Practical Jokes
Most of us like a practical joke, but can it do us good? In the week celebrating the birth of Krishna, Mark Tully discusses the spirituality of the Prankster.
Most of us like a practical joke, but can it do us good while it's making us laugh? In the week of the Festival of Janasthami, celebrating the birth of Krishna, the Hindu Deity known amongst other things for his practical jokes, Mark Tully discusses the spirituality of the Prankster.
Like it or not, practical jokes and pranks play an intrinsic and important part of life. And our reactions to them can be revealing. A joke played and taken in good part can be an affirmation of friendship. Many initiation rites have pranks at their core. Some religious teachers have used them to make a memorable point.
Yet a delicate balance has to be struck. There must be countless examples of pranks tipping over into cruelty, or friendships being ruined by a misplaced trick. At the same time we can delight in being the butt of an inventive prank and we certainly love to see them played on others.
With the help of Professor Dacher Keltner a psychologist from University College, Berkeley and with music from Dudley Moore, Haydn and the musical "Matilda", Mark Tully investigates the cultural importance of joke playing.
The readers are Helen Ryan and Kenneth Cranham.
Producer: Frank Stirling
A Unique production for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4.
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Music Played
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Lieutenant F. J. Ricketts
Colonel bogey
Performer: Dudley Moore
- Beyond the Fringe.
- Capitol Catalog.
- CDP7920552.
-
Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly
Naughty
Performer: Original London Cast 2011
- Matilda The Musical - Original London Cast 2011.
- Royal Shakespeare Company.
- 62104.
-
Joseph Haydn
String Quartet in E Flat, Op.33 No.2 'The Joke'
Performer: The Coull Quartet
- String Quartets Op.33 Nos.1-6.
- CRD Records.
- CRD34956.
-
Anup Jalota
Maiya Mori Main Nahi Makhan
Performer: Anup Jalota
- Bhajan Samrat Anup Jalota.
- Times Music.
- B005N164J2.
-
Richard Strauss
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche op.28
Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
- Till Eulenspiegel, Don Juan, Death and Transfiguration – Karajan.
- Deutche Grammophon.
- 423222-2.
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Danny Elfman
The Simpsons theme
Performer: not given
- TV Themes from the 80s and 90s.
- TVT Records.
- 0022762CIN.
Broadcasts
- Sun 12 Aug 2012 06:05´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4
- Sun 12 Aug 2012 23:30´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4
- Sun 3 Sep 2023 06:05´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4