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70 years ago, with the passing of the National Theatre Act, Parliament authorised the Treasury to contribute up to £1 million to the building and equipment of a national theatre. In 1963 the UK’s first national theatre opened. Now, as devolution has risen up the political agenda, the UK has four national theatre companies and all four artistic directors - Rufus Norris, Artistic Director of the Royal National Theatre, Arwel Gruffydd, Artistic Director of Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Kully Thiarai, Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales, and Jackie Wylie Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Scotland – join Front Row to discuss the place of national theatres in the UK’s civic and cultural life.

In 2017, the distinguished American choreographer Mark Morris premiered Pepperland in Liverpool as part of the city’s celebrations of its famous sons’ album, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band. Now Morris is bringing Pepperland back for a UK and Ireland tour. He discusses creating dance for the Beatles’ ground-breaking release, and why he’s creating dances that he will never see premiered.

Next week at the Doc’n Roll Festival in Liverpool - a festival of music documentaries – It Must Schwing!: The Blue Note Story receives its UK premiere. The film tells the story of Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff who were two young boys in 1930s Berlin when they fell in love with Jazz. Their love of the music would lead them to New York, fleeing Nazi Germany. There they founded Blue Note Records and made history with their label that featured many of the giants of American Jazz. Jazz musician, composer, producer and Gondwana Records label founder Matthew Halsall reviews

Presenter: Kirsty Lang
Producer: Ekene Akalawu