Book of the Week - The Pantomime Life of Joseph Grimaldi - Episode 4

Kenneth Cranham reads from Andrew McConnell Stott's account of the life of one of the world's most famous clowns, Joseph Grimaldi, who became a superstar of Georgian pantomime. As Grimaldi takes the art of pantomime into new directions, with the use of satire and lampoonery, he becomes known as the Hogarth of the Georgian stage, drawing admiration from Lord Byron and the Prince of Wales. But, though still only in his 30s, the years of physical comedy begin to take their toll on the body of the great clown. Abridged by Viv Beeby.