Eric Schlosser, Richard II, Basil Bunting, Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough
Anne McElvoy reviews David Tennant in Richard II, discusses nuclear security with Eric Schlosser, the rhythms of Old English and the poetry of Basil Bunting.
As the curtain goes down on David Tennant's much anticipated performance in the lead role of Shakespeare's Richard II at Stratford, Susannah Clapp joins Anne for the very first review.
In 1980 an accident in a missile silo in Arkansas almost detonated the most powerful bomb ever constructed. Had it gone off the explosion would have been more powerful than all of the bombs used in the Second World War combined, including those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In his new book Command And Control journalist Eric Schlosser reveals this was only one of several very near misses since 1945. He joins Anne.
It is a thousand years since King Sweyn 'Forkbeard' of Denmark was named king of England in 1013 and the Illuminating York Festival is marking the city's Viking history with an artwork in the form of a Son et Lumiere based around Old Nordic and Anglo Saxon texts. Eleanor Barraclough, Radio 3 New Generation Thinker and lecturer in medieval literature at Durham University, has had a sneak preview.
Poet Basil Bunting has fallen into obscurity since his death in 1985. Yet during his life he was admired by the finest writers of the twentieth century including W.B. Yeats, Ezra Pound, Ernest Hemingway and Ford Madox Ford. Richard Burton's new biography charts the poet's astonishing life including several spells in prison, and jobs working as an artists' model, music critic, balloon operator, wing commander, diplomat and spy.
Producer: Luke Mulhall.
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David Tennant as Richard II
Duration: 06:33
Chapters
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Richard II
Susannah Clapp reviews Stratford's production of Richard II, starring David Tennant
Duration: 06:59
Eric Schlosser
Eric Schlosser discusses a series of near-disasters in the management of nuclear weapons
Duration: 15:01
Illuminating York Festival
New Generation Thinker Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough on the Illuminating York Festival
Duration: 06:04
Basil Bunting
Richard Burton on his new biography of the poet Basil Bunting
Duration: 16:12
Richard II
, Stratford-upon-Avon until Saturday 16 November 2013.ΜύIt will be broadcast live to cinemas in the UK and around the worldΜύon Wednesday 13 November 2013.
Eric Schlosser
Command and Control written by Eric Schlosser is published by Allen Lane.Richard Burton
A Strong Song Tows Us: The life of Basil Bunting written by Richard Burton is published by Infinite Ideas Limited.
Basil Bunting
Hear aboutΜύLee Hall's favourite Basil Bunting poem in .Μύ
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And you can find out more about Basil Bunting in .
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Image: Basil Bunting at Rapallo, Italy, 1930s. Basil Bunting Poetry Archive, Durham University Library.
Illuminating York 2013
runs from Wednesday 30 October until Saturday 2 November 2013.
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Image: Triquetra artists impression by Ross Ashton & Karen Monid
Credits
Role Contributor Presenter Anne McElvoy Interviewed Guest Eric Schlosser Interviewed Guest Susannah Clapp Producer Luke Mulhall Interviewed Guest Eleanor Barraclough Broadcast
- Thu 17 Oct 2013 22:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3