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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.

Available now

30 minutes

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

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. 

Image to the left: Front Row producer Hannah Robins, Samira Ahmed, Jamie Campbell, and writers Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae.

Author Vic James

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 Dacy 

Hacksaw Ridge

Hacksaw Ridge

Hacksaw Ridge, certificate 15, opens in UK cinemas on 27 January 2017. 

Image: Andrew Garfield as "Desmond Doss" (Left) in Hacksaw Ridge

Image credit: Mark Rogers

The allure of Napoleon

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

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 19:15

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