Programme Details

The American writer Steven Johnson argues that popular culture is becoming more sophisticated all the time, and is making us smarter with it. Videogames teach us rapid decision-making, TV drama trains our memory and analytical skills, reality shows hone our emotional intelligence. A sceptical Adam Mars-Jones begs to differ.

Plus Declan Donnellan on the genius of his fellow theatre director Lev Dodin, as Dodin brings his production of Uncle Vanya to Britain and publishes a new book meditating on his craft.

Will Eaves on a completely different book about theatre - his new novel about a production of the Tempest which wreaks real havoc in millennial London.

And a report on the flight of black British intellectuals to America.

Night Waves , live at 9.30pm here on BBC Radio 3.


Presenter: Paul Allen
Producer: Phil Tinline



Additional Information:
1) Steven Johnson's book Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Popular Culture Is Making Us Smarter is published by Penguin Allen Lane.
2) Lev Dodin's production of Uncle Vanya for the Maly Drama Theatre of St Petersburg is at the Corn Exchange in Brighton until Saturday (www.brighton-festival.org.uk), and then tours to the Barbican in London (24-28 May; www.barbican.org.uk), the Lowry, Salford (31 May-4 June; www.thelowry.com), Warwick Arts Centre (7-11 June; www.warwickartscentre.co.uk) and the Oxford Playhouse (14-18 June; www.newburytheatre.co.uk/theatres/oxfordplayhouse.htm). His book Journey Without End: Reflections and Memoirs is published by Tantalus.
3) Will Eaves' novel Nothing To Be Afraid Of is published by Picador.