Oh! What a lovely podcast
47 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago -A history podcast discussing various cultural genres which reference the First World War, including detective fiction, Star Wars and death metal music, and ask why the First World War has particular popular cultural relevance.
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Episodes
47 - Oh What a lovely War
May 01, 2024 05:00 - 36 minutes - 16.8 MBWhat happens when three historians watch a key play about the First World War? This month we took a field trip to see Oh What A Lovely War at the Leeds Playhouse. As a result we discuss the nature of the performance, the changing image of Douglas Haig, and wonder whether audiences were supposed to sing along. References Alan Clark, The Donkeys (1961) John McCrae, In Flanders Field (1915) William Phillpot, Bloody Victory: The Sacrifice on the Somme and the Making of the Twentieth Centur...
46 - Egyptian Encounters
April 01, 2024 05:00 - 40 minutes - 18.5 MBWhat opportunities did the First World War provide for cultural tourism? This month Angus, Jessica and Chris speak to Allison Bennett, winner of the 2023 Gail Braybon Award for her work on war-time cross-cultural sexual encounters during the First World War. Along the way we discuss #MeToo, and the post-war legacies of these encounters for families, and the popularity of the Pyramids and camels as a tourist attractions. References: Gallipoli Peter Stanley, Bad Characters Alexia Moncrieff...
45 - War Hospital
February 01, 2024 06:00 - 48 minutes - 22.4 MBWhat happens when you turn a First World War medical process into a computer game? This month Angus, Jessica, and Chris take control of wartime medicine in the game War Hospital. Along the way we discuss the importance of evacuation, difficult ethical decisions, and why Chris' conscience is completely clear. If you listen to this episode and share it on social media you can also win a free copy of the game! References: War Hospital (2024) An Unequal Burden, Jessica Meyer (2019...
44 - The Grizzled
January 01, 2024 06:00 - 41 minutes - 18.9 MBWhat happens when you turn the French experience of the war into a cooperative game? This month Jessica, Angus, and Chris played The Grizzled a cooperative game focused on guiding a group of French soldiers through the war. Along the way they discuss the morale boosting merits of different drinks, the difference between physical and mental traumas, and whether they are now obliged to design their own British version. References: The Grizzled Meyer, Jessica, Kempshall, Chris, Pöhlmann, ...
43 - Women at War
December 01, 2023 06:00 - 50 minutes - 23.3 MBWhat happens when you set a telenovela in First World War France? This month Chris, Angus and Jessica review the Netflix limited series Les Combattantes (Women at War). Along the way, we discuss untranslatable words, the relationship between war atrocities and propaganda, recreational drug use, and the excellent communication links of a small-town convent. References: Women at war, (2022) The Bonfire of Destiny, (2019) RH Mottram, The Spanish Farm, (1924) John Horne and Alan Kramer, G...
42 - They Shall Not Grow Old
November 01, 2023 05:00 - 51 minutes - 23.5 MBWhat should we take from a First World War documentary? Following our adventure to Canada for the International Society for First World War Studies conference, we welcome Prof Robert Burgoyne to discuss his keynote paper on the Peter Jackson film They Shall Not Grow Old (2018). Along the way, we explore the ways in which war films can quote from each other, differences in structure to the film 1917, and the importance of audience expectations when creating a historical piece. ...
41 - The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror
October 01, 2023 05:00 - 45 minutes - 21.1 MBHow did the First World War inspire the horror genre? This month we welcome W. Scott Poole (Charleston) to discuss his 2018 book Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror. Along the way we discuss the American experience of war, the importance of J'Accuse, and the political affiliations of 20th century zombies.
40 - The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
September 01, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutes - 24.6 MBWhat happens when you send Indiana Jones into the First World War? In this episode, we are joined by Thomas Riddle. Thomas runs the website indyintheclassroom.com (which aims to provide teachers with resources to integrate everyone’s favourite archaeologist into the classroom) to discuss the 1990s TV series ‘The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles’. Along the way we discuss the show as an educational tool, the many historical figures that appear in the series, and the importance of learning f...
39 - Benediction
August 01, 2023 05:00 - 56 minutes - 26 MBHow do you create a biopic of one of the most famous First World War poets? This month we're joined by Dr Jane Potter (Oxford Brookes) to discuss the 2021 film Benediction about the life of Siegfried Sassoon. Along the way we explore the long shadow of Regeneration, soldiers in drag, and the brilliance of Edith Sitwell. We also get very excited by a surprise cameo from the star of a previous episode! References: Alice Winn, In Memoriam (2023) Benediction’ is a shattering...
38 - In Memoriam
July 01, 2023 05:00 - 45 minutes - 21 MBWhat do you get when you cross Journey's End with Brideshead Revisited? This month Angus, Chris and Jessica review Alice Winn's best-selling new novel, In Memoriam. The book follows Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood from public school and through the war. Half-German, Gaunt's mother asks him to enlist in the British army to protect the family from anti-German attacks. He signs up immediately, relieved to escape his overwhelming feelings. But Ellwood and their classmates soon follow him into ...
37 - Our Dream Adaptations
June 01, 2023 05:00 - 50 minutes - 23.5 MBWhat First World War cultural representations would you like to see adapted for the screen? This month Angus, Chris and Jessica discuss their dream adaptations of novels, short stories and computer games for the big or small screen. Along the way, we explore what makes for a good film versus a good television series, we consider how to overcome the challenge of the Bechdel test in filming the war, and Chris introduces us to the Bertie Wooster/animé scale of realism. References: 1917...
36 - Journey's End
April 01, 2023 05:00 - 46 minutes - 21.4 MBBy popular demand! This month Chris, Angus and Jessica discuss productions of R.C. Sherriff'sJourney's End, including the original play and the 1930 and 2017 film versions. Along the way, we consider the importance of James Whale, whether the French changed their clocks during the war and the definition of an anti-war play, while Chris makes a bid for the over-arching significance of moustaches to the history of the war. References RC Sherriff, Journey’s End (1928) Emily Curtis Walters...
35 - The Redemption of Thomas Shelby
March 01, 2023 06:00 - 42 minutes - 19.7 MBWhat happens when Peaky Blinders meets Ballet Rambert? This month Chris finds out about Jessica and Angus's trip to see Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, otherwise known as Peaky Blinders: The Ballet. Along the way we discuss the narrative structure of ballet, the industrialisation of the body in wartime and whether we are still living in the era of the First World War. References Cabaret (1966) Metropolis (1927/1984) Les Miserables (1985) Abel Gance, J'Accuse (1919) ...
34 - National WWI Museum and Memorial
February 01, 2023 06:00 - 44 minutes - 20.5 MBHow do you stage an exhibition on POWs at a museum? This month we're joined by Lora Vogt from the National WW1 Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, to discuss their new exhibition: 'Captured'. Along the way, we talk about how POWs have been obscured from modern memory, the benefits of online content, and how to make someone drive five days across America.
33 - All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
January 01, 2023 05:30 - 44 minutes - 20.5 MBWhat happens when you convert a seminal First World War novel into a big budget film? This month Angus, Jessica, and Chris discuss the 2022 Netflix version of All Quiet on the Western Front. Along the way they debate the importance of timeline changes, the film's use of violence, and pitch a few alternative films to any listeners from Hollywood. References Lewis Millstone, All Quiet on the Wester Front (1930) Delbert Mann, All Quiet on the Western Front (1979) Abel Gance, J'accuse (191...
32 - Postcards from the Western Front
December 01, 2022 05:30 - 1 hour - 28.9 MBWhat happened when people wanted to visit the battlefields of the First World War? This month we're rejoined by Prof Mark Connelly (University of Kent) to discuss his new book Postcards from the Western Front: Pilgrims, Veterans, and Tourists after the Great War. Along the way we discuss ownership of the battlefields, issues of infrastructure for tourists, and what happens if your mum visits you in the trenches.
31 - Giantpoppywatch - Commemoration and Remembrance
October 29, 2022 10:01 - 39 minutes - 18.1 MBHow do you commemorate the First World War in the age of social media? This month we take a look at the @giantpoppywatch twitter account and discuss the various ways people seem to commemorate the war. Along the way we discuss armistice balls, yarn bombing, and which muppet is the most respectful.
30 - The Thirty-Nine Steps
October 01, 2022 04:30 - 50 minutes - 23.2 MBThis month Jessica, Angus and Chris discuss John Buchan's 1915 novel The Thirty-Nine Steps. Along the way they discuss the importance of the Scottish countryside, the deviousness of espionage, and why you should never get in a car with Richard Hanney. WARNING: This episode contains references to racist language and ideas from the early 20th century. References: John Buchan, The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915) John Buchan, Greenmantle (1916) John Buchan, Mr Standfast (1919) Alfred H...
29 - The Red Baron
August 01, 2022 04:30 - 1 hour - 29.2 MBHow do you portray the most famous flying ace of the First World War? This month we're joined by Prof Ingrid Sharp (Leeds) to discuss Baron Manfred von Richtofen also known as 'The Red Baron'. Along the way we examine the ways his myth evolved during the war, the ways he was appropriated by the Nazis, and the threat he posed to Snoopy. If you would like to join Chris for the launch of his new book The History and Politics of Star Wars: Death Stars and Democracy, the event is on August 13...
28 - The King's Men
July 01, 2022 04:30 - 48 minutes - 22.5 MBWhat happens if you combine the First World War with an action-adventure film? This month we watch the 2021 film The King's Man and discuss its portrayal of an alternative vision of the war. Along the way we explore John Buchan novels, the absence of key historical events, and wonder about whatever happened to Wilfred Owen. References: Guardian review Indiewire review John Buchan, The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915) John Buchan, Greenmantle (1916) John Buchan, Mr Standfas...
27 - Over the Top Magazine
June 01, 2022 04:30 - 55 minutes - 25.7 MBHow do you get children interested in the First World War? In this podcast episode, we are joined by Andrew Powell-Thomas, editor of Over The Top, a history magazine aimed at children, published by the Great War Group. We then speak to two special guests, who give us their opinion. Along the way we consider how you get specialist historians to write for children, what stories spark historical interest and the importance of animals to the history of the war. References: Over the Top The...
26 - Textiles
May 01, 2022 04:30 - 50 minutes - 23.2 MBHow are embroidery, and the women who do it, portrayed in the years after the First World War? This month Jessica takes us on a tour of post-war embroidery in Tracy Chevalier's A Single Thread and Dorothy Whipple's High Wages. Along the way we discuss surplus women, the varying perceptions of embroidery as skilled work, and the constant reminders of the First World War. References: Tracy Chevalier, A Single Thread (2019) Dorothy Whipple, High Wages (1930) Dorothy L. Sayers, Unnatural...
25 - The Contemporary Image of the Junior British Officer
April 01, 2022 04:00 - 58 minutes - 26.7 MBWhat did it take to be a good junior officer in the First World War? This month, Chris, Angus and Jessica speak to Charles Fair about the development of junior officer training in the war. Along the way we discuss the significance of the Territorial Force, which schools had officer training corps and the definition of a 'temporary gentleman'. References Blackadder Goes Forth (1983) Charles Fair, Marjorie's War: Four Families in the Great War 1914-1918 (2012) Charles Fair, '...
24 - Football
March 03, 2022 05:30 - 1 hour - 29.2 MBWhat effect did the First World War have on football? This month we're joined by Dr Alexander Jackson (National Football Museum) to discuss the ways in which the First World War and football affected each other during and after the conflict. Along the way we discuss football as a recruitment tool, tensions regarding amateur status, and the reason why some football pitches aren't as equal as others... References: Jackson, A. Football’s Great War. Pen & Sword, 2022
23 - Charley's War
February 01, 2022 05:30 - 1 hour - 28 MBHow is the First World War represented in British comics? In 1979 the Battle launched a new strip, Charley's War. The story followed boy soldier Charley Bourne, who fought his way through the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and ended up in Russia in 1919. Written by Pat Mills, it was inspired by the film Oh! What a lovely war. The aim of the strip was not to glorify the conflict but to encourage the reader to re-evaluate their preconceptions of the First World War. At the time of publication...
22 - Classical Imagery
January 01, 2022 05:30 - 55 minutes - 25.6 MBHow did the First World War draw upon classical imagery? This month we are joined by Giles Penman (PhD student at the University of Warwick) to discuss the various ways that classicism manifested itself in imagery and objects before and after the conflict. Along the way we discuss the use of Britannia as a recruitment icon, different claims to civilisation, and some unusual appearances for Queen Victoria. References Carden-Coyne, A. Reconstructing the Body: Classicism, Mode...
21 - Russian Myth and Memory
December 01, 2021 05:30 - 1 hour - 29.3 MBHow has the First World War been represented in Russia? This month Angus, Chris and Jessica are joined by Sofya Anisimova to discuss the film Sniper (1931) and its representation of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France. Along the way, we discuss the significance of sound in film, the importance of re-enactment groups in retaining the memory of the war and the popularity of Richard Aldington and Henri Barbusse in Russian culture, while once again attempting to give Chris nightmares.
20 - Short Stories
November 01, 2021 04:30 - 52 minutes - 24.3 MBHow do you convert the First World War into a short story? This month we're joined by Dr Ann-Marie Einhaus (Northumbria) to explore short fiction published during and after the First World War. Along the way we discuss what makes a short story, the varying themes that appeared over time, and how too many sandwiches may be a sign of a German spy. References: The Penguin Book of First World War Stories, ed. by Barbara Korte and Ann-Marie Einhaus (Penguin Classics, 2007). The...
19 - Franz Ferdinand
October 01, 2021 04:30 - 51 minutes - 23.9 MBHow should we remember the man whose assassination sparked the July Crisis? This month we are joined by Dr Sam Foster (UEA) to examine the life, death, and representation of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Along the way we discuss the complicated relationships of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Franz Ferdinand's interactions with the contemporary press, and how everything eventually leads back to railways. Bibliography Mentioned in the episode: Christopher Clark, The Sleepwalkers Robe...
18 - Sounds of War
August 01, 2021 04:00 - 58 minutes - 27.2 MBWhat songs were popular during the First World War? This month friend of the podcast Dr Emma Hanna (Kent) returns to talk to us about popular music during the war. Along the way we discuss who decided what music was suitable for the troops, the rock and roll lifestyle of men in the Royal Flying Corp, and which versions of Mademoiselle from Armentières are suitable to play to your children. References: Emma Hanna, Sounds of War, Music in the British Armed Forces during the Great...
17 - Theatre and the First World War
July 01, 2021 04:30 - 57 minutes - 26.7 MBHow does the First World War appear on the stage? This month Angus, Chris and Jessica speak to the theatre historian Helen Brooks about her work on the Great War Theatre project. Along the way, we discuss the importance of sex to the rules of censorship, consider the role of theatre in bridging the past and the present and find out which play threatens to give Chris nightmares. References: Greatwartheatre.org.uk Helen Brooks, "Remembering the War on the British Stage: From Res...
16 - 37 Days
June 01, 2021 04:30 - 46 minutes - 21.7 MBHow do you turn the diplomatic exchanges before the outbreak of the First World War into a TV drama? This month Angus, Jessica, and Chris discuss the 2014 BBC series 37 Days. Along the way they explore the role of France in the war's outbreak, how similar the cast appeared to historical figures, a random Star Wars connection, and whether Guy Ritchie should tackle the topic next. References 37 Days (1914) Christopher Clark The Sleep Walkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 (Penguin, 2013) ...
15 - Computer Games
May 01, 2021 04:30 - 44 minutes - 20.6 MBHow do you turn the First World War into a computer game? In this episode Chris and Angus talk to Yoan Fanise the developer behind such First World War computer games as Valiant Hearts: The Great War and 11-11: Memories Retold. Along the way we discuss making the audience cry, different national interpretations and memories of the conflict, and whether it's become easier to sell a First World War computer game. References Games 11-11: Memories Retold (DigixArt: 2018) ...
14 - Sam Mendes' 1917 and the Landscape
April 01, 2021 04:30 - 47 minutes - 21.9 MBHow does the landscape inform our understanding of a First World War film? In this episode cultural historian Beth Wyatt talks to Angus, Jessica, and Chris about the use of landscape in Sam Mendes' film 1917. Along the way we discuss how soldiers used the world around them to remember home, the importance of cherry trees, and what the Archers landscape would look like if it was real. References: 1917 (2019) The flora of the Somme battlefield: a botanical perspective on a post-conflict...
13 - Popular Films First World War Films
March 01, 2021 05:30 - 1 hour - 29.3 MBWhat themes unite better-known films about the First World War? In this episode, Jessica, Chris and Angus look at some of the better-known films about the war, covering a fifty-year period from All Quiet on the Western Front(1930) to Gallipoli (1981). Along the way, we discuss body horror, Kirk Douglas's jaw line, European unity and whether the British have a particular penchant for cross-dressing. References: All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) La Grande Illusion (The Grand Ill...
12 - Obscure First World War Films
February 01, 2021 05:30 - 54 minutes - 24.9 MBWhat makes a First World War film ‘obscure’? This month Chris, Angus and Jessica discuss some lesser-known films set during the First World War. Along the way, we consider national stereotypes, the dangers of a Dawn Patrol drinking game, the brilliance of Basil Rathbone, the role of the individual in wartime and the greatest honour a French officer can bestow on a British serviceman. References: The Big Parade (1925) A Better ‘Ole (1926) Wings (1927) Dawn Patrol (1938) The...
11 - Board Games
January 01, 2021 05:30 - 48 minutes - 22.6 MBCould you play a board game about the First World War, during the First World War? In this episode Jessica, Chris and Angus talk to Holly Nielsen (PhD student at Royal Holloway, London) about board games during the First World War. As a result we learn about games converted into wartime themes, the benefits of the war to the British toy industry, the dangers of channelling the dead in a superstitious household, and what's leapt to the top of Jessica's 'wish list'. References Owen Davie...
10 - The Christmas Truce of 1914
December 01, 2020 05:30 - 55 minutes - 25.5 MBHow do you portray a moment of peace during the First World War when it's not always clear what actually happened? In our Christmas Special, Angus, Chris and Jessica speak to historian Mark Connelly (University of Kent) about the Christmas Truce of 1914. Along the way we discuss Paul McCartney, the difficulty of playing football in No Man's Land, British soldiers as 9-to-5 workers, and a Christmas Truce with the coronavirus. References The Great War: Episode 5 - "This Business May Las...
09 - 'Blasted Things' with Lesley Glaister
November 01, 2020 12:01 - 49 minutes - 22.7 MBHow do you write a novel about the First World War without resorting to cliché? This month, Angus, Chris and Jessica speak to novelist Lesley Glaister about her new book, Blasted Things, set in the aftermath of the war. Along the way we discuss family history, what it feels like to hold historical documents, the medico-legal definition of PTSD and how to capture the register of a place and time effectively. References: Lesley Glaister, Blasted Things Lesley Glaister, Little Egypt Lesley...
08 - Dreamers of the Day: TE Lawrence
October 01, 2020 04:30 - 47 minutes - 21.8 MBHow does popular culture see Lawrence of Arabia? This month Angus, Chris and Jessica speak to cartoonist Ned Barnett about his work on T. E. Lawrence, including both his research travelogue, Dreamers of the Day, and his on-going three volume graphic biography of the famous polymath. Along the way we discuss Lawrence as a celebrity, the challenges of cartooning, the comparative heights of Lawrence and Peter O’Toole and the textile holdings of the National Army Museum. References Ned Bar...
07 - Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
September 01, 2020 04:30 - 55 minutes - 25.7 MBWhat happens when a Sunday night crime caper takes the history of the First World War seriously? In this episode Jessica, Chris and Angus talk about the cult Australian television series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. We discuss class in interwar Australia, what it meant to be a conscientious objector and why it might be a mistake to admit to bribery in front of a policeman in the third of our series on representations of the First World War in television crime dramas. References: Jes...
06 - Peaky Blinders
August 01, 2020 04:30 - 46 minutes - 21.7 MBDid the First World War inspire organised crime in inter-war Britain? In this episode we talk to Emma Hanna (University of Kent) about the British crime-drama series Peaky Blinders and how the war service of the main characters may have further brutalised the gangsters as they negotiate the harsh realities of postwar life. Along the way we discuss the difference in experience between sappers and infantry, different manifestations of 'shellshock', and whether the series is a love letter to ...
05 - Babylon Berlin
July 01, 2020 04:30 - 58 minutes - 27 MBHow has the First World War been translated by German popular culture? In this episode, Angus, Chris and Jessica are joined by Dr Hilary Potter to discuss the book and television series, Babylon Berlin. We discuss sibling rivalry, the New Woman and prisoners of war as we explore the different ways in which the books and the programme represent Weimar Germany. References Kriegsgefangen in Skipton – Raikeswood camp
04 - Heavy Metal
June 01, 2020 04:30 - 45 minutes - 20.9 MBWhy do some Heavy Metal bands examine the First World War? In this episode we talk to Julia Ribeiro Thomaz (PhD student at Paris Nanterre/EHESS) about the portrayal of the First World War in Heavy Metal music. As a result we learn about who is fascinated with tank warfare, different uses for the poetry of Wilfred Owen, and the extent to which the First World War offers bands an opportunity to discuss their own mortality and experiences of life and death. References: Music:...
03 - Georgette Heyer
May 01, 2020 04:30 - 48 minutes - 27.7 MBWhat is the relationship between war and romance? In this episode, Jessica, Chris and Angus talk to Vanda Wilcox (NYU Paris) about the romance novels of Georgette Heyer and how she used her perception of the First World War to write about the Napoleonic Wars. Along the way we discuss women’s magazines, swearing in wartime and why the Duke of Wellington may or may not be like Sir Douglas Haig. References: An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer The Spanish Bride by Georgette Heyer The Non...
02 - Star Wars
April 13, 2020 17:03 - 32 minutes - 18.7 MBHow closely do the events of the First World War relate to those in ‘A Galaxy Far, Far Away’? In this episode Chris, Jessica, and Angus discuss the historical inspirations of the Star Wars saga from the depiction of body horror and the creation of those who are ‘more machine than man’ via Stormtroopers, cavalry charges, and the cinematic impact of Paths of Glory.
01 - An Introduction
April 02, 2020 19:34 - 28 minutes - 13.4 MBWho are we? What do we do? And what really happens at academic conferences during the tea breaks? In this introductory episode, Chris, Jessica and Angus introduce themselves and their research interests, both academic and geeky. We discuss various cultural genres which reference the First World War, including detective fiction, Star Wars and death metal music, and ask why the First World War has particular popular cultural relevance.