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Angel Blue: Amy Lawrence; Sex crimes; Northern Soul

Jane Garvey asks if sex crimes should be forgotten once a prison sentence is finished. Plus soprano Angel Blue on playing Mimi in La Boheme and football journalist Amy Lawrence.

Jane Garvey considers the moral dilemma provoked by the case of the footballer, Ched Evans. Should convicted sex offenders, once released from prison, be able to return to their previous lives? American soprano Angel Blue talks about how she came to be an opera singer and what it's like to play Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme. Football journalist Amy Lawrence has been reporting on the game for the last twenty years. She talks about her new book, Invincible, which looks at what made Arsenal's team so special for their unbeaten season in 2003-4. Elaine Constantine's film, Northern Soul, portrays the intensity of the American inspired dance movement in the north of England in the late 1960s. Elaine and Northern soul dance instructor, Sharon Sullivan, talk about the film and why the movement still speaks to audiences today. Emily St.John Mandel is an American writer and the author of Station Eleven. The novel has been receiving rave reviews and has just been shortlisted for the 2014 National Book Awards. Emily kicks off a series in which we ask Woman's Hour guests what success means to them.

Presenter: Jane Garvey.

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58 minutes

Chapters

  • Sex Crimes: should they be forgotten once a prison sentence is finished?

    Charlotte Henry and Deborah Orr discuss the moral dilemma posed by the Ched Evans case.

    Duration: 08:09

  • Angel Blue

    UK based US soprano who paid her way to opera school by competing in beauty pageants

    Duration: 08:18

  • Emily St John Mandel

    American writer and the author of Station Eleven, a novel set in a post-apocalyptic world

    Duration: 06:21

  • Northern Soul

    Elaine Constantine and Sharon Sullivan on the Wigan based dance craze

    Duration: 10:20

  • Amy Lawrence

    Sports journalist Amy Lawrence on reporting on the glorious game for the last 20 years

    Duration: 07:35

Sex Crimes: should they be forgotten once a prison sentence is finished?

Once released from prison should convicted sex offenders be able to return to their previous lives? Charlotte Henry, blogger for the Spectator, and Deborah Orr from the Guardian join Jane to discuss the moral dilemma provoked by the case of the footballer, Ched Evans. 

Angel Blue

Angel Blue is an American soprano, who has currently made her home in the UK. You can soon see her starring as Mimi in the English National Opera’s production of Puccini’s La Boheme.  Born to a musical family in the US desert town Apple Valley, Angel started singing in her local church.  Her talent was obvious but money was scarce so Angel paid her way to opera school by competing in beauty pageants.  She was spotted by Placido Domingo who hailed her as the next Leontyne Price.   He  gave her a place on his Young Artist Programme at Los Angeles Opera and has mentored her ever since.  This month she also brings out her debut album, Joy Alone.  She joins Jane in the studio.

Amy Lawrence

Amy Lawrence is a football journalist. She tells us what it’s been like reporting on the glorious game for the last 20 years and about her new book Invincible which looks at what made Arsenal’s team for their unbeaten season in 2003-2004 so special.

Northern Soul

The late 1960’s in the north of England saw the birth of Northern Soul, an American inspired dance movement which gained a passionate youth following, and helped to define a generation. In Elaine Constantine’s film ‘Northern Soul’, the intensity of this underground movement is portrayed by following the story of two young friends trying to make a name for themselves as Northern Soul DJ’s. This is Elaine’s directorial debut, and it charts a place and time that made an indelible mark on her teenage years in Lancashire. Jane Garvey will be talking to Elaine and to Northern Soul dance instructor Sharon Sullivan, about the film and why the movement still speaks to audiences today.

Emily St John Mandel

Emily St John Mandel is an American writer and the author of Station Eleven, a novel set in a post-apocalyptic world with a travelling troupe of Shakespearean actors. The novel has been receiving rave reviews and has just been shortlisted for the 2014 National Book Awards.  Emily kicks off a series in which we ask  Woman’s Hour guests of all ages and professions what success means to them.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jane Garvey
Interviewed Guest Charlotte Henry
Interviewed Guest Deborah Orr
Interviewed Guest Angel Blue
Interviewed Guest Amy Lawrence
Interviewed Guest Elaine Constantine
Interviewed Guest Sharon Sullivan
Interviewed Guest Emily St. John Mandel
Producer Lucinda Montefiore

Broadcast

  • Mon 20 Oct 2014 10:00

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