Arts & Ideas Folgen

Philip Dodd is joined by the playwright David Hare whose play, The Judas Kiss, is about to open in the West End starring Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde. We review The Sessions, a new film based on the true story of a man confined to an iron lung who is determined, at age 38, to lose his virginity. Historian Carl Watkins joins Philip to discuss everything from memento mori to haunted moorland, along with philosopher and New Generation Thinker Timothy Secret. And Mark Binelli guides us as we venture into the heart of Detroit, once the very engine of American capitalism, but now an urban wilderness.

Matthew Sweet talks to the Artistic Director of the South Bank Centre, Jude Kelly and the cultural historian, Peter Conrad about The Rest is Noise, a year-long festival at the Southbank Centre which maps the history of the 20th century through its music. We hear an appraisal, by Diane Roberts, of the Cuban-American and openly gay poet Richard Blanco chosen to read at Barack Obama's inauguration next week. One of this year's New Generation Thinkers Adriana Sinclair discusses rape with the historian Joanna Bourke. And Ian Christie discusses the life and legacy of the Japanese filmmaker Nagisa Oshima who has died.

In this edition of weekly highlights, David Benedict reviews the New Year Blockbuster Les Misérables. Philip Dodd is joined by Professors Michael King and Linda Woodhead, and theologian Mark Vernon, to explore whether we can make any sense of the idea of ‘spirituality’ without religion. And Anne McElvoy and guests discuss the life and work of the Russian director Konstantin Stanislavski, born 150 years ago this month.