Programme Details

From leading from the front in the war in Sudan at the end of the 19th Century to being hailed as the greatest Prime Minister of all time, Winston Churchill knew what he wanted and he was determined to get it. In this evening's Night Waves Susan Hitch talks to the eminent military historian Richard Holmes, who has just published In the Footsteps of Churchill, a project of great personal significance.

Also in the programme, the art of political writing, as the Orwell Prize is announced. We'll be hearing from the two winners, fresh from the announcement.

The iconic Penguin Shakespeare series is about to be relaunched, complete with new introductions, news sections, and new covers. But what do these new additions bring to the traditional classics? Shakespeare academic Carol Rutter and Michael Bogdanov, the director and co-founder of the English Shakespeare Company, discuss the new editions which aim to prove Shakespeare's relevance in the 21st century.

And a new television documentary series turns its attention to the subject of addiction. The director Henry Singer opens the series with a personal and intimate study of former businessman James Burton, who lost his job, his wife and his self-control when he found himself consumed by his addiction to gambling. Henry Singer joins Susan Hitch to discuss Compulsion: The Confession in Night Waves at 9.30pm this evening.



Presenter: Susan Hitch
Producer: Jerome Weatherald





Additional Details:

In the Footsteps of Churchill by Richard Holmes is published by BBC Books. The accompanying television series starts on Wednesday 13th April no BBC4 at 8.30pm

The Penguin Shakespeare series is published this week

Compulsion: The Confession is on Thursday on BBC2 at 9pm

Night Waves Shakespeare Competition Questions:

1. Ticket prices at the Globe were a penny to stand or tuppence for a seat in the Gallery. 
But how much did a seat in the covered theatre at Blackfriars cost you? Tuppence, fourpence or sixpence?

2. Which American actor said that Mark Rylance plays Shakespeare like "Shakespeare wrote it for him the night before?"

3. Can you name six of Shakespeare's plays that have clowns in them?


Answers to the Shakespeare quiz can be emailed to nightwaves@bbc.co.uk or sent to:
Night Waves
Rm 7092
BBC Broadcasting House
London W1A 1AA

Answers must be received by Thursday 21st April 2005