#184 Wounded & fabulous
Shakespeare. Paper. Joy. Knots.
10 SEPTEMBER 2025
Friends, nobles, country(people) ...
I have spent the week immersing myself in Shakespearian language in the run up to our biggest The Play’s The Thing show ever.
I feel this potent combination of joy, fear, pride and nerves - like it’s my very first improv show again. What we’re attempting feels so big and ambitious and revivifying.
But enough of such fancies, here are your recommendations for this week.
Rule of one
[TV] The Paper
I’ve just binged the entire first season of this US Office sequel. It’s a rare joy to watch a show find its feet - like Parks & Recreation and Brooklyn 99 before it - the real gold is the unfolding hyper-specificities and nuanced relationships between its wonderful ensemble cast (and it’s certainly not done cooking yet). But for me, Sabrina Impacciatore is an early standout - she manages to be hilarious, conniving, witty, wounded and fabulous all at once.
[Music] Joy Woods
TikTok randomly served me a video of Joy Woods singing on my FYP and she has such otherworldly talent that I found myself watching a bunch of her performances. I’m now going to see her at the Eventim Apollo where she’s performing a concert version of Songs for a New World with Shoshana Bean, Tituss Burgess and Jordan Fisher (all of whom I’ve recommended in past issues of Pretend Post). I love it when a plan comes together.
[Master Unfastener] Mr Pangolin
Would you like to hear a short song about a pangolin who’s really good at untying knots? I mean, you could say NO but then your day won’t be anywhere near as whimsical.
Spotlight
We are but DAYS AWAY from our big swing The Play’s The Thing performance at the Questors playhouse in Ealing on Friday 12th September. It’s a 300 seat theatre and we’d love to pack it out as much as we can. Ali, John and I have been rehearsing all week - we’re so excited to bring an entirely improvised Shakespeare play to this beautiful stage.
If you have a spare evening, please do come and support us - we even have Duncan and Dylan from Showstopper! on keys and lute respectively.
Tickets are here (and Radio will be in attendance too in case you want to meet him)
ALSO, don’t forget Pretend Night on 17th September:
Class: Your Theatrical Improv Batbelt with Tom Mathias
Show: Teresa & Folusho, Anxiety Club, Pretend Ensemble
Radio contact
FUN FACT: Radio’s full name is Radio Harold Mead.