History is about to misbehave

Kate Valentine and Paul Birch join Nick Love on Jorvik Radio to talk about History Misbehaves: Spokes — a new community audio drama inspired by the Clifton Cycling Club archive. They share how the project blends local history with creative writing, how participants helped shape the script, and why verse, humour and community spirit became central to this year’s piece. The interview explores the co...

What happens when you mix a 19th‑century cycling club, a modern-day library, and a group of imaginative Clifton residents?   You get History Misbehaves: Spokes —a lively audio drama that pedals between past and present, echoing the warmth, humour, and creativity found in the Clifton Cycling Club archive. Founded in 1895 at The Old Grey Mare, the club recorded their memories in poems, photos, and b...

In this special episode of Time Travel Radio , Jorvik Radio’s Nick Love interviews writer Paul Birch and director Kate Valentine to uncover the creative process behind the acclaimed audio drama. From digging into York’s Acomb Manorial Records and back issues of the Acomb Herald to collaborating with local performers, they share how the archive inspired unexpected stories, the joys of working with...

From 1680s livestock disputes to 1980s radio ads, this playful journey through time reveals the timeless quirks of local life... Time Travel Radio is part of the History Misbehaves series of dramas and comedies using archival material to creatively engage with the past. It was created and inspired by York Archival Material from the Acomb Manorial Record and back issues of the Acomb Herald magazine...

Meet Amy, a woman living through the anxieties of wartime. As she awaits her husband’s return from working on the trains, Amy grapples with fear and the unrelenting pressures of life during conflict.  History Misbehaves is a series of dramatic monologues and these are Tang Hall Stories inspired by the rich histories and stories of Tang Hall. The audio has been co-created by Tang Hall residents, wr...

Join Marie and her friend Rose as they wade through the Tang Beck, dreaming of a brighter future and post-war dances at the De Grey Rooms. History Misbehaves is a series of dramatic monologues and these are Tang Hall Stories inspired by the rich histories and stories of Tang Hall. The audio has been co-created by Tang Hall residents, writer Paul Birch and director Kate Valentine. Spanning seven ce...

Meet Leonard, a man whose life is transformed as he moves from Hungate to the newly built Tang Hall estate.  History Misbehaves is a series of dramatic monologues and these are Tang Hall Stories inspired by the rich histories and stories of Tang Hall. The audio has been co-created by Tang Hall residents, writer Paul Birch and director Kate Valentine. Spanning seven centuries, these dramatic monolo...

Step into the shoes of Rachel, a young girl huddled in an Anderson shelter during a wartime blackout. As bombs fall around her, she recalls witnessing a heartbreaking local tragedy...  History Misbehaves is a series of dramatic monologues and these are Tang Hall Stories inspired by the rich histories and stories of Tang Hall. The audio has been co-created by Tang Hall residents, writer Paul Birch...

Meet Nan Ball, a determined and courageous woman who disguises herself as a soldier to follow her love into the chaos of the Civil War.  History Misbehaves is a series of dramatic monologues and these are Tang Hall Stories inspired by the rich histories and stories of Tang Hall. The audio has been co-created by Tang Hall residents, writer Paul Birch and director Kate Valentine. Spanning seven cent...

Step into the world of Lady Starkey, a formidable woman who takes justice into her own hands to deal with poachers on her Tang Hall estate.  History Misbehaves is a series of dramatic monologues and these are Tang Hall Stories inspired by the rich histories and stories of Tang Hall. The audio has been co-created by Tang Hall residents, writer Paul Birch and director Kate Valentine. Spanning seven...

Step back to the middle ages of Tang Hall and meet Leoric, a brave hunter risking everything to feed his family. Venture into the forests of Tang Hall when everything was still wild... History Misbehaves is a series of dramatic monologues and these are Tang Hall Stories inspired by the rich histories and stories of Tang Hall. The audio has been co-created by Tang Hall residents, writer Paul Birch...

Journey to a time of darkness and uncertainty with Noah, a thoughtful and resilient soul tasked with the grim duty of digging plague pits. History Misbehaves is a series of dramatic monologues and these are Tang Hall Stories inspired by the rich histories and stories of Tang Hall. The audio has been co-created by Tang Hall residents, writer Paul Birch and director Kate Valentine. Spanning seven ce...

Inspired by the history of the City of York’s coaching inns, INNovating is a three-part audio drama that evokes the sounds and stories of these vibrant places of hospitality for travellers in the 1820s, stopping off on their journey along the Great North Road.  Co-created by community researchers and actors, INNovating is written by Paul Birch and directed by Kate Valentine. The audio drama is a b...

Inspired by the history of the City of York’s coaching inns, INNovating is a three-part audio drama that evokes the sounds and stories of these vibrant places of hospitality for travellers in the 1820s, stopping off on their journey along the Great North Road.  Co-created by community researchers and actors, INNovating is written by Paul Birch and directed by Kate Valentine. The audio drama is a b...

Inspired by the history of the City of York’s coaching inns, INNovating is a three-part audio drama that evokes the sounds and stories of these vibrant places of hospitality for travellers in the 1820s, stopping off on their journey along the Great North Road.  Co-created by community researchers and actors, INNovating is written by Paul Birch and directed by Kate Valentine. The audio drama is a b...

Experience a sinister slice of York’s history by joining us for an audio drama behind the Hungate Clearances in York. It is the 1930s and York’s newest Health Inspector encounters more than he bargains for in the mysterious and extraordinary alleys and yards of Hungate. A strange body in the Foss, ghostly goings-on in Carmelite Street and an unlikely romance all feature in this moving tale of love...

Teaser podcast for the up and coming "The Nuisance Inspector," audio drama released on Friday 27 November. History is about to misbehave... The Nuisance Inspector: Experience a sinister slice of York’s history by joining us for an audio drama behind the Hungate Clearances in York. It is the 1930s and York’s newest Health Inspector encounters more than he bargains for in the mysterious an...