Stephen Sackur speaks to one of Britain's finest writing talents, whose creativity defies a simple label.

Yes, Michael Frayn is a renowned playwright whose work has ranged from high farce to cerebral intensity.

But he's also an acclaimed novelist and an accomplished translator from the Russian of Chekhov and Tolstoy.

Throughout his writing career he's mixed high seriousness with a wicked sense of the absurd.

Is laughter an essential tool for the serious writer?