Picks of the week
Strike Force Five
Widely available, episodes weekly
There’s a lo-fi charm to this freeform show from the anchors of the five biggest late-night chatshows in the US. It feels as if you’ve accidentally joined a video call between Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Seth Myers and John Oliver – and their chats are full of intriguing insights into their friendship. But its main draw is the fact all proceeds are going to the striking staff of their TV shows. Highly worthwhile. Alexi Duggins
British Scandal: Liz Truss
Wondery, episodes weekly
The latest series of this lighthearted political show from Alice Levine and Matt Forde looks back at the disastrous reign of the only British prime minister to be less hardy than a lettuce. It’s full of killer quotes and amusing attempts to inject bombast into the most ludicrous premiership Britain has ever seen. AD
Conference Call
Widely available, episodes weekly
NPR’s scripted parody will trigger anyone who has ever joined a conference call with a startup. Eccentric tech bros Joel and Jed Toade are the entrepreneurs who bait long-suffering partner Julie (Elizabeth Henstridge), while investigative journalist Charlotte (Emma Roberts) listens in on their plans to exploit bees and Barbara Streisand. Hannah Verdier
Chameleon: Gallery of Lies
Widely available, episodes weekly
The excellent con-focused podcast returns with the tale of German art dealer Helge Achenbach, who went from mingling with Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons to ripping off a high-profile client to the tune of €20m. There’s forgery, fraud and glamour, but also a tough childhood as he tells host Bijan Stephen about his mother cooking his pet rabbit. HV
The Pirates vs the Premier League
Widely available, episodes weekly
Live sport subscriptions are too expensive for lots of fans in a cost of living crisis, so many turn to illegal broadcasts. But 10 days after the last Premier League season climaxed, five men were sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison for selling cheap subscriptions. This podcast digs deep into the issue, speaking to people involved from all angles. Hollie Richardson
There’s a podcast for that
This week, Lauren O’Neill chooses five of the best podcasts on musicals, from a broke artist crowdfunding to survive to a “pleasingly schmaltzy” nine-part series featuring love stories.
Anthem: Homunculus
If there’s anyone you can trust to come up with a musical for people who aren’t really that into musicals, it’s John Cameron Mitchell, creator of the groundbreaking Hedwig and the Angry Inch. His take on the podcast musical, Anthem: Homunculus, takes the shape of a benefit for an uninsured artist, played by Mitchell, who is trying to raise money for brain surgery. The variety-style format means that there’s ample opportunity for Mitchell’s many Broadway and Hollywood pals (including Patti LuPone, Glenn Close and Cynthia Erivo, who will take the lead role in the upcoming Wicked adaptation) to rock up in various guises, though it’s all threaded through with his unmistakable blend of biting humour and a big heart.
In Strange Woods
Musicals don’t always mean jazz hands, as demonstrated by In Strange Woods, a haunting podcast musical with a score that skews towards folk-pop, and a hooky premise. Cleverly blending the musical with a true crime documentary, the story follows teenager Peregrine Wells as she comes to terms with the disappearance of her brother Jacob, after a party in a local forest. As Peregrine deals with her emotions by attempting to understand and master the mysterious landscape, In Strange Woods flourishes into the podcast equivalent of a moreish page-turner – compelling and refreshing not only musically, but plot-wise too.
36 Questions
Most actual onstage musicals would trip over themselves to cast talent like Jonathan Groff, known for roles in everything from Glee to the original cast of Hamilton, so that the pod-musical 36 Questions actually manages to nab him speaks to its quality. Starring alongside actor Jessie Shelton (who originated a role in the Broadway production of Hadestown), Groff plays a husband who is trying to save his marriage, as he and his wife ask each other 36 intimate questions designed by psychologist Arthur Aron, to lead to love. This one was heralded by the New York Times as “the future of musicals” which is big talk, but this disarmingly moving show, which incorporates audio-specific techniques like sound collaging, deserves the accolade.
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Off Book: The Improvised Musical Podcast
The word “improv” is basically theatrical and comic Marmite. For some it’s a full body cringe-fest, and for others it’s catnip. If you’re part of the latter crowd, you might enjoy Off Book, a podcast which brought listeners a new, improvised musical every episode for 300 shows. Though they’re now at work on a new, scripted podcast musical – a process they’re also documenting via new episodes of the Off Book podcast – hosts Jessica McKenna and Zach Reino were joined weekly by guests like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rachel Bloom and Las Culturistas’ Matt Rogers.
Loveville High
For some, musicals get grating after a while. Should you fit this bill, you might enjoy Loveville High, a pod-musical with bite-size, ten minute long episodes. The idea is that each instalment is self-contained, and takes the form of a different love story on prom night in Loveville, Ohio – a fictional town where love is very much in the air. The relationships explored range from platonic to romantic, the vocals are as impressive and as pleasingly schmaltzy as you might hope considering the subject matter, but there’s a self-awareness here that makes Loveville High a good-natured but tongue-in-cheek take on the mythical American rite-of-passage that is “prom”.
Why not try …
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Featuring international artists Reworlding invites us to imagine a different world, and to nurture simple everyday practices.
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Think today’s Nashville but for the Latino community in Adelita: Changing the Key, as a Tejano superstar dreams of becoming a famous pop star.
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A good dollop of Wellness with Ella, with unfiltered conversations with guests, including writer Caggie Dunlop and former rugby union player Jonny Wilkinson.
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