In 2002, John Osborne won a competition on John Peel’s Radio One show. His prize was a box of records that took eight years to listen to. This is an ode to radio, those records and anyone who’s ever sought solace in wireless. This show features a selection of records previously owned by the late John Peel. Many are very rare recordings by obscure and now defunct bands, and this is a unique opportunity for any Peel fans.

John Peel’s Shed is partly inspired by John Osborne’s acclaimed debut novel Radio Head: Up And Down The Dial Of British Radio – Radio 4′s Book Of The Week – which tells the story of what happened when John decided to listen to a different radio station every day, all day, for a month. His true story journey took him from data entry at Anglia Windows, via interviewing radio greats such as Nicholas Parsons and Mark Radcliffe; to presenting his own local radio show.

The show was first performed at Upstairs At Three & Ten in Brighton in October 2010. The finished piece premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2011. It enjoyed an entire sell-out run (including two sold out extra shows) and received numerous 5 and 4 star reviews from national publications.

John Peel’s Shed by John Osborne is written and performed by John Osborne. Script edited by Joe Dunthorne. Produced and co-devised by Show And Tell.

Further Reading

An article by The Guardian about John Peel’s 4 foot pile of spare vinyl is here

The ‘Author Slams Radio One’ article, as featured in the show, is here

Listen to ‘The Human Zoo Caller’ audio excerpt, as recounted in the show, is here