Stuff I Stumbled Upon

Last one, I’m almost sure of it.  Officially done with the holiday.  Slightly positive.  Okay 50% sure.  Mostly sure.  Let’s just hope.

Nice to know he can hear a loud bench grinder with those ears.

2 million!!! We have a special message from Matt Smith to say thank you!!!

"Doctor Who facebookers!!! All 2 million of you, thank you for your support!!!! I hope you enjoy the new season!!! We start filming very soon!!! Will keep you posted on Facebook!!!! The monsters are coming!!!!"

Today at 11.30am David Tennant narrated The Pied Piper Of Hamelin on BBC Radio Four.

This 30 minute programme was about Robert Browning’s poem The Pied Piper Of Hamelin and featured Bertie Gilbert as The Boy.

Music and songs were written and performed for this production by John Harle, with lyrics by Joyce Harle. They were sung by Thomas Platts who is the head chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and was accompanied by the choir of Wingham School Kent.

The Pied Piper Of Hamelin is the subject of a legend concerning the departure of a great many children from the town of Hamelin, Lower Saxony, Germany, in the Middle Ages. The earliest references describe a piper, dressed in pied (multicoloured) clothing, leading the children away from the town never to return. In the 16th century the story was expanded into a full story – that of the poem, in which the piper is a rat-catcher hired by the town to lure rats away with his magic pipe. When the citizens refuse to pay for this service, the piper retaliates, turning his magic on the children, leading them away to the mountains. Only one boy remains behind …..

(Fans of David Tennant who saw him in The Pillowman will remember that one of the tales in that play is based around The Pied Piper Of Hamelin.)

The programme was directed by Susan Roberts and the sound producer was Steve Brooke.

http://www.kasiminfo.co.uk/DT/2011/Audio/1226Pied.mp3

Since a Tardis can look like anything, and it is alive (The Magic School Bus is also capable of that)—maybe it’s the longest running joke in PBS history.

I bet it’s just the doctor.

Piper Perabo aka Annie Walker.

You may be wondering how this applies to you here in the US—remember your favorite geek/nerd show “Doctor Who?  Well there are a lot of string instruments in the BBC Orchestra.

Matt Smith & Karen Gillan talk about the Doctor Who Christmas Special (Breakfast, 23.12.10) – YouTube.