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Alison Steadman, Anders Lustgarten, History of art A-level

Alison Steadman looks back at her acting career, playwright Anders Lustgarten on The Seven Acts of Mercy, the new History of Art A-level, and the F-Word in pop (not that one).

As Alison Steadman wins the Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film at the British Independent Film Awards, and the BFI announces a season dedicated to her TV work in the New Year, we speak to the actress about her career.

What links baroque bad-boy painter Caravaggio and a present-day retired docker from Merseyside? Compassion, according to Anders Lustgarten's new play The Seven Acts of Mercy. Kirsty talks to the playwright and political activist about his latest work for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

After news in October that AQA, the last exam board in England offering History of Art A-level, was dropping the subject from 2018, the schools standards minister, Nick Gibb, has announced that a new A-level in art history is being developed by the Pearson exam board for teaching from September 2017. Artist Cornelia Parker and Griselda Pollock, Director of the Centre for Cultural Analysis, Theory & History at Leeds University, give their reaction.

The Top 40 Singles chart this week includes The Weeknd's Starboy (featuring Daft Punk), Sia's The Greatest (featuring Kendrick Lamar) and Jonas Blue's By Your Side (featuring Raye). Music writer Ben Wardle has spent decades glued to the radio, and he's got a bit of an issue with this increasing use of the F-Word - 'Featuring'.

Presenter: Kirsty Lang
Producer: Ella-mai Robey.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Fri 2 Dec 2016 19:15
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Chapters

  • Alison Steadman

    Duration: 09:31

  • History of art A-Level

    Duration: 05:24

  • Anders Lustgarten

    Duration: 08:46

  • Column: the rise of pop singles "featuring" other artists

    Duration: 04:02

Alison Steadman

Alison Steadman

Alison Steadman is the recipient of the Richard Harris Award for her outstanding contribution to British film.

She is the subject of a celebrating her TV work.

Main image above and imageΒ to the left: Alison Steadman

Credit for main image above: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images

Anders Lustgarten

Anders Lustgarten

The RSC's written by Anders Lustgarten and directed by Erica Whyman is at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon until 10 February 2017.

Image: Patrick O'Kane as Caravaggio in Seven Acts of Mercy

Image credit: Ellie Kurtz/RSC

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Lang
Producer Ella-mai Robey
Interviewed Guest Alison Steadman
Interviewed Guest Anders Lustgarten
Interviewed Guest Cornelia Parker
Interviewed Guest Griselda Pollock
Interviewed Guest Ben Wardle

Broadcast

  • Fri 2 Dec 2016 19:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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