29 September 2005
Thursday 29 September 2005 21:30-22:15 (Radio 3)
Edvard Munch, creator of The Scream, lived for more than half a century after painting his iconic masterpiece in 1893 but most of his later work is little known outside his native Norway. A new exhibition at the Royal Academy in London, Edvard Munch by Himself, presents over 150 self portraits by the artist, and follows his unhappy life. Munch's biographer Sue Prideaux and the art critic William Feaver are in the studio to discuss Munch's life, seen through his art.
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 shares 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 in the next few weeks.
Plus, a discussion on the problems facing Italians in preserving their heritage. An advertising campaign recently tried to persuade people to take responsibility for their heritage by showing Michaelangelo's David with half his leg missing and supported by scaffolding. Jonathan Glancey and the Italian architect Alvise Marsoni will join Paul to discuss the issues facing the Italian authorities.
Susannah Clapp reviews the first night of Frank McGuinness' new play Speaking with Magpies, commissioned to mark the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, from the Swan Theatre in Stratford.
