Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week, we roll the dice under the Harvest Moon, sail the seven seas with wacky shipmates, and curl up with stories that feel like home.

First up, Kevin sits down with author Caroline Taggart to explore the timeless pastime of board games. From Monopoly meltdowns to horse-racing favourites lost to history, Caroline reveals why games aren’t just entertainment—they’re anthropology, philosophy, and sometimes even a mirror of society itself.

On the Parish Notice Board, we turn our eyes skyward to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, celebrating 350 years of stargazing. From the Harvest Moon to the birth of Greenwich Mean Time, discover how the mysteries of the cosmos have guided farmers, explorers, and dreamers for centuries.

Then we venture out to sea with our resident GP Doctor Quack, who returns with another round of jaw-dropping (and occasionally stomach-turning) medical “breakthroughs”. From goat’s testicle transplants to jars of bottled wind, they’re history’s strangest cures brought vividly (and hilariously) back to life.

Finally, Archie’s Neuro Nuggets makes a cosy return to remind us why rewatching our favourite sitcoms isn’t procrastination at all—it’s a spa day for your neurons.

Oh! And don’t miss our Victorian Parlour Game of the week – Checkers Go Bang!

Don’t forget to follow the show, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend who loves a quirky story. Until next time—roll the dice, reap the harvest, and don't sniff anything in a jar! We'll see you soon in The Big Smoke.

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Links

✍🏼 Fill out our short survey for a chance to win a copy of The Philosophy of Board Games! Take the survey

✨ Become a patron and unlock your Backstage Pass: https://patreon.com/TheBigSmokeVarietyShow

📗Caroline Taggart’s book - The Philosophy of Board Games

🌙 Royal Observatory Greenwich

📘Louise Devoy’s book - Royal Observatory Greenwich: A History in Objects

🧠Archie McAlpine Associates

🩺Dr. Quack’s Medical Treatments:

🐐Goat Testicle Transplant

💨 Farts in a Jar

🐋Whale Carcass Treatment

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(01:40) Pub Quiz: Board Games Trivia

(02:25) Caroline Taggart Interview

(45:54) Parish Notices: Harvest Moon

(53:47) Dr. Quack

(1:02:25) Archie's Neuro Nuggets

(1:08:42) Victorian Parlour Games: Checkers Go Bang

(1:10:09) Pub Quiz Answers

(1:11:58) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett Produced & Edited by Alex Graham Assistant Produced by Adam Wright Original music by Giles Terera Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins Dr. Quack written and performed by Jolyon Coy

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week, we move between silence and sound, ruins and renewal, stars in the sky and treasures in the mud.

First up, our Pub Quiz heads to the true north strong and free for “Maple Leaf or Make Believe: Pizza Edition”. From syrup-soaked slices to bears with strong topping opinions, can you spot the real Canadian headline?

Then Kevin sits down with legendary theatre-maker Wendy Gorling to explore the true meaning of mime. From training in Paris at École Jacques Lecoq, to co-creating groundbreaking productions like The Overcoat, to a surprise appearance as the very first infected human in HBO’s The Last of Us, Wendy’s story reveals how physical presence and imagination can transform both stage and screen.

On the Parish Notice Board, we visit St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace. Destroyed by an IRA bomb in 1993, this 800-year-old London church has been rebuilt as a hub for community, connection, and healing—an extraordinary symbol of resilience and hope in the heart of the city.

Next, Kevin takes us to his childhood summer haunt Shawnigan Lake in British Columbia, where the clarity of the night sky inspires both awe and humility. What does it mean to feel small in the face of the cosmos—and why might awe be the most human emotion of all?

Finally, we return to the Thames foreshore with Sean Clark the Mudlark, whose latest discovery—a pristine Elizabeth I silver shilling—offers a window into Tudor life before potatoes, tobacco, or the Spanish Armada.

Don’t forget to follow the show, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend who loves a good story. Until next time—stand tall, speak true, and we’ll see you soon in The Big Smoke.

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Links

🎙️ Fill out our short survey for a chance to win a copy of The Philosophy of Board Games! Take the survey

✨ Become a patron and unlock your Backstage Pass: patreon.com/TheBigSmokeVarietyShow

🕊️ Learn more about St Ethelburga’s Centre

🍁 Maple Leaf or Make Believe Article

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(01:54) Maple Leaf or Make Believe

(03:56) Wendy Gorling Interview

(54:21) Parish Notices

(1:01:04) Shawnigan Lake

(1:08:56) Sean Clark the Mudlark's Latest Find

(1:13:23) Maple Leaf or Make Believe Answer

(1:15:07) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Assistant Produced by Adam Wright

Original music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Parish Notices research by Ahmad Wonly

Are you ready to break free from your algorithmic prison and join us for some enlightening — and silly — entertainment?

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! A podcast filled with comedy, conversation and community.

Join us every fortnight for pub quizzes, mini radio plays, and stories from all corners of London and beyond.

So, take a seat, join the crowd, and celebrate all that is The Big Smoke Variety Show.