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Episode details

Radio 4,06 Jun 2023,28 mins

Idle Talk: Wales's Oral Tradition

Available for over a year

You鈥檙e invited to an open mic in the Middle Ages. Carys Eleri MCs a night of comedy and spoken word from Dafydd ap Gwilym, Taliesin and more, as she explores Wales's oral tradition. In the Middle Ages, Welsh oral storytellers - or 'cyfarwyddiaid' - were essential workers. Even the Welsh verb 'ymddiddan' (鈥渢o converse鈥�) originally meant 鈥渢o entertain each other.鈥� How did this tradition begin? And does it still survive today? Comedian and writer Carys Eleri is putting on a medieval open mic, with iconic Welsh poets brought back to life by comedians Priya Hall, Leila Navabi and Jake Sawyers. Carys is joined by Eurig Salisbury, a poet and lecturer who has grown up with Wales's oral tradition; historian Sara Huws, whose nain was a storyteller; and National Poet of Wales Hanan Issa, who is keeping spoken word alive in Cardiff communities today. Produced by Alice McKee

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