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Edinburgh to Aberdeen

Frankie travels from Edinburgh to Aberdeen to explore language. He meets a famous crime writer, joins a language lesson in a jail and learns how to be offensive in sign language.

In this episode, Frankie Boyle travels from Edinburgh to Aberdeen and explores Scotland鈥檚 complicated relationship with language. In Edinburgh, he joins the crowds of the Fringe and goes to see a one-man show by the author of the critically acclaimed book The Poverty Safari, Darren McGarvey. They discuss how language shapes who we are, how it can be used to exclude working class people from important debates and consider how best to climb down from high walls.

Frankie also wants to find out why crime fiction has become such a literary phenomenon in Scotland. In a bar in Edinburgh鈥檚 affluent district of Morningside, Frankie meets best-selling author Val McDermid, finds out about the origins of Tartan Noir and learns her secret to creating realistic characters and dialogue.

Travelling north, Frankie stays the night in a hotel that has links to the creation of one of the most famous literary characters in the world - Dracula. Similarly inspired, Frankie gives his own unique theory on what might have inspired Bram Stoker to create the famous vampire.

The next morning, Frankie goes to jail. In Grampian Prison, he visits the education wing, where he joins a class of prisoners who are all learning about the Scots language. He finds out why different dialects and words have gone in and out of fashion and works with the prisoners on a script in Scots. Frankie also finds out from Scots language expert Alistair Heather why Scots is experiencing a renaissance.

Ahead of his stand-up show in Aberdeen, Frankie meets up with sign language interpreter Catherine King. Catherine interprets stand-up shows for the deaf community. She talks to Frankie about how she works on stage and interprets his sometimes shocking stand-up. Frankie then takes to the stage with Catherine.

28 minutes

Last on

Mon 22 Aug 2022 22:00

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:06

    Frightened Rabbit, Scott Hutchi

    Keep Yourself Warm

  • 00:11

    Penguin Cafe Orchestra

    The Sound of Someone You Love Who's Going Away and It Doesn't Matter

  • 00:13

    Gerry Rafferty

    Get It Right Next Time

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Frankie Boyle
Executive Producer Mick McAvoy
Executive Producer Nicky Waltham
Series Producer Graeme Hart
Production Company Two Rivers Media Ltd

Broadcasts