{"product_id":"book-1efb","title":"The Fair Intellectual Club","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLucy Porter's historical feminist comedy about a group of young ladies in 18th Century Edinburgh\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLaugh out loud at this brilliant listen from the queen of comedy, Lucy Porter. Set in Edinburgh at the dawn of the Enlightenment, the boundaries of philosophical, scientific and artistic endeavour are expanding rapidly. An exciting time for all intellectuals… well, all MALE intellectuals … Enter three girls who form a secret society to flaunt convention and expand their minds. \u003ci\u003eThe Fair Intellectuals \u003c\/i\u003emeet weekly to study. Together they take on the exciting world of Scotland in the early 1700s. The setting may be period, but questions about the role of women, nationalism (\"will this new-fangled United Kingdom last?\") and the influence of Europe still resonate today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarjory is an impoverished clergyman's daughter betrothed to wealthy widower Mr Boggart. Marjory loves her fiancé, despite the fact that he is many decades older than her and plagued by a catalogue of ailments from hip gout to lip cankers. Alison is an uptight mathematical genius with a brother who is a calamitously stupid buffoon. Ishbel is a society voluptuary with a gift for foreign tongues and an unquenchable appetite for a bit of rough. Her faithful manservant Kennedy constantly defends her virtue despite the mountain of evidence to the contrary.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe young ladies of \u003ci\u003eThe Fair Intellectual Club \u003c\/i\u003ehappen to meet and influence some of the great minds of the era. From the gravitationally confused Issac Newton through the tongue-tied Voltaire to the inspirationally bereft Handel, The Fair Intellectuals (secretly) help with the greatest artistic masterpieces and scientific discoveries of the age.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBased on a true story, comedian Lucy Porter used the original manuscripts of the Club to write \u003ci\u003eThe Fair Intellectual Club,\u003c\/i\u003e which was first performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2014 to a sellout run and great critical acclaim.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLucy Porter is perhaps best known to listeners for her appearances on BBC Radio 4 shows \u003ci\u003eThe News Quiz\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eQuote… Unquote \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Personality Test. \u003c\/i\u003eHer comedy shows are a regular favourite of the Edinburgh Fringe and she has also appeared on TV on both \u003ci\u003eQI\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMock the Week\u003c\/i\u003e. If you enjoyed \u003ci\u003eBleak Expectations\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Wordsmiths at Gorsemere\u003c\/i\u003e then you'll love \u003ci\u003eThe Fair Intellectual Club.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCast and credits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWritten by Lucy Porter\u003cbr\u003eDirected by Marilyn Imrie\u003cbr\u003eProduced by Gordon Kennedy\u003cbr\u003eMusic by Aly Macrae\u003cbr\u003eAn Absolutely Production for BBC Radio 4\u003cbr\u003eIshbel - \u003cb\u003eCaroline Deyga\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMajory - \u003cb\u003eSamara MacLaren\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlison - \u003cb\u003eJessica Hardwick\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRobert - \u003cb\u003eSimon Donaldson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKennedy - \u003cb\u003eGordon Kennedy \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIsaac Newton\/Benjamin Franklin -\u003cb\u003e Gavin Mitchell \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVoltaire -\u003cb\u003e Lewis Macleod\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFriedrich Handel\/William Hogarth -\u003cb\u003e Gus Brown \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMr Swift -\u003cb\u003e Keith Fleming\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3rd November - 8th December 2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e©2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin UK","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":67151397159216,"sku":"BD1efb","price":11.67,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/1efb-Square-cover.jpg?v=1782518663","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-1efb","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}