Main content

Paterson Joseph

Michael Berkeley's guest is actor Paterson Joseph. His choices include Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Louis Armstrong, Bach, Charles Mingus, Billie Holliday and Ignatius Sancho.

Paterson Joseph bunked off school when he was thirteen and spent the next two years going to the local library instead, reading his way from Agatha Christie through to Alexander Pushkin. It was a good training for someone who's become one of our most versatile and successful actors. Paterson Joseph is well known from numerous Shakespeare productions at the RSC and the Royal Exchange Manchester, and from Casualty and Dr Who. He achieved notoriety as the grotesque boss Alan Johnson in Peep Show. Paterson Joseph has recently been touring America with a show that he's written himself, about one of his heroes - the black 18th-century London grocer and composer Ignatius Sancho.

He talks to Michael Berkeley about why Sancho has been unjustly neglected, and what he thinks about "colour-blind" casting.

Music choices include Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Louis Armstrong, Bach, Charlie Mingus, Billie Holliday - and Ignatius Sancho.

Produced by Elizabeth Burke
A Loftus production for 91Èȱ¬ Radio 3.

Available now

34 minutes

Last on

Sun 23 Jul 2017 12:00

Music Played

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Eugene Onegin (Final scene)

    Orchestra: Orchestre de Paris – Philharmonie. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov. Singer: Nuccia Focile. Singer: Dmitri Hvorostovsky.
  • Louis Armstrong

    Memphis Blues Medley

  • Ignatius Sancho

    selection

    Performer: Rebecca Jordan. Performer: Buffy North. Performer: Ben Parks. Music Arranger: Ben Parks. Singer: Sarah Dacey.
  • Richard Rodgers

    Glad to be Unhappy

    Singer: Billie Holiday.
  • Charles Mingus

    Better Git It in Your Soul

  • Bernie Leadon

    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - theme tune

    Ensemble: Eagles.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Wo Zwei und Drei versammlet (Cantata No.42: Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats)

    Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan. Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki. Singer: Robin Blaze.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 16 Oct 2016 12:00
  • Sun 23 Jul 2017 12:00

What makes Boogie-woogie piano legend Jools Holland tick?

What makes Boogie-woogie piano legend Jools Holland tick?

For Private Passions, Jools Holland revealed his piano history to Michael Berkeley.

11 things we learned from Harry Enfield’s Private Passions

11 things we learned from Harry Enfield’s Private Passions

Harry doesn't usually give interviews – but he couldn't say no to Michael Berkeley.

Archive Unlocked: Two Decades of Private Passions

Michael Berkeley introduces memorable interviews from Private Passions' archives.

Podcast