Ben Elton on Shakespeare, Call to Action Art, Vanessa Kisuule
Ben Elton on his fascination with Shakespeare. Vanessa Kisuule reads a poem for the winter solstice. Plus is art becoming more political?
Ben Elton, creator of the iconic Elizabethan sitcom Blackadder II, talks about his fascination with Shakespeare, as Upstart Crow returns to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two for a Shakespeare/Dickens mashup, A Crow Christmas Carol. He's also written the screenplay for All is True, a Shakespeare biopic starring Kenneth Branagh.
Vanessa Kisuule reads her poem Describing Snow in the Aftermath, part of Radio 4's poetry day marking the winter solstice.
As artist Olafur Eliasson installs melting ice blocks outside Tate Modern in order to highlight the dangers of climate change, Stig asks whether political art is becoming more of a call to action. With critics Jacky Klein, Jonathan Jones and artist Bob and Roberta Smith.
And why has misery won out over cheer on Christmas TV in recent years? David Butcher investigates.
Presenter: Stig Abell
Producer: Timothy Prosser
Last on
Ben Elton on Shakespeare
Up Start Crow's Christmas special, A Crow Christmas Carol is on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 2 at 8.35pm on Christmas Day, and on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ iPlayer.
Images:
Main image above: from Left:David Mitchell as Will and Kenneth Branagh as Colin
Image credit: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ/Gary Moyes
Image to the left:
Call to Action Art
Image: , Ice Watch
Image credit: Matt Alexander/PA Wire
Vanessa Kisuule
Broadcast
- Fri 21 Dec 2018 19:15Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arts Digital
The best of British culture live and on demand.
Inspire
A season discovering where artists find inspiration and helping listeners get creative.
Podcast
-
![]()
Front Row
Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music
