Hacksaw Ridge, film; Jamie, new musical; author Vic James; the allure of Napoleon; some Robert Burns
A war film with a pacifist hero, a musical about a boy who wants to be a drag queen, an exhibition about the fascination with Napoleon, an online hit novel and a bit of Burns.
A new musical, Everybody's talking about Jamie, is based on the story of a 16 year old boy determined to go to his prom in a dress and become a drag queen. Samira Ahmed went to rehearsals to meet Dan Gillespie Sells from band The Feeling, and screenwriter Tom MacRae who have created their first musical, as well as Jamie Campbell, now 21, on whom it is based.
Vic James's debut novel, Gilded Cage, is set in a Britain where the magically-skilled aristocracy compels all commoners to serve them for ten years. Vic wrote it on Wattpad, an online storytelling website. It was read over a third of a million times and went on to win Wattpad's Talk of the Town award. She joins Samira, live.
The Allure of Napoleon is the opening exhibition in the Bowes Museum's year-long celebration of its 125th anniversary. Dr Tom Stammers, lecturer in European Cultural History at the University of Durham, discusses this show which presents Napoleon as one of the first celebrity statesmen, who burnished his ascent from political outsider to national leader with the power of art.
Hacksaw Ridge has six Oscar nominations; including Mel Gibson for Best Director. The film tells the true story of Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to earn the Congressional Medal of Honour for saving the lives of 75 soldiers in Okinawa, one of the bloodiest battles of WWII. It's been hailed as a new kind of war movie because it graphically exposes the effects of guns on the human body while celebrating a central character who refuses to pick one up. Michael Leader reviews.
This evening is Burns Night when, all over the world, people celebrate the great Scottish makar, Robert Burns. Front Row has a reading his work from Scotland's current Makar, Jackie Kay.
Producer: Julian May.
Last on
Chapters
-
Jamie, new musical
Duration: 07:55
Author Vic James
Duration: 06:59
Hacksaw Ridge
Duration: 05:08
The allure of Napoleon
Duration: 05:36
Some Robert Burns
Duration: 01:43
Jamie, new musical
, the new musical based on the life of Jamie Campbell, is at The Crucible in Sheffield from 09 - 25 February 2017.
Images: Main image above: John McCrea as "Jamie New" in Everybody's Talking About Jamie.Â
Image to the left: Front Row producer Hannah Robins, Samira Ahmed, Jamie Campbell, and writers Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae.
Author Vic James
, the first part of The Dark Gifts trilogy, is published in paperback by Pan Books on 26 January 2017.
Image: Vic James
Image credit: Jay DacyÂ
Hacksaw Ridge
Hacksaw Ridge, certificate 15, opens in UK cinemas on 27 January 2017.Â
Image: Andrew Garfield as "Desmond Doss" (Left) in Hacksaw Ridge
Image credit: Mark Rogers
The allure of Napoleon
exhibition is at The Bowes Museum in Durham from 28 January - 19 March 2017.
Image: Augustus and Cinna by Étienne-Jean Delécluze. The painting uses Roman history to reflect upon treachery against the Emperor.
Image credit: The Bowes Museum
Something from Robbie Burns
Jackie Kay, Scotland's Makar (National poet) reads from Robbie Burns to mark Burns Night on 25 January.Credits
Role Contributor Presenter Samira Ahmed Interviewed Guest Dan Gillespie Sells Interviewed Guest Tom MacRae Interviewed Guest Jamie Campbell Interviewed Guest Victoria James Interviewed Guest Tom Stammers Interviewed Guest Michael Leader Interviewed Guest Jackie Kay Producer Julian May Broadcast
- Wed 25 Jan 2017 19:15Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 4
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Arts Digital
The best of British culture live and on demand.
Podcast
-
Front Row
Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music