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With Great Pleasure at Christmas 2013

John Lloyd is joined by Hugh Laurie, Miriam Margolyes and Julian Rhind-Tutt to perform his favourite pieces of writing, comedy and songs with an audience at the 大象传媒 Radio Theatre.

John Lloyd is joined by Hugh Laurie, Miriam Margolyes, Julian Rhind-Tutt and Howard Goodall to perform his favourite pieces of writing, comedy and music. A special Christmas edition of With Great Pleasure recorded in front of an audience at the 大象传媒 Radio Theatre.

John Lloyd is a comedy guru, the brains behind QI and the producer of Blackadder - and Hugh Laurie revisits his sublime portrayal of the Prince Regent from Blackadder the Third in a couple of previously unperformed pieces written by John. His other choices include a performance by all the cast of a scene from Hay Fever by Noel Coward, in which John made his stage debut while at school.

Taking us through John's life in comedy are sound archive extracts from Julian and Sandy from Round The Horne and Peter Cook from Beyond the Fringe.

Books that have been important in John's life include The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff, How The Mind Works by Steven Pinker and poetry collections ranging from Auden to ee cummings. Words of wisdom from Douglas Adams and Viz Top Tips are also quoted.

Howard Goodall plays the song he composed for John's wedding, which is sung by John's daughter.

Producer Beth O'Dea.

58 minutes

Last on

Fri 27 Dec 2013 20:00

With Great Pleasure recording, l-r John Lloyd, Miriam Margolyes, Howard Goodall, Caitlin Lloyd, Hugh Laurie, Julian Rhind-Tutt

With Great Pleasure recording, l-r John Lloyd, Miriam Margolyes, Howard Goodall, Caitlin Lloyd, Hugh Laurie, Julian Rhind-Tutt

Pieces chosen in the programme

Snow by Louis MacNeice, from Collected Poems, publ. Faber & Faber

The Menu in Mrs Miggins鈥檚 Coffee House from Blackadder: The Whole Damn Dynasty, publ. Penguin

Aftermyth Of War from The Complete Beyond The Fringe (CD set)

Journey of the Magi by T.S. Eliot, from Collected Poems, publ. Faber & Faber

Pied Beauty by Gerard Manley Hopkins, from Poems publ. Oxford University Press

Viz: Top of the Tips, publ. Dennis Publishing

The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff (excerpt), publ. Oxford University Press

Julian and Sandy: Bona Law from The Bona World of Julian and Sandy (CD)

Hay Fever by Noel Coward (excerpt), from Three Plays, publ. Vintage

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (excerpt), publ. Pan Books

Afterliff by John Lloyd and Jon Canter (excerpts), publ. Faber & Faber

Duties of the Prince Regent.. from Blackadder: The Whole Damn Dynasty, publ. Penguin

Song: The Good Morrow by John Donne (words) / Howard Goodall (music)

somewhere I have never travelled, gladly beyond by e. e. cummings, from Complete Poems, publ. Liveright

Excerpt from Sext by W. H. Auden, Part 3 of Horae Canonicae, Collected Shorter Poems, publ. Faber & Faber

How the Mind Works by Steven Pinker (excerpt), publ. Penguin

The Stalled Ox (excerpt), from Saki, The Complete Short Stories, publ. Penguin

Song: Days of Hope by Howard Goodall

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter John Lloyd
Performer Hugh Laurie
Performer Miriam Margolyes
Performer Julian Rhind-Tutt
Performer Howard Goodall
Producer Beth O'Dea

Broadcasts

  • Christmas Day 2013 12:00
  • Christmas Day 2013 12:04
  • Fri 27 Dec 2013 20:00

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