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Kirkwall

Viking skull-splitting and a violent ball game. Mark discovers what makes Kirkwall in Orkney so distinctive. From May 2010.

Comedian Mark Steel returns to visit more UK towns to discover what makes them and their inhabitants distinctive.

He creates a bespoke stand-up show for each town and performs the show in front of a local audience.

As well as shedding light on the less visited areas of Britain, Mark uncovers stories and experiences that resonate with us all as we recognise the quirkiness of the British way of life and the rich tapestry of remarkable events and people who have shaped where we live.

Mark travels to Kirkwall in Orkney and encounters Thorfinn The Skullsplitter; an extraordinarily violent ball game and why it's pointless being a hairdresser on the island.

Written by Mark Steel.

With additional material by Pete Sinclair.

Producer: Julia McKenzie.

First broadcast on 大象传媒 Radio 4 in May 2010.

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30 minutes

On radio

Fri 17 Jan 2025 22:30

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  • Wed 12 May 2010 18:30
  • Sat 7 Mar 2015 23:00
  • Fri 17 Jan 2025 22:30

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