Front Row

Siân Owen on Under Milk Wood, Nick Broomfield, Essex stereotypes in culture


Listen Later

It’s third time lucky for the National Theatre: it tried to re-open the Olivier, its largest auditorium, with The Death of England – Delroy in October. The first night was a triumph but, because of the lockdown, it was also the last night. Dick Whittington, the panto, was cancelled a fortnight before Christmas. But the Olivier sprang to life again this week with Under Milk Wood; Michael Sheen leading an almost entirely Welsh cast in Dylan Thomas’s much-loved play for voices - the voices of the townsfolk of Llaregub, a small port by the fishingboatbobbing sea, as they dream and remember through the bible-black night. But in the NT’s new production not all the words are provided by Dylan Thomas. There is additional material by playwright Siân Owen, which suggests director Lyndsey Turner is taking an original approach to this almost sacred text. John Wilson talks to Siân Owen to find out what she has added, and why.

Film director Nick Broomfield discusses Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie & Tupac, the sequel to his 2002 film Biggie and Tupac, which considered the background to the murder of two celebrated hip-hop artists and the rumoured involvement of the LAPD.

Black TikTok creators are currently protesting the lack of credit they receive for the dance crazes they’ve generated by going on strike. Music journalist Jacqueline Springer explains why Black TikTokers are keeping their moves to themselves.

Negative stereotypes of Essex man and Essex girls have been around since the Thatcher era but what do they mean today? We speak to Michael Landy about his new exhibition Welcome to Essex at Firstsite gallery in Colchester and Southend playwright Sadie Hasler about how they’ve been challenging Essex stereotypes in their work.

Presenter: John Wilson

Producer: Sarah Johnson

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Front RowBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

118 ratings


More shows like Front Row

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,669 Listeners

Ask Penguin by Penguin Books UK

Ask Penguin

157 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,062 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,475 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,881 Listeners

In Our Time: Philosophy by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Philosophy

867 Listeners

In Our Time: Culture by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Culture

609 Listeners

In Our Time: Science by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Science

735 Listeners

Arts & Ideas by BBC Radio 4

Arts & Ideas

302 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,761 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,054 Listeners

World Book Club by BBC World Service

World Book Club

369 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

1,996 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

477 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

44 Listeners

Backlisted by Backlisted

Backlisted

593 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

161 Listeners

Bookclub by BBC Radio 4

Bookclub

245 Listeners

Private Passions by BBC Radio 3

Private Passions

43 Listeners

The TLS Podcast by The TLS

The TLS Podcast

181 Listeners

The Waterstones Podcast by Waterstones

The Waterstones Podcast

35 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,204 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

91 Listeners

Take Four Books by BBC Radio 4

Take Four Books

6 Listeners

A Good Read by BBC Radio 4

A Good Read

41 Listeners