Ways Of Being

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Kate Davis On Thomas Hardy

20220328

20231116 (R3)

The poet Kate Davis explores the way Thomas Hardy's poem 'Afterwards' has influenced her way of being.

In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ways of being', their individual bodies - what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. And as many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer more of the same'.

Kate is the first of our essayists, who each let us into their particular 'way of being' via their relationship with a cultural touchstone (whether it's a poem, a singer, a television series, or a story from the Bible). Each tells us about something that has enriched their own creativity, and brought them closer appreciating their own way of being. Kate contracted polio as a child and it has informed her relationship with the ground and with poetry.

Kate's first poetry collection is 'The Girl Who Forgets How to Walk' - she has always lived in the Furness peninsula of south Cumbria.

Producer: Faith Lawrence

Poet Kate Davis explores her fascination with Thomas Hardy's poem Afterwards.

In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ‘ways of being', their individual bodies – what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. And as many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer ‘more of the same'.

Poet Kate Davis explores the way Thomas Hardy's poem Afterwards has influenced her way of being.

David Bower On Tom Waits

20220329

Actor David Bower explores his fascination with American singer-songwriter Tom Waits's music and tells us about the way it has influenced his way of being' as a deaf artist.

David is the second of our essayists, who each let us into their particular 'way of being' via their relationship with a cultural touchstone (whether it's a poem, a singer, a television series, or a story from the Bible). Each tells us about something that has enriched their own creativity, and brought them closer appreciating their own way of being.

David is an award-winning actor and the co-founder of a groundbreaking international theatre company called 'The Signdance Collective'. His films have been screened across the globe, and he has been acclaimed for his radio drama performances. He also played Hugh Grant's brother in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' directed by Mike Newell and written by Richard Curtis.

Producer: Faith Lawrence

Actor David Bower explores his fascination with singer-songwriter Tom Waits's music.

Kate Fox On Doctor Who

20220330

20231117 (R3)

Stand-up poet Kate Fox explores her fascination with Doctor Who and the Tardis, and tells us about the way it has influenced her way of being as a neurodiverse artist.

Kate is the third of our essayists to let us into their particular 'way of being' via their relationship with a cultural touchstone (whether it's a poem, a singer, a television series, or a story from the Bible). Each tells us about something that has enriched their own creativity, and brought them closer to appreciating their own way of being.

Kate is a stand-up poet and broadcaster - a regular on Radio 3's The Verb. She's also a 'gentle activist and campaigner for the voices of northerners, the working class, women and the [neurodivergent] to be heard'. Her latest book is 'Where There's Muck There's Bras: The Lost Stories of the Amazing Women of the North'.

Producer: Faith Lawrence

Rachael Boast On The Book Of Job

20220331

Poet Rachael Boast explains why the Book of Job' from the Bible has been so important to her; how it has informed her experience of writing poetry, and her experience a rare genetic condition called ichthyosis.

Rachael is the fourth essayist to let us into their particular 'way of being' and into their relationship with a cultural touchstone - whether it's a poem, a singer, a television series, or a story from the Bible - each tells us about something that has enriched their own creativity, and brought them closer to understanding their own way of being.

Poet Rachael Boast's Sidereal won the Forward Prize for Best First Collection - she's a poet whose work gives us the kind of layered time-travel only the best lyric poems allow' as one reviewer put it. Her fourth poetry collection Hotel Raphael' is named after the patron saint of healing and pilgrims, and lets us brush against the worlds of artists, writers and filmmakers - as well as the biblical figure of Job. Rachael talks about how Job has informed her experience of ichthyosis - a rare genetic condition that puts her skin under great pressure. She has also come to see the poem itself as language placed under pressure.

Producer: Faith Lawrence

Poet Rachael Boast explores her fascination with the Book of Job.

05 LAST

Tom Shakespeare On J.r.r. Tolkien

20220401

20231117 (R3)

Tom Shakespeare explores the influence of J.R.R.Tolkien's characters on his way of being.

In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ways of being', their individual bodies - what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. As many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer more of the same'.

Tom is the fifth essayist to let us into their particular 'way of being' and into their relationship with a cultural touchstone. In this essay Tom considers the character of J.R.R. Tolkien's hobbits, and his experience of reading about them as a child with restricted growth - a child who adored books

Tom Shakespeare is a writer, social scientist, bioethicist, and a regular broadcaster for BBC Radio. He has also performed as a stand-up comedian and comp耀re in the disability arts world.

Tom Shakespeare explores his relationship with J.R.R. Tolkien's characters.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Kate Davis On Thomas Hardy	20220328	20231116 (R3)	The poet Kate Davis explores the way Thomas Hardy's poem 'Afterwards' has influenced her way of being. In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ways of being', their individual bodies - what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. And as many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer more of the same'. Kate is the first of our essayists, who each let us into their particular 'way of being' via their relationship with a cultural touchstone (whether it's a poem, a singer, a television series, or a story from the Bible). Each tells us about something that has enriched their own creativity, and brought them closer appreciating their own way of being. Kate contracted polio as a child and it has informed her relationship with the ground and with poetry. Kate's first poetry collection is 'The Girl Who Forgets How to Walk' - she has always lived in the Furness peninsula of south Cumbria. Producer: Faith Lawrence Poet Kate Davis explores her fascination with Thomas Hardy's poem Afterwards. In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ‘ways of being', their individual bodies – what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. And as many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer ‘more of the same'. Poet Kate Davis explores the way Thomas Hardy's poem Afterwards has influenced her way of being.
02	David Bower On Tom Waits	20220329		Actor David Bower explores his fascination with American singer-songwriter Tom Waits's music and tells us about the way it has influenced his way of being' as a deaf artist. In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ways of being', their individual bodies - what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. And as many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer more of the same'. David is the second of our essayists, who each let us into their particular 'way of being' via their relationship with a cultural touchstone (whether it's a poem, a singer, a television series, or a story from the Bible). Each tells us about something that has enriched their own creativity, and brought them closer appreciating their own way of being. David is an award-winning actor and the co-founder of a groundbreaking international theatre company called 'The Signdance Collective'. His films have been screened across the globe, and he has been acclaimed for his radio drama performances. He also played Hugh Grant's brother in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' directed by Mike Newell and written by Richard Curtis. Producer: Faith Lawrence Actor David Bower explores his fascination with singer-songwriter Tom Waits's music.
03	Kate Fox On Doctor Who	20220330	20231117 (R3)	Stand-up poet Kate Fox explores her fascination with Doctor Who and the Tardis, and tells us about the way it has influenced her way of being as a neurodiverse artist. In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ways of being', their individual bodies - what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. And as many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer more of the same'. Kate is the third of our essayists to let us into their particular 'way of being' via their relationship with a cultural touchstone (whether it's a poem, a singer, a television series, or a story from the Bible). Each tells us about something that has enriched their own creativity, and brought them closer to appreciating their own way of being. Kate is a stand-up poet and broadcaster - a regular on Radio 3's The Verb. She's also a 'gentle activist and campaigner for the voices of northerners, the working class, women and the [neurodivergent] to be heard'. Her latest book is 'Where There's Muck There's Bras: The Lost Stories of the Amazing Women of the North'. Producer: Faith Lawrence
04	Rachael Boast On The Book Of Job	20220331		Poet Rachael Boast explains why the Book of Job' from the Bible has been so important to her; how it has informed her experience of writing poetry, and her experience a rare genetic condition called ichthyosis. In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ways of being', their individual bodies - what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. And as many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer more of the same'. Rachael is the fourth essayist to let us into their particular 'way of being' and into their relationship with a cultural touchstone - whether it's a poem, a singer, a television series, or a story from the Bible - each tells us about something that has enriched their own creativity, and brought them closer to understanding their own way of being. Poet Rachael Boast's Sidereal won the Forward Prize for Best First Collection - she's a poet whose work gives us the kind of layered time-travel only the best lyric poems allow' as one reviewer put it. Her fourth poetry collection Hotel Raphael' is named after the patron saint of healing and pilgrims, and lets us brush against the worlds of artists, writers and filmmakers - as well as the biblical figure of Job. Rachael talks about how Job has informed her experience of ichthyosis - a rare genetic condition that puts her skin under great pressure. She has also come to see the poem itself as language placed under pressure. Producer: Faith Lawrence Poet Rachael Boast explores her fascination with the Book of Job.
05 LAST	Tom Shakespeare On J.r.r. Tolkien	20220401	20231117 (R3)	Tom Shakespeare explores the influence of J.R.R.Tolkien's characters on his way of being. In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ways of being', their individual bodies - what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. As many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer more of the same'. Tom is the fifth essayist to let us into their particular 'way of being' and into their relationship with a cultural touchstone. In this essay Tom considers the character of J.R.R. Tolkien's hobbits, and his experience of reading about them as a child with restricted growth - a child who adored books Tom Shakespeare is a writer, social scientist, bioethicist, and a regular broadcaster for BBC Radio. He has also performed as a stand-up comedian and comp耀re in the disability arts world. Tom Shakespeare explores his relationship with J.R.R. Tolkien's characters.