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Alexander McCall Smith, Review of The Shallows, National Youth Theatre turning 60.

Alexander McCall Smith talks about The Bertie Project, the latest in his 44 Scotland Street series, plus two young playwrights on how you write a play that speaks to generation Z.

This week sees the release of a lot of water in cinemas as surfer Blake Lively does battle with a great white shark in The Shallows, and inhabitants of a small Norwegian town struggle to survive a tsunami in The Wave. Adam Smith comes up for breath to offer his verdict on both.

Alexander McCall Smith is back with his 11th instalment of his popular '44 Scotland Street series' with The Bertie Project. He reveals what happens to Bertie next, how the pressure of writing a serialised novel affects his style, and, after more than 80 books, will he ever slow down?

To help celebrate the National Youth Theatre turning sixty, two playwrights, Bola Ajbage and James Fritz, have penned plays hoping to fire the imagination of young theatre goers. They join Kirsty to explain why they've put technology and housing centre stage in a bid to speak to generation Z.

Seas and rivers have long been a source of poetic inspiration so to continue our series where we find out what artists in residence do, we take a walk up a towpath in Birmingham with canal laureate Luke Kennard.

Available now

30 minutes

Chapters

  • Alexander McCall Smith

    Duration: 08:47

  • The Shallows and The Wave reviewed by Adam Smith

    Duration: 05:38

  • National Youth Theatre at 60

    Duration: 08:30

  • Artists in Residence - The Canal Laureate

    Duration: 04:31

Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall Smith
The Bertie Project is published by PolygonΒ 
Main image credit: Chris WattΒ 

Image credit: Alex Hewitt

The Shallows and The Wave

The Shallows and The Wave
The Shallows and The Wave are both in cinemas from Friday 12 August, certificate 15.Β 

The National Youth Theatre at 60

The National Youth Theatre at 60
Bitches by Bola Ajbage andΒ The Fall by James FritzΒ are running at the London from 9-13 August and 16-20 August.Β 

Artists in Residence - Luke Kennard

Artists in Residence - Luke Kennard
Luke Kennard is the Canal LaureateΒ 

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Kirsty Patricia Lang
Interviewed Guest Alexander McCall Smith
Interviewed Guest Ajbage Bola
Interviewed Guest James Fritz
Interviewed Guest Luke Kennard
Interviewed Guest Adam Smith

Broadcast

  • Wed 10 Aug 2016 19:15

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