Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics: Series 1-4 cover art

Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics: Series 1-4

A Comical Guide to Ancient Greece and Rome

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Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics: Series 1-4

By: Natalie Haynes
Narrated by: Natalie Haynes
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About this listen

All four series of Natalie Haynes’ BBC Radio 4 show combining comedy with classicism

Writer, broadcaster and recovering comedian Natalie Haynes mixes comedy and conversation to bring the ancient world entertainingly up to date in these four radio series. Each episode sees her profiling a key figure from ancient Greece and Rome, and, aided by her special guests, creating a stand-up show around them.

Series 1 investigates Petronius and the worst dinner party in history; asks whether Sophocles invented the TV detective with Oedipus; explains how Virgil was responsible for Buffy the Vampire Slayer; and introduces us to the notorious Aspasia.

In Series 2, Natalie stands up for Aristophanes (expect a chorus of frogs and a sex strike); Ovid (featuring frottage at the races); Plato (a bit chunky, but a good wrestler) and Agrippina (pretty well connected and handy with the purse strings).

Series 3 discusses Sappho, whose scorching poetry is now mainly lost; brings us some thousand-year-old gossip about Cicero; gives us the lowdown on Lucian, the forgotten inventor of science fiction; and tells the story of Juvenal, history’s first great stand-up comedian.

Finally, Series 4 explores Phryne, the Greek courtesan famed for her wit and beauty; Horace, the Roman poet who made friends of enemies through his writing; Euripides, whose Medea still shocks us today; and Livy, who gave us Hannibal crossing the Alps and the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Coriolanus.

Guests include Martin Rowson, Richard Dyer, Victoria Rimell, Professor Edith Hall, Frank McGuinness, Andrew Collins, Pamela Helen Stephen, Gordon Cutting, Dr Llewelyn Morgan, Sarah B. Pomeroy, Dr Ian Jenkins, Cate Haste, Rosie Wyles, Fiona Laird, Michael Squire, Philippa Perry, Stella Duffy, LiTTLe MACHiNe, Mark Stephens, Matthew Sweet, Armando Iannucci, Katy Brand, Ben Okri, Mark Ravenhill and Al Murray.

Produced by Christine Hall and Mary Ward Lowery

A BBC Studios production

©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Comedy & Humour Entertainment & Performing Arts Greece Rome Social Sciences Funny Witty
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What listeners say about Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics: Series 1-4

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spectacular

informative funny and makes me want to go and find out more about the literature she's referencing and the history of the people she talks about

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Amazing as always

Educational, funny and charming, one of my most favourite programs. Highly recommend it for anyone

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great fun

realy enjoyed this audio book, Natalie Haynes both writes and narrates a fun and informative book, loved it

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brilliant listen she certainly knows her stuff

great listen. Funny, intelligent ,articulate .she really has a passion for her subjects more please

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GO NATALIE!!!

WOOOOOOHOOOO she’s the best! I finally found someone funny on radio who is as nerdy as me AAAAND she likes greek and Roman history which I insanely love. Please get this.
Natalie Haynes,
I love you!

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1 person found this helpful

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Brilliant!

Absolutely brilliant. No pomposity, great fun, a tour de force and excellent introduction to the classics for those of any age. Natalie Haynes manages to put an enormous amount of erudition into each episode while keeping the tone light and engaging.

Having listened to all I have found myself hungry to discover more about some of the figures and have actually started reading some of their more accessible works (in translation!). Can't wait for the next collection to be produced, having to revisit her podcasts in the interim.

I can definitely recommend.

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Natalie is amazing!

You get to learn a lot about the classics, and you get a few giggles too. Absolutely loved the series.

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a fantastic funny look at the stories we may know

Haynes makes the classes engaging and fun as she looks at the figures from history that we know, think we know and those we know nothing about. truly enjoyable, didn't want it to end.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Content amazing, menu is f*cking shocking

Love everything about this except how slapdash and uncurated the menu is. It's not possible to see the chapters by subject, only by number. Natalie Haynes and her guests are educational and fascinating. Lazy presentation of the content is a real downer.

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2 people found this helpful

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Great

A lovely book.Full of fascinating information presented in a varied way by an enthusiastic author.

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