Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Comedian and writer known for his unique invented language, used in radio, television, and books.
On the island
Eight records
the artist Roy Dewar rang me one day and said ... 'why not write a book?' ... that was the birth of the Messilian manuscript
it's called House and Garbage. It's a thing on Do It Yourself. Again, wonderfully and copiously illustrated by Roy Dewar.
The keepsakes
No book or luxury recorded for this episode.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:16Stanley, how do you think you could endure the loneliness of a desert island?
Well, I think the deep refresh, if I do a little quote of Omar Khayyam, of the crusty cheese all dangling on the bough in the wilderness, there'd be a great joy in this.
Presenter asks
0:48Stanley, when did you first become aware of this gift of having your own special language?
Well, you were kind to say so. I think it really began during the war when we had a pantomime at Devontry, when the engineers wrote the script and took part in it, and the engineer in charge, Douglas Birkinshaw, composed the music. We had a great lot of fun doing this panto, and I was given the part of a Chinaman. And I found as I spoke a sort of pseudo-Chinese and popped an English word in, it got a laugh.
Presenter asks
1:34When did you first broadcast [in your nonsensical language]?
Um well, the first nonsensical broadcast, because I did do one serious one, a young producer in Birmingham put me on the air seriously. The first nonsense one, I think, was in nineteen forty eight.
Presenter asks
2:48You were doing all this in your spare time while you were working as a BBC engineer? ... [Did] you decide to leave the BBC?
Yes, a great problem this, because, you know, it's a very important job, this engineering, and uh to be a bit preoccupied with something that's in your spare time, which is very attractive, makes difficulty. ... Yes, yes. Well, I'm old enough, you see, for my problems to be resolved now, and uh this was a a very difficult decision.
Presenter asks
4:09Now, although this double talk, this language of yours, sounds funny and makes millions of people laugh, it is a successful means of communication. It has its own sense, hasn't it?
Yes, well actually one would hope at its best it has uh a conscious stream of sense going through it uh and uh unless I'm feeling very good I can't do it at its best. There's a great sadness in this.
“Well, I think the deep refresh, if I do a little quote of Omar Khayyam, of the crusty cheese all dangling on the bough in the wilderness, there'd be a great joy in this.”
“Well, you were kind to say so. I think it really began during the war when we had a pantomime at Devontry, when the engineers wrote the script and took part in it, and the engineer in charge, Douglas Birkinshaw, composed the music. We had a great lot of fun doing this panto, and I was given the part of a Chinaman. And I found as I spoke a sort of pseudo-Chinese and popped an English word in, it got a laugh. And this was a sort of beginning.”
“Yes, well actually one would hope at its best it has uh a conscious stream of sense going through it uh and uh unless I'm feeling very good I can't do it at its best. There's a great sadness in this.”