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Episode details

Radio 4,26 Mar 2025,42 mins

Peter Capaldi's new album, the great Ossian myth, Brian Friel's short stories

Front Row

Available for over a year

Peter Capaldi talks about his latest album – Sweet Illusions – a nod to the thriving 80s music scene in Glasgow where Peter made his musical debut fronting The Dreamboys. Through the Shortbread Tin is a new National Theatre of Scotland production about the supposed third century Scottish bard Ossian. Its writer – poet Martin O’Connor – and director Lu Kemp, share their exploration of one of the greatest literary hoaxes of all time Should Brian Friel be known as short story writer, as much as a playwright? A decade after his death, a new edition of his stories has been published, many of which would inspire his plays such as Faith Healer, Dancing at Lughnasa and his breakthrough Philadelphia, Here I Come! Discussing the often overlooked work of the "Irish Chekhov" is a fellow master of the short story Louise Kennedy, and Dr Kelly Matthews, author of Brian Friel: Beginnings. Presenter: Kirsty Wark Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

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