The Odditorium

QI elf, author and ex-policeman, Stevyn Colgan argues the case for a crime-free future, using only a wheelie bin and a football pitch for props. Meanwhile in the studio, Dave Mounfield is trying to steal all the biscuits.

Blogger and psycho-geographer James Burt takes us on a journey into the darkest recesses of the internet, exploring its myths, superstitions and creepiest creations, including one of its most enduring, haunting and tragic legacies: Slenderman.

In 2013 Daisy Asquith spent six weeks following the tour of global pop sensation One Direction, to make a film about their Twitter-tastic fandom. Crazy About One Direction became the most tweeted about documentary ever on television.What Daisy didn’t anticipate was the backlash from fans that followed, from hate mail to death threats. This episode is a fascinating insight into the obsessions and erotic fantasies of teenage fans! Warning: contains hardcore Larry-shipping.

The (pretend) Reverent Rohan Kriwaczek is the author of a book that controversially detailed the lost history of the funerary violin. A musical movement that has been suppressed since the 18th Century, and only kept alive through the efforts of the fusty and recidivist archivists of the Guild of the Funerary Violinists. Kriwaczek text was described as both a remarkable insight into a suppressed art form and as one of the greatest art hoaxes of the early C21st. Rohan updates us on the latest dealings of the Guild, which has led to his being expelled from the very organisation that he was responsible for creating. Also in this special extended episode we learn what David and David actually got up during their extended break this summer, as they travel together presenting talks and tales at storytelling festivals around the globe.

Zoologist Jules Howard gives a spirited and enlightening talk on the glamorous world of animal vaginas, revealing how female animals are not coy, as Darwin believed, but selective. We discover that pandas aren’t bad a sex (just bad a zoos) and that the female mallard can change the shape of hers so the ‘right key fits the lock’. Back in the studio, our inimitable hosts regale the audience with a rich range of anecdotes drawn from this episode’s topic.

Lorraine Bowen singer, songwriter, comedian and musician presents her favourite organs, or more particularly her favourite Casio organs.

Something different for this episode of The Odditorium.

Donald Clark presents a story about a friendship he formed at University with a fellow student, an intense and ardent Ulsterman called Robin Pearson. Robin was his room mate, they holidayed together, drank together and argued about politics together. Then the went their separate ways and led there own lives. A decade later Donald learnt that his old University friend was actually a Stasi spy, collecting information for the Communist Government of East Germany.

Clark talks about his friendship with Pearson, and about the journey he was then inspired to take travelling world investigating the actions of individuals and of governments who control and suppress their populations.

Dr Bramwell is on holiday in 1934, and has left his more funny sidekick Mr Mountfield in the studio to present the show. This episode concerns the idea, work and life of the extraordinary Scottish poet and musician Ivor Cutler. Sandy Grierson discusses performing Ivor’s life in the show The Beautiful World of Ivor Culter and gives a rendition of some of Ivor’s work. Dr Bramwell then returns from the past to delight us with his own stories and recollections about the great man.

To celebrate Monday 25th January, “Blue Monday”, apparently the most depressing day of the year, we present Angie Mariani’s talk about the ‘suicide song’.  Gloomy Sunday has been performed hundreds of different musicians and is associated with countless incidents of suicide and death.  Angie discusses the legends that surround the song, and plays us a variety of versions.  Meanwhile in the studio fat David is at the end of his tether, and Dr Bramwell works with him to find the best way to end it all.