The Verb goes to the circus. Read more
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To the Circus
The Verb goes to the circus.
Sports Writing
With Frank Skinner, Zaffar Kunial, Rob Drummond and Joseph Bond.
Christmas Nonsense
Ian McMillan celebrates nonsense writing with Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
The World of Poetry Publishing
With Michael Schmidt, Peter Sansom, Nell Nelson and Malachi McIntosh
Puns and Wordplay
Ian McMillan and his guests explore the power of puns and wordplay
Goodness
With Kelcey Wilson-Lee, Will Harris, Kate Fox and Toby Litt.
Native American Writing
Acclaimed poet Layli Long Soldier joins Ian McMillan to explore her poetry.
Hotel
With Eimear McBride, Andy Miller and Roger Luckhurst
The Language of Leaving
Ian McMillan explores the language of leaving.
Poetry and philosophy
Ian McMillan's guests are Raymond Antrobus and Helen Mort.
Obsolete
With William Gibson, Don Paterson and Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún and Caro C
African Writing
With Maaza Mengiste, Ekow Eshun, Jennifer Makumbi and Ellah Wakatama.
Social
Boo Hewerdine and Kate Fox on how friendships change in difficult times.
17/04/2020
Ian McMillan is joined by guests including Alan Titchmarsh and Patience Agbabi.
Mirrors
Looking into the mirror with Rebecca Solnit and Ira Lightman.
Woods, Weeds and Wildflowers: Nature Poetry
With Alice Oswald and Fiona Sampson
Birdsong
With Sam Lee, Jen Hadfield and Richard Smyth.
Virtual Hay Festival
With Kapka Kassabova, James Shapiro and Inua Ellams
Language Lockdown
With Kate Clanchy, Rob Drummond and Julie Hesmondhalgh
Writers of the Caribbean diaspora
Roger Robinson, Malika Booker, Jacob Sam-La Rose and Ingrid Persaud.
The Octopus Verb
With Peter Godfey Smith, Matthew Welton, Kate Fox, Catherine Ayres and Tania Hershman.
The Ledbury Festival
With Carolyn Forché, Kaveh Akbar, Juana Adcock and Sandeep Parmar.
Domestic Violence - in language, myths, and fairy stories
Ian McMillan and guests on the language and myths of domestic violence.
Salman Rushdie
Ian McMillan talks to Salman Rushdie about his writing process and 'cancel culture'.
Nature Poetry: Experiments in Living
With Simon Armitage, Moniza Alvi and Jade Cuttle
Wordsworth: Experiments in Living at Contains Strong Language
The Verb comes from Grasmere to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Wordsworth's birth.
Landscape & Language: Experiments in Living
Record at the Contains Strong Language Festival.
Claudia Rankine - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan is joined by the American poet Claudia Rankine to explore her writing.
Oil Stories - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan and guests look at the way poets have written about oil and the oil industry.
The Poetry of Walls: Inside Out at the Southbank Centre
New poetry inspired by the limestone and concrete walls of London's Southbank Centre.
Comedy writing in difficult times: Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan is joined by Ben Schott, Kate Fox, Grainne Maguire and Matt Winning
The Changing Language of Veganism: Experiments in Living
With Benjamin Zephaniah, Jonathan Safran Foer, Agustina Bazterrica and Rachael Allen
Green Memoir - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan and guests on 'green' memoir, our intimacy with landscape and its language.
Zero-Growth Writing - Experiments in Living
Zero-Growth with Yanis Varoufakis, Patrick McGuinness, Jade Cuttle and Seren Griffiths.
Margaret Atwood - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan talks to Margaret Atwood about her writing process.
Brazil - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan’s guests celebrate and explore the writers of Brazil.
Christmas Lights Verb - Experiments in Living
The Christmas Verb, with Floella Benjamin, John Cooper Clarke and Susie Dent.
Optimism in Stories for Children - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan with Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Gaia Vince, Smriti Halls and Kate Fox.
Writing the Weather - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan talks to Jenny Offill, Alice Oswald and Wayne Binitie about weather language.
T.S. Eliot Prize
Ian McMillan presents readings from poets shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize.
The Walk
Ian McMillan, Testament and Ira Lightman explore words and walking.
Crime
Ian McMillan and guests explore the challenge of crime writing.
Gratitude - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan with Michael Symmons Roberts, Leafcutter John, Jack Bernhardt and Kate Fox.
The Great Gatsby
Ian McMillan is joined by Sarah Churchwell, Inua Ellams, LJ Rich and Jonathan Bate.
Writing at Home - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan on 'writing at home' with Maggie O'Farrell and Brian Bilston.
Spring Poetry: ambivalence and beauty - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan is joined by Paul Farley, Caleb Femi and Penelope Lively to celebrate spring.
Planets - Experiments in Living
Planets and poetry with Ian McMillan and guests including Bettany Hughes and JO Morgan.
Determination in Writing - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan is joined by guests including Paula Byrne and Iona Lee.
Pausing and Punctuation - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan punctuates with Kei Miller, Angela Leighton, Eley Williams and Kate Fox.
Writing Technology - Experiments in Living
Isy Suttie and other writers on how technology shapes our time and thinking.
Collaborations - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan is joined by collaborators Nicci Gerard and Sean French, and Harry and Chris.
Family Time - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan talks families with Hollie MicNish, Hadley Freeman and Gillian Clarke.
Reverie - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan and guests explore the dreamlike experience of 'reverie'.
The Hay Verb - Experiments in Living
Hay Festival guests Michael Morpurgo, Caitlin Moran and Imbolo Mbue join Ian McMillan.
Time Scales - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan on timescales with Danny Dorling, Rachael Boast, Roman Krznaric and Kate Fox
Tree Thinking - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan with Sarah Moss, Peter Wohlleben, Jason Allen-Paisant and Sheena Blackhall.
Extremes
Ian McMillan goes to the extremes this week to explore writing on the edge of places.
The Politics Verb - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan's guests are Ed Miliband, Jackie Weaver, Emilie Robson and Kate Fox.
How to Write a Manifesto - Experiments in Living
Greg James, Chris Smith, Kathryn Williams and Malika Booker and Ian McMillan on manifestos
The Keepnet Verb - Experiments in Living
Ian McMillan is joined by Anita Sethi, Kate Fox, Ira Lightman and Tom Chatfield.
New Rules for Writing - Manifesto Launch
Ian McMillan reveals the ideas in our new manifesto with guests including Damon Albarn.
Live from Contains Strong Language
With Loyle Carner, John Agard, Siana Bangura and Roy McFarlane.
Green Places and Haunts - The Verb at Contains Strong Language
Ian McMillan and guests on Coventry's green places and the river that ghosts through it.
At Contains Strong Language
With Simon Armitage & LYR, Theresa Lola, Romalyn Ante and Andrea Mbarushimana
George Mackay Brown and Orkney
Ian McMillan celebrates Orkney and George Mackay Brown's writing in his centenary year.
Puddings
Ian McMillan on poetry and puddings.
Electricity
Ian McMillan is joined by Ben Okri, Susie Dent, Kerry Shale, and Laura Watts.
Bernardine Evaristo
Ian McMillan explores the writing of Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo.
The Pretentious Verb
Ian McMillan on pretentious writing.
The Everyday Verb
Michael Rosen, Lauren Elkin, and Christopher Green talk diaries with Ian McMillan.
Repair
With Mona Arshi, Chris McCabe, William Letford and Kate Fox.
The Space Verb
Ian McMillan on space in language and writing.
The Christmas Dinner Verb
Ian McMillan is joined by John Hegley, Carol Ann Duffy, Kathryn Williams, and Jay Rayner.
Mermaids and Other Mysterious Sea Creatures
Ian McMillan explores the language and imagery of sea myths and folklore.
TS Eliot Prize Verb
Ian McMillan celebrates the poetry collections on the TS Eliot Prize shortlist.
Once More from the Top
Ian McMillan and guests explore the language of conducting.
What Kind of Times Are These?
Ian McMillan's regular foray into the world of language and literature
Couples
Ian McMillan's weekly digest of language and literature with Tessa Hadley and Rommi Smith.
Writing Travel
Ian McMillan's weekly foray into language and literature explores the well-travelled life.
Adversaries.
Marlon James and Hannah Lowe join Ian McMillan for a discussion of adversaries.
Mothers and Daughters
Warsan Shire, Ruth Padel, Hollie McNish and Lissa Evans join Ian McMillan.
After Dark Festival: The Chance to Change
The After Dark Festival at Sage Gateshead.
Taking Risks
The Verb explores writing and language on the appeal of risk.
The Twentieth Anniversary Verb
Ian McMillan and guests celebrate 20 years of poetry and performance on The Verb!
15/04/2022
Ian McMillan's cabaret of the word, featuring the best poetry, new writing and performance
Ancient and Modern
Ian McMillan is joined Lucy Mercer, Glyn Maxwell, Nick Chater and Tice Cin.
The Sea
Ian McMillan talks to Maggie Gee about her new novel The Red Children.
Books and Pens
Ian McMillan's guests Emma Smith, Naush Sabah and Gerry Cambridge celebrate books and pens
Hidden
With Mick Herron, Kayo Chingonyi, Hannah Lowe and Sarah Howe.
