Poetry for BBC Radio Kent

'The Orange' by Wendy Cope (Introduction by Steven Elder)

by Louise Mai Newberry | Arts programme for BBC Radio Kent

My dear friend and very accomplished actor Steven Elder has a regular slot on the Arts programme for BBC Radio Kent. To help people get through the lockdown, the show’s presenter asked Steve to record some poetry for the show.

I decided to read one of my favourite poems The Orange, by Wendy Cope and to do it outside as I was aware that for many people unable to leave their homes, the sound of the birds would be as much of a comfort as the poem itself.

Interact poetry

Interact poetry

I have been a volunteer for Interact Stroke Support since 2007 at the National Neurology Hospital in London and at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. We are made up of teams of professional actors who read to stroke patients to aid their recovery.

You can read about the organisation HERE

Unfortunately, due to the restrictions of the pandemic, we’ve had to suspend our hospital visits for a while. Interact decided instead to provide some online service for patients who are back at home and different actors were chosen to read some of their favourite pieces. I chose Sea Fever by John Masefield. I thought that the noise of the seagulls where I live would add an authentic feel to the poem.

You can see me reading it here, as well as some very famous actors reading their favourite stories too: HERE

TELL IT SLANT – Merry Spinsters & Hope Theatre

Drawing from the real life experiences of a press officer in the Home Office comes a new play about the allure of fake news. I appear in audio and visual cameos as a TV presenter Ellie Lewin and BBC journalist Nic Thomas. See if you can spot me!

Director – Erica Miller

CLICK: HERE