The NHS at 70
The Verb celebrates the NHS at 70, exploring embodied knowledge, the skill in a surgeon's fingers and the way a nurse attends to a patient's body language.
The Verb celebrates the NHS at 70, exploring the language of the body, and the way bodies communicate when words fall short.
So much care given in hospitals and GPs' surgeries is non-verbal, but how do we talk about and pass on expertise that lacks a lexicon?
Ian introduces an NHS tribute poem, a brand new commission for The Verb from nurse Molly Case, and contributions from surgeon Professor Roger Kneebone (who collaborates with experts outside medicine e.g. chefs, magicians, musicians), puppeteer and dramaturg Rachel Warr, drummer and poet Antosh Wojcik and from our spoken word curator Hollie McNish.
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The NHS is 70
Duration: 04:29
Antosh Wojcik
Poet, performer and drummer Antosh Wojcik gives us a preview of his show ‘How to Keep Time’, which he’s taking to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In the piece Antosh uses drums and poetry to try to make sense of his grandfather’s dementia.  For Antosh, drumming is democratic, a universal language, and seems to offer a way communicate with his grandfather. ‘How to Keep Time’ is produced by Penned in the Margins.Â
Hollie McNish introduces... Molly Case
Molly Case is a nurse and a poet. To celebrate the NHS at 70, we’ve commissioned Molly to write a brand new poem. Molly’s memoir of a life in the NHS, ‘How to Treat People’ will be out soon.Â
Professor Roger Kneebone
Professor Roger Kneebone directs the Imperial College Centre for Engagement and Simulation Science. Â He explains the importance of rhythm to medical practice, to surgery, and to the communications patients have with medical professionals. Roger has worked extensively with performers (including magicians and musicians) and he tells Ian why surgeons have more in common with performing artists than we might think.Â
Rachel Warr
Rachel is a puppeteer and dramaturg. She outlines the similarities between puppetry and surgery, shares the unheard but insistent rhythm of stage-directions, and explains the importance of a warm-up process for puppeteers and for surgeons. Rachel has worked with Roger Kneebone and other medical professionals to explore the cross-over between medical and theatre expertise. She has previously been an Artistic Associate at the Little Angel Theatre and she is currently Artistic Director of Dotted Line Theatre.
Broadcast
- Fri 6 Jul 2018 22:00´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3
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