08 Oct: An Evening of (Very) Old Radio
This one-man show informs, educates but above all entertains about radio’s first moments. Enjoy tales, clips and re-enactments of the earliest landmark broadcasts: the first drama, music, comedy, sports, children’s programme + much more – researched, written and performed by British Comedy Award-winning writer (Miranda, Not Going Out), comedian + broadcast historian Paul Kerensa.
A sequel of sorts to Paul’s 2022 tour The First Broadcast: The Battle for the Beeb in 1922, this ‘stand-up history’ show brings back to life forgotten pioneers – from Britain’s first DJ Gertrude Donisthorpe (spinning discs in a field during WWI), to the BBC’s first children’s character (Susan the blue cat with yellow spots). It’s a fascinating, fact filled but above all FUN tale, showing how we got to now.
With no recordings from the 1920s, we’ll recreate key moments, inc. the first drama The Truth About Father Christmas (recently rediscovered by Paul at the British Library for the first time in nearly a century) and the first political debate (sparking the BBC’s first controversy, foreshadowing the issues for today’s BBC).
Hear the BBC’s first song, the influential first outside broadcast and the bawdy tale of the launch of Savoy Hill. After a Q&A, Paul’s new novel Auntie and Uncles: The Bizarre Birth of the BBC can be available. In this age of doubt over the BBC’s future, we’ll seek to understand the present by looking at the past answering questions like: Why the half-hour programme length? How did the first allegation of BBC bias pre-date the BBC? How was the BBC effectively pirate at first, unlicensed for the first two months?
WRITTEN, RESEARCHED + PERFORMED BY:
Paul Kerensa has written for TV shows inc. Top Gear, Buble at the BBC, Royal Variety Show and TFI Friday and radio shows inc. The Now Show, The News Quiz and Dead Ringers. He’s a regular on BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show’s ‘Pause For Thought’ and has presented BBC Radio Sussex/Surrey’s Sunday Breakfast.
As a performer, Paul has performed over 3,000 stand-up gigs, inc. The Royal Albert Hall, The Comedy Store + Montreal Comedy Festivals. He won ITV’s Take the Mike Award and was a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards. As a broadcast historian, he presents the five-star-rated The British Broadcasting Century Podcast, has presented at media history conferences and advised on BBC documentaries.
“A brilliant writer, fantastic communicator, deep thinker, philosopher & extremely decent bloke.” – CHRIS EVANS
“Top comic, top writer.” – LEE MACK
"As effortless a writer as he is a performer." – THE STAGE
“Paul has a brilliant way of bringing these stories to life. I’ve worked in radio for decades but didn’t know any of this tale of how broadcasting began.” – review of The British Broadcasting Century Podcast
Ticket options
This one-man show informs, educates but above all entertains about radio’s first moments. Enjoy tales, clips and re-enactments of the earliest landmark broadcasts: the first drama, music, comedy, sports, children’s programme + much more – researched, written and performed by British Comedy Award-winning writer (Miranda, Not Going Out), comedian + broadcast historian Paul Kerensa.
A sequel of sorts to Paul’s 2022 tour The First Broadcast: The Battle for the Beeb in 1922, this ‘stand-up history’ show brings back to life forgotten pioneers – from Britain’s first DJ Gertrude Donisthorpe (spinning discs in a field during WWI), to the BBC’s first children’s character (Susan the blue cat with yellow spots). It’s a fascinating, fact filled but above all FUN tale, showing how we got to now.
With no recordings from the 1920s, we’ll recreate key moments, inc. the first drama The Truth About Father Christmas (recently rediscovered by Paul at the British Library for the first time in nearly a century) and the first political debate (sparking the BBC’s first controversy, foreshadowing the issues for today’s BBC).
Hear the BBC’s first song, the influential first outside broadcast and the bawdy tale of the launch of Savoy Hill. After a Q&A, Paul’s new novel Auntie and Uncles: The Bizarre Birth of the BBC can be available. In this age of doubt over the BBC’s future, we’ll seek to understand the present by looking at the past answering questions like: Why the half-hour programme length? How did the first allegation of BBC bias pre-date the BBC? How was the BBC effectively pirate at first, unlicensed for the first two months?
WRITTEN, RESEARCHED + PERFORMED BY:
Paul Kerensa has written for TV shows inc. Top Gear, Buble at the BBC, Royal Variety Show and TFI Friday and radio shows inc. The Now Show, The News Quiz and Dead Ringers. He’s a regular on BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show’s ‘Pause For Thought’ and has presented BBC Radio Sussex/Surrey’s Sunday Breakfast.
As a performer, Paul has performed over 3,000 stand-up gigs, inc. The Royal Albert Hall, The Comedy Store + Montreal Comedy Festivals. He won ITV’s Take the Mike Award and was a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards. As a broadcast historian, he presents the five-star-rated The British Broadcasting Century Podcast, has presented at media history conferences and advised on BBC documentaries.
“A brilliant writer, fantastic communicator, deep thinker, philosopher & extremely decent bloke.” – CHRIS EVANS
“Top comic, top writer.” – LEE MACK
"As effortless a writer as he is a performer." – THE STAGE
“Paul has a brilliant way of bringing these stories to life. I’ve worked in radio for decades but didn’t know any of this tale of how broadcasting began.” – review of The British Broadcasting Century Podcast
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