Christmas Lights Verb - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan and his guests explore the ‘language’ of light this Christmas. He’s joined by Baroness Floella Benjamin, who tells the story of leaving Trinidadian sunshine for the very different light in the south of England; one of our best-loved lexicographers, Susie Dent lets us into the vocabulary of light; poetry legend John Cooper Clarke talks about the leading lights of his childhood, and the glow of an extraordinary cocktail cabinet; and Ian rejoices in the glow of the screens that have connected us this year, with a celebration of the poet Edwin Morgan’s ‘The Computer’s First Christmas Card’, made into sound art by the musician Scanner. The poet Caroline Bergvall performs work that celebrates Morgan's centenary year; she also discusses the impact of Norwegian twilight on her work. Throughout the show, the socially distanced Knott Singers celebrate the starlight to be found in carols and introduce our guests with shining harmonies. Edwin Morgan was the first Scots National Makar. He published 25 collections and was a prolific translator. His 'Centenary Selected Poems' has just been published by Carcanet, (ed. Hamish Whyte). For more information on the events marking his centenary visit edwinmorgantrust.com Part of Radio 3’s Light in the Darkness season, illuminating winter.

Baroness Floella Benjamin is a national icon – she delighted generations of children in her role as presenter of 'Playschool' and other programmes. She is also an actress and a singer, has performed with orchestras across the country, and has long been a champion for children and for diversity. The story of her own journey from Trinidad to England, which she made as a child, inspired her book ‘Coming to England’ – and it has now been turned into a children’s picture book with illustrations by Diane Ewen. Baroness Benjamin shares her love of the Caribbean sun she was brought up with, her joy in snow-light, and in the visits her family would make to see the Christmas lights in London.

Scanner ( AKA Robin Rimbaud ) is a composer and sound artist whose work has always broken new ground since the release of his first albums in the 1990s, which often show a fascination with spaces and with technology. He has collaborated with leading musical lights e.g. Michael Nyman and Laurie Anderson - and has worked on installations, has scored ballets, films and has been commissioned to create sound art for the Tate Modern. He is often to be found in photos illuminated by the glow of his laptop screens ( see here): http://scannerdot.com/robin-rimbaud-scanner-biography/ For The Verb Scanner celebrates the blue light emanating from computers, which has been so important to so many social lives this year - and has made us two versions of Edwin Morgan’s ‘The Computer’s First Christmas Card’ – one of which can be heard in the broadcast programme, the other on the podcast.

John Cooper Clarke is a poetry legend and has been an important part of the performance scene since the 1970s. His album ‘Snap Crackle and Bop’ was a massive hit with tracks like ‘Beasley St’ and ‘Evidently Chickentown’. But his latest work is his autobiography ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ - and is the perfect book for The Verb’s programme on light – detailing, with John’s characteristic humour and sharp eye for detail, the bright lights of Salford when he was growing up, the light of the cinema screens that were so important to him – and the memorable lit cocktail cabinet that features in a chapter called ‘Maldano’s Late Night Final’ a drink billed as offering a ‘glow in every glass’. http://johncooperclarke.com/

Caroline Bergvall is an award-winning poet, writer, sound artist and performer. She is half-French, Half-Norwegian and explains to The Verb how northern light and long twilights have inspired and informed her work. She has been organising special collaborative streamed writing events at night during this year called ‘Night & Refuge’. For the Xmas Verb she delights in the language and poetry of light that was so important to Edwin Morgan’s oeuvre – and performs a poem inspired by his poetry that was commissioned for his centenary year. https://carolinebergvall.com/ https://edwinmorgantrust.com/2020/06/29/the-concrete-world-of-edwin-morgan/

Susie Dent offers The Verb a glittering array of light sensitive words and sayings. She explains the etymology of 'silver screen', 'apricity', and tells us why Dr Johnson, the father of the dictionary, thought that to pursue perfection as a lexicographer was to 'chase the sun'. Susie is one of our best-loved lexicographers showing her passion for language and dictionaries as an expert member of team on the game-show 'Countdown' and she has just published 'Word Perfect: etymological entertainment for every day of the year'.