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Poetry Puh-lease

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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Comedy

24/01/2015

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Poetry Puh-lease

Kevin Eldon takes a look at the close links and crossovers between comedy and poetry.

Kevin Eldon takes a look at the close links and crossovers between comedy and poetry. Including clips from Tony Hancock and an interview with John Cooper Clarke.

Comedy and poetry have always had strong links, with many comics and poets blurring the boundaries. Now, comedian Kevin Eldon takes us on a three hour walk along the fine line between the two.

With the occasional input of his poet alter-ego, Paul Hamilton, Eldon presents a rich collection of radio comedy that celebrates the risible and funny side of poetry, including Tim Key's Late Night Poetry Programme; The Simon Day Show; Sir Ralph Stanza's Letter From Salford and the classic episode of Hancock's Half Hour, The Poetry Society.

There is also a look back at the life of the cult poet Hovis Presley, some scholarly input from Cariad Lloyd, and a brand new interview between Kevin Eldon and the magnificent John Cooper Clarke.

Along the way there is a rich mix of poetry that might be funny, sometimes cringe-worthy, occasionally absurd, sporadically nonsensical, but often brilliant.

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