Ida Barr: Artificial Hip Hop - Transparency

By Christopher Green. Ida Barr is a music hall singer who has embraced hip hop and rap, reflecting the cultural diversity of London's East End, where she has been living in retirement for several decades. Ida has a genuine love of talking to people so each week she investigates a new topic and creates a unique brand of music-hall, hip-hop fusion with beat boxer Shlomo. For the last in the series, Ida's topic of choice is "Transparency". Produced by Claire Grove Ida Barr is the creation of award-winning performer Christopher Green (aka spoof country and western singer Tina C). "Missy Elliott meets Marie Lloyd" - Guardian. Each week Ida investigates a current political buzz word - Choice, Responsibility, Diversity and Transparency - and records her findings on her Ida-pod - an ancient battery operated cassette machine with a greasy earpiece. Her target groups include the Sutton House over 55's drama group, children from the Italia Conti Aacademy and Theatre Venture's Youth Company from Stratford East. Beat box artist Shlomo was heard by 3.9 billion people around the world when he and BjÃrk performed "Oceania" at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens Olympics. He has also worked with artists such as Martha Wainwright, Damon Albarn, and Nitin Sawhney. He is a classically-trained percussionist and heads the world's only human beatbox choir, the Vocal Orchestra. Christopher Green has written and performed three Tina C series for BBC Radio 4 plus Tina C's Election Night BBQ Special (Nov 2008). 'Ida Barr's Bingo' was at the Brighton Festival and the South Bank earlier this year and 'Ida Barr: So This Is Christmas' was at the Barbican Centre in December 2008.