When you first hear the idea it doesn’t quite sing, but do it once and you are smitten,” says Cumberbatch, who was so smitten he became a producer and now helps shape the shows. “Everyone we ask says they’d do it again in a heartbeat. And we just hope it is the same for the audience.”
We need to use these events to address the world right now. Short-termism is the greatest flaw of our species. All these letters are little grenades we can throw into the audience. Because all of it is reasoned argument, which is not always found in debate today.” He smiles. “Except between angry Australian neighbours.”