A real gem from R4 - Lear and Giorgio

[Guest]

May I recommend this (from R4) if any of you have three quarters of an hour to spare?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hc407

One of the most warm, enjoyable, decent, well-judged, humourous, interesting and brilliantly-scripted radio features I've ever heard. An absolute joy from start to finish - made even richer with the absolutely aptly selected quotes from Lear's comic genius.

I defy anyone to listen and not to feel much better for having done so, so do trust me on this one!

bws Simon

[amateur51]

It was a fair old stab, I agree Simon, but Lear is much more complex and darker than we often imagine.

His epilepsy was a lifelong torment and he frequently had dozens of seizures a day. He also had many love affairs, unspoken, unrequited and unresolved, projections of his own self-loathing, always hopeful and yet rarely even noted by the other party, most of whom were men. He was a good friend to those whom he judged safe to open himself to and, of course, to children

I attended this very different performance in Bristol in 2000 - the programme mentioned is full of original material and a complete delight.

http://www.nonsenselit.org/Lear/lewsen.html