Standard Issue Podcast

Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie head up James Mangold’s biographical drama, based on Susanna Kaysen’s 1993 memoir about her time in a psychiatric hospital in the 1960s. It was a big deal on its release, so Mick, Hannah and Jen give it a watch to discover whether it’s an astute look at female mental health in a time when women’s rights and standards were very different or, to put it bluntly, dogshit, uninterrupted.

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The Women’s Six Nations got underway on Saturday, with England eyeing a whopping 29th title in the tournament. And so, Jen jumped on the Zoom to chat to the Red Roses’ top scorer of all time: Emily Scarratt. They're talking about how women’s rugby is doing in the UK and on a global stage, the forthcoming World Cup, and how to take the lows, as well as the highs, when you're a professional athlete.

Tickets for the Women's Six Nations are available online now.

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What a month, indeed what a few days, of TV. Hannah's got some high praise for Severance, The White Lotus, Toxic Town and Adolescence, while Jen's been keeping it real with some ITV dramas. And a few BBC ones to boot. Tuck in!

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It’s a full basket of news from Hannah and Mick this week: oven-ready gammon joints, Streep-Short joy, a pre-tribunal win for some of the BBC’s female presenters, the Met Police covering itself in glory again, and – all together now! – relugolix/estradiol/norethisterone acetate for the endo win. Plus, extra sunshine for our £5+ patrons with Sarah Millican’s Light Relief.

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Garry Marshall’s much beloved romcom made a leading lady of Julia Roberts, and an absolute shedload of cash at the box office. But how romantic and/or funny is sex work, drug addiction and controlling relationships? And would either Hannah or Jen be up for being kept as Richard Gere’s pet?

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Investigative journalist and head of narrative at Stak, Nicky Anderson has been a ballet nut since she was a kid. And the New York City Ballet under George Balanchine? For many, it’s ballet at its pinnacle. But at what cost? 

In her new seven-part podcast series, Dancing With Shadows, Nicky explores the history of the New York City Ballet and its influence, with a focus on the dark side of the company and the culture and legacy created and left by Balanchine. 

Mick got her on the Zoom to talk about this deep dive into a sport-slash-art form renowned for demanding absolute sacrifice from its young, predominantly female, dancers and for being a very closed institution, how it shines a light on abuse sort of becoming par for the course, and the perils of genius.

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How do you solve a problem like two people who don't like musicals having to watch one of the world's best-loved musicals? Was it like brown paper packages tied up with string or just Do Re Mi Fa Soooo fucking long?

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Roisin O’Donnell’s striking debut novel, Nesting, tackles some big issues: domestic abuse, coercive control and the housing crisis in Ireland. We follow protagonist Ciara’s spur of the moment decision to take her two young girls and flee her abusive husband – and the challenges she faces staying away. Roisín chats to our Mick about coercive control, strong women in impossible situations, and sparks of hope.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, the freephone, 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247. You are not alone. 

Nesting is published by Scribner and out now.

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Jemima Rooper has been on our screens since the mid ‘90s, featuring in shows such as As If, Hex, and more recently The Split and Geek Girl. Now she’s at London's Park Theatre as Suzanne in one of France's favourite plays, Farewell Mr Haffman. Jen catches up with Jemima to talk about playing a Nazi, life as an actor from a young age, and being that tricky not young/not yet old age of our mid-40s.

Farewell Mr Haffmann is at Park Theatre, London, until April 12

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Hannah, Yosra and Mick are all big fans of Alice Lowe. But will that translate into loving Timestalker, which she wrote, directed and stars in? Does an excellent supporting cast (Tanya Reynolds, Jacob Anderson, Nick Frost and Aneurin Barnard) get enough to do? And will the fast cuts and repetition leave them confused or swooning? Find out!

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