Spieling The Beans

My guest this episode is Max Webster, the Tony & Olivier Award nominated director of astonishing theatrical feats including The Life of Pi, David Tennant & Cush Jumbo's Macbeth, and imminently the Ncuti-Gatwa-led The Importance of Being Earnest. We discuss the construction of these shows, his training at La Coq, making the invisible visible, directing barefoot, how film and tv perfecting hyper realism has changed theatre, and so much more. Recorded at The National Theatre in June 2024.

MY guest this episode is the Olivier-Winning, Tony-Nominated Super-Producer of Fleabag, Baby Reindeer, and Kathy And Stella Solve A Murder, Francesca Moody MBE. On how to produce a hit show from script to cult fringe favourite to global domination, how she became a producer by accident, what exactly a producer does, and so much more. Recorded at The National Theatre.

My guest is Emmy, Golden Globe and double Olivier Award winning actor, director, producer and writer, Brian Cox. In a wonderfully unguarded conversation, we talk Eugene O'Neill, Logan Roy & Succession, great examples of directing, acting with Gielgud, how to shape a character, how to run a rehearsal room, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and we end with a recitation of his favourite poem. Recorded in his dressing room at the Wyndham's Theatre in London while he was starring as James Tyrone opposite Patricia Clarkson in Jeremy Herrin's production of A Long Day's Journey Into Night.

Season 6 Premiere Episode: My guest is the multi Grammy and Emmy nominated comedian, filmmaker, actor, writer, and podcaster Tig Notaro. A true artist of standup. Continually pushing bits and using boundaries to advance all of our understandings of quite what one can do and achieve with stand-up comedy. As we discuss, and is mentioned in virtually every introduction given to her, she has suffered more hardships and misfortunes than many of us could fathomably bear, and yet has not only survived them all but turned unrelenting darkness into hall of fame level comedic joy, with a unique talent of crafting material that resonates, connects, and uplifts people at every possible point in their lives. She is creative genius. And a couple days before her birthday, we sat down to talk.

My guest for the Season Five Finale is George Clooney. You know who he is.

Recorded at a special BAFTA screening of his latest film 'The Boys In The Boat', in December 2023.

My guest this episode is the Edinburgh Perrier and Royal Television Society Award-winning actor and writer, Justin Edwards. Star of The Thick Of It, as Ben Swain MP, along with The Trip, The News Quiz, The Man Who Invented Christmas, The Death of Stalin, Paddington, Thor, Wonka, Empire of Light, Yesterday, or Sorry I’ve Got No Head to name just a few. On being directed by Sam Mendes on Broadway, improvising with Armando Iannucci, comedy sketch writing, and so much more. Recorded at The National Theatre, London, in October 2023.

My guest this episode is Adam James, star of Vigil, The Buccaneers, Charles III, Doctor Foster, Extras, Wicked, Johnny English Strikes Again, and countless more productions. Across our conversation, we discuss what makes a good director, approaching Shakespeare, working with Rupert Goold, the theatrical value of table tennis, performing on Broadway versus West End, playing Ariana Grande’s father in one of the biggest productions ever filmed, and so much more. Recorded with special permission in The National Theatre, London, in September 2023.

My guest today is Patrick Cotnoir, best known as the producer and co-host of The George Lucas Talk Show, he’s also been the producer and talent booker of over 500 legendary UCB ASSCAT 3000 shows, The Chris Gethard Show, Comedy Central's The President Show and Marvel Entertainment, and is a living testament to how a glittering career in showbiz can be started simply by putting your hand up and asking if you can help out at all.

Recorded at the Edinburgh Fringe, August 2023.

My guest this episode is Kiran Deol, the Emmy-nominated, Oscar-longlisted comedian, actor, writer, director, filmmaker and documentarian. As an actor, she’s performed in shows like Sunnyside, How to Get Away With Murder and Modern Family, she’s a co-host on Crooked Media’s Hysteria podcast and has made films as a writer/director for HBO and Sundance.

Over our conversation, we explore the difference in appearing on a long running network show versus originating a role, how she turned trauma into comedy, the underlying current of curiosity throughout all her work, and so much more.

Recorded at the Edinburgh Fringe, August 2023.

My guest is James Naughtie, one of the UK's most revered and recognisable journalists and broadcasters, perhaps best known for co-hosting the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 for 21 years. He’s been the Chief Political Correspondent for both The Scotsman and The Guardian, as well as the Laurence Stern Fellow for the Washington Post. During his career, he has won both Journalist of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards and the Sony Radio Awards’ Radio Personality Of The Year. A prolific author of novels and nonfiction, he was the Chair of the Booker Prize, made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and succeeded Dame Diana Rigg as Chancellor of The University of Stirling for a decade-long term. Succinctly, he's good with words.

Recorded in the Media Yurt at - and with special thanks to - the Edinburgh International Book Festival, August 2023.