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The true story behind blockbuster film Jaws, Benjamin Zephaniah, Catherine Cohen's cabaret

On stage at Edinburgh: The true story behind movie Jaws; poetry from Benjamin Zephaniah, New York cabaret with Catherine Cohen, performers on making shows about personal trauma

Live from the Edinburgh Festivals : Ian Shaw, son of actor Robert Shaw, discusses his play, The Shark is Broken, based on Jaws. Using his father鈥檚 diaries, it鈥檚 the story of how Shaw, Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss are tortuously confined together on the boat Orca while filming - enduring endless delays, studio politics, foul weather and a constantly broken mechanical shark called Bruce. The show's getting five star reviews - they鈥檙e going to need a bigger venue.

Benjamin Zephaniah is one of our best loved poets, despite his avowed rejection of the establishment. Ahead of his appearance at the Edinburgh International Books Festival, he performs his poem White Comedy, inspired by a TV interview he saw with Muhammed Ali as a young boy.

With the vogue at this year's Fringe for confrontational, confessional shows based on artists' personal trauma, we talk to two performers about how they look after themselves and their audience. Artist and writer Scottee鈥檚 show Class confronts the gulf between his working class upbringing and that of his Fringe audience, while performance artist Demi Nandhra's Life is No Laughing Matter explores her relationship with depression.

And we鈥檝e a song from American comedian Catherine Cohen whose sold-out show The Twist? 鈥he鈥檚 Gorgeous is winning plaudits for its fast-paced wit and blistering candour on the lives of modern women.

Presenter : Kirsty Lang
Producer : Simon Richardson

Available now

28 minutes

Ian Shaw - The Shark is Broken

Ian Shaw - The Shark is Broken
Ian Shaw looking at the shark

Ian Shaw - The Shark is Broken is at until 25 Aug

Main image: Ian Shaw

Benjamin Zephaniah

Benjamin Zephaniah
Benjamin Zephaniah
Photo credit: Adrian Pope

The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah - The Autobiography is out now

Benjamin is at the , on 17 Aug聽

Catherine Cohen

Catherine Cohen
Catherine Cohen
Photo credit:聽Zack DeZon

Catherine Cohen: The Twist...? She's Gorgeous聽is at the until 25 Aug

Scottee

Scottee
Scottee
Photo credit: Holly Revell

Scottee聽is at the until 26 Aug

Life Is No Laughing Matter

Life Is No Laughing Matter
Demi Nandhra
Photo credit: Tom Kennedy

Life Is No Laughing Matter is at until 18 Aug

Broadcast

  • Fri 16 Aug 2019 19:15

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