Discovering Podcasts: More Wierdness with "Tanis" from PRA

I am still hooked on my smartphone and listening to podcasts. Having finished "Rabbits" (see that post) from the wonderful Public Radio Alliance ... I am catching up on their earlier show "Tanis" which happily for me and my obsession has just started Season Four.

If Rabbits gave me game-playing conspiracy with a hint of spook - then Tanis gives me horror, myth and murder set in the Pacific North West of America. It's "presented" by podcast host Nic Silver and is constructed as an investigation into the weirdness of Tanis. Which is what? A cult? An entity? Its dark goings-on are said to shift place every 400 years or so. But its current location is ... Yes indeed, Twin Peaks territory. Which does make an old Peaky comme moi very happy.

PRA has made a show full of gripping style: mysterious woods, dark beings, alternate spaces, conspiracy and serial murder. What an elegant shivery stew. PRA calls it: "what happens when science and fiction start to blur".  (Sigh) I am just so hooked.

How to Listen to Tanis

Grey Doll's Criminal Reading Takes Her To Miloszewski's Warsaw

I won three crime novels a while back .... and the first one I chose to read was "Entanglement" by Polish writer Zygmunt Miloszewski. [Bitter Lemon Press, 2010]. Nice timing for me because, according to Bitter Lemon Press, BBC Radio Four is broadcasting a two-part dramatisation of the book - at 3pm on Sundays October 11 and 18th - as part of its "Reading Europe" season. There should also be a BBC Radio 4's "Front Row" interview with its author, former journalist and editor Miloszewski, at 7.15pm on October 9th.

"Entanglement" is Miloszewski's first crime novel featuring State Prosecutor Teodor Szacki and is set in Warsaw in 2005, during the political reign of the Kaczyński twins. It opens with the discovery of a body (naturally). The body is that of printing-business manager Henryk Telak, a participant in a tough, weekend-long, role-playing, psychotherapy workshop taking place in the rented rooms of a Warsaw monastery. The dead Henryk is found on the floor of one of these rooms with a skewer in his eye ... and the case lands on the desk of be-suited, prematurely white-haired, Prosecutor Szacki who, roused from his Sunday-morning bed by his seven-year old daughter, gives a bleary-eyed wave to his equally bleary-eyed wife in her faded "Disco Fun" t-shirt and makes his way to the crime scene. Szacki wonders how to play the interviews with the workshop participants. The Lieutenant Columbo method, let them stew? But he tells Police Inspector Oleg Kuzniecow to interview them now – as witnesses – careful questions, take good notes, soften them up for Szacki to get back to them a few times. Kuzniecow  bristles at the precise instructions but agrees to meet for coffee next morning to summarise progress and to work out a strategy. You're buying, says Kuzniecow. Can't afford to, replies Szacki....

The book that follows is in some ways a conventional police procedural in which Szacki is partnered by the ironically (we hope) savage police detective Oleg Kuzniecow as they interview workshop-participants, therapist, witnesses and other interested parties. But alongside this structured plot Miloszewski gives us subtle reminders of the changes undergone by Polish society during the late twentieth century and paints a detailed evocation of Warsaw's streets and buildings. (Us non-Polish readers must chose whether to master a mental pronunciation act or blast through the names and places with reckless speed in this smooth and convincing translation by Antonia Lloyd-Jones.) The plot deepens as clues lead back to another murder whilst Szacki's frustrations at marking time in his career and marriage push him towards the distractions of a young, attractive journalist.
Miloszewski creates his characters with an objective yet empathic eye and I love his dialogue. With psychotherapy, suspense, wit and the tensions of Poland's political history...  this is a book I greatly enjoyed.

I shall definitely be putting the second in the Prosecutor Szacki series - "A Grain of Truth" - on my Christmas List ... ready for The Old Man's wallet.

Grey Doll & Criminal Listening: BBC Radio Four, Cuba And More Foreign Bodies

A newsletter from Bitter Lemon Press... specialist publishers of translated crime fiction ....  tells us that those of us in the UK listening to BBC Radio 4 are due for a Cuban crime treat on Saturday afternoons ( 2.30 - 3.30 pm starting 15th November ) with a series of dramatisations of Leonardo Padura's "Havana Quartet".

What's more there is a tie in with a new series of Mark Lawson's excellent "Foreign Bodies". This time he looks at how crime fiction reflects different political systems.... starting with Cuba and Communism. These programmes will air on BBC Radio 4, from Monday 17th November, 1.45 - 2.00 pm. and will run daily in same slot until Friday 21st November. In addition to Cuba the episodes will cover political perspectives from USA, Poland, Australia and Nigeria.

Ooh! I gotta pin my ears back and enjoy this lot.

"The Wild Bride" - Kneehigh's Play on BBC Radio 4: 21st Dec

You must know that I am a great fan of Kneehigh Theatre Company... and that The Old Man and me do go to see their productions in Cornwall whenever we can. One production I do greatly enjoy is "The Wild Bride". Now they have adapted their play for radio. It will be broadcast tomorrow (Saturday 21st Dec) at 14.30 on BBC Radio 4 (Here for Kneehigh's page about recording it.)

Should be a great seasonal offering... though how the physicality, smoke, mirrors and sheer magic will get translated into word, sound and music... I do not know. But I shall be listening of course!

Kneehigh have already announced that their 2014 "Asylum" season will include their reworking of John Gay's "Beggar's Opera" entitled "Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs)" with music by Charles Hazlewood. That should be in September. Less good news for us is that they are moving their Asylum venue to Heligan Gardens ... which be a bit of a stretch for us Old'uns down here at the western tip of the land. But.....The Old Man has got his maps out. Maybe we can get there.

Revisiting The Screwtape Letters

Korf! Korf!
I function therefore I am....   back.

.....and listening to BBC Radio 4's current "Book of the Week" which is Simon Russell Beale reading C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters". Some (like The Old Man) may say:
"Whatever For?"
(But then The Old Man do not like organised religion, Simon Russell Beale or C. S. Lewis ... since he realised he be a member of an organised religion....)

To which I reply:
"Our headmistress used to read it to us by way of an RK (Religious Knowledge) slot when I be a sixth former. And I always liked it and be thankful for her treating us as if we do have some brain cells."

And... I do find some comfort as I do ponder the shameful fate of my beloved Co-Op and in particular the appalling car-crash what be the appointment of the Rev Paul Flowers as its Bank Man (The Co-Op's very own "Mayor of Toronto" with religious pretensions.)
Clearly Screwtape won through on that particular Methodist Minister... for me the rest is ashes....

Mrs D Ponders Crime In Florence And "A Darkness Descending"

That Mrs D still be readin' her crime books. If ... like her... you like to travel in crime... and you like a little social, political content in your crime reading.... then she says you may well like to check out Christobel Kent's latest book featuring Florentine PI Sandro Cellini - "A Darkness Descending"  - a study of obsession and dirty dealings set against the backdrop of Florentine current popular politics. It seems that Sandro likes a quiet life but those nearest and dearest around him are determined to get him investigating deeper, or else they will .... and do.

You can read a review over on the Euro Crime website

PS.On the EuroCrime blog is a reminder and summary of the excellent Mark Lawson's series of short BBC Radio 4 programmes on foreign crime fiction "Foreign Bodies".
Like a heatwave struck idiot, Mrs D have forget to tune in. She may have to catch the Friday omnibus edition. Teach her to laze about in the sun.

Me? I still be riveted by Channel 4's "The Returned" on Sunday evenings. Even if The Old Man keeps asking me technical questions about zombies like I am some kind of expert. I keep explaining to him that this be a French series and as such there is nothing as inelegant as a piece of rotting flesh on a walking cadaver to be seen. Though.... Lena's back don't look too healthy... but she's supposed to be fully alive. Alors! Quel énigme, oui?

The Old Man Do Get To The Diminishing Truth Of Being Elder....

... for he do say to me: "Did you listen to "Personal Pleasures"?

and I do ask: "You mean "Private Passions"?

Mrs D Still Listening To "Foreign Bodies"

Mrs D be listening to Mark Lawson's eurocrime series "Foreign Bodies" on BBC Radio 4 with great enjoyment and much nodding of approval. She likes to say that she do read the eurocrime for the social and political content also. (Har! Har!) Whatever, she do enjoy Mr Lawson being able to express what she cannot. Although she do admit that she haven't read half the writers he have talked about so far.

A reminder for those able to tune in to BBC Radio 4 that there is an omnibus edition of this week's series coming up on Friday evening 26th Oct at 21.00.

.... and as part of the overall season.... a series of Saturday afternoon plays based on the Swedish crime writers Per Wahloo and Maj Sjowall character of Martin Beck starts this week on Saturday 27th Oct at 14.30. with "Roseanna".

Mrs D Admits Her Ignorance

We do listen today to the first episode of  Mark Lawson's series of 15 minute programmes on European crime fiction on BBC Radio4 called "Foreign Bodies" as mentioned in my previous post. This episode looks at Christie's "Poirot" and Simenon's "Maigret".

Now I did make that Mrs D stand in the corner wearing a dunce's cap. For she tells me that despite reading a lot of crime fiction and sometimes writing about it.... she have never (pregnant pause) read a Poirot or a Simenon. (Gasp!) I tell her she be admitting ignorance then.

But she remains defiant, I do hear her muttering into the corner that she does not want to read Agatha Christie. After some silence, I do hear her say that maybe she should read some Simenon.

Ha-ha. I think so too.

Mark Lawson's European History Through European Crime Stories

The very estimable broadcaster Mark Lawson is to be doing a series of short programmes on BBC Radio4. As of Mon Oct 22 at 1.45pm they will broadcast daily for 15 episodes. The series is called "Foreign Bodies"  in which... and I quote.... "Mark Lawson shows how crimes reflect Europe's times" by taking a look at some of the most celebrated detectives in European crime fiction.

I and Mrs D will be followin' it all closely: on the radio, recorded, or from the BBC website. We shall be there.

The Rook Scientific

So I'm a bit late getting downstairs this mornin... Busy swabbing out the bathroom etc. And when I gets down, The Old Man says...

"So you missed Jim Al-Khalili then..."

"You what?"

"Jim Al-Khalili... The Life Scientific.... on Radio 4... just now..."

"Yes?"

"Today talking to a scientist, Nicky Clayton about her work with crows... says they can work out problems that human children can't..."

"Damn. I likes rooks and so on. I'll have to Listen Again as they do like to say on the Radio. Or download it as a Podcast...."

"The Strand" & a Short Interview With Jussi Adler-Olsen

Lyin' around listenin to BBC World Service as I do. I catch their arts programme "The Strand" which includes a short interview with Danish crime writer Jussi Adler-Olsen on the popularity of Scandinavian Crime Fiction. Check out these links to find out more and "listen again".

And...and..and...
.....following on from yesterday's post about BBC4's Scandinavian Crime shows there is a Stop Press for Wallander portrayed by Rolf Lassgard. BBC 4 is showing a feature-length Wallander story "The Pyramid" starring Rolf Lassgard tonight, Saturday 12 Nov, at 9pm... repeated November Fri 18 at 01:30 am)

Mrs Doonuthin reckons you should know about all this stuff.