麻豆约拍

Comedy, by its very nature requires comedians to carve out their own careers. It's an unofficial, undefined occupation learned from unofficial teachers. They go out on stage with nothing but the shirt on their back and re-create stories for their audience. Story telling is at the heart of what they do. In this programme we draw on that experience of story telling and hear about the story that has most influenced them.

Our very own Comedy Club host, Arthur Smith, will be talking to comedians Sara Pascoe, Dane Baptiste and Tiff Stevenson about their favourite contemporary books, and memories of reading, good and bad, from childhood. We'll find out which books have shaped their lives and influenced their work in the field of comedy - very much an art form with its roots in story-telling.

And popping up throughout will be interviews recorded at this year's Edinburgh festival and extracts from the 麻豆约拍 archive.

Produced for 麻豆约拍 Radio 4 Extra by Sarah Wade and Kerry McCarthy.