Soundtracking with Edith Bowman

Following Edith's chat with Will Ferrell and Harper Steele, the second of our Christmas Soundtracking offerings to you sees the wonderful Cynthia Erivo return to Soundtracking to discuss her performance as Elpheba Thropp in Wicked. We spoke to director John Chu and composer Stephen Schwartz around release, but we're delighted to have got a little time with Cynthia, who is absolutely magnificent in this role.

First things first: many apologies to Rafael Marmor, producer of Will & Harper, who Edith's producer Ben criminally fails to namecheck in his script to this live show at Everyman Broadgate with Will Ferrell, Harper Steele ... and RAFAEL MARMOR!!!! This is the first of a festive bundle of chats about film and music. And, boy, is it a goodie: as Edith labelled it in the shared folder where we store all our recordings for the podcast. this is the 'actual' Will Ferrell and Harper Steele. Yes, the actual Will Ferrell and Harper Steele joined Edith in front of an audience at Everyman Broadgate to discuss their beautiful documentary, Will & Harper, alongside producer Rafael.

Our latest guests on Soundtracking are Barry Jenkins and Lin Manuel Miranda, who join us to discuss their work on Mufasa, which serves as both a sequel and a prequel to the 2019 remake of the 1994 classic. Set after the events of the original, it sees Rifiki the Mandril recount Mufasa's origin story to Simba's daughter Kiara, with a little help from Timon and Pumbaa. We follow a young orphaned Mufasa as he befriends the prince Taka and is adopted by Taka's family.

Our latest guests on Soundtracking are Sam Yates, Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley - respectively the director, writer and star of the neo-noir thriller, Magpie. In an idea originally developed by Daisy before husband Tom penned the script, it tells the story of a wife left at home with a newborn baby while her husband accompanies their daughter to a film set, where she is shooting with a famous actress. Suffice to say, plenty of twists and turns ensue.

We are so excited to bring you our latest bonus episode of Soundtracking, as two of our favourties Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig join Edith to discuss Luca's glorious new film, Queer. Based on a novella by William S Burroughs, it tells the story of Lee who, after fleeing from a drug bust in New Orleans, wanders around Mexico City';s clubs and becomes infatuated with a discharged American navy serviceman. Queer is scored by friends of the show, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

As promised, it's a double dose of Soundtracking to start your week following our episode on Black Doves with Keira Knightley and Joe Barton. Now it's the turn of Zoe Saldaña, star of another Netflix vehicle, Emilia Pérez. Written and directed by Jacques Audiard, the film tells the story of a feared cartel leader who enlists a lawyer to help her disappear and achieve her dream of transitioning into a woman. Its all singing, all dancing, and quite unlike anything you're likely to have seen - with original songs written by Camille and a score provided by Clément Ducol.

Keira Knightly and Joe Barton join Edith to discuss Joe's thrilling take on the espionage genre for Netflix, Black Doves. Keira stars (alongside Ben Wishaw's assassin, Sam) as Helen, the wife of a senior politician, who exploits her relationship with her husband to leak state secrets to a mysterious organisation call the Black Doves. As well as some great needle-drops, Black Doves is scored by friend of the show, Martin Phipps

We have a Kneecap bonus episode for you on our latest episode of Soundtracking, as writer director Rich Peppiatt, composer Mikey J and the three band-members and stars of the film join Edith to discuss their brilliant comedy drama. Based largely on truth, it tells the story of the Republican, Irish speaking hip-hop band as they establish themselves on the Belfast music scene.

Our latest episode of Soundtracking sees a return to the podcast for director Edward Berger and composer Volker Bertelmann to discuss their new film, Conclave. Stariing Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, and Isabella Rossellini, the story sees a Cardinal organize a papal to elect the next pop and finds himself investigating secrets and scandals about each candidate. As we'll hear, Edward and Volker struggled more with this score than the Oscar winning one for their previous collaboration, All Quiet On The Western Front. But they got there in the end

Our latest guests on Soundtracking are director John M Chu and composer and lyricist Stephen Schwarz, who join me to discuss John's take on Stephen's classic stage show, Wicked. Set in the Land of Oz, largely before Dorothy's arrival from Kansas, it follows the story of Elphaba beginning her path to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West, and her unlikely friendship with her classmate Galinda, who becomes Glinda the Good. Cythia Erivo and Ariana Grande are knockout as the leads!