Lemn Sissay's Origin Stories

Original version

BBC Radio 4 Extra

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama. With recent favourites from BBC Radio 4.

BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 LW

Lemn Sissay's Origin Stories: 1. The Bed under the Stairs

The Bed Under the Stairs

1. The Bed under the Stairs

BBC Radio 4 - Lemn Sissay's Origin Stories, 1. The Bed under the Stairs

Lemn discusses his experiences as a foster child and draws comparisons with Harry Potter.

Lemn’s foster child experience: comparing his life to Harry Potter, he was never told the truth about his parents. From 2016.

Batman was an orphan; Lisbeth Salander, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was an orphan; Superman was an orphan and a foundling. Cinderella was a foster child. Darth Vader - well, they can't all be winners. 

Taking a comic and poetic angle, Lemn Sissay compares reality against the treatment of children raised in care, orphans and foster children in popular culture. Because it surely says something about how we view them that we create so many for fiction?

In this opening episode, Lemn compares his experiences as a foster child to the life of Harry Potter. 

Like Harry, Lemn was never told the truth about what happened to his parents. Like Harry, he found his foster parents harsh and unforgiving. But, like Harry, he came through those problems, avoided the dementors, and grew up.

As well as storytelling, comedy and poetry, Lemn imagines an interview with Vernon and Petunia Dursley - Harry's foster parents. Finally, they get to tell their side of the story.

Written and performed by Lemn Sissay.

Producer:  Ed Morrish

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2016.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Documentaries

Factual

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Poet Lemn Sissay looks at foster children and children in care in popular culture.

Poet Lemn Sissay looks at foster children and children in care in popular culture, contrasting their treatment with those in the real world.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Lemn Sissay's Origin Stories

1. The Bed under the Stairs

Genres

Series

BBC Radio 4 Extra

About BBC Radio 4 Extra