Arts & Ideas Folgen

Journalist and broadcaster Melanie Phillips discusses her autobiography Guardian Angel with Matthew Sweet and explains her dramatic transition from the darling of Britain's liberal left, to the Daily Mail's star columnist. Director Simon Godwin, theatre critic Susannah Clapp and TV writer Philip Martin discuss just how porous the theatrical "fourth wall" can be. And Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Jonathan Dee on his new novel A Thousand Pardons.

Philip Dodd and Susan Hitch review a new production of Benjamin Britten's Gloriana at the ROH. As a new academic journal of Porn Studies is announced Philip and guests discuss whether being morally neutral about pornography is possible or desirable. Sarah Peverley is one of this year's New Generation Thinkers and in her first Night Waves outing she considers the figure of King Arthur. A major exhibition of Lowry's urban landscapes has opened at Tate Britain. Curator T.J.Clark talks about how Lowry's growing stature in the British art world coincided with the disappearance of the industrialised land he depicted.

Anne McElvoy talks to David Edgar about his new play 'If Only' which focuses on The Coalition Government. Composer Orlando Gough tells us about his role in a one-off-art event celebrating the UK's long-silent foghorns in the north-east of England. Geographer Danny Dorling explains why he believes the predicted population explosion won't happen and even if it does, we might just cope, with Nick Bostrom in discussion. And Adam Broomberg discusses his works with Oliver Chanarin and why their concern is mistrust of the images which saturate our lives.