23 December 2004
Thursday 23 December 2004 21:45-22:15 (Radio 3)
On Night Waves Mike Leigh's latest filmVera Drake reviewed, the latest of Night Waves' Big Ideas of 2004, and controversial Christmas Day viewing in Who Wrote the Bible?
Programme Details
Mike Leigh's latest film Vera Drake has already been garlanded with awards from around the world. In this evening's Night Waves Mary Allen talks to the novelist Deborah Moggach about her reaction to the tragic story of a backstreet abortionist in London in 1950, played by Imelda Staunton, who falls foul of the law.
Also in the programme, the academic theologian Robert Beckford who has been ruffling feathers with his new 2-hour documentary Who Wrote the Bible? which will be broadcast on Christmas Day. In it he speaks to leading figures of various faiths around the world to pin down how much of the Bible we should actually take as 'the gospel truth'.
And as we continue our series in which we explore Big Ideas that have shaped 2004, Martin Raymond reflects on an encouraging trend towards debate and dissension in British culture.
That's all in Night Waves with Mary Allen at 9.45pm.
Presenter: Mary Allen
Producer: Jerome Weatherald
Additional Details
Vera Drake is in cinemas from 7th January 2005 certificate 12A
Who Wrote the Bible? is screened on Channel 4 on Christmas Day.
