Front Row: Archive 2012

With Mark Lawson. Sir Tim Rice, who last night received the Olivier Special Award for his contribution to theatre, reflects on his career, his relationship with Andrew Lloyd Webber and his new musical adaptation of From Here To Eternity. Pamela Stephenson made her name as a comedy performer on Not the Nine O'Clock News. She moved on to train as a clinical psychologist and has used both experiences in a new Channel 4 documentary called The Fame Report. She explains her hypothesis that becoming famous is a mental trauma, and why her husband Billy Connolly found her stint on Strictly Come Dancing difficult.After the success of the Danish TV drama The Killing, crime writer John Harvey reviews the latest Nordic noir to reach our screens: The Bridge centres on the discovery of a body halfway along the bridge linking Denmark and Sweden.Producer Stephen Hughes.

With John Wilson. Prima Ballerina Tamara Rojo will be the new Artistic Director of English National Ballet, it was announced today. She discusses what this means for her dancing career and how she intends to strike the difficult balance between choreographic innovation and balancing the books. The children's TV series Horrible Histories returned this week, offering a comic take on often gruesome parts of the past. Series producer Caroline Norris and actor Simon Farnaby talk about how they take inspiration from adult shows such as Blackadder, and the role of their musical numbers, including turning RAF fighter pilots into a dancing boy band. The new film Mozart's Sister argues that she - like her brother - was a musical prodigy, but was prevented from performing or composing because of the period's repressive attitudes towards women. Nicholas Kenyon, managing director of the Barbican Centre, London, reviews. Roger Ballen's photographs of working-class white South African life are renowned for their square, bla

With John Wilson. Dara O Briain's School of Hard Sums is a new TV series in which the comedian uses numbers and equations to tackle life problems, such as trying to predict football scores and how many people to date before choosing a partner. Dara discusses why maths brings out his competitive side, and how it influences his comedy. The new film Blackthorn imagines the ageing outlaw Butch Cassidy living in exile in a secluded village in Bolivia. Sam Shepard plays Cassidy, now using the name James Blackthorn, who decides to return to the USA. Antonia Quirke reviews.'I waited so patiently for God to bring someone...and then he blessed my soul': so runs the lyric on I Found You, just one of the songs which invokes God on the much-anticipated album by the US band Alabama Shakes. Kitty Empire considers why American musicians draw on religious faith more readily than their British counterparts. Director and writer Whit Stillman won an Oscar nomination for the screenplay of his first film Metropolitan. His new film

With Mark Lawson.The Diary of Anne Frank is, for many, the book that best exemplifies the tragedy of the Jewish experience during World War II. Millions of school children read the book, which is seen as an important preventative reminder of the holocaust. In this Front Row special, writers including Shalom Auslander, Nathan Englander, Ellen Feldman, Meg Rosoff and Bernard Kops discuss why the life and writing of Anne Frank inspire writers of fiction. They also reflect on her continuing significance, while the actress Amy Dawson discusses how she approaches playing Anne on stage.Producer Ellie Bury.

With Mark Lawson, Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon co-wrote his latest film in three days. The Cabin in the Woods takes on the seemingly familiar story of five friends staying in a remote cabin where unexpected things happen, and promises surprises. Crime writer Mark Billingham gives his verdict. Clive James found fame as a critic, TV presenter and memoirist, but has also written and published poetry for more than 50 years. He discusses his new collection of verse Nefertiti in the Flack Tower.Two TV shows with high-profile names attached are about to arrive on our screens. Ricky Gervais stars in his new comedy Derek, which is set in an old people's home. The American musical drama Smash is co-produced by Steven Spielberg, and is set behind the scenes of a new Broadway show. Rebecca Nicholson reviews.Madani Younis is the new artistic director of the Bush Theatre, London, a venue with a strong reputation for developing new writers. He discusses his plans and reflects on how his own background shapes

Mark Lawson talks to leading theatre producers, including Cameron Mackintosh, Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bill Kenwright and Sonia Friedman, about the art of creating a hit show.The theatre impresarios discuss the impact of having a successful show and how long running productions such as Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera changed the theatre industry. Along side the hits, the producers talk about the millions of pounds lost when they have a flop; and they address the criticism that ticket prices are often too high.Producer Claire Bartleet.

John Wilson talks to four leading photographers of the same generation whose careers began in the 1960s and whose images have become classics of their time, from the pages of Vogue magazine to the Vietnam war, and the death of Bobby Kennedy.David Bailey, Don McCullin, Terry O'Neill and Harry Benson discuss their approach to their new craft at a time when magazines and newspapers were beginning to change the way they used images, and offer tips on how to take the perfect photograph.David Bailey discusses his approach to getting the best out of his fashion models in the studio, Terry O'Neill reflects on the changing role of photography and the arrival of the culture of celebrity; Don McCullin revisits the Vietnam war and its lasting effect on him as a photographer, and Harry Benson remembers the night he was standing next to presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy when he was shot, and describes the challenge of getting his images of the dying senator.Producer Jerome Weatherald.

John Wilson talks to Blur guitarist Graham Coxon about his latest solo album A + E. He reveals his plans for the future of the band and his own careerHistorian Tom Holland discusses his latest opus, In The Shadow Of The Sword, a history of Islam.Connie Fisher found fame when she won the role of Maria, in a West End production of The Sound of Music, through a BBC talent competition. But after vocal surgery, it's a role she'll never be able to sing again. She's back on stage, with a new voice, in a new production of Leonard Bernstein's musical comedy Wonderful Town. Writer Martin Jameson reviews.Larushka Ivan-Zadeh reviews Mirror, Mirror, the first of two screen adaptations of Snow White due out this year. In this version, Julia Roberts essays the part of the wicked Queen. But will she be the fairest in the land ?Producer Stephen Hughes.

Julianne Moore and Ed Harris star in Game Change, HBO's television dramatisation of the 2008 Presidential Election. Moore plays Sarah Palin, the Alaskan governor plucked from relative obscurity to give Ed Harris' John McCain some much needed star power. Clare Short and Peter Hitchens review the programme.Brit Award and Mercury Music Prize-nominated musician Richard Hawley first found success as a member of the Longpigs and later, Pulp. His subsequent solo music has been strongly influenced by his childhood in Sheffield but his latest album is a change of musical direction. Standing at the Sky's Edge is a psychedelic rock album that Hawley describes less black and white than previous material. He told Mark why it was time to focus on more intricate guitar playing.As Swedish author Sven Lindqvist celebrates his 80th birthday, he explains why he thinks all his books are the same.Producer Nicki Paxman.

Norwegian author Jo NesbØ's best-selling thriller Headhunters has just been turned into a film - the first of his novels to be adapted for the cinema. It tells the story of Roger Brown, a successful corporate headhunter, who spends his nights as a prolific art thief.Critic Ryan Gilbey reviews. Iain Sinclair considers the murals that Jean Cocteau painted in a London church in 1960 that have now been restored to their former glory.Labrinth is a singer-songwriter and rapper who has produced hit singles for Tinie Tempah and collaborated with artists including Ms Dynamite and Emeli Sande. He's the first non-talent show artist to be signed to Simon Cowell's label for six years and his debut album is out this week. He reflects on how growing up as one of nine siblings influenced his music.The Undateables is a new Channel 4 series exploring the experiences of several extraordinary singletons on the dating circuit. They include a stand-up comedian with Tourette's, a skateboarder with a facial disfigurement, a trapeze

With Mark Lawson.A major Damien Hirst retrospective exhibition opens this week at Tate Modern. Damien Hirst discusses his success and the reaction he gets from cab-drivers, and critic Jackie Wullschlager gives her verdict.In his new film This Must Be The Place, Sean Penn is almost unrecognisable as Cheyenne, a fifty year-old Goth and former rock star, who sets off on a journey of discovery after his father's death. Jenny McCartney reviews.Michael Grade has held top positions at the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. He's now presenting a Radio 2 series examining Britain's television industry. The former BBC Chairman discusses commissioning Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective in the BBC toilets, being asked to lower ratings at ITV, and the moment he thought that Bob Geldof had ended his career.Producer Rebecca Nicholson.

With Kirsty Lang in New York.Thomas Campbell, the British director of the vast Metropolitan Museum, talks about his plans for the future and coping with the financial restraints of a recession.The British TV series Downton Abbey has proved to be a spectacular success in the US. Some of New York's die-hard fans analyse why it appeals to Americans.Trumpeter and composer Nicholas Payton caused a storm in a recent blog, when he wrote that the word jazz should be replaced by the term Black American Music. He feels "the J-word" has become outdated, and he explains why.Gatz, an eight hour long stage version of the classic American novel The Great Gatsby, is coming to the UK in the summer. Director John Collins and lead actor Scott Shepherd tell Kirsty why their production is so long, and how Scott ended up learning the entire book off by heart.Producer Rebecca Nicholson.

With Mark Lawson. A new attraction The Making of Harry Potter opens its doors this weekend. Visitors to the Leavesden film studios can look behind the scenes of the making of the most successful film series ever. Actors Rupert Grint and Warwick Davis and special effects designers take Mark on a tour which includes the Great Hall, the Knight Bus, Diagon Alley and Ron Weasley's kitchen. Award-winning American poet Adrienne Rich has died aged 82. During a career which spanned seven decades, Rich was a pioneering feminist, who tackled topics such as racism, sexuality and economic justice. Writer Jeanette Winterson pays tribute, and we hear archive of Adrienne Rich herself.Mark reports on the screenplays which were never filmed. On Saturday actor Brian Cox will perform Orson Welles' complete but unmade script for Heart of Darkness, based on the book by Joseph Conrad. His performance takes place inside a boat created by artist Fiona Banner, inspired by the vessel in Conrad's novella. Fiona Banner reveals her long

With John Wilson, New Orleans-born singer, songwriter and pianist Dr John reflects on the role of magic in his career, and discusses his new album Locked Down, produced by Dan Auerbach from the band The Black Keys. Janet Street Porter reviews a new exhibition British Design 1948-2012: Innovation in the Modern Age at the V&A in London, which celebrates the best of British post-war art and design from the 1948 'Austerity Games' to the summer of 2012. Over 300 objects highlight significant moments in the history of British design, arguing that the country continues to nurture artistic talent and be a world leader in creativity and design.Tim Lott's new novel Under The Same Stars draws on the writer's own experience of sibling rivalry, with one 40-year-old man trying to come to terms with his troubled relationship with his older brother. Tim Lott candidly discusses the personal issues at the heart of the book, and the emotionally challenging Texas road trip he took with his brother by way of research.With the

With Mark Lawson. Brendan O'Carroll, the creator and star of the comedy Mrs Brown's Boys, reflects on the genesis of his raucous alter-ego Agnes Brown and her loving but dysfunctional family. Conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner first made his name with interpretations of baroque music on period instruments, but this week he tackles Verdi's Rigoletto for the very first time. He discusses his approach to performing it at the Royal Opera House. A major retrospective of the Turner Prize-winning artist Gillian Wearing is about to open at the Whitechapel Gallery in London, featuring her films and photographs which explore public faces and private lives. The exhibition includes her 1992 series of images in which people were offered paper and pen to communicate their message or thoughts. Sarah Crompton reviews. Producer Jerome Weatherald

With Mark Lawson.Hugh Grant leads the cast providing the voices for Aardman Animations' latest film The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, which takes the lawless seafarers from the shores of Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London. Mark Eccleston reviews.Novelist Jodi Picoult discusses her new book, which focuses on a pair of siblings trying to decide whether or not to remove life support from their father. She reflects on her approach to fiction, and the response she received from the Christian right in the USA to her last novel. Madonna's twelfth album, M.D.N.A, is a new collection of tracks aimed at the dancefloor, and released ahead of an international tour this summer. Rebecca Nicholson gives her verdict.Booker Prize-winning writer Ben Okri has published his first new collection of poetry for 13 years, with many of the poems featuring dedications. He considers the process of dedicating verse, and we hear from one of his dedicatees, musician and producer Brian Eno. Producer Nicki Pax

With John Wilson. The new TV drama series The Syndicate, written by Kay Mellor, is the tale of a group of supermarket workers who win the lottery. It stars Joanna Page and Timothy Spall. Heat TV Editor Boyd Hilton reviews. Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki discuss how their music appears side by side on a new recording. Penderecki inspired a new orchestral work by Greenwood, and they reflect on their approaches to composition. A major new exhibition focuses on the brain, both in the name of science and culture, with exhibits ranging from a specimen of Einstein's brain to paintings by Descartes. John looks at the brains with neuroscientist Tali Sharot and cultural historian Marius Kwint. This week Disney announced that their film John Carter, which is set on Mars, is likely to lose $200m. Adam Smith examines why so many films about Mars and Martians flop at the box office. Producer Tim Prosser.

With Mark Lawson.Greg Doran discusses his appointment as the next Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, which was announced today, and reflects on his priorities in his new role. Award-winning documentary maker Molly Dineen reviews Werner Herzog's new television series based on interviews with inmates on Death Row in the United States.The renowned Complicite theatre company's new production is a staging of The Master And Margarita, based on Bulgakov's novel. Sarah Churchwell gives her first-night verdict. Singer and bass player Esperanza Spalding reflects on her unexpected success at last year's Grammy Awards, and discusses her approach to song-writing. Producer Stephen Hughes.

With Mark Lawson. Writer Neil Cross created Luther, the tormented detective played by Idris Elba on TV, and also wrote for the acclaimed spy series Spooks. He discusses why he hopes Luther will move from the small screen to the cinema. A century after Diaghilev's Ballets Russes caused a sensation in Paris, two major British ballet companies are re-imagining the Ballets Russes' most famous works. Mark talks to the 21 year-old choreographer George Williamson who has re-worked Stravinsky's Firebird for English National Ballet, and Mark Baldwin from the Rambert Dance Company, who has created a contemporary take on Debussy's L'Apres-midi d'un faune. Novelist Naomi Alderman reviews Journey, the acclaimed new video game in which players find themselves in a vast and empty desert. This week Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner announced he would change a piece of music in the first episode of the new series, set in 1965, after canny preview audiences spotted the song hadn't been written yet. Music writer David Hepworth con

With John Wilson. The film The Hunger Games, based on the best-selling book by Suzanne Collins, is set in a future dystopia in which young people are forced to kill each other as entertainment. Antonia Quirke gives her verdict. Kensington Palace is about to re-open to the public after a multi-million pound transformation, including an exhibition about Queen Victoria in the apartments in which she grew up. Writer and biographer A N Wilson reviews. The BBC's new talent show The Voice begins this weekend, in which the judging panel cannot see the contestants when they first appear, relying only on what they hear. Pop critic Kitty Empire and James Inverne, former editor of Gramophone magazine, consider whether image plays too great a role in musical success. Poet Michael Horovitz, who is now in his late 70s, has written a new long poem, commissioned by Paul Weller for the cover of his new album Sonik Kicks. They discuss the energy of beat poetry, and the relationship between poems and song lyrics. Producer Timoth