Jesters - Forgotten Stories of North East Comedy

Stand-up comedian John Gibson explores the weird and wacky life of a man with many names.  Wavis O'Shave (not his real name, but it seems to have stuck), is impossible to describe and to compare with other artists. Although he spends his life avoiding personal fame, he is known for many things,  including his musical exploits and the creation of many surrealist characters such as 'The Hard,' a regular on Tyne Tees Television's 1980s music programme 'The Tube,' where he coined the phrase 'Felt Nowt.' Written and narrated by John Gibson Includes interviews with Wavis O'Shave, Paul Tisseman, Gary Craig, Patrick O’Reilly and Malcolm GerrieMusic by Sammy Dobson Produced by Felt Nowt Productions and commissioned by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums 

In this special, bonus episode stand-up comedian Lee Kyle tells the story of Seaton Delaval Hall rich kids, the 18th century bad boy and trickster, Francis Blake Delaval and his talk of the tabloids sister, Sarah Hussey Delaval.  Written, researched and narrated by Lee Kyle Music by Sammy Dobson Produced by Felt Nowt Productions and commissioned by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums 

Stand-up comedian Si Beckwith tells the story of impressionist and comedian Ian Milne,  whose rise to fame was cut short, when he died from an illness at the age of 26. Milne was born in Hebburn in 1922 and worked as an engineering draughtsman at the nearby Reyrolle factory.  He honed his comedic craft, performing as part of the double act the Merry Mimics, with workmate Geoff Suggars, (which later became Brains Trust) and as part of the Tyneside Mummers. His performance with the Tyneside Mummers caught the eye of the BBC's John Polwarth,  who invited him to work on Wot Cheor Geordie. Milne, who also had ambitions to become a dramatic actor's success is still lamented today.  Fans of his work state his influence on Bobby Thompson's Little Waster and had he survived to see popularity of TV, who knows where his talent would have taken him. Written and Narrated by Si Beckwith Additional research by David Silk Ian Milne's material and personal archives from Tyne & Wear Archives, performed by Cal Halbert Music by Sammy Dobson Produced by Felt Nowt Productions and commissioned by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums 

Content warning: contains references to suicide and death. Stand-up comedian Lee Kyle tells the story of the early 1900s Music Hall star, Mark Sheridan. Sheridan, born Frederick Shaw in 1867  came from Hendon, Sunderland and became famous for his performance of the 1907 John Glover-Kind song 'I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside' in 1909. Sheridan's legacy has been unfairly haunted by the rumour that in 1918, he died by suicide in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, as the result of a run of bad reviews. Lee sheds light on his successful comedy career and reveals that Sheridan's life was much more complex than history gives him credit for. Written and narrated by Lee Kyle Theme music by Sammy Dobson Produced by Felt Nowt Productions in collaboration with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums