R2OK!

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6815

Mitch Benn brings the show that he took to the Edinburgh Fringe to Radio 4 and very enjoyable it is ...loved the song comparing The Beatles with One Direction at the beginning. Laughing

Musical satirist Mitch Benn explores his comedy connections to the story of The Beatles.

Mitch has realised that over the years many people have claimed the title The Fifth Beatle. In fact, so many of them have been described as such that there are now at least 36 of them. They can't all be right. But some of them are righter than others...

Fifty years on from the release of 'Please, Please Me', Mitch presents his own definitive list of the Beatles. He presents a whistlestop tour through musical history and the enduring legacy of the Fab Four, whilst shamelessly milking his own - incredibly tenuous- connection to it.

After seeing the film Good Ol' Freda ( about the secretary of the fan club of the Fab Four) I feel she should have had a mention on Mitch's list!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03szxdh

Colin · Joined: 26 Sep 2013 Posts: 916

Ian Robinson · Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 2:23 pm Post subject:

There is an 80-minute version of this show currently on tour - including my own theatre in Chorley on 8th March. Looking forward to it!

Colin · Joined: 26 Sep 2013 Posts: 916

Ian, I recall hearing you talking about your theatre on (I think) Radio 4 a couple of years back - and very interesting it was too. What's your theatre called?

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6815

Ian Robinson · Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:14 am Post subject:

Colin · Joined: 26 Sep 2013 Posts: 916

Just looked at the website and I see you're presenting "Breaking The Code"! How funny - I'm working at Bletchley Park tomorrow (Tuesday), planning a series of workshops designed to teach volunteer oral historians how to conduct interviews with veterans. I love the place, one which is undergoing considerable (and controversial) changes at the moment following a substantial grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Ian Robinson · Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 11:49 am Post subject:

Colin · Joined: 26 Sep 2013 Posts: 916

"The Bletchley Circle" on ITV has generated an increase in visitors to BP, especially since some of the early scenes in Programme 1 were shot in the actual buildings in which the equivalent "real life" activity took place.

I guess that, from your point of view, it's part of the general malaise that affects the population these days. I have friends running theatre companies here in MK and they have the same problem. Bums on seats are hard achieve.

Ian Robinson · Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 8:44 pm Post subject:

Generally, we're doing OK (Easter to October last year were a bit poor, but it's picked up) - people are happy to shell out for what they know, but are a little more cautious with quirkier stuff and whereas 4 years ago someone would drag their partner along there's now a lot more people coming alone.