Emotipod: Arts & Emotions

Portuguese singer Claudia Aurora and Frances dig down into the essence of Fado, that powerful, emotion-packed song tradition from Portugal.  Claudia also shares  her own story; how she started singing Fado, how with her husband Javier Moreno she has branched out with a new project called Auroora, and touches on the necessity for a healthy work/life balance. Auroora YouTube Claudia Aurora YouTube A...

Comic actor and writer Jon Monie, regular at the Theatre Royal Bath, joins Frances to explain more about the inner workings of that most cheery of cheerful shows, the annual British Christmas Panto. Jon regularly plays the silly comical character, and learned his craft alongside Chris Harris, one of the all-time Great Dames. Book tickets here for Cinderella at the Theatre Royal, Bath - 16th Dec &a...

Oliver Lee shares his love of musical theatre and delves into its emotional layers. Musicals seemed to thin out for a couple of decades, but their popularity hasn't waned since Cameron Mackintosh really cranked things up again in the 1980s.  What are the ingredients for a successful show?  Oliver's recommendations to look out for: Candide , Leonard Bernstein Guys & Dolls , Frank Loes...

Emily Breeze, "noir pop chanteuse" of "dystopian loungecore," "“the tomboy rockabilly lovechild of Nick Cave and K.D. Lang with Scotty Moore on guitar," (Tom Robinson) - you  get the idea - talks about the stories she weaves with her intriguing mixture of sweetness, gothic menace, tragedy and humour. This episode contains some swearing. Rituals album: https://sugarsha...

Create. Collaborate. Connect. That's the mission statement of Smiling Monk , a  new collective project set up by Josh Linnemann to bring together and promote all kinds of creative artists.    Josh explains why the name 'Smiling Monk', telling the very personal back story to his enterprise and what he hopes to achieve with it... Follow: Smiling Monk Instagram Smiling Monk Soundcloud...

Supremely knowledgeable Bambi Everson and Frank Coleman talk with Frances Butt about some great scary movies - the old ones are still the best - and how classic horror can be an excellent emotional workout for a healthy psyche. Bambi & Frank's top thrilling picks for Halloween watching: The Trilogy: Frankenstein (1931) Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Son of Frankenstein (1939) After watching...

There are very few arts that just about everyone has a go at; but there's a definite art to wrapping presents, if you think about it.  Many people, disappointed by their efforts, get discouraged and then decide they don't like doing it.  What a shame, to get the dreads every upcoming birthday or gift-giving festival. Professional gift wrapper Amanda White is all about helping people to e...

There are puppets, and then there are puppets... Emma Berry makes the most amazing animated dragons, fairies, witches and animals; often inspired by the folklore of Northumberland, where she lives.  Emma talks to Frances about these lifelike creations, and the journey towards her wonderful craft. https://www.instagram.com/emma.berry.maker/ Join Frances on Instagram: @francesbbristol or LinkedIn: l...

Poet and playwright Dr. Edson Burton discusses early influences and his own writing journey.  He also talks about the power of poetry - when opportunities for people to meet and get to know each other don't exist - to build understanding, empathy and compassion. Highly recommended, by Edson: Seasoned:  collection of poems Deacon  (click on title): three radio plays starring Don Warrington,  B...

Zoe Challenor, co-founder of B'Opera, a company bringing music to young children, talks to Frances about her own opera-filled childhood, how she believes opera can be for everyone, and her mission to deliver 'beautiful music to tiny ears'. B'Opera links: website: https://www.bopera.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoperaBabyOpera Instagram: @boperababyopera Patreon pag...

Professional dancer and costume maker Amanda Perry shares her career story with Frances Butt, and explains how both costumes and dancing helped her through a particularly tough pandemic year... Amanda's Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/ladyamp https://www.facebook.com/amanda.dance.79 Instagram: @ladyamp007 Robot Monkey pages: https://www.facebook.com/robotmonkeyofficial http://robotmo...

Why 'Emotipod'?  Why arts and emotions? . Frances Butt explains how this podcast series, featuring different creatives talking about their specialisms, came about. . Art really matters.  Listen here to why this is. -- Music: Frances Join Frances on Instagram: @francesbbristol or LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/francesbvoice Or visit Frances's website: francesbutt.com

Conceptual artist Elizabeth Mikellides plays with different ways of visualising music, and conversely, turning visual art into music.  The results are stunning, colourful pieces. You can see Elizabeth's work at elizabethmikellides.art or follow her on Instagram. Musical references: Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Amy Beach, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, John Cage. Art references:  Paul Klee, Sol LeWitt --...

"Sonic master of the universe" (says Courtney Love) Will Sergeant talks to Frances Butt about the processes of writing and recording his excellent memoir Bunnyman , along with a few of the stories in it. Bunnyman is out 15th July 2021 via publishers Constable in the UK, and via Third Man in the US. -- Recorded July 8th 2021 Music: Will Sergeant, Glide Echo & The Bunnymen, Going Up /...

Hilary Barber RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) returns to talk with Frances about the history and art of garden design.  The variety of style and taste is of course endless, but there's something for everyone here, and there are plenty of suggestions of spectacular and inspiring places to look up and maybe visit one day. Hilary also offers some helpful tips for overwhelmed newcomers to garde...

Frances talks to legendary Echo & the Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant about his creative processes in guitar playing, painting, collage - and his new autobiography. Will's art: willsergeant.com Will's guitar influences: Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd of American punk giants Television;  “That bloke from Pere Ubu” - they've had quite a few guitarists over the years, so just go f...

Frances talks to Nia dance teacher Helen Drane about dancing for all.  You don't need to dance publicly to enjoy doing this most natural human thing: moving to music. Nia is a particular dance system, developed to be as easy and beneficial as possible for body, mind and spirit. Further information about Nia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nia_(fitness) Dancers mentioned: Ksenia Parkhatskaya (Y...

Why are we so fascinated with made-up crime stories?  Is it that they feed our morbid fascinations and our need to see justice done? Frances talks to crime writer and critic Peter Guttridge about the hugely popular genre of crime fiction and what it does for us. Books specially mentioned include By Peter Guttridge: No Laughing Matter (comic crime); The Brighton Trilogy ( City of Dreadful Night , T...

Tattooing is a 12,000 year-old art form; a very personal form of artistic expression, more popular and certainly more respectable today than even just a couple of decades ago.  Tattoos are celebrations, statements, mementos, badges of honour or rebellion.  There are so many different reasons people decide to have them and the design choice is endless. Frances chats with gorgeously colourful Chriss...

What's 'emoting'?  And what are the differences between stage acting and screen acting? International stage and screen actor Greta Scacchi talks to Frances about her Bristol Old Vic Theatre School training,  talks techniques, shares some of her stories and explains how different theatre and movies are for actors to work in. Particular mentions to check out and watch are: White Misch...

Why include gardening in a series about the arts?  Nature is a huge source of inspiration for just about any other form of art, and gardening is a medium in which anyone and everyone can get up close and personal with nature and artfully tailor it to their own tastes. Guest Hilary Barber RHS talks to Frances about the many ways that having a go at growing things is good for us all.  --- Recorded F...

Style coach Becky Barnes talks to Frances about the way clothes make us feel, how our tastes and style change over the years, and how Becky helps women regain lost confidence in their ability to try new things and discover what will make them feel at their best. Visit Becky's website where she blogs about fashion ethics and offers some excellent style tips:  beckybarnesstyle.com --- Recorded...

Colour, found everywhere in nature, is the foundation of almost all visual art, and is harnessed to different effect in all kinds of man-made environments. Frances talks to Michelle Armitage of Light & Frank about the psychology of colour. Is it all entirely subjective, or do certain colours physically affect everyone the same way? Visit Michelle's website: lightandfrank.com --- Recorded...

Frances talks to Keith Warmington, folk and blues singer, harmonica and guitar player, about 'pandemic playing practices' that keep him healthy as well as gig-fit, and they discuss some of his favourite folk singers and harmonica players. Artists & songs mentioned to check out: Vocalists: Laura Marling Eliza Gilkyson Mary Coughlan Leonard Cohen Elvis Costello Sam Brookes, new album B...

This episode goes out to all exhausted key workers, with grateful thanks for all you are doing.   Frances talks once again to cellist Tirke Linnemann, this time about possible suggestions for help with winding down from peak adrenaline mode and getting some quality rest.   Pieces mentioned to check out.  If needing to let off steam first: Shostakovich String Quartet no. 8, Molto Allegro section (p...