13 October 2005
Thursday 13 October 2005 21:30-22:15 (Radio 3)
It was announced today that the Nobel Prize for literature has been won by the prolific playwright Harold Pinter. Theatre critic Michael Billington discusses his work. Mark Haddon, winner of the Whitbread Award for his novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time reveals why he has followed up his success with a return to his first love, poetry.
Programme details
It was announced today that playwright Harold Pinter has won the Nobel Prize for literature, Paul Allen discusses his work with theatre critic Michael Billington.
Author Mark Haddon reveals why, after the huge success of his Whitbread Award winning novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, he has returned to his first love, poetry with his collection The Talking Horse and the Sad Girl and the Village Under the Sea.
Arnold Wesker's career began in 1958 with a trilogy of plays at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Now, at the age of 73, he's just written his first novel in which he takes up the story of Beaty, the central character of his play Roots. At the end of Roots she was left in her childhood home in Norfolk having been abandoned by her educated lover Ronny. Now she's been to university and is discovering what she wants to do with her life. Arnold Wesker will be discussing why he decided to revisit Beaty in a novel and his feelings on having a new book, a revival of his first play Chicken Soup with Barley and an adaptation of Dava Sobel's Longitude all happening within the next few weeks.
George Bernard Shaw commented "Delighted to hear that Bexhill on Sea has emerged from barbarism at last" when the De La Warr Pavillion opened to the public in 1935. The modern style of the building was a shock to many of the town's inhabitants. It fell into disrepair but has been carefully restored and renovated and re-opens on Saturday. Architectural historian Joe Kerr takes a tour.
Based on a real event, Woyzeck is widely regarded as the first modern play. Written in 1837 by the visionary Georg Buchner at the age of 23, and incomplete at the time of this death, the play is a disturbing drama of mental aberration and obsession. Karen Leeder reviews a dynamic production at London's Barbican.
That's all on Night Waves, at half past nine tonight on Radio 3.
Producer: Anne-Marie Cole
Presenter: Paul Allen
Additional Information
The Talking Horse and the Sad Girl and the Village Under the Sea by Mark Haddon is published by Picador.
The De La Warr Pavillion in Bexhill on Sea re-opens to the public on 15th October 2005 with exhibitions and a programme of entertainment.
Chicken Soup with Barley by Arnold Wesker is at the Tricycle Theatre London from 13th October - 19th November 2005.
Woyzeck by Georg Buchner, co-produced by City Theatre Reykjavik, The Young Vic and BITE: 05 runs at the Barbican from 12th - 22nd October 2005.
