Green's work and his influence on a golden era of British Blues.
Among the tracks played was Crossroads by Cream. Tom Robinson, a mainstay of Rock Against Racism BITD, said of Eric Clapton:
Quote
For me that was Eric Clapton's finest moment was with Cream, he did lots of the stuff later, which we won't go into...
Heh.   
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 26 July, 2020, 11:21:49 pm
Do we allow podcasts in here ?

Though my recent fave was, I am sure, played on the World Service.

13 Minutes to the Moon. Gripping. Highly recommended, though I accept that I might be a little biased given my age and resulting sense of awe with anything to do with the moonshots.

There are two series, one telling the tale of the programme up to Apollo XI and the second recounting Apollo XIII's travails. 
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 21 October, 2020, 12:33:13 am
Been a bit quiet on this thread lately.

Some new stuff I like is Rob Newman's Half-Full Philosophy Hour. Thirty minutes of philosophy and jokes. Which is much better than that sentence suggests.

Some repeated stuff that I also like is Hazelbeach. Written by David and Caroline Stafford it stars Hamie Foreman as Ronnie Hazelbeach, a conman/ dodgy geezer. Funny it is, Minder it ain't.

Edit: Both on BBC Sounds, radio 4 and/or 4 extra.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 21 October, 2020, 08:49:31 am
I happened upon The Skewer on R4 recently. Didn't quite get it to start with but now love it.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 21 October, 2020, 09:50:30 am
I'm mostly listening to stuff on R4 Extra these days, which is largely repeats.

Currently enjoying Rubbish, a sitcom about a man working in local council waste management department. Whimsical in that very Radio 4 way. First broadcast in 2007.

Another new-old discovery is The Pin, a comedy sketch show by a double act who I'm aware of as stalwarts on the comedy circuit though I don't think I've ever seen them live - I'm sure I would remember them if I had. They're very funny. I was listening last night in bed and annoying my wife by laughing too much (mostly at a sketch about Frank Lampard recording an advert for Gilette and being unable to rein in his urge to go off-script with some improv).

Also the repeats of the very first series of Ed Reardon's Week, which are reminding me that the early series were much funnier than the later ones.

And the Charles Paris mysteries - about a hack thesp who has a habit of getting embroiled in murder cases - recent versions with Bill Nighy are good, but there are also older ones, recorded in the early 80s, I think, which sound horribly dated now.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: sg37409 on 23 October, 2020, 09:45:48 am
Chris Boardman on desert island discs next week.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 23 October, 2020, 09:50:14 am
Chris Boardman on desert island discs next week.
I just came here to post precisely those words ^  ^  ^   :-)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: sg37409 on 23 October, 2020, 09:54:18 am
Chris Boardman on desert island discs next week.
I just came here to post precisely those words ^  ^  ^   :-)

hahahaha  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 23 October, 2020, 10:33:46 am
I happened upon The Skewer on R4 recently. Didn't quite get it to start with but now love it.
I listened to some of that last night. I like it. There was some kind of mash up that featured the shipping forecast:
"Boris Johnson Dogger"
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 23 October, 2020, 10:41:10 am
I happened upon The Skewer on R4 recently. Didn't quite get it to start with but now love it.
I listened to some of that last night. I like it. There was some kind of mash up that featured the shipping forecast:
"Boris Johnson Dogger"
You do have to listen though. You can't be doing anything else 'cos you miss the unannounced 'punchline'.

The aural equivalent of a Jacques Tati film.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 01 November, 2020, 07:58:59 pm
Right now on 6 Music, Tom Robinson has Elvis Costello as a guest. Now Playing "Watching the Detectives". Just Played "Ship Building"
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 10 January, 2021, 01:14:33 pm
A dramatisation of John Le Carre's first novel, A Call for The Dead was on Radio 4 yesterday and is available on BBC Sounds. Simon Russel Beale plays Smiley and the wonderful Kenneth Cranham is Mendel. Sam Dale (hurrah!) gets two parts.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Peter on 10 January, 2021, 02:50:58 pm
It was excellent, too.  Eleanor Bron and Anna Chancellor in the same play was good, too.
Title: Re: Radio recommendationsy
Post by: Efrogwr on 10 January, 2021, 07:22:43 pm
I've just listened to Call for the Dead.

Edit; thanks for the reccomendation. It's a very good adaptation.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Mr Larrington on 11 January, 2021, 12:43:15 pm
New series of The Infinite Monkey Cage starts this arvo.  I really ought to listen to last summer's offering first - a pleasure I normally reserve for the first day or two of my annual USAnian road trip.  Which obv didn't happen in 2020 chiz.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 11 January, 2021, 12:58:27 pm
A dramatisation of John Le Carre's first novel, A Call for The Dead was on Radio 4 yesterday and is available on BBC Sounds. Simon Russel Beale plays Smiley and the wonderful Kenneth Cranham is Mendel. Sam Dale (hurrah!) gets two parts.

Started listening to it last night in bed but nodded off before I'd got very far. Sounded promising though. Thanks for the tip-off. I've enjoyed the other adaptations with SRB.

Not sure if I've read A Call For The Dead. I think I've read A Murder Of Quality, but I can't for the life of me remember what either is about. Might make The Works of John Le Carré my 2021 reading project.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 13 January, 2021, 10:40:04 pm
New series of The Infinite Monkey Cage starts this arvo.  I really ought to listen to last summer's offering first - a pleasure I normally reserve for the first day or two of my annual USAnian road trip.  Which obv didn't happen in 2020 chiz.
Thanks for the tip-off. It was a good one!

(Would it be harsh to say this was because Mr Ince got a lot less mike time? Maybe ... )
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 19 January, 2021, 06:46:36 pm
More Le Carré. A Perfect Spy this time, adapted as a three part series with Julian Rhind-Tutt as Magnus Pym (strong autobiographical links to Le Carré) and Michael Maloney as his errant father. Also starring Bill Paterson and the wonderful tones of Anton Lessor among others.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 26 January, 2021, 11:19:57 pm
There's what appears to be a new series of Roy Williams's "The Interrogation" on Radio 4. Police drama thing with Kenneth Cranham as the older cop and Alex Lanipekun as his young subordinate. Top quality sniping between the two. Morse and Lewis it's not.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 26 January, 2021, 11:29:22 pm
Meanwhile over on 4 Extra there's a thriller from The Olden Days called Red for Danger, which was originally aired in 1954 on BBC Midland Home Service.

It's got a touch of Dick Barton about it, which isn't surprising as it was written by Edward J Mason, co creator of Dick Barton.  To old bastards people with a wealth of experience such as myself the cast seem familiar too. Ysanne Churchman, Arnold Peters, June Spencer and Chris Gittins all feature. That's "Ablazing" Grace Archer, Jack Wooley, Peggy Archer and Walter Gabriel, me old pal, me old beauty. Seeing as Mason also had a hand in launching The Archers this isn't surprising either.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 31 January, 2021, 01:28:59 pm
New series of The Infinite Monkey Cage starts this arvo.  I really ought to listen to last summer's offering first - a pleasure I normally reserve for the first day or two of my annual USAnian road trip.  Which obv didn't happen in 2020 chiz.
Thanks for the tip-off. It was a good one!

(Would it be harsh to say this was because Mr Ince got a lot less mike time? Maybe ... )
just caught up with "The Human Brain" show (July).
A cracker! Helped by Conan the Simpsons scriptwriter, and another very funny Yank.
Even Mr Ince managed a funny.

(Lots of stuff around how slight mental illness can fire creativity/art. But too much and you're fecked.)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 20 March, 2021, 07:19:17 pm
New series of Meet David Sedaris started on R4 this week it was recorded at home, without an audience, and frankly it shows. It was entertaining enough but felt a bit flat - he is someone who thrives in front a crowd.

I remember this from when we went to see him live - he is very good at reacting to the audience, you can almost see him making mental notes about what material works and what doesn’t, and refining it as he goes along.

Still very good though.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: toontra on 20 March, 2021, 07:47:05 pm
Adaptation of Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household is currently being serialised on R4 Extra.  Well worth a listen - quite faithful to the book.  I'm a sucker for old British books and films from this era (1930's) - plenty of period detail which I find fascinating.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 13 May, 2021, 01:07:18 pm
There's a new series of The Corrupted on R4 in the Afternoon Drama slot at the moment. Written by GF Newman, it's the 6th and final installment of his tale of corruption, weaving fictional characters with real life ones. Toby Jones stars as Sir Joseph Olinska.

I see John Finnemore has a new series on too, Thursday evening 1830, R4.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 13 May, 2021, 01:12:34 pm
I see John Finnemore has a new series on too, Thursday evening 1830, R4.

Hurrah!
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 13 May, 2021, 01:18:02 pm
I see John Finnemore has a new series on too, Thursday evening 1830, R4.

Hurrah!
Episode 1 was last week. I've not listened to it yet. I tend to get_iplayer stuff then binge listen.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 13 May, 2021, 01:22:06 pm
I see John Finnemore has a new series on too, Thursday evening 1830, R4.

Hurrah!
Episode 1 was last week. I've not listened to it yet. I tend to get_iplayer stuff then binge listen.

I have Finnemore on my Sounds subscriptions but for some annoying reason, it didn't notify me of the new series. Grrr!

Tbh, I usually catch new stuff when it is repeated on 4extra these days.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 29 May, 2021, 08:42:17 am
I see John Finnemore has a new series on too, Thursday evening 1830, R4.

Have you listened yet? It's quite something. The format is somewhat different to previous series, which threw me at first - didn't quite get what was going on until I read the blurb... very good, though, as you'd expect.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles story in the first episode is utterly brilliant.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 31 May, 2021, 04:07:08 pm
The Skewer is back. Possibly the best news satire of recent times.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 01 June, 2021, 11:53:38 pm
I see John Finnemore has a new series on too, Thursday evening 1830, R4.

Have you listened yet? It's quite something. The format is somewhat different to previous series, which threw me at first - didn't quite get what was going on until I read the blurb... very good, though, as you'd expect.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles story in the first episode is utterly brilliant.
I've listened to episode one and thought I need to devote all my brain to it. He's dabbled in the cross referencing stuff before - the crime caper sketch at the end of series 7 (?) brought together several seemingly random elements from earlier in the episode and there's been a time machine sketch that did similar. Looking forward to my binge.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 02 June, 2021, 07:38:39 pm
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08jdz0k

Fun spoofs of various literary Classics.
(More low-brow than it sounds - they're almost specially dumbed-down for Matt!)

------
Must find a quiet, focused moment to catch up on Mr Finnemore ...
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 02 July, 2021, 03:34:00 pm
I see John Finnemore has a new series on too, Thursday evening 1830, R4.

Have you listened yet? It's quite something. The format is somewhat different to previous series, which threw me at first - didn't quite get what was going on until I read the blurb... very good, though, as you'd expect.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles story in the first episode is utterly brilliant.
Finally got round to listening to it. Bloody hell, that was brilliant, just brilliant.

I feel the need to listen again and put a spread sheet together to tie all the threads together.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 07 July, 2021, 08:21:59 am
Series 1 of Listen Against by Alice Arnold and Jon Holmes is on BBC Sounds and Four Extra at some time or another.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 11 August, 2021, 11:25:18 am
In the Afternoon Drama (possibly just Drama these days) slot on R4 this week, Monday to Wednesday, is another/final series of Philip Palmer's Keeping The Wolf Out. Set in communist Hungary, it's a tale of  power games, corruption and intrigue in the police. The previous series have been spot on, so I've got high hopes for this one.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 24 November, 2021, 12:18:46 pm
Penguin Diplomacy, courtesy of John Finnemore. On R4 now. Brilliant.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 27 November, 2021, 10:18:09 am
Great thing from Cerys Matthews  - on R4 of course, the home of more discerning pop:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09xgmd5

Quote
Add To Playlist will be presented by broadcaster and singer Matthews, as well as writer, teacher and broadcaster Jeffrey Boakye.

Each week the Add To Playlist presenters and guests will build a playlist track by track, connecting each track to the next with their own knowledge of musicology, music history and a touch of serendipity.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Basil on 04 December, 2021, 11:01:57 am
Radio 4's soul music  today was Tim Buckley, specifically Song To the Siren. Well worth catching if you are an aging hippy needing s nostalgia hit.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 January, 2022, 02:20:29 pm
Two recommendations today, both of which may have been in this thread before and both of which are on 4 Extra.
 
The Blackburn Files, starring the wonderfully named Fine Time Fontayne as Steven J Blackburn, private detective. Script by Dave Sheasby, Martin Wyley and Ian McMillan, who know exactly which words to use and where to put them.

Second up is Fags, Mags and Bags, the every day story of a corner shop in Lenzie. Written by and starring Sanjeev Kohli and Donald McLeary, it's as funny as.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: sg37409 on 22 January, 2022, 08:27:58 pm
I enjoy Fags, Mags and Bags too, etc

(my club is Lenzie velo)

I like Its a Fair Cop too by Alfie Moore (R4 comedy at 6:30 pm)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Efrogwr on 22 January, 2022, 09:47:35 pm
Two solid reccomndations , thenks, Tim.

Another Sheasby/MacMillan collaboration is Street and Lane, often repeated on R4 Extra.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mmmmartin on 22 January, 2022, 10:09:21 pm
Also Fair Cop. Thought provoking about human rights and the law, very funny as well
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 27 January, 2022, 08:10:33 pm
Auntie is repeating Mighty Boosh from Ep1 tonight:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b007jmf4
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Nuncio on 27 January, 2022, 09:14:59 pm
21 years old!  I'm surprised.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 30 January, 2022, 01:41:08 pm
21 years old!  I'm surprised.

We took my son to see the stage show when he was about 8, I think. He’s 22 now.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 30 January, 2022, 01:44:04 pm
Currently listening to Peel Acres on 6music. Have to say I was a bit sceptical about it - I get a bit bored of the constant eulogising about John Peel on 6music but it’s actually really very good, a *lot* more interesting than I expected.

This week’s guest is Damon Albarn and it’s like a delve into his musical heritage, plus some interesting oddities randomly selected from Peel’s record collection.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: woollypigs on 30 January, 2022, 01:48:00 pm
Sorry if this is a double post but I'm not reading 8 pages :)

If you want to listen to radio from around the world from your sofa hit this website http://radio.garden/

I have found quite a good few stations via the garden.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 31 January, 2022, 06:52:16 pm
Today's Unbelievable Truth features Henning Wehn telling many fibs about bicycles.
(including one Quite Interesting fact, IMHO)
About 12min in (for those who can't stand the program - it does seem to be a bit marmite)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: fruitcake on 31 January, 2022, 07:01:17 pm
It also features Holly Walsh who is superb. Generally, but in this programme too.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 15 February, 2022, 06:50:40 pm
This morning I caught the tail end of a new thing, Please Use Other Door. Created and produced by Bill Dare (Dead Ringers, The Now Show,Dead Ringers etc), it's short sketches by mainly new to radio writers. I heard more of it on the way home. Tis good.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 15 February, 2022, 07:02:10 pm
I enjoy Fags, Mags and Bags too, etc

(my club is Lenzie velo)

I like Its a Fair Cop too by Alfie Moore (R4 comedy at 6:30 pm)

FM & B is an old one  used to enjoy it In my van around 10 years ago but I a good one
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Robh on 15 February, 2022, 10:58:45 pm
This morning I caught the tail end of a new thing, Please Use Other Door. Created and produced by Bill Dare (Dead Ringers, The Now Show,Dead Ringers etc), it's short sketches by mainly new to radio writers. I heard more of it on the way home. Tis good.
I heard it on the R4 6:30 ‘comedy’ slot one evening last week. It is indeed very good, streets ahead of some of the recent offerings in that slot.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 15 February, 2022, 11:19:44 pm
This morning I caught the tail end of a new thing, Please Use Other Door. Created and produced by Bill Dare (Dead Ringers, The Now Show,Dead Ringers etc), it's short sketches by mainly new to radio writers. I heard more of it on the way home. Tis good.
I heard it on the R4 6:30 ‘comedy’ slot one evening last week. It is indeed very good, streets ahead of some of the recent offerings in that slot.
Quite agree. Bill Dare also did The Secret World which has a similar format of several recurring theme sketches interleaved with one another. Please Use Other Door is the Tuesday 6:30 offering. Only 4 episodes though.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: graculus on 16 February, 2022, 08:38:39 am
This morning I caught the tail end of a new thing, Please Use Other Door. Created and produced by Bill Dare (Dead Ringers, The Now Show,Dead Ringers etc), it's short sketches by mainly new to radio writers. I heard more of it on the way home. Tis good.
The swan police officer in the first episode was particularly apposite.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 23 February, 2022, 09:36:04 am
This morning I caught the tail end of a new thing, Please Use Other Door. Created and produced by Bill Dare (Dead Ringers, The Now Show,Dead Ringers etc), it's short sketches by mainly new to radio writers. I heard more of it on the way home. Tis good.
The swan police officer in the first episode was particularly apposite.
Indeed. Caught the second episode on BBC Sounds this morning. Still good.

Another recommendation: Conversations From a Long Marriage. Roger Allam and Joanna Lumley "play a couple who have been married for ever". Cracking script by Jan Etherington, dry as you like delivery, especially from Roger Allam.  First broadcast in 2020, it's getting anb airing Wednesday evenings at 1830 on the Home Service.   
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: geoff on 27 February, 2022, 07:04:14 pm
Mostly I despise it, but occasionally the BBC Sounds app turns up good stuff, Fr'instance:

"Who is Aldrich Kemp?" Sassy spy thriller
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0014gtt

"A to Z of Things" described as "sonically inventive stories" somehow only 2 letters available... hoping for more!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0014xhq

Misha Glenn's excellent "Invention of Things" series...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b06pxdzv

But I'd still prefer a solid searchable database BBC Radio archive, with all the Dave Sheasbys etc etc returned to visibility.



Sent from my STF-L09 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 21 April, 2022, 11:18:29 am
In about half an hour on R4; Life, Death and the Foghorn.

I know I'm biased, but this is delightful. Available here (it's a repeat) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000l8p1
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 21 April, 2022, 06:29:43 pm
New series of McLevy in the Afternoon drama slot on Radio 4. Although series might be a bit strong as it's only two episodes.
Brian Cox ( no not that one) and Siobhan Redmond are (former) Inspector of Police and bawdy hoose proprietor in David Ashton's tale, loosely based on a real Victorian era detective. At the end of the last series they left Leith for the USA. Now read listen on.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Mr Larrington on 21 April, 2022, 06:34:03 pm
The Leith Poleith?
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Robh on 22 April, 2022, 03:54:06 pm
Archive on 4 - 50 years of ISIHAC. Gold.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 22 April, 2022, 04:18:08 pm
Delighted that they included Stephen Fry's wonderful contribution.

Uxbridge Dictionary. Countryside.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: graculus on 22 April, 2022, 04:23:37 pm
Archive on 4 - 50 years of ISIHAC. Gold.
I enjoyed it too. I thought it would be a trip down memory lane, but in fact very few of the snippets were familiar. Except for one: Samantha leaving for a date - this resulted in me having to leave the room, the alternative was having to explain to my 5 & 7 year old sons why I had just sprayed soup across the table.
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 22 April, 2022, 05:16:35 pm
You'll therefore doubtless enjoy this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Toi27HQHeI8
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 April, 2022, 06:29:24 pm
In about half an hour on R4; Life, Death and the Foghorn.

I know I'm biased, but this is delightful. Available here (it's a repeat) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000l8p1
I used to sell foghorns. (Fog signals really). I'll give it a listen (I might have to turn it up a bit)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 22 April, 2022, 08:08:39 pm
Make sure the bass is turned up to 11.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 23 April, 2022, 06:25:16 pm
Radio 4 Extra and BBC Sounds has "Mark Thomas: My Life in Serious Organised Crime"

It's the tale of Mark Thomas's protests against the Serious Organised Crime and Policing Act, and its restrictions on public protest.
First broadcast in 2007 it is (a) still relevant ansd (2) as funny as a funny thing.

Contains the phrase "stop putting bits in cheese".
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: graculus on 25 April, 2022, 09:52:32 am
You'll therefore doubtless enjoy this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Toi27HQHeI8
Thanks Hatler. Something to be dipped in and out of, not exhausted in one breathless session, I feel.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 18 August, 2022, 11:01:56 pm
On my way back from Thee Pubbe I listened to Michael Frayn's Pocket Playhouse. First broadcast in 2018, it's a Jarvis and Ayres production with Stephen Fry, Ian McKellen and Alfred Molina amongst others.

Give it a go.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: hatler on 01 September, 2022, 03:34:58 pm
Did anyone catch this ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001bbx8

Delightful. (And cycle related.)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 05 September, 2022, 08:51:12 pm
Did anyone catch this ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001bbx8

Delightful. (And cycle related.)
(Ahem. A Small Clue as to the subject matter wouldn't go amiss)

Ooh. Clicked on the link. That looks good, I'll give it a go.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 05 September, 2022, 09:02:33 pm
Two from me..
Four Extra are serialising William Boyd's An Ice-Cream War. From the blurb
Quote
1914: as war looms in Western Europe, British and German colonists attempt to emulate the madness in East Africa
I read it a few years ago, so I'll see what it's like.
Linky: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001bqpb (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001bqpb)

Second up is Hazelbeach by David and Caroline Stafford. Hard to categorise. Comic drama I guess. Dead funny (to me) anyway. The first episode involves a rustled lamb that doesn't get eaten and more importantly Ronnie Hazelbeach, played by Jamie Foreman, as a mysterious occupant with dodgy excuses in someone else's house.
Quote
Cares more his  lawn than he does about equal rights for ethic minorities
First broadcast 2007. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b0082dtq (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b0082dtq)
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 19 September, 2022, 04:35:00 pm
R4 Extra is currently repeating the first series of John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme.

Not many sketch shows hit the ground running, but the very first episode has the “I speak as I find” sketch. Which is a bona fide classic.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 September, 2022, 10:44:48 am
Cold Comfort Farm is getting an airing on R4 Extra.

<keeps a look out for the sukebind>
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 22 September, 2022, 01:22:57 pm
Cold Comfort Farm is getting an airing on R4 Extra.

I saw that but haven't listened yet. Any good?

I was in a student am-dram production at uni. Played Reuben. Typecast, obviously.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 September, 2022, 11:34:13 pm
Cold Comfort Farm is getting an airing on R4 Extra.

I saw that but haven't listened yet. Any good?

I was in a student am-dram production at uni. Played Reuben. Typecast, obviously.
Yes it is.  Just had a look at the credits. First broadcast 1981! Robert Poste's child is played by Patricia Gallimore, "close friend" of Pat Archer,off of radio 4's farming documentary The Archers.  She doesn't sound anything like Pat Archer in this production.  I recognised the unmistakeable tones of The Dog Woman (Mrs. Antrobus/Margot Boyd), who is playing Mrs Hawk-Monitor. I see Miriam Margoyles is in there too, presumably before she was famous.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 12 October, 2022, 04:50:53 pm
M le Maire's favourite Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine has been having her story told on 4 Extra lately.

Three series of Eleanor Rising by Shaun McKenna are available on BBC Sounds.  I'm working through series one at the moment.

Rose Basista plays E of A. I've not heard of her before but will look out for her in the future and Joel McCormack,who was in Wolf Hall and I'm sure loads of radio stuffs, as I recognise his voice*, as The Dauphin/Louis VII.  Stalwart of Radio 4 drama, Carl Prekopp is the not-to-be-trusted Abbot Pruger.

*Just worked it out. He was in Home Front (an intermittent serial drama about the First World War), playing Victor Lumley.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Mr Larrington on 12 October, 2022, 06:11:02 pm
w00t :thumbsup: ~ Bethany (12), just now
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 29 October, 2022, 05:40:32 pm
A New! Shiny! thing on Radio 4. Rob Newman On Air. Hard to describe but v funny.

It's in the half six slot on Wednesdays, first episode was last week, and is also on BBC Sounds. While you're there, listen to his Half-Full Philosophy Hour from a couple of  years ago.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 02 November, 2022, 06:45:52 am
A New! Shiny! thing on Radio 4. Rob Newman On Air. Hard to describe but v funny.

It's in the half six slot on Wednesdays, first episode was last week, and is also on BBC Sounds. While you're there, listen to his Half-Full Philosophy Hour from a couple of  years ago.
Yes, v good!

The philosfy thing was interesting enough, but the New Thing is genuinely "lol" funny.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Paul on 07 November, 2022, 10:26:24 pm
Richard E Grant on Desert Island Discs on Sunday had me laughing and crying while making the lunch. Lovely man.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 20 November, 2022, 08:41:20 pm
I didn't get where I am today by listening to remakes of the Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin on Radio 4.

But I'll give it a go.  Episode 2 was today, episode 1 last week. Both on BBC Sounds.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 21 November, 2022, 03:28:35 pm
Given that two of the main attractions of the original were Leonard Rossiter and Geoffrey Palmer, I don't think I'll bother with that one.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: rafletcher on 17 December, 2022, 11:35:17 am
My wife heartily recommends Michael Morpurgo’s Folk Journeys on Radio 4 / iPlayer.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 17 December, 2022, 06:48:23 pm
Gave up on the Bill Bailey sit-com (man with imaginary childhood friend) after 2Eps - unoriginal, unfunny, occasionally irritating.
Shame - still love you Bill!
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 27 May, 2023, 11:32:47 am
YES! YES! YES!

https://twitter.com/JohnFinnemore/status/1662395725437718530?s=20

Shame it's not a whole series but better than nothing. And much as I loved S9, I'm glad he's returning to the previous format.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 12 July, 2023, 08:05:17 pm
Something very different in the six thirty comedy slot: Robin Ince's Reality Tunnel. It started last week but I wasn't aware until I caught most of episode two this evening. Robin Ince empties his brain at us. All four episodes on BBC Sounds.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 12 July, 2023, 09:17:10 pm
I shall check that out. I like Robin Ince.

I’ve recently discovered something on 4extra from a few years ago that passed me by at the time: Reluctant Persuaders - sitcom set in an advertising agency, with Nigel Havers hamming it up to the max.

A bit patchy but very very funny in places and a lot different to the usual radio sitcom fare.

There are some nice in jokes too - they get Havers to deliver some nice lines about illustrious British actors doing anything for money, and there’s one bit where one of the young idiots is singing his own name to the tune of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (which as I’m sure all know was the theme tune - with words by Chas & Dave - to The Happy Apple, in which Leslie Ash plays a secretary in an advertising agency).

All four series are on iplayer right now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reluctant_Persuaders
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 25 July, 2023, 10:18:47 pm
Two programmes being delivered in 15 minute chunks on 4 Extra. Both of which have been broadcast before.

First up is "You Will Be Safe Here" by Damian Barr. 

Quote
Damian Barr's blistering debut novel, spanning 100 years of South Africa's dark past and present, from the 1901 Boer War to 2010.
Currently we're in Bloemenfontein concentration camp and it's narrated by Tracy Ann Obermann doing her Afrikaans accent, which I'm sure is fine. Trouble is it's not very far from the one she uses in "Getting Nowhere Fast" where she plays a South African waitress who recounts her sexual antics of the night before each morning (Last night I met this real hottie. I was like nice bum. He was like bitchin'. Then I had a complete cadenza. So I snogged him all night).

I'm having trouble getting that out of my mind while we hear tales of the harrowing conditions in the concentration camp.

Second is "Light Years," part of The Cazalets by  Elizabeth Jane Howard. Tales of infidelity in the run up to the second world war. Narrated by Penelope Wilton.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Mr Larrington on 27 July, 2023, 02:41:50 pm
Why did no-one tell me that S27 of The Infinite Monkey Cage started MOAR than a month ago >:(  Slackers, the lot of you!

On the plus side, I shall have the dulcet tones of Messrs Cox & Ince to soothe my ears on the highways and byways of USAnia, as is tradition :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 06 August, 2023, 10:08:13 am
Gideon Coe is depping for Cerys Matthews in the 6 Music Sunday morning slot for the next few weeks. Hurrah.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 29 October, 2023, 03:10:52 pm
Stumbled across a production of The Midwich Cuckoos that I'd not heard before, on 4 Extra last night. First aired in 2003 in two 60 minute episodes, it's got Bill Nighy not, for once, playing an ageing actor. Clive Merrison is also in it.

I'll keep an ear out for episode two.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 29 December, 2023, 09:32:26 am
The World's Richest Man on BBC Sounds

Sit com by Nick Hornby and Giles Smith about trillionaire former rocker Dave Mabbut, played by Mark Williams.

First broadcast in 2009.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: citoyen on 29 December, 2023, 10:21:48 am
it's got Bill Nighy not, for once, playing an ageing actor.

Do you ever listen to the Charles Parris mysteries? Enjoyable but…
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: mattc on 29 December, 2023, 10:30:46 am
As it hasn't been mentioned for 3 years, I think I'm allowed to praise The Skewer again. (on Series 10!)

Post by: Tim Hall on 23 October, 2020, 10:33:46 am
Quote from: hatler on 21 October, 2020, 08:49:31 am
I happened upon The Skewer on R4 recently. Didn't quite get it to start with but now love it.

I listened to some of that last night. I like it. There was some kind of mash up that featured the shipping forecast:
"Boris Johnson Dogger"


And for some seasonal Audio Oddness: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000h93s
(rather peculiar Jim Morrison doc/archive dive. Sort of ... )
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 30 December, 2023, 03:00:40 pm
it's got Bill Nighy not, for once, playing an ageing actor.

Do you ever listen to the Charles Parris mysteries? Enjoyable but…
Oh yes indeed.Nighy to the power of Nighy.
There's at least one dramatisation with Frances Matthews as Charles Paris.  Much more serious and closer, I suspect, to the Simon Brett book.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 30 December, 2023, 03:20:13 pm
Tittered my way round the supermarket today, listening to Uncle Mort's South Country. Stephen Thorne as Uncle Mort, Sam Kelly as Carter Brandon. Finely honed script by Peter Tinniswood.

<Font=Yorkshire, lad>
"Hawkins, Raleigh, Drake, Frobisher. They all set out from here on their voyages of discovery."
"Aye, and what did they discover when they got there? Hamburgers, baseball, Flying Fortresses and endless repeats of Lucille Ball on the television. Bastards."
</Font>

BBC Sounds, obvs.
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Tim Hall on 05 March, 2024, 08:35:30 am
Four Extra (and BBC Sounds) has the second series of something called Jack and Millie. Written by (and starring) Jeremy Front and his sister, Rebecca. The official blurb says "an older couple fully engaged with contemporary life whilst being at war with the absurdities of the modern world"

"Where do you stand on sex toys?"
"I'm no expert, but I don't think you stand on them"
Title: Re: Radio recommendations
Post by: Arminius on 05 March, 2024, 09:56:33 am
Four Extra (and BBC Sounds) has the second series of something called Jack and Millie. Written by (and starring) Jeremy Front and his sister, Rebecca. The official blurb says "an older couple fully engaged with contemporary life whilst being at war with the absurdities of the modern world"

"Where do you stand on sex toys?"
"I'm no expert, but I don't think you stand on them"

  ;D ;D ;D

I wish I hadn't had a mouthful of nuts* just before reading that!

* fnarr