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The People’s Manifesto
The People’s Manifesto
Oct 9, 2024 12:21 PM

Author:Mark Thomas,Mark Thomas,Various

The People’s Manifesto

Free-thinking funnyman Mark Thomas creates a People's Manifesto, aided by his live studio audience

'Funny, knowing and tongue-in-cheek... sardonic, furious-paced wit' The Guardian

Comedian, activist and 'libertarian anarchist' Mark Thomas believes that, as a nation, we are drifting - economically, politically and socially. Where, he asks, are the big ideas, theories and visions that will help our country in its hour of need? Tired of the status quo, he sets out to change the world by compiling a People's Manifesto, gathering policy suggestions from his studio audience and getting them to vote for the best.

Their blue-sky proposals range from the serious (limit and regulate payday loan companies; force all politicians to use public transport, the NHS, and send their kids to state schools) to the hilarious (mandating that all restaurants should only serve starters; colour-coding society so you can see at a glance who's single and looking).

Other ideas up for the vote include legalising recreational drugs for senior citizens ('Deals on Wheels'); introducing a maximum wage; and reinstating 'Saint Monday' - the ancient tradition of taking Mondays off. Also on the agenda are crushing the cars of anyone illegally parked in a disabled space; declaring any war that lasts more than five years a draw; having a 'none of the above' option on voting cards; and enforcing rustle-free zones in cinemas (policed by 'cinema ninjas'.)

Inspired, Mark decides to pursue one of his favourite propositions - that he should invade Jersey - and heads to Glasgow to consider a kick-starter to buy Scotland out of the Union... But which of the Great British Public's policies will make the final cut? Listen and find out...

Also included is a bonus accompanying PDF of the full People's Manifesto, as voted for by the audience of Mark Thomas: The Manifesto.

Production credits

Presented by Mark Thomas

Produced by Ed Morrish (Series 1 and 2) and Colin Anderson (Series 3-5)

Researcher: Susan McNicholas (Series 5)

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 June-2 July 2009 (Series 1), 4 February-25 February 2010 (Series 2), 6 January-27 January 2011 (Series 3), 8 February-29 February 2012 (Series 4), 4 April-9 May 2013 (Series 5)

© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Reviews

Calling all avid overthinkers, this funny and honest book is here to give you a break from the constant brain chatter.

—— Stylist

Hilarious...I absolutely loved this book! I almost wet myself from laughing!

—— Dr Amir Khan

Hayley Morris's debut is a fresh, very funny take on 21st-century high-functioning anxiety... an insightful, intimate account of modern life that is a joy to read, with shades of Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know about Love

—— Scarlett Sangster , iNews

A fresh, laugh-out-loud take on 21st-century high-functioning anxiety, Hayley Morris's honest and easy-to-read debut is a joy. It's a zeitgeist novel for our times, exposing just how normal it is to feel abnormal... Morris' insightful narrative to modern life feels like confessing to a best friend. Hayley Morris is most definitely an author to watch.

—— Press Association

TikTok's funniest comedian

—— Sunday Times (praise for online content)

Genius. So great... Wonderful!

—— Jamie Laing , Private Parts

Even for a convinced sceptic, John Yorke's book, with its massive field of reference from Aristotle to Glee, and from Shakespeare to Spooks, is a highly persuasive and hugely enjoyable read. It would be hard to beat for information and wisdom about how and why stories are told

—— Dominic Dromgoole, Artistic Director, The Globe Theatre

This book is intelligent, well written, incisive and, most of all, exciting. It is the most important book about scriptwriting since William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade

—— Peter Bowker, screenwriter, Blackpool, Occupation and Eric & Ernie

Part 'How-to' manual, part 'why-to' celebration, Into The Woods is a wide-reaching and infectiously passionate exploration of storytelling in all its guises ... exciting and thought-provoking

—— Emma Frost, screenwriter, The White Queen and Shameless

Into The Woods is an amazing achievement. It has a real depth and understanding about story, a fantastically broad frame of reference and it's interesting and absorbing throughout. Full of incredibly useful insights, every TV writer should read the first chapter alone

—— Simon Ashdown, series consultant, EastEnders

Testing the adage that "in theory there's no difference between theory and practice but in practice there is", this is a love story to story -- erudite, witty and full of practical magic. It's by far the best book of its kind I've ever read. I struggle to think of the writer who wouldn't benefit from reading it -- even if they don't notice because they're too busy enjoying every page

—— Neil Cross, creator/writer of Luther, Crossbones and writer of Dr Who, MI5

Books on story structure are ten a penny but Mistah Yorke's is the real deal

—— Kathryn Flett

All script-writers will want to read Into The Woods. All plots and archetypes BUSTED

—— Caitlin Moran

Got to say Into The Woods by John Yorke is marvellous. The prospect of another screenwriting book made me yawn, but its terrific ... It's a great read, wise and cogent, and a must for all screenwriters

—— David Eldridge

A mind-blower ... an incredibly dense but very readable tome about the art of storytelling ... Really worth a read

—— Lenny Henry , The Independent

I don't always enjoy books on writing, but Into the Woods by John Yorke is brilliant on story structure.

—— Ken Follett, author of 'The Pillars of the Earth'

In his brimmingly insightful, stimulating study of how stories work, Yorke compellingly unpicks how a whole range of films, plays, novels and fairy tales all display the same archetypal structures . . . His book, in telling scores of stories in such a fresh, enlightening and accessible manner, is a gripping read from beginning to end

—— Sunday Times

The best book on the subject [of storytelling] I've read, tells us everything we need to know about it. Yorke's analysis is superb

—— London Evening Standard

A mightily impressive opus, both hugely informative and highly educational. I love the way it's populated with so many examples - the many combinations of both mass market and the slightly more esoteric giving a something-for-everyone feeling. A brilliant work

—— Peter James, best-selling author of NOT DEAD ENOUGH and LOOKING GOOD DEAD

Yorke sets out to analyse the patterns behind storytelling, explaining why the fundamentals of narrative have remained the same from Aristotle to Aaron Sorkin. A great starting point for anyone wanting to create a story

—— Stuff Magazine

I've just read a book about professional writing which has genuinely helped me. It's for those who are serious about avoiding bad 'How To' books and want to raise their game, and it's more intelligent than most of the others. John Yorke's Into The Woods: How Stories Work And Why We Tell Them is a genuine game-changer and has helped me put past bad habits to rest

—— Christopher Fowler, Author of Bryant and May

Into The Woods is utterly brilliant

—— Ed Cumming , Daily Telegraph

Love storytelling? You need this inspiring book. John Yorke dissects the structure of stories with a joyous enthusiasm allied to precise, encyclopaedic knowledge. Guaranteed to send you back to your writing desk with newfound excitement and drive

—— Chris Chibnall, creator and writer of Broadchurch and The Great Train Robbery

Into The Woods is brilliant. One of the best books on script writing out there . . . I loved the book. Inspiring

—— Dominic Mitchell, creator and writer of In The Flesh

There is no end of books that instruct us on how to write the perfect screenplay, but few that delve more deeply into the art of storytelling than this erudite volume

—— Financial Times

Its strength is Yorke's acute perception of the wellsprings of universal narrative structures relevant to all artistic activities

—— The Times

Terrific . . . It's a great read, wise and cogent, and a must for all screenwriters

—— David Eldridge, writer of Festen and In Basildon

It's a great read. It makes me smile and say 'Yes!' aloud. Only this and PG Wodehouse do that

—— Lucy Gannon, writer/creator of Soldier Soldier, Peak Practice, Frankie, The Best Of Men

Not How 2 Write them but how stories work. John Yorke's Into the Woods: A 5 Act Journey into Story is brilliant, illuminates & explains

—— Susan Hill, Author, The Woman In Black, I’m The King Of The Castle

I'm only 70 pages into John Yorke's Into the Woods but it's already helped me crack two stories

—— Andy Diggle, former editor of 2000AD, comic book writer for Marvel, DC

Highly recommended reading

—— Huffington Post

Yorke is aware that the world is not suffering for lack of prescriptive screenwriting manuals. Instead, with Into the Woods, he takes a scalpel to narrative structure - dissecting protagonist, antagonist, inciting incident, crisis and so on - before asking how and why this underlying shape still holds audiences spellbound like a fairytale witch. "A story is like a magnet dragged through randomness," Yorke writes, but while he elegantly untangles the deepest roots of storytelling, he also honours the human need for truth and sense with some more superficial questions: why do series tend to "jump the shark" round about season three, for example, or why is clunky exposition - particularly in medical dramas - so appallingly comical? Sit comfortably, then begin

—— Guardian

I absolutely love this book. It's incredible and so well written. I keep trying to find fault but so far no joy - It's so good

—— Matt Charman, writer Bridge of Spies (dir Stephen Spielberg); Black Work (ITV)

[John Yorke's] writing book is arguably possibly almost as good as mine, all right it's loads better shut up

—— David Quantick, Author of HOW TO WRITE EVERYTHING

Probably, in the hackneyed phrase, "the last book on screenwriting you'll ever need." He is very good at debunking the claims of some screenwriting gurus, all of whom are busy trying to sell you their own particular brand of snake oil. It's truly excellent

—— Tim Adler , Daily Telegraph

Of all the books I've read about story construction and the art of fiction, this one is the most comprehensive and concise

—— John Collee, writer on 'Master And Commander', 'Happy Feet', 'Creation', 'Walking With Dinosaurs'
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