Front Row

The first African-American woman playwright to win the Pulitzer Prize, Suzan-Lori Parks, discusses Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3). The play tells the story of Hero, a slave who is promised his freedom in exchange for joining the confederate army during the American Civil War. As a remake of the 1960 Western The Magnificent Seven hits cinemas, film critic Catherine Bray discusses how its basic plot - a ragtag group of heroes coming together to fight evil - has been reimagined again and again in movie history, from the film which started it all, Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai to The Avengers via A Bug's Life.Today's shortlisted author for the BBC National Short Story Award is the poet and novelist Lavinia Greenlaw. She discusses her entry entitled The Darkest Place in England, and reveals why it took her six years to complete.With the publication of his latest selection of poems, the celebrated Northern Ireland born poet Paul Muldoon discusses being influenced by The Troubles, and why

Daniel Radcliffe talks about his two new and very different films: in one he's an FBI agent who infiltrates a white supremacist group, in the other he's a farting corpse.Eimear McBride's new novel, The Lesser Bohemians, has been much praised for the fresh and frank way it portrays sex. Professor Sarah Churchwell and novelist Matt Thorne join Samira to discuss the literary art of turning sex into prose.The South African artist William Kentridge discusses his new exhibition Thick Time, which features drawing, film, opera, dance, tapestry and sculpture, much of it influenced by his experience of living in apartheid and post-apartheid Johannesburg. And today's shortlisted author for the BBC National Short Story Award is Claire-Louise Bennett whose short story, Morning, Noon and Night, is narrated by a woman who lives by herself on the West coast of Ireland and spends much of her time with her memories.Presented by Samira Ahmed Produced by Ella-mai Robey.

Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé talks about her latest project, Hurts.The Abstract Expressionism exhibition at London's Royal Academy is the first major show on the movement for nearly 60 years. Curators David Anfam and Edith Devaney explain how bringing together the works of Pollock, Rothko, de Kooning, Gorky and Still offers a new glimpse into what has been called the first great American art movement.Tahmima Anam has been shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award with Garments. It's the the story of female friendship in Bangladesh, inspired by the collapse of the Rana Plaza in Dhaka in 2013.We remember the Pulitzer prize-winning American playwright Edward Albee who has died, with an extract from a feature-length interview he did with Front Row in January 2004.Presenter : John Wilson Producer : Dymphna Flynn.

Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin talks about the BBC sessions the band recorded from 1969-71, and reveals how tracks presumed lost have been recovered, remastered and released.The annual BBC National Short Story Award is back and this year the chair of judges is Jenni Murray. She reveals who's on the shortlist and in the first of five interviews with the shortlisted authors, Hilary Mantel discusses her story, In A Right State, which is told in the first person, from the perspective of a homeless woman, who spends the night in A&E for want of something better to do. She also reveals when she's hoping to finish The Mirror And The Light, the third in the Wolf Hall trilogy, and gives a hint of what to expect from it.In his first broadcast interview since announcing his departure from the V&A in London, the outgoing Director Martin Roth explains why he's swapping museums for European politics.Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Angie Nehring.

In his new film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Sam Neill stars as a grumpy New Zealand farmer forced to go on the run with a Maori kid who thinks he's a gangster. He discusses the film, his acting mentor James Mason and starring in one of the lowest grossing feature films ever. Frederick Forsyth has announced he's stopping writing, partly because he's now too old to travel to the settings of his thrillers. Sharon Bolton, who researched the Falkland Islands from Britain for her novel Little Black Lies, and Stephanie Merritt, who visited Paris and Prague for her historical fiction thrillers, discuss whether writers must travel to their books' settings to really capture the feel of a place. Nicholas Marston, Professor of Music Theory and Analysis at King's College, Cambridge talks about a recently discovered musical 'doodle' by Beethoven which might tell us more about his most celebrated works, the Emperor Concerto. Writer Michael Bird has written a book called Vincent's Starry Night which sets out to ignite young p

Director Ron Howard discusses his new documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years, which goes behind the scenes with John, Paul, George and Ringo, from The Cavern Club to the height of Beatlemania in the years 1962-66.The American poet Sharon Olds has won the Pulitzer Prize, the T. S. Eliot Prize and most recently the $100,000 Wallace Stevens Award. She talks to Kirsty Lang about her new collection, Odes.Tom Ellis is an artist whose work includes paintings and functionless furniture which are often displayed together. For the past four years he has drawn inspiration from the eclectic Wallace Collection in London which shows its paintings, furniture, and porcelain in the townhouse of its former owners, Sir Richard and Lady Wallace. He explains how this has complemented his work.Ralph Fiennes reportedly spent two months living in Moscow learning Russian to prepare for his role in the costume drama Two Women. Based on Ivan Turgenev's 1854 play A Month in The Country, the film sees Fiennes act

The Man Booker shortlist is announced today, and critic Alex Clark discusses the most unpredictable list for years.The distinguished Israeli writer, Amos Oz, discusses his latest novel, Judas, which provides an alternative reading not just of the man whose name became synonymous with the word traitor, but suggests that traitors may have more to offer than simple betrayal.Wifredo Lam was a Cuban modernist painter, and friend of Picasso. As a major exhibition of his work opens at Tate Modern, Samira meets his son Eskil Lam and the exhibition's curator, Matthew Gale.Seventeen years ago, low-budget horror film The Blair Witch Project told the story of three film students who vanish in the woods after filming a documentary about a local legend, leaving only their footage behind. As a third sequel is released - called Blair Witch - film critic Ryan Gilbey examines the original film's influence and the 'found footage' genre it has spawned. Presenter : Samira Ahmed Producer : Dymphna FlynnImage: Bélial, Emperor of th

New TV drama National Treasure examines the impact, both public and private, of accusations of historic sexual offences against a fictional much-loved public figure played by Robbie Coltrane. John Wilson talks to screenwriter Jack Thorne, who recently co-wrote Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Julie Walters who plays the long-suffering wife of the National Treasure. The first episode of National Treasure will be broadcast on Channel 4 on 20th September.Best known for her fashion label, Nicole Farhi is now making her name as a sculptor. The two disciplines are very different she says; "as a designer, I used my head, but as an artist, I use my guts". As her second solo show opens she explains why she's been drawn to sculpt human hands. The Human Hand, at London's Bowman Sculpture starts tomorrow and runs until the end of the month. Argentinian crime saga The Clan is based on the true story of the Puccios, a middle class family who ran a secret business of kidnapping and murder from their home in Buenos Aire

Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges star in Hell or High Water, a modern day western and thriller from director David Mackenzie. Film writer Mark Eccleston reviews. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds' 16th studio album, Skeleton Tree, is released today, alongside One More Time With Feeling, a filmed performance of the album interwoven with interviews and narration. Both works were completed after the death of Cave's son last year. Novelist and critic Matt Thorne reviews. Indian novelist Aravind Adiga, who won the Man Booker Prize for The White Tiger in 2008, discusses his latest book Selection Day, about two young brothers in Mumbai and their controlling father whose lives are focused on securing places in a leading cricket team.The National Gallery has been asked by the grandchildren of Matisse's muse Marg Moll to return a painting they claim was stolen from their family in the aftermath of World War Two. Their lawyer David Rowland explains why they want it back.With the announcement this week that Apple is d

Bridget Jones is back and this time there's a baby. Director Sharon Maguire discusses her return to the film franchise and how to make female focused comedy in the era of the Frat-Pack.With the news that Sir Nicolas Serota, the Director of Tate, will step down next year, Louisa Buck, contemporary art correspondent for The Art Newspaper, looks back on the career of the man who has held one of the top jobs in the Arts world for 28 years.Actor, comedian and disability activist Liz Carr explains why she has chosen the spectacular world of musical theatre as the backdrop to explore the complex subject of assisted suicide in her new show Assisted Suicide: The Musical.After years of avoiding writing about personal experience, Ann Patchett's new novel, Commonwealth, finally succumbs. Based loosely on the ups and downs of her own life, it features two families who are thrown together by infidelity, divorce and remarriage, and explores the impact of these events upon the children over the course of more than fifty year

Briony Hanson reviews Secret in their Eyes, an adaptation of an Oscar-winning Argentine thriller starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman.Katie Mitchell discusses her National Theatre production of Sarah Kane's play Cleansed in which one character has his tongue cut out and his hands put in a shredder. But it is, Mitchell insists, really about love.The short film Stutterer, about a man with a severe stammer, has been nominated for this weekend's Oscars. Ben Cleary, the writer, director and editor of the 12-minute film, discusses the challenges he faced as a first-time filmmaker.AB Yehoshua is an outspoken author who's been called the Israeli Faulkner. His latest book, The Extra, steps into the head and heart of a woman in her 40s, a harpist, who has decided not to have children. What is the impact on her, her family - and perhaps even her country?This edition of the programme was subject to an adjudication by the BBC Editorial Complaints Unit and has been edited since original broadcast. Fur

"You Say You Want A Revolution"? asks the Victoria and Albert Museum. John Wilson takes a tour around its new blockbuster show which explores the great changes in civil rights, multi-culturalism, consumerism, youth culture, fashion and music that took place between 1966 - 1970 and examines how they changed the world.As the Ben Hur remake hits our cinema screens, Kate Muir reviews the biblical epic."Operation Anthropoid," was the code name of a daring mission to assassinate SS officer Reinhard Heydrich, the main architect of the Final Solution and the leader of Nazi forces in Czechoslovakia. Sean Ellis is the director of a new film telling the extraordinary true story which stars Cillian Murphey, Jamie Dornan and Toby Jones as the Czech resistance.The artist Maggi Hambling is best-known for her celebrated and controversial public works - a sculpture for Oscar Wilde in central London and Scallop, a 4-metre-high steel shell on Aldeburgh beach - as well as for her large and colourful portraits. Drawing though has

The new film Captain Fantastic tells the story of a family whose left-wing patriarch has decided to raise his six children deep in the woods of the Pacific northwest of America. Viggo Mortensen talks about playing the idealistic but often dictatorial father in what's been called his best performance yet. The author Jay McInerney became an instant literary celebrity at the age of 24 with his 1984 novel Bright Lights, Big City set in New York's yuppie party scene. He talks about his latest book, Bright, Precious Days, the third volume in his trilogy following an Ivy League-educated Manhattan couple, and how the class of 1980 has fared in the 21st century. Academy Award-winning writer and Danish director Susanne Bier usually works on feature films but made her TV debut with The Night Manager, which aired earlier this year. The experience of working in television has led her to criticise the film industry for its treatment of women directors; restricting them to making movies that are categorised as 'women's film

The creative partnership shared by the actor Maxine Peake and the director Sarah Frankcom has been running for over a decade. As their production of A Streetcar Named Desire prepares to open at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, they discuss how that partnership has helped them bring Tennessee Williams' celebrated play to life.Artificial light has played an important part in Blackpool's history as a seaside resort, so it's fitting that with the start of the town's famous Illuminations, the Grundy Art Gallery in Blackpool is now presenting the UK's biggest survey of neon art. Curator Richard Parry, and cultural historian Professor Vanessa Toulmin join Samira for a discussion to shed light upon neon. Cold Feet returns to our TV screens this week. Its creator Mike Bullen explains why 13 years on, this was the moment to revisit the Manchester-based couples and what the new series has in store. 8th September 2016 marks 50 years since the drama series Star Trek made its first appearance on American network televisio

News, reviews and interviews from the worlds of art, literature, film and music.

As it opens to the public for the first time, John Wilson visits Reading Prison, the location of a new project which sees artists respond to the work of the jail's most famous inmate, Oscar Wilde.Created by Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives writer, Oliver Goldstick, The Collection is Amazon Prime Video's new series. Set in post-war Paris it combines family drama with haute couture. Daily Telegraph fashion editor, Lisa Armstrong, reviews.Björk, famed for her experimental style, now opens a new exhibition of immersive virtual reality experiences set to her last album Vilnicura. It includes one film shot from inside the singer's mouth. We review with Kate Mossman.With the Venice Film Festival in full swing across the continent Jason Solomons reports back on the films causing a stir. The trial of Helen Titchner for attempted murder begins on Sunday's edition of The Archers. Over a week, the ins and outs of her relationship with abusive husband Rob will be played out in court. Will there be shock confessions, su

Kenneth Branagh takes on the role of Archie Rice in John Osborne's 1957 play The Entertainer. The Guardian's theatre critic Michael Billington talks to us about watching Laurence Olivier in the original production at the Royal Court, and gives us his views on this latest revival.Ellen is a powerful, prescient story of a tough teenager trying to take control of her chaotic life. We talk to the writer Sarah Quintrell and actress Jessica Barden who plays 14-year-old Ellen.Sausage Party the animated Pixar pastiche that sees Seth Rogan and friends get rude with food. James King reviews.Herman Koch, the writer of the international bestselling novel, The Dinner - discusses his latest book, Dear Mr M, a literary thriller which explores the art and morality of turning fact into fiction.Presenter Kirsty Lang Producer Marilyn Rust.

Ian McEwan's new novel, Nutshell, is a murder mystery set in a grand, decrepit Georgian home in London. It's based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, and features a pregnant woman, her estranged husband, and his brother who is now the woman's lover. He explains why he chose to tell the story from the point of view of the foetus.Things to Come is a new film by the 35-year old French director Mia Hansen-Love. Her previous features have been semi-autobiographical films about people of her own age, however this one explores the life of an aging woman whose husband leaves her, mother dies, and whose reputation as a philosophy professor is starting to fade. All of which offer her a kind of freedom. Briony Hanson reviews.At a time when elitism in acting is a hot topic, Kirsty visits The Television Workshop, a BAFTA winning acting school in Nottingham which has been giving opportunities to young actors from a less privileged background since 1983. Where she meets the current intake and we hear from some of its famous alumni, i

Will Aidan Turner take his shirt off again? Will his character escape conviction for murder and wrecking? As Poldark returns for a second series, screenwriter Debbie Horsfield answers those questions and explains how sometimes historical accuracy has to be abandoned to keep in the bodice ripping aspect that audiences love.150 years since his birth, cultural historian Fern Riddell and sci-fi writer Simon Guerrier discuss the contemporary appeal of H.G. Wells and his impact on social reform.Plus activist and fashion entrepreneur Joe Corré explains why he's planning a bonfire of punk memorabilia and Front Row meets Antarctic artist in residence Lucy Carty.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Jack Soper.

Actor Sir Antony Sher and director Gregory Doran talk about all-powerful pagan kings and post-Brexit Britain in relation to their RSC production of King Lear.As the Victoria and Albert Museum adds to their archive a collection of Tommy Cooper's props, posters and notebooks, Cooper's daughter Vicky remembers growing up among her father's famous stage props and hearing jokes at the kitchen table. This month has seen two big new releases in the video gaming world: the highly anticipated No Man Sky, which promises an infinite, constantly regenerating universe for players to discover, and the latest instalment in the sci-fi blockbuster franchise Deus Ex, Mankind Divided. From an economic perspective, games have outperformed other creative industries for years, and they're also nurturing the best creative writing talent. So how do writers fit in to this multi-billion pound industry? Novelist and scriptwriter James Swallow, whose game writing credits include Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and No Man's Sky, and scriptwrite