The Verb

BBC Radio 4•www.bbc.co.uk

Society & Culture

Ian McMillan hosts Radio 4's cabaret of the word, featuring the best poetry, new writing and performance.

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Episodes

How do you choose a mentor?

This week on The Verb we're looking at writing mentors. How much different can a mentor make, how can we learn from their writing, and what kind of language should a mentor use? Joining Ian is the comedian Margaret Cho, who was profoundly influenced by her friend and mentor Joan Rivers. Margaret is a groundbreaking American comic who has been Emmy and Grammy nominated five times, hosts the podcast 'Monsters of Talk' and is currently on tour with her latest stand-up show 'Fresh Off The Boat'. Tim...

Dec 01, 2017•49 min

The Verb Celebrates 35 Years of Spoken Word

Ian McMillan presents a special extended edition of Radio 3's The Verb recorded as part of Contains Strong Language, a season of poetry and performance from Hull, UK City of Culture 2017. Ian McMillan is joined by a host of spoken word talent to celebrate the story of spoken-word performance in the UK on the 35th anniversary of 'Apples and Snakes'. John Agard has been performing spoken word across the UK for over 30 years. His poem celebrates the Voice as he reminds us that 'Shakespeare was a pe...

Nov 24, 2017•1 hr 42 min

The Stoic Verb

What does it mean to live a Stoic life in 2017? With the current resurgence of interest in Stoic ideas,, The Verb investigates. Helping Ian is the philosopher Angie Hobbs, technology writer Tom Chatfield, Coralie Bickford Smith, Ned Boulting and John Osborne. Producer: Faith Lawrence.

Nov 10, 2017•48 min

The Tense Verb

Philip Pullman, Hollie McNish, Francesca Martinez and David Denison join Ian McMillan A masterclass in using 'tense' for writers. Philip Pullman, author of the 'His Dark Materials' series, explains why the fashion for the present tense can limit writers of fiction and celebrates the 'classical tone' of Philippa Pearce. Francesca Martinez delights in the present tense of comedy, whilst Hollie McNish introduces Erin Fornoff and her poem of 'back and forth' tenses. Linguist David Denison reveals ho...

Nov 03, 2017•49 min

Tim Minchin

Comedian, songwriter, lyricist and composer Tim Minchin sits down at the piano for a special programme - an extended conversation with Ian McMillan. Over 45 minutes they discuss the influences on his language, exploring the writing process behind the music and lyrics from his acclaimed musicals (the Tony award winning 'Matilda' and the more recent 'Groundhog Day'), and the pleasure he takes in letting the sounds of word lead his writing in his comic songs. He also talks about publishing his firs...

Oct 27, 2017•48 min

The Society of the Spectacle

It's fifty years since the publication of 'The Society of the Spectacle' by the French writer and situationist Guy Debord. It's a book which continues to inspire artists and writers. Novelist Will Self argues that 'Never before has Debord's work seemed quite as relevant as it does now, in the permanent present that he so accurately foretold'. In this programme Will joins Ian McMillan, along with artist Paul Harfleet and writer Nick Harkaway to consider the idea of 'the spectacle', and, in the fi...

Oct 20, 2017•45 min

The Memory Verb

Ian McMillan presents a 'memorisable' cabaret of the word. Acclaimed biographer, historian and critic Jenny Uglow celebrates the language and rhymes of one of the most memorable poets in the English language, the 19th century artist and creator of nonsense rhymes Edward Lear. Rachel Parris and Amy Cooke-Hodgson are our improvisation 'queens' - they have worked together in award-winning improvisational theatre company 'Austentatious', and bravely take on an extreme memory challenge (inspired by L...

Oct 13, 2017•48 min

The Verb at the Contains Strong Language Festival of poetry and performance

Ian McMillan presents The Verb , Radio 3's cabaret of the spoken word with a host of international poets from Latvia, America and Poland, including Michael Dickman, Bodhan Piasecki and Orbita. Ian also explores the Trinidad Talking Doorsteps project with Joe Hakim . Recorded in front of a studio audience as part of Contains Strong Language, a season of Poetry and Performance from Hull. Producer: Faith Lawrence.

Oct 06, 2017•44 min

The Verb Live from Contains Strong Language

Ian McMillan presents Radio 3's The Verb broadcasting live from Contains Strong Language, a season of Poetry and Performance from Hull, with a look at the poetry inspired by the city, including the 2017 new ' washing line' poems with Dean Wilson and Vicky Foster, and Imtiaz Dharker's new piece for the JoinedUp dance company.

Sep 29, 2017•47 min

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