大象传媒

What's the role of the trickster in society? Is his or her sleight of hand just what we need to keep culture and society on its toes, to keep us thinking differently and avoid getting stuck in a cultural rut? David Bramwell leafs through the 大象传媒 archives to look at stunts, hoaxes, tricks and tomfoolery, examining the motivation of the trickster and the positive effects of their activities.

We hear archive going back to the early 1960s and talk about jokes, tricks and stunts pulled on you and me by corporations and individuals. We encounter familiar names like Ken Campbell, Orson Welles, Chris Morris, Marcel Duchamp, Banksy, Pussy Riot and perhaps some less familiar, like Tuesday Lobsang Rampa, The Leeds 13 and identity fraud victim Steve Bustin.

We also hear new interviews with 'classical trickster' expert Lewis Hyde, Daisy Campbell, Paul Merton, Zoe Lyons, Suki Webster, Marcus Brigstocke, Neil Forsyth and others.

It's not all fun and laughter though as we examine the darker, unintended consequences that can arise from a trickster trying to pull the wool over the unsuspecting eyes of their victim.

Written and Presented by David Bramwell
Additional Voices: Anne Rupert and Shelley Blond
Producer: Steve Doherty
A Giddy Goat production for 大象传媒 Radio 4