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Front Row

BBC Radio 4

Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music

society & culture

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42:57

Robert Plant and Alan Moore

Front Row ·

2025/09/15

Robert Plant on his journey from Led Zeppelin to his latest album of folk songs. Creator of V for Vendetta and Watchmen, Alan Moore is probably the world's most acclaimed writer of comic books, a medium he now eschews. Moving into novels, he has explored his hometown Northampton in widely praised work like Jerusalem, but his latest - The Great When - is an otherworldly exploration of literary London, inspired by the psychogeography of Iain SInclair and horror writing of Arthur Machen. From Seurat to

42:28

Review Show: David Bowie Centre and the BBC National...

Front Row ·

2025/09/11

Writer Jenny McCartney and journalist and screenwriter Sarfraz Manzoor join Tom Sutcliffe to discuss the David Bowie Centre at the V&A East Storehouse in London – the new home for the Bowie archive, where visitors can book one-on-one time with items. They also discuss the film Spinal Tap II- the sequel to the cult 1984 mockumentary about a heavy metal band. Plus Jung Chang’s Fly, Wild Swans – the follow up to her best-selling family autobiography Wild Swans. And we’ll be revealing the shortlist

42:30

The Grand Finale of Downton Abbey

Front Row ·

2025/09/10

As the Downton Abbey franchise comes to an end after fifteen years, with the cinema release of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale this Friday, we discuss the enduring appeal of the upstairs-downstairs class-based period drama with the chatelaine of the 'real Downton', Highclere Castle, the Countess of Carnarvon, and with Caroline Frost of The Radio Times. Suede frontman Brett Anderson talks to us about the 21st century anxieties which have informed the renowned indie-rock band's new album,

42:24

Marks and Gran on Freud and Hitler, Jeneba...

Front Row ·

2025/09/09

Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran have created some of comedy's most beloved characters, including Birds of a Feather's Sharon and Tracey, and The New Statesman's Alan B'Stard. As their play Dr Freud Will See You Now Mrs Hitler comes to London, they discuss alternate histories, the limits of comedy, and how they still make each other laugh. Medea remains one of the most complex and terrifying characters in mythology, and Natalie Haynes's new novel No Friend to this House reimagines the story of the

42:23

Maxine Peake on Mary Whitehouse, West End star...

Front Row ·

2025/09/08

Maxine Peake talks about starring in the Nottingham Playhouse's new show The Last Stand of Mary Whitehouse, which explores the life of the 60s conservative campaigner whose views on sexuality and morality always kept her in the news.The National Library of Scotland is celebrating its centenary with an exhibition showcasing books nominated by the public. But the Library has found itself making headlines for not including one gender critical book, The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht. We speak to one of the

42:24

Review Show: CMAT's new album, The Office spin-off...

Front Row ·

2025/09/04

Critics William Lee Adams and Laura Barton join Samira to review the new album from Irish popstar CMAT which reflects on her home country, the sexist comments she has received, as well as Jamie Oliver and Teslas. More than a decade after the US version of sitcom The Office ended, it gets a spin-off called The Paper, set in a local newspaper office in Ohio. And Jacob Elordi and Daisy Edgar-Jones lead the cast of a new gay romance film called On Swift Horses, set in fifties California. London's

42:22

Bryan Adams’ new album, plus writer Damian Barr

Front Row ·

2025/09/04

Canadian rock and pop legend Bryan Adams on his new studio album – Roll With The Punches. He talks to Kirsty Wark about the inspiration for his lyrics, creating music with old gear, AI, and – surprisingly – duetting with Luciano Pavarotti.Folk singer Emily Portman was left in disbelief this summer when an AI-generated album was released under her name without her permission. Dr Hayleigh Bosser and Emily discuss artificial intelligence and the rights of musicians. With the Venice Film Festival in

42:23

Aaron Sorkin on adapting Harper Lee's novel To Kill...

Front Row ·

2025/09/02

West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin talks to Nick Ahad about his award winning and record-breaking adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee's seminal American novel about racial injustice and childhood innocence. This play is about to tour around the UK, with Richard Coyle returning to his West End role of Atticus Finch. Sorkin also hints at what we can expect to see in his follow-up The Social Network, the Oscar winning film based on the creation of Facebook.Nick visits Bradford Live, the newly

42:15

Sebastian Faulks' memoir

Front Row ·

2025/09/01

The subtitle of Sebastian Faulks' latest book is "Ten Essays in Place of a Memoir". Fires Which Burned Brightly tells of his childhood, schooldays, drinking, mental stress, his parents' lives, family, being a touring author and much more.British ambient pop trio St Etienne play live in the studio, to mark their final release - International - three and a half decades after they began. With the return of Mitchell and Webb to our screens, we discuss the resurgence of the TV sketch show with Channel

42:35

Review: Historical TV epic King and Conqueror, and...

Front Row ·

2025/08/21

Critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh and Medieval English Literature lecturer Dr Eleanor Parker join Samira Ahmed to discuss the BBC’s historical epic King and Conqueror starring James Norton. They’ve also read Boudicca’s Daughter by Elodie Harper, and watched Young Mothers by the award-winning filmmakers the Dardenne Brothers. Plus Samira talks to artistic director Seán Doran about the Arts Over Borders project FrielDays, which over the course of five years will celebrate work of dramatist Brian Friel by

42:25

Indigenous Australian didgeridoo virtuoso William...

Front Row ·

2025/08/20

Theatre producer Nica Burns, who has run the Edinburgh Comedy Awards since 1984, and judge Ashley Davies discuss the acts shortlisted for this year's prize, the most prestigious annual award for comedy in the UK, which has previously been won by the likes of Steve Coogan, Jenny Eclair, The League of Gentlemen and Tim Minchin. The founder of theatre company Complicité, Simon McBurney, who himself won that award back in 1985, joins us in the studio to talk about Figures In Extinction, a

42:32

Tom Hiddleston on becoming a dancing accountant in...

Front Row ·

2025/08/19

Tom Hiddleston on becoming a dancing accountant in new Stephen King inspired film, The Life of Chuck. Sir Anish Kapoor on making a protest artwork in the North Sea with Greenpeace. A report from Bradford as artist Luke Jerram works with local communities to create a giant ball of yarn for new work, A Good Yarn, which celebrates the region's textile heritage. Michael Frayn's play Noises Off is a landmark of British theatre which relies on showing the two sides - on stage and off stage - of a

42:30

Should Stephen Fry play Lady Bracknell? Author R.F....

Front Row ·

2025/08/19

As the National Theatre’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest transfers to the West End with Stephen Fry taking the role of Lady Bracknell, but do older actresses lose out when men are cast in women’s roles? Nikolai Foster, Artistic Director of the Leicester Curve Theatre and Nicky Clark, founder of the Acting Your Age Campaign discuss. The bestselling author of Yellowface, R.K. Kuang, discusses her new novel Katabasis.Director Daniels Evans talks about his production of Born With Teeth

42:53

Review show: Brigadoon at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Front Row ·

2025/08/14

A revival of Brigadoon at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre; is it Scottish cultural cringe or a tartan triumph?The Bitter Water of the Lake by Italian novelist Giulia Caminito, tells a story about poverty and anger from the point of view of a young woman in Rome in the noughties Norwegian film Love, directed by Dag Johan Haugerud, is part of The Oslo Trilogy - Dreams Love and Sex. Taiwanese TV series Zero Day has been accused of scaremongering about a potential invasion by China. We speak with

42:39

Our critics' guide to the best theatre at the...

Front Row ·

2025/08/13

Scottish Ballet's new production Mary, Queen of Scots is a punk inspired production which tells the story of the ill-fated queen through the imagination and memories of her cousin, Elizabeth I, who authorised her execution. And a Fringe production Mary Queen of Rock portrays Mary as a rock star in a world in which rock and roll is banned. We discuss why her story continues to inspire so many productions today. Eva Victor, star of Sorry, Baby, the opening film of this year's Edinburgh International

42:36

Norwich Castle reopening, plus director Adrian Noble

Front Row ·

2025/08/12

Norwich Castle has reopened to the public after a major revamp. Historian Alice Loxton joins Tom to discuss what has been done to bring the 900 year old site up to 21st century tourist expectationsAt 21 years old, Aigul Akhmetshina was the youngest singer to perform Carmen at the Royal Opera House. She'd already come a long way from home, a rural village in the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan.Award winning director Adrian Noble talks about directing The Gathered Leaves – a play about turning 75 –

42:17

Peter Sellers at 100

Front Row ·

2025/08/11

Peter Sellers was a comic genius who changed British comedy forever. With this year marking his centenary, Samira is joined by Dick Fiddy, curator of an new season of his films at the BFI, and comedy historian Robert Ross to discuss his films and legacy.The Edinburgh International Book Festival got underway at the weekend. The theme is repair, but the festival has to navigate a fractious cultural landscape. Festival director Jenny Niven speaks to Samira. A new novel from Nicola Barker is always an

42:24

Review: Alien Earth series plus Rom-Com Materialists

Front Row ·

2025/08/07

Noah Hawley talks about creating Alien: Earth which is the first ever TV series based on the blockbuster Alien films created by Ridley Scott. Film critic Rhianna Dhillon and poet and editor Tristram Fane Saunders join Tom Sutcliffe to review the series. They also review Celine Song's new romantic comedy-drama Materialists starring Dakota Johnson as a New York Matchmaker. And John Burnside's final collection of poetry, The Empire of Forgetting. Presenter: Tom SutcliffeProducer: Claire Bartleet

42:03

Special edition from the Edinburgh Festivals with...

Front Row ·

2025/08/06

A special edition of the programme recorded in front of an audience at the Edinburgh Festivals earlier this week. Emmy and Olivier Award-winning actor Brian Cox discusses his role as the ghost of economist Adam Smith in James Graham's satirical play Make It Happen. The National Theatre of Scotland production at the Edinburgh International Festival chronicles the rise and downfall (in 2008) of the world's biggest bank, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and also features an actor playing the role of the

42:36

Sean Hayes, from Will & Grace, on his Tony...

Front Row ·

2025/08/05

Tom Sutcliffe speaks to Sean Hayes, best known for his role as Jack in Will and Grace. Now he's playing pianist Oscar Levant in Broadway hit Good Night Oscar, which has just opened at the Barbican in London.Dmitri Shostakovich wrote his Symphony No 5 under massive pressure, having been denounced by Stalin the year before during the great purge of 1936. The success of Symphony No 5 saved his career, and now it's being performed from memory by the Aurora Orchestra for the BBC Proms. Nicholas Collon,

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