The Zeitgeist Tapes

The Zeitgeist Tapes

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The Zeitgeist Tapes episodes

  • The Politician
    This month, Emma and Steve discuss Netflix original series The Politician. 

    The first season of this show follows the campaign of consummate politician Payton Hobart as he campaigns to be Class President of his high school. 

    A dark comedy in primary colours The Politician is very watchable. But is it at once too cynical and too innocent?
    31 min
  • England, England
    This month Emma Burnell and Steve Fielding discuss England, England by Julian Barnes. 

    Written in the late 90s when New Labour was still new and The Referendum Party was just a joke outfit, this prophetic novel shows that our 'little Englander' never really went away. 

    The discussion covers Britpop's role in re-normalising patriotism and why Peter Mandelson didn't just use a female Bulldog!
    37 min
  • The Left Behind
    In this episode, journalist Emma Burnell and Professor Steve Fielding discuss BBC 3 Drama The Left Behind. Bleak and uncompromising, it tells the tale of Gethin, a young man in South Wales who becomes radicalised into the far right. 


    36 min
  • Years and Years
    This month, Emma and Steve are joined by Jonn Elledge of the New Statesman to talk about BBC Drama Years and Years. 

    Written by Russell T Davies it's the tale of a dystopian (though sadly plausible) near future. Britain has descended into chaos, the banks crash - again and facism - in the smiling form of Vivienne Rook (Emma Thompson) is on the rise. 
    39 min
  • Passport to Pimlico
    As a nod to the discussions of sovereignty and independence that have surrounded the EU elections this month Emma and Steve have watched Passport to Pimlico. This Ealing comedy is a pean to the collectivism of the Attlee government. But it's also good at tweaking the nose of bureaucracy. 
    36 min
  • Conspiracy Theory: A Lizard's Tale

    This month, Emma and Steve interviewed Marlon Soloman about his one-man show Conspiracy Theory: A Lizard's Tale. In it, Marlon unpacks both antisemitism in conspiracy theories and specifically in the Labour Party. It's a fascinating show - full of rich humour and details that will shock. And we talk about the reaction he's had.

    33 min
  • Zeitgeist Tapes: Limehouse

    This month Emma and Steve are delighted to be joined by Steve Waters, playwrite and author of the recent highly successful play Limehouse. 

    Limehouse is a fictionalised account of the day the 'Gang of Four' broke away from the Labour Party to form the SDP. Originally performed at the Donmar Warehouse, this play is still very timely, especially after the formation of The Independent Group of MPs. 

    Show notes: 
    More information on Steve Waters here: https://people.uea.ac.uk/en/persons/steven-waters

    Steve Fielding's Excellent documentary on party splits through the ages can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00035ng

    The play Emma couldn't recall the name of was An Honourable Man. You can find her review here: 
    https://playstosee.com/an-honourable-man/

    49 min
  • Zeitgeist Tapes: Vice

    This month, Steve and Emma are joined by Historian and Screenwriter Alex Von Tunzelmann to discuss Vice. 

    Telling the story of Dick Cheyney this film - from the makers of The Big Short - does it's "fucking best" according to the makers. Do we agree? And if we dont, does it matter?

    34 min
  • A Modest Little Man

    The Zeitgeist Tapes on tour! 

    This month, Emma has dragged Steve all the way down to 'That London' to a play above a pub in Clapham. But a play about Clement Attlee so very much on brand. 

    Listen to us chat while our teeth chatter (all will be revealed).

    22 min
  • Zeitgeist Tapes: Brexit - the Uncivil War

    New Year - new naming scheme! 

    This is a special episode where Emma and Steve have got together to discuss last night's James Graham TV play Brexit: The Uncivil War. 

    Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Dominic Cummings, this covered the ins and outs of the in or out vote in 2016. Largely focussed on the successful leave campaign, we discuss the timeliness or otherwise of the drama, the casting and the baggage that brings and how you decide what to include and what to leave out.

    35 min

About The Zeitgeist Tapes

From the publisher's feed

Where politics and pop culture collide. Every month journalist Emma Burnell and Professor Steve Fielding discuss the way politics is interpreted through popular culture.