Performance Anxiety

About Performance Anxiety

The art of performance needs some love and understanding. Film, TV, theatre and comedy: we celebrate and dissect the performances everyone’s talking about.

Publisher

Alex Dale and Maren Thom

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

30 Oct 2022

Latest episode

28 Apr 2025

Latest episodes

25 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Apr 2025

   Can Paapa Essiedu play Severus Snape?

   When HBO cast Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, the internet promptly fell into a state of operatic despair. But is there more going on than meets the eye (and X feed)?In this episode of Performance Anxiety, hosts Dr Maren Thom and Mr Alex Dale unpack the hidden class structures of JK Rowling's world, the myth of 'authenticity' in adaptation, and why appearance might matter far less than you'd think.Along the way: Alan Rickman’s shadow, the curious English obsession with social climbing, and the great question — can a handsome, decent chap really pull off being Hogwarts' grumpiest potions master?

2. 

   15 Apr 2024

   S03E01// Why the Oscars still matter

   Everyone is wrong – the Oscars are still relevant. Maren and Alex are back and kicking off season 3 in style! In this episode they explain why the Oscars, as a celebration of a populist art form, are the only game in town. They also ask why, in spite of everything, the Academy keeps rewarding films no-one has seen.

3. 

   29 Jan 2024

   S02E12// Emma Stone & Poor Things

   Maren and Alex ask why everyone is raving about Emma Stone's performance as Bella Baxter in Yorgos Lanthimos's new film Poor Things and why its success is so hard to pin down. What does Emma Stone stand for as a performer? The team use Freud and Žižek to explain Stone's unique quality and appeal, and why her performance is bigger than the film itself.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

14 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 47 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

64

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

77

Contact Performance Anxiety

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.