In 2016, the playwright Sarah Gancher discovered she was following a group of Russian trolls on Facebook. Their username was Blacktivist, and they were paid by the Russian government to spread disinformation about the US presidential election. Gancher found this fascinating. She started thinking about the trolls all the time—what they ate, how they talked—until she realized why she was so interested. “They’re playwrights,” she said. “Like me.”
Norman Barrett MBE, 88, is a circus ringmaster who found fame in the 1970s appearing with clown Charlie Cairoli in the BBC TV series Right Charlie. Best known for his act with performing budgerigars, he has worked with the world’s best circuses, including 25 years at Blackpool Tower Circus. Today he lives in Blackpool with his wife Sally and their son.