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Angela Lansbury in the West End; Kate Winslet in Labor Day; Sebastian Barry's new novel

Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit, Kate Winslet in Labor Day, Veronese exhibition at the National Gallery, ITV's The Widower, and Temporary Gentleman by Sebastian Barry.

At the age of 88, Dame Angela Lansbury returns to the West End theatre playing Madam Arcati in a revival of Noel Coward's wartime comedy Blithe Spirit. On Broadway it was widely acclaimed - how will a UK audience, traditionally less adulatory - receive her exuberant performance?

Kate Winslet is an actress who can open and carry a movie; nobody denies her pull at the box office and skill on the screen. Her latest film 'Labor Day' is about an escaped prisoner (Josh Brolin) who ends up spending time on the run in her home. Can one of today's finest screen actresses convince us of the learning that takes place on both sides of the relationship?
Sebastian Barry won the 2008 Costa book prize for his novel The Secret Scripture. His latest work The Temporary Gentleman is a highly fictionalised version of the life of Barry's own grandfather. A young man is offered a commission in the British Army for the duration of The Second World War and this work brings turmoil into his personal life. Is this novel another potential award winner?

The exhibition by the sixteenth century painter Veronese at London's National Gallery includes works from art collections around the world which have never been seen together before. When he was working (at a prolific rate) he was one of the leading artists in Europe and later artists including Van Dyck, Rubens, Watteau and Delacroix depend upon his example. Will our reviewers be overwhelmed by this generous display of Renaissance Venetian art?

TV drama based on relatively recent real life events is a contentious subject. The Widower on ITV stars Sheridan Smith and Reece Shearsmith in the story of Malcolm Webster who murdered his first wife and attempted to murder his second. Does our familiarity with Shearsmith's gallery of grotesque oddballs mean we can see him as an ordinary man capable of doing ghastly things?Tom Sutcliffe is joined by Stephanie Merritt, Nicholas Barber and Susan Jeffreys.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Sat 22 Mar 2014 19:15

Blithe Spirit

Directed by Michael Blakemore,Β  isΒ at the Gielgud Theatre in London until 7 June 2014.

The Temporary Gentleman

The Temporary Gentleman by Sebastian Barry is published by Faber & Faber on 3 April 2014.

Veronese: Magnificence in Renaissance Venice

The exhibition is at The National Gallery London, 19 March - 15 June 2014.

Labor Day

Directed by Jason Reitman, is in cinemas from Friday 21 March, certificate 12A.

The Widower

A three part drama series,Β The WidowerΒ continuesΒ on Monday 24 March 2014, 9pm on ITV 1.Β 

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Tom Sutcliffe
Interviewed Guest Stephanie Merritt
Interviewed Guest Nicholas Barber
Interviewed Guest Susan Jeffreys
Producer Oliver Jones

Broadcast

  • Sat 22 Mar 2014 19:15

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