The Verb

Ian McMillan and Hollie McNish present the best in new poetry. Joining them this week are Remi Adefesysian, Jenni Fagan, Kerry Andrew and Danez SmithPresenter: Ian McMillan Producer: Cecile Wright.

On the programme this week, linguist David Crystal is looking at pronunciation - what does is mean to have a 'friendly accent'? Inspired by David's writing is a brand new poem from Mike Garry which plays with 'Approximants' - consonants that sound like vowels and are often seen as being friendly. In 'Spandex and the City' (Orbit), novelist Jenny Colgan finds out what happens when a romantic heroine meets a superhero, and we hear an extract from 'Lord Fox', a collaboration between the writer Kirsty Logan, harpist Esther Swift and songwriter Kirsty LawPresenter: Ian McMillan Producer: Cecile Wright.

The Verb welcomes January's fresh starts and clear-outs with poems on empty drawers and new beginnings. Ron Padgett, Hollie McNish, Laurie Bolger, Lennox Cato and Harry Giles join Ian McMillan.

Joining Ian McMillan for a sci-fi themed Christmas party are Carol Ann Duffy, Hollie McNish, Abandoman, Paul Magrs, Katy Manning and Verb New Voice Laura Potts. Recorded in front of a studio audience at Media City.

How has the scrolling we do on social media changed writers and readers, and what does it have in common with ancient scrolls? Join Ian McMillan as he uses the power of poetry and performance to answer these questions - with the actor and writer David Schneider, poet Ira Lightman, artist Vicki Bennett, and scroll unrollers Roberta Mazza and Richard Gameson.

This week on The Verb we're looking at writing mentors. How much different can a mentor make, how can we learn from their writing, and what kind of language should a mentor use? Joining Ian is the comedian Margaret Cho, who was profoundly influenced by her friend and mentor Joan Rivers. Margaret is a groundbreaking American comic who has been Emmy and Grammy nominated five times, hosts the podcast 'Monsters of Talk' and is currently on tour with her latest stand-up show 'Fresh Off The Boat'.Tim X Atack is a composer and sound designer who works across film, music and theatre; we commissioned him to create a audio piece inspired by the classical myth of Mentor and Athena.The award winning poet Sarah Howe explores mentoring in the world of poetry.This week Hollie McNish introduces us to the poetry of Rosy Carrick - who has been influenced by the Russian poet Mayakovsky.Producer: Faith Lawrence.

Ian McMillan presents a special extended edition of Radio 3's The Verb recorded as part of Contains Strong Language, a season of poetry and performance from Hull, UK City of Culture 2017.Ian McMillan is joined by a host of spoken word talent to celebrate the story of spoken-word performance in the UK on the 35th anniversary of 'Apples and Snakes'. John Agard has been performing spoken word across the UK for over 30 years. His poem celebrates the Voice as he reminds us that 'Shakespeare was a performance poet'. Hannah Silva is an innovative playwright and performer, who presents a brand new poem. In this piece, specially commissioned by Apples and Snakes to celebrate their 35th anniversary, Hannah digs around in their archives to find poetic inspiration.The Verb has also commissioned new work, a collaborative piece by SLAMbassadors UK founder Joelle Taylor and Zena Edwards. 'I remember you' examines the political history of spoken word. We also hear from Grace Nichols who brings a carnival spirit to the proceedings, Yomi Sode who takes us back to his awkward teenage years, and Dizraeli reads brand new work addressing toxic masculinity. Apples and Snakes have also commissioned collaborative work from London based poet and grime artist Debris Stevenson and Hull's very own breakout grime star Chiedu Oraka. John Hegley's first public performance was in Hull many years ago, so it's only fitting that he returns to the city to celebrate the birthday of Apples and Snakes, who have been an important part of his career for the past 35 years. And there were so many fantastic performances at this Contains Strong Language event that we couldn't fit them all into the broadcast edition of the show, download our podcast to hear extra performances from all our guests and an extra podcast only appearance from poet and rapper TY and a brand new collaboration, commissioned by Apples and Snakes between Yomi Sode and Dizraeli.Presenter: Ian McMillan Producer: Jessica Treen.

What does it mean to live a Stoic life in 2017? With the current resurgence of interest in Stoic ideas,, The Verb investigates.Helping Ian is the philosopher Angie Hobbs, technology writer Tom Chatfield, Coralie Bickford Smith, Ned Boulting and John Osborne.Producer: Faith Lawrence.

Philip Pullman, Hollie McNish, Francesca Martinez and David Denison join Ian McMillanA masterclass in using 'tense' for writers. Philip Pullman, author of the 'His Dark Materials' series, explains why the fashion for the present tense can limit writers of fiction and celebrates the 'classical tone' of Philippa Pearce. Francesca Martinez delights in the present tense of comedy, whilst Hollie McNish introduces Erin Fornoff and her poem of 'back and forth' tenses. Linguist David Denison reveals how the 'simple present' tense in English is being 'marginalised' by the progressive. We're loving it.

Comedian, songwriter, lyricist and composer Tim Minchin sits down at the piano for a special programme - an extended conversation with Ian McMillan.Over 45 minutes they discuss the influences on his language, exploring the writing process behind the music and lyrics from his acclaimed musicals (the Tony award winning 'Matilda' and the more recent 'Groundhog Day'), and the pleasure he takes in letting the sounds of word lead his writing in his comic songs. He also talks about publishing his first children's book, 'When I Grow Up' (Scholastic), inspired by the hit song from Matilda, and illustrated by Steve Antony, and explains how pictures can play a similar role to music.Ian and Tim discuss his fascination with the clash (particularly in satirical songs) of content and form, and 'the balance between dark and light' elements. For Tim, the satisfaction of song-writing is similar to that of solving puzzle, particularly when he plays with the effect of internal rhyme. He also considers the debt he owes to Roald Dahl, whose subversiveness he emulated as a young boy, and he admiration for Kurt Vonnegut's ear for ordinary speech. Ian also asks Tim about his interest in science writing - and his notion that 'science is simply the word we use to describe a method of organising our curiosity'.Producer: Faith Lawrence.