Standard Issue Podcast

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Rated or Dated: Billy Elliot (2000) Sep 24, 2025

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Stephen Daldry’s 2000 coming-of-age comedy-drama made big waves on both sides of the Atlantic, and a star of its young lead, Jamie Bell. But how funny is it? Is that dancing actually any good? And is that really how they select people for the Royal Ballet School?

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Atoosa Sepehr and Hannah Khalil’s English Persian Kitchen Sep 23, 2025

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Food glorious food: not only does it sustain and nourish us as individuals, it brings together communities, crosses borders and merges cultures. When Atoosa Sepehr fled an abusive marriage in Iran, she found herself alone and lonely in London. And then she started cooking. The Persian dishes she created providing an anchor to the home she missed and forging friendships in the one she was creating.

In My English Persian Kitchen, Atoosa’s story is brought to the stage by playwright Hannah Khalil. But unlike most theatre, it’s not just food for thought, it’s also food for faces: during the one-woman show, actress Isabella Nefar cooks ãsh, a Persian noodle and herb soup, hugely popular in Iran – and then she shares the dish with the audience.

Mick caught up with Atoosa and Hannah to talk about the power and joy of food, finding community, and how the hell you fit a recipe into a play.

My English Persian Kitchen is on at Soho Theatre from September 30 to October 11, before travelling to Bristol, Dublin and Belfast.

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Len Pennie annaw Sep 22, 2025

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Poet, broadcaster, and TikTok sensation, Len Pennie was last on the podcast back in February 2024 on the eve of publication of her first collection of poems, Poyums. Since then, she’s become a Sunday Times bestselling author, and picked up a British Book Award. In her new collection, Poyums Annaw, Len writes viscerally about her experiences of domestic violence, mental health problems, patriarchy, and a four year fight for justice, as well as love and joy.

Jen chats to Len about the ups and downs of her last year, why she writes with “love and spite”, and getting permission to feel our feelings.

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Outside The Box September 2025 Sep 19, 2025

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It's Emmy time again and this month we're chatting about the good and bad choices made this year. Which is also an excuse to talk about The Penguin. We've also been watching King of The Hill, Only Murders in the Building, I Fought the Law, Hostage, The Newsreader, King & Conqueror, and Unknown Number: The High School Catfish.

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The Bush Telegraph: Bellend Olympics Sep 18, 2025

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A freedom of speech special awaits you this week, as Hannah and Jen debate the rights and wrongs of opinions expressed on the killing of Charlie Kirk, as well as the rights and wrongs of hammering nails through your penis. There’s added joy from some nuns on the run and - finally - some good news for Keir Starmer and the families of the 97 victims of the Hillsborough Disaster. We also bring you the latest in women’s sport and some very strange noises from Hannah’s neighbour.

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Rated or Dated: Psycho (1960) Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

What’s a young man to do when he can’t stop murdering women he fancies? Blame his mum, obviously. The malign power of mothers is just one of several themes raised by the genre-defining Hitchcock classic and discussed by Mick, Hannah and Jen. Hold onto your shower curtains, it’s time for some piercing violin.

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Kate Bryan wants you to art Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

Art historian, curator and broadcaster Kate Bryan is on a mission to wrest control of the art world from asymmetric haircuts and aloofness, and put it firmly back in the hands of us all. In her new book, How To Art, which is illustrated by David Shrigley, she sets about doing exactly that.

Jen chats to Kate about entering the art world from a working-class background, how to talk about art even if you don’t really know what you’re talking about, and why snobbery is so rife in the art world.

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Harriet Dyer asks you to please turn down your puffer jacket Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

It’s silly turned up to 11, as Mick catches up with brilliantly bonkers comedian Harriet Dyer, who describes her standup as a fizzy blancmange of whimsy. Delicious.

Harriet’s currently on her biggest UK tour to date with her show Easily Distra…, but found some time to chat to Mick about mental health, getting trapped in cupboards and what she’s like at parties.

Tickets for Harriet’s tour can be found here: harrietdyer.com.

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Maia Novi and Invasive Species Sep 12, 2025

Show notes

After a much-lauded off Broadway run, Maia Novi's play about the time she was involuntarily held in a mental health facility has arrived in the UK. The Argentine writer and actor speaks to Hannah about Invasive Species, inner monologues, ambition and the advice Michaela Coel gave her.

Tickets for Invasive Species are here: https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/invasive-species-q1qt

More info about the Standard Issue membership club is here: Standard Issue Podcast | creating a magazine for ears, by women for women | Patreon

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The Bush Telegraph: A man’s best froggy hypocrite Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

Mick and Jen are on Bush Telegraph duties this week and, unlike it does for Sabrina Carpenter, the idea of men doing more housework is not getting them going. In other news, can you kill someone with menstrual blood? And was Angela Rayner right to resign? Plus, Jenny Off the Blocks returns with all things women’s sport.

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