Comedian Mark Steel’s bespoke stand up show, all about Margate and performed just once for a local audience, is going to be broadcast on Radio 4 next week.
Every year for Mark Steel’s In Town, the comedian, columnist and author visits six different towns across the UK. He delves into the history, people and idiosyncrasies to try to work out what ingredients combine to make the places distinctive. He then creates a stand-up show about the town, which he performs in front of a local audience.
He visited Margate in November and December 2023, and was shown around the town by The Isle of Thanet News writer Dan Thompson, who regularly leads history walks.
They visited local shops, cafes, studios, and galleries, including Margate Bookshop, Marine Studios, GB Pizza, Dalby Cafe, Turner Contemporary, Curve cafe, and the Shell Grotto. They also visited a flat in Arlington House, had a private view of the Crab Museum, and took a walk down the Harbour Arm. He then wrote a show which was recorded in front of a live audience at the Lido on 25th April this year.
Mark Steel’s In Town is a celebration of the sort of places in Britain that have their own fascinating stories to tell and local people who are passionate about what their town has to offer. “Essentially,” Mark says, “it’s a best man speech, but about a place.”
Mark Steel’s In Town airs on Radio 4 at 6.30pm on Monday 24th June. It will then be available on the BBC Sounds app.
