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Journalist Grace Dent talks to Justin Edwards and Jan Ravens about their experiences of making radio comedy in the early 2000s.

The Frequency of Laughter is a six-part history of radio comedy, covering 1975-2005, presented by journalist and radio fan Grace Dent. In each episode she brings together two figures who were making significant radio comedy at the same time, and asks them about their experiences. This is a conversational history that focuses on the people who were there and the atmosphere within the Â鶹Éç and the wider comedy world that allowed them to make great radio - or not.

This final edition features Justin Edwards and Jan Ravens looking at radio comedy in the early 2000s. Justin is now known for his work on In And Out Of The Kitchen and Radio 4 Extra's Newsjack, but got his first series in 2003 as part of the sketch team The Consultants. Jan's association with radio comedy dates back to the early 1980s when she became the first-ever female radio comedy producer, but became beloved of the Radio 4 audience for her work on Dead Ringers, which started in 2000. Grace asks them about the atmosphere within the Radio Comedy department and within the Â鶹Éç; they discuss the difference between topical comedy and satire, and whether the Radio 4 audience necessarily wants either; and they discuss the contribution a good sound engineer can make to a programme.

The Frequency of Laughter is presented by Grace Dent, a journalist for The Independent, and is a Â鶹Éç Radio Comedy production.

Presenter ... Grace Dent
Guest ... Justin Edwards
Guest ... Jan Ravens
Interviewee ... Jerry Peal

Producers ... Ed Morrish & Alexandra Smith.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Tue 27 Sep 2016 01:30

Archive Clips Featured in Episode 6: 2000-2005

Think The Unthinkable – Written by James Cary.            <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Little Britain – Written by David Walliams and Matt Lucas.

League of Gentlemen - Written by Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton.

Absolute Power – Written by Mark Tavener. (What’s this one?)

Newsjack – Produced by Â鶹Éç Radio Comedy

The Now Show – Devised by Bill Dare 

The Consultants - Written by Neil Edmond, Justin Edwards and James Rawlings.  

The Consultants - Written by Neil Edmond, Justin Edwards and James Rawlings.  

Cabin Pressure – Written by John Finnemore

Dead Ringers – Devised by Bill Dare.      

Dead Ringers – Devised by Bill Dare.

The Consultants - Written by Neil Edmond, Justin Edwards and James Rawlings.

Broadcasts

  • Sat 6 Dec 2014 10:30
  • Mon 26 Sep 2016 06:30
  • Mon 26 Sep 2016 13:30
  • Mon 26 Sep 2016 20:30
  • Tue 27 Sep 2016 01:30

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