QUICK NOTE: This will be the last episode of The Biscuit Reviews to appear here - instead it will be now be on its own channel as The Biscuit Reviews. In fact you can find it at www.thebiscuitreviews.co.uk right now and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Episode 7: Secrets. Deception. Affairs. Both the book and the podcast reviewed on this episode dive deep into the drama of the tangled webs we weave. Author Mhairi McFarlane's latest novel Between Us hits the ground running with high drama and high stakes. School teacher Roisin suffers a betrayal at the hands of her long term partner and is forced to wonder what else he might be capable of. The BBC Podcast series People Who Knew Me might draw you in with its A-List cast of Rosamund Pike and Hugh Laurie but it will keep you hooked with the suspense of what Connie will do when her secret past life might need to be revealed. For the written review of both of these and any links mentioned in the show go to www.thebiscuitreviews.co.uk All music in the episode is by Ketsa. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/ (Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Episode 6 looks at the podcast series Witch, and the graphic novel Isabella and Blodwen. In the 13 part podcast series Witch, host and journalist India Rakusen and her team create a spellbinding series with each half an hour episode artfully exploring different aspects of what “Witch” can mean and how it has changed over the centuries. Artist, writer, and comic book creator Rachael Smith has built a loyal following with her autobiographical comic strips. Isabella & Blodwen dives back to her fantastical fictional work and brings together precocious 16 year old Isabella and the chaotic witch Blodwen who vows to help her as she struggles with life at Oxford University. ​ The episode starts with Witch, but you can skip to 10minutes 35seconds if you just want Isabella & Blodwen review. For the written review for both of these and links mentioned go to episode page at: www.thehumanish.co.uk https://www.thehumanish.co.uk/the-biscuit-reviews-no-6 All music in the episode is by Ketsa. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/ (Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

It is exam season in the UK: For most of us, the thought of school brings back some pretty strong memories…and not just about school dinner. Our nostalgia might reflect on all the good memories, a simpler time maybe, for others it might bring back more difficult or even painful experiences. Depending on your era and background, the level of support you received - if any - to help you navigate the potentially challenging path through school, will have massively varied. Is our mental health in schools outstanding? Or does it require improvement? Let’s head back to school and chat to Louise Clarke and find out what an ELSA is. Links: ​ Website link with show notes and previous episodes: https://www.thehumanish.co.uk Background on the ELSA role and Sheila Burton. https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/educationalpsychology/training/elsa ELSA network: https://www.elsanetwork.org Link to clinical psychologist Dr Naomi Fisher. https://www.naomifisher.co.uk ​ Music: Gods Among Men by Prox-c. freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-c ​ Winds Howl by Ketsa https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/ ​

Caleb Azumah Nelsons debut novel Open Water is an astonishing achievement. Combining poetic prose and rhythms to match the heart wrenching tale of love and identity against the backdrop of a frenetic London and racial tensions. Lisa Jewell has cemented her reputation as an elite thriller writer and The Night She Disappeared is an other hit of the genre - which might seem a long way from her debut novel in 1999 but there are similarities that make both compulsive reading. The episode starts with Open Water, but you can skip to 8 minutes if you just want The Night She Disappeared review. For the full write reviews of both books and for previous episodes go to www.thehumanish.co.uk All music in the episode is by Ketsa. Music By Ketsa https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/ (Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

How would you cope in a hostage situation? How about in a riot? When Jill Sunter made the big decision to swap the school run for the prison run, she might not have imagined the range of challenging and unusual situations she would find herself in. Let's go back to the 90s and a prison in Scotland... When Jill first got in touch and mentioned that she was once a prison officer, I didn’t really expect that we would end up with an episode that takes in gender roles, the virtues of murderers vs drug dealers, and nearly getting run off the road by a teenager. You can find more info' and previous episodes at www.thehumanish.co.uk ​ Music: Gods Among Men by Prox-c. freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-c ​ Elemental by ATUM http://freemusicarchive.org/music/dlay​ ​ Winds Howl by Ketsa http://freemusicarchive.org/music/ketsa

A double header this week. First up, I marvel at how in "Elizabeth is Missing", Emma Healey has crafted a tale about an old lady with dementia into a thrilling and moving mystery. Next up, I consider the themes that connect that novel to the Scandi-noir-esque Canadian detective series "Cardinal". ​ The episode starts with the review of "Elizabeth is Missing", but you can skip to 7minutes 20seconds if you just want the "Cardinal" review. Go to www.thehumanish.co.uk for the written versions of both reviews and all links. Music by Ketsa Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/ketsa

In this first episode of a new mini series, I meet Owen Newton, who is looking to add to his 9-5 income with a 5-9 job. Using his evenings to come up with money making plans, Owen runs through a series of inventions from board games to subscription services. So how does he end up with an international business operating out of his garage? Find pictures, video and full transcript of this episode at: https://www.thehumanish.co.uk/podcast Music: Gods Among Men by Prox-C. freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-c Anteeksi, Ratas by A Ninja Slob Drew Me. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Ninja_Slob_Drew_Me/ Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

The Power by Naomi Alderman is a provocative near future science fiction novel that poses a “what if?” scenario and dares you to confront the world around you and your place in it. It is quite literally shocking, as well as a world-hopping thriller with graphic action and uncomfortable moral choices. Could it also be the smash hit TV show of 2023? Blog and video version available under The Biscuit Reviews at: www.thehumanish.co.uk Music: Gods Among Men by Prox-C. Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-c Elemental by ATUM. freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay

The Coming Storm is a BBC podcast by journalist Gabriel Gatehouse and producer Lucy Proctor that on the surface is about the background to the Capitol Insurrection in Washington DC on the January 2021. Whilst the repercussions of that day still reverberate in the news and the courts in the present, this series takes a deep dive into history. What makes this a must listen series and how is it like the best thriller films? www.thehumanish.co.uk Music: Gods Among Men by Prox-C. Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-c

Did Stephen King write a Young Adult novel? I also think I know the perfect director to make any film adaptation that might be tried of this vast imaginative novel. ​ In the first of my The Biscuit Reviews selections, I give myself a treat by starting with an author who I have re-embraced in the last decade after first leaping into IT and Needful Things when my older brothers got me into horror books as a kid. Let's dive into how the master storyteller gets to grip with one of the oldest story forms - the fairy tale. Get a full guide at www.thehumanish..co.uk The Biscuit Reviews. Music: Gods Among Men by Prox-C. Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-c Elemental by Day. freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay

Special effects in movies are an aspect of the creative process that we often take for granted. Sure, we appreciate the big "gasp" moments, or tut something doesn't quite look right, but for the most part, we might not notice the many extra bits of digital effects that build up the sense of story and character. Like toggles. Digital Visual Effects Artist Juan-Luis Sanchez joins me to chat about his inspirations and how it works behind the scenes. He has plenty of experience to draw from having worked on films like Harry Potter, Gravity, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Paddington. Music: "Elemental" and "Stoosh" by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay "Gods Among Men" by Prox-C. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-C "Conurbation" by Phopha. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Phopha

This is an education bonus episode. In the episode "Beyond", I spoke to Professor Martin Barstow about looking into the past using the Hubble Telescope and about Mars. He also answered some questions from primary school children. In this bonus special we have more of those questions and include some extra material. You can listen to the episode and then use the questions at www.thehumanish.co.uk/space to follow up. Music: "Gods Among Men" by Prox-C. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-C "Elemental" by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay

How often do you look up at the moon and think "people walked there?" It's not just a a technical, scientific achievement, but a testament to human imagination. Astrophysicist Professor Martin Barstow explains the achievements of Hubble in its 30years and how we are looking further into our Universe and into the past and our search for life. Poet and author Dom Conlon talks about the connection of art and space and how it inspired his book of poetry, This Rock That Rock. Join us for a voyage of beginnings and endings and imagination. To add to the childlike wonder of staring up at the stars, there are some questions from the children of Greenfield Primary School. Dom Conlon website: https://domconlon.com/ Music in the episode: “Flower Drops”, "Stoosh" and “Storytime” by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay “Deleted Water” by A Ninja Slob Drew Me. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Ninja_Slob_Drew_Me "Gods Among Men" by Prox-C. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-C “Kawaii City” by Phopha. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Phopha

Rachael Smith is a comic creator who has contributed to existing titles such as Doctor Who, as well as building up an impressive catalogue of her own with books like Wired Up Wrong, and The Rabbit. She has often confronted her depression and anxiety through her work and continues to build a loyal fan base. Over the last few weeks she has been sharing #QuarantineComix online – her daily observations of Lockdown life. This seemed like the perfect excuse to catch up and chat about her work and find out what gardening has got to do with comic creation. *PLEASE NOTE this is an uncensored recording that contains one moment of explicit language. You can read the full transcript on the episode page at www.thehumanish.co.uk. RACHAEL SMITH LINKS: Website: rachaelsmith.org Facebook: facebook.com/rachaelsmithillustration Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachael_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flimsy_kitten/ Music: "Elemental" and "Stoosh" by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay "Gods Among Men" by Prox-C. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-C “Kawaii City” by Phopha. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Phopha

Back in the old world of September 2019, I met up with award winning transgender poet Jay Hulme in the beautiful surroundings of historic Bradgate Park in Leicestershire. Our conversation started about Jay's new book and poetry and for young people before we we dived head first into Victorian history, the scandal of the tabloids, and ...cannibalism. Amidst the wild absurdities, we discuss the awfulness of Victorian Britain and how it is slightly baffling that the era is often held up as a time to aspire to or seen as boring. Links to Jay's website and twitter are below. A transcript of the episode is available at www.thehumanish.co.uk Jay Hulme website: jayhulme.com Jay Hulme on twitter: twitter.com/jayhulmepoet Music: "Elemental" and "Stoosh" by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay "Gods Among Men" by Prox-C. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-C "Conurbation" by Phopha. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Phopha

Often how we make sense of the world around us is through stories and creating a narrative. Right now, it might be that you're turning to familiar stories and re-watching, or re-reading your favourites for comfort. What do we get from this? And what stories that might be produced in the months and years ahead to reflect this time? This episode I'm joined by writer and TV producer Jonathan Gilbert as we talk comfort viewing, the warmth of predictability, and the joy of our favourite characters. *PLEASE NOTE this is an uncensored recording that contains one moment of explicit language. More info and transcript of the episode available at www.thehumanish.co.uk Music: "Elemental" by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay "Gods Among Men" by Prox-C. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-C "Conurbation" by Phopha. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Phopha

Theatre and football might have more in common than most people think. For Jenna Omeltschenko, (Touring Partnership Manager at the National Theatre) there is a deep rooted passion for both. One was bequeathed by family; the other developed by passionate teachers and the chance to inspire others to share their experience, their story. This is an episode with roots that stretch from Hungary, Ukraine, Irleand, and Manchester to the South Bank in London. As with all episodes of the Humanish podcast, a whole transcript is available at the website: www.thehumanish.co.uk Music: "Gods Among Men" by Prox-C. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-C “Ladybird” by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay "Conurbation" by Phopha. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Phopha

This is a soundbite from the forthcoming episode with Jenna Omeltschenko, Touring Partnership Manager at the National Theatre. The full interview will be on the next episode coming soon. The context for this clip is my question to Jenna about something that I've found quite common - a perception (often whispered quietly) that working in theatre education, or outreach and participation work is "less than" the "real" shows. It prompted such an impassioned response that it felt right to share it in its entirety. As with all episodes of the Humanish podcast, a whole transcript is available at the website: www.thehumanish.co.uk Music: "Elemental" by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay

With her 40th Birthday around the corner, actor Tonia Daley Campbell decided to write a book about the life she had led that meant she finally felt like her authentic self. I decided to borrow that title for this episode as it perfectly encapsulated our conversation about overcoming barriers how we sometimes don't notice the steps we - or others - take. Tonia is an actor from Wolverhampton, and also a producer across the performing and visual arts. We chat about dealing with imposter syndrome, and how a childhood audition for Wizard of Oz has led to producing a supernatural TV series and comic! Music: "Elemental" and "Stoosh" by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay "Gods Among Men" by Prox-C. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-C "Conurbation" by Phopha. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Phopha

Welcome to Humanish. The first mini-series of episodes are on their way and this trailer will give you an idea of what to expect. The whole podcast is about sharing our stories and ideas. The stories we tell ourselves and each other shape the world we live in. I'll be having conversations with people from all different backgrounds to find out what makes us who we are? There will also be some one-off specials along the way. Music: "Elemental" by Dlay. Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay "Gods Among Men" by Prox-C. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Prox-C