Radio Review - Who had the last laugh?

Published Monday 8 May 2006 at 12:15 by Lisa Martland

While the prime minister is regularly lampooned by journalists and comedians alike, it is clear from recent events that the spotlight is easily redirected towards his colleagues. Less so in the eighties, when Margaret Thatcher became the focus of a whole new generation of young, brash, politically-minded comics.

In Margaret Thatcher Ha Ha Ha Clive Anderson asked whether the alternative comedy of Alexei Sayle, Arnold Brown, Ben Elton and co would have been so successful if the Iron Lady had not risen to power. The answer, appropriately for comedy, appears to be all in the timing. At the same time as Thatcher’s image, personality and radical right wing policies provided endless material, new London venue the Comedy Store became the testing ground for would-be stand-ups.

Paradoxically it was these left wing performers, most university educated, who sidelined the established, working class comics who had paid their dues in clubland. Out went sexist and racist gags, in came observational humour, often with a political slant.

In an all too brief half hour, Anderson made an entertaining guide, chatting to many of the comedians he would have performed alongside more than 20 years ago. Good to hear a little more balance to the debate as well, even if there were no contributions from any old school comedians.

Picking up on on-line radio gossip about who will replace Sue Lawley as host of Desert Island Discs when she leaves in August, I noticed Anderson’s name thrown into the hat. Not as ridiculous a suggestion as those of Chris Evans and Rolf Harris, although maybe someone with greater journalistic credentials (Fi Glover, Anna Ford?) would fit the bill better.

Lawley, quitting after 18 years onboard, may not have pleased the late Roy Plomley’s widow, but her ratings - 1.78 million at the last count - revealed a different picture.

BBC Radio is apparently still in negotiation with the Plomley estate about whether DID will be available to listeners via download or podcast. Maybe the BBC’s latest figures for March might influence things. These showed a significance increase on February with more than 20 million hours listened to online and 2.8 million downloads of BBC Radio podcasts.

Top performer was The Archers with more than 650,000 people logging on to hear episodes online, closely followed by Chris Moyles’ show on Radio 1. The latter station’s podcasts also proved popular, suggesting that the Corporation’s podcast trial, discussed in the last Light Programme, is paying dividends.

Among the advantages to listening to music online is the opportunity to dip into different genres, an experience classical conductor Charles Hazlewood relishes in his return to Radio 2.

The idea is that Hazlewood ‘joins the dots’ between different musical styles and eras, revealing connections in relation perhaps to technique, theme etc. In the first instalment, comments on the use of text and language in music as diverse as Mozart and The Streets were interesting but too many tangents and a bland presenting style eventually left me feeling irritated and bored by the end. In future weeks Hazlewood is going to be joined by live bands and classical musicians at his Somerset farm where the series is recorded. Things can only improve.

More enjoyable was Ramblin’ Boy - The Donovan Story, even if the singer/songwriter’s interview with Bob Harris often sounded more like a series of statements than a conversation.

However, there were plenty of comments from those who collaborated with the folk/pop artist, as well as excerpts from several of his hits. Donovan’s personal and musical journey had plenty to keep the listeners’ attention. Harris’ informed comments on the performer’s subtle and longstanding influence were a bonus.

DETAILS

Margaret Thatcher Ha Ha Ha - R4, Saturday, May 6

Desert Island Discs - R4, Sundays

The Archers - R4, Mondays-Fridays/Sundays

The Chris Moyles Show - R1, Mondays-Fridays

The Charles Hazlewood Show - R2, Wednesday, May 3

Ramblin’ Boy - The Donovan Story - R2, Saturday, May 6