The Big Smoke Variety Show

Kevin Bennett

The Big Smoke Variety Show is a one-of-a-kind podcast hosted by theatre director and Canadian living in London, Kevin Bennett, blending the playfulness of classic TV variety shows with the depth of a cultural salon. Each episode features fascinating interviews — with guests like the former Ravenmaster of the Tower of London Christopher Skaife, Olivier Award-winning actor Giles Terera, clothier and BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee star Patrick Grant — plus authors, historians, entertainers, scientists, and experts of all kinds. You’ll also hear regular recurring segments on everything from the newest branch of neuroscience — neuroaesthetics — and how it can change your life, to one of London’s licensed Mudlarks sharing the historic treasures he’s found in the River Thames. Expect lively conversations, surprising stories, and original comedy — from hilarious sketches to mini radio plays. If you love discovering big ideas, quirky characters, and the rituals that bring us together, this podcast is for you. In a world driven apart by social media algorithms, The Big Smoke Variety Show invites you to gather, laugh, and hear stories you won’t find anywhere else.

  1. 2d ago

    The Strange Brothers’ Saw Trick & Underground Loos

    Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! This week, we throw open the doors to Variety Week and descend into the wonderfully strange — from apprentice magicians wrestling with the laws of reality to historic London loos wrestling with the laws of plumbing. First, fan-favourite trainee magicians The Strange Brothers return from the Xander Eldrick Institute of Illusion, Divination and, of course, Dance. This time, Salazar Strange and Craig attempt one of magic’s most iconic feats: sawing a man in half. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Then, once the blood has been mopped up and the Wi-Fi re-connected, we head back out into London with Rachel Cole-Wilkin of London Loo Tours. This week, Rachel takes us beneath Covent Garden to explore one of the capital’s most atmospheric public conveniences. Tucked beneath the west side of St Paul’s Church, these underground loos come complete with iron gates, turnstiles, fading grandeur, old-fashioned scales, 1960s byelaws, and a rich aroma that leaves little doubt about what lies below. We’re also trying something new, with episodes now coming to you every single week. So stay tuned next Thursday for more adventurous audio from across The Big Smoke. So whether you’re attempting impossible magic or simply looking for somewhere to spend a penny, remember: there’s always something unexpected waiting beneath the surface — and we’ll keep finding it together here in The Big Smoke. — Links 🚻 London Loo Tours 🍸 Cellar Door 🍷 WC Bars — Chapters (00:00) Intro & Show Menu (01:55) Strange Brothers (13:13) London Loo Tours (22:43) Outro — Credits Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett Produced & Edited by Alex Graham Original Music by Giles Terera Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins The Strange Brothers written and performed by Jamie Sandersfield and Matthew Nicholson

    23 min

  2. May 28

    The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet with Yi-Ling Liu

    Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! This week, we log on and step into the complex world of China’s internet, a digital landscape shaped by innovation, censorship, and the ever-shifting boundaries of freedom and control. Kevin is joined by journalist and author Yi-Ling Liu to discuss her new book, The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet. Yi-Ling’s work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, WIRED, and The New York Review of Books and her book has been named a finalist for the 2026 Orwell Prize for Political Writing. Together, Kevin and Yi-Ling explore the human stories behind one of the most influential digital worlds on the planet. From the Great Firewall and the rise of Chinese social media to hip hop, online censorship, queer communities, tech entrepreneurs, and the strange ‘dance in shackles’ between expression and control. Along the way, Kevin reflects on his own experiences working in China as a theatre director, from touring an English-language production of The Merchant of Venice to directing a Mandarin version of Romeo and Juliet in Beijing. Yi-Ling also shares the personal journey that led her to the book: growing up between Hong Kong and mainland China, encountering censorship for the first time as a teenage intern at China Daily, studying at Yale, reporting on Chinese hip hop in Chengdu. We’re also trying something new, with episodes now coming to you every week. Join us next Thursday for more adventurous audio from across The Big Smoke, including more magical mayhem from fan-favourite apprentice magicians The Strange Brothers, and another wonderfully unexpected trip to the loo with the London Loo Lady. So whether you’re scrolling through your feed, peering behind the firewall, or wondering how much of the internet you truly understand, remember: behind every screen are human stories, invisible boundaries, and people trying to make sense of an increasingly connected world — just as we do here in The Big Smoke. — Links 💻 Yi-Ling Liu 📕 The Wall Dancers  📝 Recommended Journalists: Viola Zhou, Sarah Wu and Vivian Wang 📚 Recommended Book "I Deliver Parcels in Beijing," by Hu Anyan.  — Chapters (00:00) Intro & Show Menu (01:34) Yi-Ling Liu Interview (1:00:09) Outro — Credits Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett Produced & Edited by Alex Graham Original Music by Giles Terera Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

    1h 1m

  3. May 21

    Stories You Haven’t Heard: The Hedley Kow & A Recent Mudlark Find

    Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! This week we wander away from the ordinary and into a world of folklore, hidden histories, and strange things waiting to be found — from shapeshifting spirits in the north of England to forgotten objects emerging from the River Thames. First, in a brand new segment, Stories You Haven’t Heard, Kevin takes us to Northumberland for the tale of the Hedley Kow — a mischievous boggart-like trickster said to haunt the village of Hedley. Sometimes appearing as a goblin, a horse or a voice at the window, the Hedley Kow was less a terrifying monster than a deeply annoying force of chaos, delighting in confusion, embarrassment, and a good mocking laugh. Through tales of milkmaids, servant girls, unlucky young lovers, startled midwives, and one wonderfully optimistic old woman who finds a mysterious pot on the road, we explore the curious place these stories hold in our imagination. Are they warnings? Explanations? Entertainment? Or simply a reminder that the world has always felt a little stranger than it first appears? Then we return to the banks of the Thames, where resident Mudlark Sean Clark shares his Latest Find from the foreshore. This time, it’s a beautifully preserved 17th-century trade token, found during a rare low spring tide and untouched for more than 350 years. Marked with the name Paul Badcock, Tower Ditch, 1669, and bearing the image of a ship, the token opens a small but fascinating window into everyday London life near the Tower of London in the late 1600s. With further research planned at the London Archives and Guildhall Library, this tiny halfpenny may still have more of its story to tell. We’re also trying something new, with episodes now coming to you every single week. So stay tuned next Thursday for more adventurous audio from across The Big Smoke. — Chapters (00:00) Intro & Show Menu (01:38) Stories You Haven’t Heard: The Hedley Kow (14:03) Sean Clark the Mudlark’s Latest Find (18:28) Outro — Credits Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett Produced & Edited by Alex Graham Original Music by Giles Terera Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins Stories You Haven’t Heard written and performed by Scott Brooksbank

    19 min

  4. May 14

    The Age of Alchemy with Kit Chapman

    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 — 🧪 Pub Quiz: Elemental Excellence - Answers 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. — Links  📖 The Age of Alchemy by Kit Chapman 🧑‍🔬 Dr Kit Chapman — Chapters (00:00) Intro & Show Menu (01:39) Kit Chapman Interview (44:34) Pub Quiz: Elemental Excellence  (46:03) Outro — Credits Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett Produced & Edited by Alex Graham Original Music by Giles Terera Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

    47 min

  5. May 7

    Flush & Fix: London Loos and the Restart Café

    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. — Links 🚻 London Loo Tours ♻️ The Restart Project – Southfields Mend, Fix & Repair Café.  — Chapters (00:00) Intro & Show Menu (01:26) Let’s Go to the Loo! (16:33) Parish Notices: Repair Café (28:09) Outro — 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

    29 min

  6. Apr 30

    Gaming for Social Change with Dr Richard Cole

    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. — 🎮 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. — 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 — Chapters (00:00) Intro & Show Menu (01:38) Dr Richard Cole Interview (53:31) Pub Quiz: The History of Video Games (54:56) Outro — Credits Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett Produced & Edited by Alex Graham Original Music by Giles Terera Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

    56 min

  7. Apr 16

    Rapid Response Collecting at the V&A Museum

    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! — Links 🔎 Explore the V&A’s Rapid Response Collection 💡 Email your Rapid Response Collecting ideas: aapd.enquiries@vam.ac.uk 🧠 Archie McAlpine & Associates Ltd. — 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 — 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

    1h 3m

  8. Apr 2

    The Redemptive Power of Coffee with Matthew Green and Thomas Clare

    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 — ☕ 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. — 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 — 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 — 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

    1h 12m
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About

The Big Smoke Variety Show is a one-of-a-kind podcast hosted by theatre director and Canadian living in London, Kevin Bennett, blending the playfulness of classic TV variety shows with the depth of a cultural salon. Each episode features fascinating interviews — with guests like the former Ravenmaster of the Tower of London Christopher Skaife, Olivier Award-winning actor Giles Terera, clothier and BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee star Patrick Grant — plus authors, historians, entertainers, scientists, and experts of all kinds. You’ll also hear regular recurring segments on everything from the newest branch of neuroscience — neuroaesthetics — and how it can change your life, to one of London’s licensed Mudlarks sharing the historic treasures he’s found in the River Thames. Expect lively conversations, surprising stories, and original comedy — from hilarious sketches to mini radio plays. If you love discovering big ideas, quirky characters, and the rituals that bring us together, this podcast is for you. In a world driven apart by social media algorithms, The Big Smoke Variety Show invites you to gather, laugh, and hear stories you won’t find anywhere else.

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin Bennett
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Big Smoke Variety Show

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