Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week, we strike a match and step into the strange, smoky, and surprisingly human world of alchemy — where fire is sacred, emperors chase immortality, and one man’s glowing urine helps shape the story of modern chemistry.

Kevin is joined by award-winning journalist, adventurer, and author Dr Kit Chapman to discuss his new book The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry. Together, they travel through thousands of years of human curiosity, from the first use of fire to the myths, mistakes, rituals, and discoveries that eventually became modern science.

Along the way, we visit Mayan ruins in Guatemala, explore the origins of alchemy in Roman Egypt, decode the strange language of alchemical recipes, and discover why chemistry is not just a laboratory science, but a story of culture, religion, politics, travel, empire, and survival. From golden idols, Egyptian blue pigments, and Chinese emperors drinking mercury in search of eternal life, to Hennig Brand’s unforgettable attempt to turn urine into gold, Kit reveals how these curious histories connect to his own travels — from the Sir John Soane’s Museum in London to the Aral Sea — and to the wider story of science, humanity, and the world around us.

Then, after all that elemental adventure, we pop into the local for a quick pub quiz. This week’s round: Elemental Excellence. Test your knowledge of chemistry, curious elements, and the strange facts hiding in the periodic table.

We’re also trying something new, with episodes now coming to you every week. Join us next Thursday for more adventurous audio, including mischievous folklore from the north of England and another remarkable mudlarking discovery from the banks of the Thames.

So whether you’re warming your hands by the fire, wondering what the world is made from, or simply hoping your own experiments don’t get out of hand — there’s always something bubbling away in The Big Smoke

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1) Which element was named after the Greek word meaning “green-yellow”?

Answer: D) Chlorine

The name chlorine comes from the Greek word chloros, meaning green-yellow — a reference to the gas’s distinctive colour. Chlorine was identified as an element by Humphry Davy in 1810.

2) Which element was once considered so valuable that Emperor Napoleon III reportedly reserved cutlery made from it for his most important dinner guests?

Answer: C) Aluminium

Before modern industrial methods made it cheap and common, aluminium was considered more precious than gold. In the mid-19th century, Napoleon III reportedly used aluminium utensils for honoured guests — while everyone else had to make do with gold or silver.

3) Which element was first discovered by scientists studying the Sun — before it was ever found on Earth?

Answer: A) Helium

In 1868, astronomers studying a solar eclipse spotted a mysterious yellow spectral line in sunlight that didn’t match any known element. They named it helium after Helios — making it the first element discovered in space before being identified on Earth.

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Links

📖 The Age of Alchemy by Kit Chapman

🧑‍🔬 Dr Kit Chapman

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro & Show Menu

(01:39) Kit Chapman Interview

(44:34) Pub Quiz: Elemental Excellence

(46:03) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week we take a rather unexpected journey through the city — from flushing away the everyday to restoring what we might otherwise dump. This episode explores how even the most overlooked spaces and objects can tell powerful stories about how we live.

First, our new segment, Let’s Go to the Loo! Kevin is joined by Rachel Cole-Wilkin, creator of London Loo Tours, for a guided exploration of the capital’s most fascinating facilities. What begins as a practical search for convenience quickly reveals something much deeper — a story of design, history, and social change. From the beautifully conceived Jubiloo near the South Bank to the Victorian origins of public sanitation, we uncover how these everyday spaces reflect shifting attitudes towards hygiene, public life, and even profit. Along the way, we encounter the Great Stink of 1858, the engineering brilliance of Bazalgette’s sewer system, and the surprising truth that even a toilet can be a piece of storytelling architecture.

Then, when the bells ring out across the city, it’s time for Parish Notices — and a visit to the world of Repair Cafés. In a culture built on convenience and disposal, these community-led spaces offer something radically different: the chance to slow down, learn new skills, and bring broken objects back to life. Through the work of The Restart Project and local volunteers, we explore how repairing a kettle, mending a coat, or fixing a clock can become something far more meaningful — a way to preserve memories, reduce waste, and reconnect with both our possessions and each other.

So whether you’re navigating the city in search of relief, or taking a moment to repair what’s broken — there’s always a place to pause, restart, and begin again in The Big Smoke.

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Links

🚻 London Loo Tours

♻️ The Restart Project – Southfields Mend, Fix & Repair Café.

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro & Show Menu

(01:26) Let’s Go to the Loo!

(16:33) Parish Notices: Repair Café

(28:09) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Parish Notices written by Blanche Coy

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week we press start on the world of video games. From ancient history to interactive storytelling, we explore not just what games are, but what they might become — and what they can reveal about how we understand the world around us.

Kevin is joined by Dr Richard Cole, Senior Lecturer in Digital Futures in the Department of Classics & Ancient History at the University of Bristol. Together they trace Richard’s journey from a game-loving childhood through to a career exploring how video games, virtual reality, and AI can open up new ways of engaging with history. From Age of Empires and GoldenEye to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the conversation unpacks how games don’t just represent the past — they remix it, reshape it, and invite us to step inside it.

But this isn’t just about entertainment. From immersive VR reconstructions of ancient sites to AI-powered museum experiences, Richard shares how games are becoming powerful tools for inquiry — “machines for asking questions” that allow us to test ideas, explore complex systems, and better understand both the past and ourselves. We also step inside the Bristol Digital Game Lab, where game design is being used to tackle real-world challenges — from algorithmic bias to postnatal mental health — revealing how play, creativity, and collaboration can unlock entirely new ways of thinking.

Then it’s time to pop into the local for a quick Pub Quiz, this round: The History of Video Games. Think you know your classics? Put your gaming knowledge to the test — then check your answers below.

And we’re trying something new… The Big Smoke every week! So tune in next Thursday for more adventurous audio!

So whether you’re levelling up, exploring new worlds, or simply pressing pause for a moment — there’s always a place for you in The Big Smoke.

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🎮 Pub Quiz: The History of Video Games — Answers

1) Which American pizza chain was founded by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell?

Answer: C) Chuck E. Cheese Founded in 1977 by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, Chuck E. Cheese was originally called Pizza Time Theatre and combined arcade gaming with family dining—essentially one of the first places to bring video games into a social, real-world setting.

2) Which early Nintendo game is widely credited as one of the first to feature a structured storyline in video games?

Answer: C) Donkey Kong Released in 1981, Donkey Kong is widely credited as one of the first video games to feature a clear, character-driven storyline—introducing a hero (Jumpman, later Mario), a villain (Donkey Kong), and a rescue mission.

3) In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which real historical conflict forms the backdrop of the game’s story?

Answer: B) The Peloponnesian War Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is set during the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE), the major conflict between Athens and Sparta—though the game blends real history with mythology and dramatic storytelling.

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Links

🎓 Richard A Cole – University of Bristol

🎮 Bristol Digital Game Lab

▶️ Bristol Digital Game Lab – YouTube Playlist

📚MA Games Design (Narrative) | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro & Show Menu

(01:38) Dr Richard Cole Interview

(53:31) Pub Quiz: The History of Video Games

(54:56) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week we turn our attention to the objects that surround us — the everyday things we carry, discard, and barely notice — and ask what they might reveal about who we are and the times we’re living through. From museum collections to sensory experiences and a little magical mischief, this episode explores the curious relationship between the material world and the mind.

Kevin is joined by Corinna Gardner and Donata Miller-Obebe from the Victoria and Albert Museum to explore the fascinating world of Rapid Response Collecting. From single-use vapes to the mosquito emoji, the V&A is capturing objects that speak to contemporary social, political, and cultural moments as they unfold. Together, they discuss what it means to collect the present — how design reflects behaviour, how objects carry meaning, and why even the most ordinary items can become powerful markers of our time.

From the museum to the brain, it’s time for Archie’s Neuro Nuggets. This week, we dive into the strange, tingling world of ASMR — exploring what happens when whispers, taps, and gentle sounds trigger sensations of calm for some, and disdain for others.

Back on our audio stage, we return once more to the corridors of the Xander Eldrick Institute, where The Strange Brothers continue their pursuit of the mystical arts. With more mind games, magical mishaps, and deeply questionable decision-making, Salazar and Craig find themselves once again toeing the line between illusion and chaos.

So whether you’re noticing the objects around you a little more closely, tuning into the subtleties of sound, or simply coming along for the ride — there’s always a place for you in The Big Smoke!

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Links

🔎 Explore the V&A’s Rapid Response Collection

💡 Email your Rapid Response Collecting ideas: aapd.enquiries@vam.ac.uk

🧠 Archie McAlpine & Associates Ltd.

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro & Show Menu

(01:37) V&A Rapid Response Collecting Interview

(46:39) Archie’s Neuro Nuggets: The Science of ASMR

(53:13) The Strange Brothers: Conscious Subconsciousness

(1:02:32) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Archie’s Neuro Nuggets by Archie McAlpine

The Strange Brothers written and performed by Jamie Sandersfield and Matthew Nicholson

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week, we follow the rich and robust story of coffee in London, from smoky 17th-century coffeehouses to the modern-day communities forming around a simple cup.

Kevin is joined by historian Dr Matthew Green and Redemption Roasters’ In-custody Training Manager Thomas Clare to explore the past and present of London’s coffee culture. From the first coffee house in St Michael’s Alley, to the explosion of hundreds of coffeehouses across the city, Matthew paints a vivid picture of a society waking up, quite literally, for the first time. But this isn’t just history. Thomas brings us into the present day, sharing the work of Redemption Roasters, where coffee becomes a vehicle for rehabilitation, training prisoners in skills that offer purpose, dignity, and a path forward. Together, the conversation reveals coffee not just as a drink, but as a catalyst for ideas, community, and change.

From the café to the street corner, our Parish Notices turn to the quiet magic of Little Libraries — those small, often handmade book exchanges that appear in neighbourhoods across the city. Modest in scale but rich in spirit, they transform passing strangers into neighbours, offering stories freely and reminding us that community can be built in the simplest of ways.

And while we’re out wandering with coffee in hand and book tucked under arm, we stumble into comedian Kate Sharp, who leads us on a slightly unhinged tour of London’s Blue Plaques. Blending history with humour, her take on the city’s most famous markers reminds us that behind every plaque is a story — and sometimes, a punchline.

Then it’s time to pop into the local for a quick Pub Quiz, this round: Coffee Curiosities — testing your knowledge of the surprising facts hidden in your daily brew.

So whether you’re lingering over a coffee, wandering the streets, or simply taking a moment to breathe, there’s always space for you in The Big Smoke

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☕ Pub Quiz: Coffee Curiosities — Answers

1) What do people in Finland sometimes dip into their coffee?

Answer: C) Cheese

In Finland, it’s traditional in some regions to serve coffee with leipäjuusto, a mild “squeaky” cheese. Small chunks are dropped straight into the cup, where they soften and soak up the coffee — then eaten afterwards.

2) Why is one of Indonesia’s coffees among the most expensive in the world?

Answer: B) The beans are eaten and then excreted by an animal before being collected

In Indonesia, kopi luwak is made using beans that have passed through the digestive system of civet cats. The process is said to change the flavour profile, and its rarity has made it one of the most expensive coffees in the world.

3) What do people in Turkey sometimes do with leftover coffee grounds?

Answer: B) Read them to tell your fortune

In Turkey, after drinking traditional coffee, the cup is often turned upside down and the remaining grounds are read to predict the future — a practice known as tasseography.

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Links

🚶 Take Matthew Green’s Coffeehouse Tour

☕ Redemption Roasters

📚 Penguin – 90 Little Bookstops

📖 Little Free Library – and how to build your own!

🎤 See Kate Sharp’s Standup Comedy

🔵 English Heritage Blue Plaques – Harry Beck

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro and Show Menu

(02:19) Matthew Green and Thomas Clare Interview

(50:17) Parish Notices: Little Libraries

(1:00:55) Blue Plaque Walking Tour: Harry Beck

(1:10:18) Pub Quiz: Coffee Curiosities

(1:11:42) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Parish Notices by Blanche Coy

Blue Plaque Walking Tour written and performed by Kate Sharp

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week we lean into that strange, in-between season — when winter lingers, spring teases, and the city begins to stir once more.

From the quiet reflection of Covent Garden’s Actors’ Church to the tidal rhythms of the Thames, we explore how London — and perhaps all of us — finds its way from darkness into light.

Kevin is joined by Reverend Simon Grigg, rector of St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden, affectionately known as The Actors’ Church. Together they uncover the remarkable history of a parish that has cared for London’s performers since the 17th century — from the licensed playhouses of Charles II to the plaques of theatre legends that line its walls today. But beyond the history, the conversation turns to something more immediate: how we navigate the bleakness of late winter, the meaning of Lent, and why this season isn’t about “organised gloom” at all, but renewal, joy, and finding space for reflection in a world that rarely pauses.

From the pulpit to the riverbank, we head down to the Thames foreshore with our resident mudlark Sean Clark. Among the shingle, a small fragment of Tudor pottery reveals a brilliant piece of theatrical history — and the origin of the phrase “box office smash”. It’s a story that takes us back to Shakespeare’s London, where money boxes were quite literally smashed open at the start of a performance. Another reminder that beneath the surface of the city, history is always waiting to be found.

Then it’s time to pop into the local for a quick Pub Quiz, testing your knowledge of Theatrical Superstitions. From the curse of The Scottish Play to the traditions performers follow to keep fate on their side, this round celebrates the rituals and folklore that still shape life on stage.

So as the days grow longer and the light begins to return, wherever you find yourself — emerging from winter or stepping into something new — there’s always a place for you in The Big Smoke.

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Pub Quiz: Theatrical Superstitions – Answers

1. The Macbeth curse ritual - Tradition says that if someone says “Macbeth” inside a theatre they must leave the theatre, spin around three times, spit (or curse), and knock before being allowed back in.
2. Merde - French performers wish each other “merde”. The tradition dates from the 19th century, when audiences arrived by horse-drawn carriages. A successful performance meant lots of carriages waiting outside the theatre — and therefore lots of horse manure in the street. More merde meant a bigger crowd and a successful show.
3. Whistling backstage - Many early stagehands were former sailors, and they used whistle signals to control scenery and rigging, so random whistling could accidentally trigger cues and move heavy stage machinery.

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🎭 St. Paul's Covent Garden, The Actors’ Church

🚶🏻‍♂️ Sean Clark the Mudlark’s Walking Tour

🤲🏻 Hands on History Mudlarking Exhibition

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro & Show Menu

(01:51) Reverend Simon Grigg Interview

(43:03) Sean Clark the Mudlark’s Latest Find

(50:00) Pub Quiz: Theatrical Superstitions

(51:39) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week we stroll the hard streets of South London, tracing the world that shaped one of the greatest entertainers of all time, and the music halls that lit up Victorian London. Along the way we celebrate the city’s living performers too, from Underground buskers to a little magical mischief on our own audio stage.

Kevin is joined by curator and author Dr Jacqueline Riding to explore the working-class neighbourhoods that formed the young Charlie Chaplin. Drawing from her book Hard Streets: Working Class Lives in Charlie Chaplin’s London, Jacqueline reveals the vibrant, precarious world of Victorian music halls, workhouses, and the communities that produced some of the era’s most extraordinary performers. From the explosion of population south of the Thames to the gritty realities of the Poor Law system, the conversation paints a vivid portrait of the lives behind the laughter — and how creativity offered a path out of hardship.

From the stage to the subterranean, our Parish Notices turn to the buskers of the London Underground. With the help of musician Charlotte Campbell, we explore how busking transforms anonymous commuter spaces into fleeting moments of connection and community. Whether loved or loathed, street performance continues a tradition stretching back centuries — turning passing crowds into temporary audiences and ordinary journeys into something a little more magical.

Back on our audio stage, The Strange Brothers return for another attempt at mastering the mystical arts. This time a mysterious spellbook appears, an ancient incantation is unleashed, and things escalate rather more dramatically than expected. Apprentice magicians Salazar and Craig may not yet have perfected their craft — but they’re certainly finding some real magic along the way.

Finally, we pop into the local for a quick Pub Quiz, testing your knowledge of Cockney rhyming slang — the playful coded language born in the streets of 19th century London.

So wherever you’re listening from — strolling the South Bank, riding the tube, or simply daydreaming about the magic of the city — there’s always a seat waiting for you in The Big Smoke.

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Rub-a-dub (Pub) Quiz: Cockney Rhyming Slang — Answers

1. “The first question should be lemon squeezy.” Lemon squeezy = easy

2. “Watch your plates of meat. Those apples are old and rickety!” Plates of meat = feet Apples and pears (apples) = stairs

3. “Got any sausage? I’m cream crackered and need some sticky toffee.” Sausage and mash (sausage) = cash Cream crackered = knackered / very tired Sticky toffee = coffee

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Links

📚 Get the book – Hard Streets

🎩 Charlie Chaplin’s London – Lambeth Walk

✍🏼 Jacqueline Riding

🎶 Busker Charlotte Campbell

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro and Show Menu

(02:02) Dr Jacqueline Riding Interview

(57:54) Parish Notices: Underground Buskers

(1:08:12) The Strange Brothers

(1:16:57) Pub Quiz: Cockney Rhyming Slang

(1:19:06) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Parish Notices and episode research by Blanche Coy

The Strange Brothers written and performed by Jamie Sandersfield and Matthew Nicholson

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week, we step into the ‘undiscovered country’ — and explore the one subject we so often avoid: death. But rather than dwelling in darkness, this episode asks a more vital question: what can mortality teach us about how to live?

Kevin is joined by social historian and bereavement counsellor Dr Molly Conisbee, author of No Ordinary Deaths: A People’s History of Mortality. Together they explore how death was once woven into everyday domestic life — cared for at home, ritualised by communities, marked visibly through mourning dress and shared customs. From Victorian mourning warehouses, to Irish wakes, Jamaican Nine Nights, and the rise of the death-positive movement, Molly reflects on what we’ve lost as death moved behind hospital doors — and how reclaiming conversation, ritual, and radical acceptance might liberate us in the present.

To balance the existential weight, Archie McAlpine returns with a fresh Neuro Nugget on the science of laughter. What actually happens in the brain when we laugh? Why is it contagious? And in an age of caution and cancellation, how do we protect humour as a force for bonding, healing and social synchronisation? This is laughter under the microscope — and a timely reminder that humour is medicine.

Then, we pop to the local for a quick Pub Quiz, raising a glass to the incomparable Catherine O’Hara. From Home Alone to Best in Show and Schitt’s Creek, we test your knowledge of one of comedy’s greats.

Finally, Audio Archives opens the vault once more. In this unsettling tale from an early smart home, we meet Tristan and the ever-listening Iris. What begins as weather checks and chicken cooking queries spirals into something more revealing — a story of birthday cake, Drake playlists, and the uncomfortable truth that being truly heard might mean being truly seen.

So wherever you are on this strange and splendid rollercoaster of life, there’s always room for you in The Big Smoke.

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Pub Quiz: Catherine O’Hara the Great — Answers

1. At a funeral parlour
2. ‘God Loves a Terrier’
3. Soap opera actress

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Links

⚱️ No Ordinary Deaths by Molly Conisbee

🧠 Archie McAlpine — Neuro Nuggets

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro and Show Menu

(02:24) Dr Molly Conisbee Interview

(50:24) Archie’s Neuro Nuggets: Laughter

(57:53) Pub Quiz: Catherine O’Hara The Great

(1:00:23) Audio Archives: Hey, Iris

(1:15:19) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Audio Archives: ‘Hey, Iris’ written by Aidan Parker and performed by Matthew Nicholson and Cait Roddam Jones