Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Neil Gaiman, Annabel Scholey and Oliver Cotton

Author Neil Gaiman discusses his new book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, plus Annabel Scholey and Oliver Cotton join Claudia to chat about their play, Passion Play.

Author Neil Gaiman drops by with his new book The Ocean At The End Of The Lane

Annabel Scholey & Oliver Cotton join Claudia to chat about their play - Passion Play - at the Duke of York's Theatre

Director Joss Whedon talks about his new movie out this week Much Ado About Nothing

We go behind the scenes of the Christian Dior Exhibition at Manchester's Costume Museum

And Helen O'Hara has all the latest film news. Michael Billington reviews this week's theatre; Anna Bailey reviews the arts round up with the next seven days of arts from around the country

Plus, Amy Adams talks to the Radio 2 Arts Show about being Lois Lane, online at bbc.co.uk/radio2.

1 hour, 57 minutes

Music Played

  • Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

    Born To Run

    • Born To Run.
    • CBS.
    • CD-80959.
  • Annie Lennox

    No More I Love Yous

    • Medusa.
    • BMG.
    • 74321-257172.
  • Bon Jovi

    What About Now

    • What About Now.
    • Mercury.
    • 3729825.
  • Josh Osho

    Freewheel

    • L.i.f.e.
    • Universal Island Records.
    • 2780339.
  • Geoff Love

    The Great Escape March

    • Geoff Love & Orchestra Big War Themes.
    • EMI.
    • CC-211.
  • Pink Floyd

    See Emily Play

    • Shine.
    • EMI.
    • SHINE-1.
  • The Clash

    LONDON CALLING Recording

    • London Calling.
    • Columbia.
    • 495347-2.
  • Daft Punk

    Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams)

    Artist: Pharrell Williams

    • Random Access Memories.
    • Daft Life / Columbia.
    • 1.
  • Simply Red

    Stars

    • Stars.
    • EAST WEST RECORD.
    • 9031-75284 2.
  • Fleetwood Mac

    As Long As You Follow

    • Fleetwood Mac - Greatest Hits.
    • Warner Bros.
    • 925838-2.
  • Barenaked Ladies

    Boomerang

    • Grinning Streak.
    • Vanguared.
    • 1570782942.
  • Sunshine Band

    Get Down Tonight

    • The Best of KC & The Sunshine Band.
    • EMI.
    • CDP-7948792.

Passion Play actors Oliver Cotton and Annabel Scholey talk about their roles

Passion Play actors Oliver Cotton and Annabel Scholey talk about their roles

Peter Nichols'ÌýÌýPassion Play portrays a union in crisis,ÌýIt’s a familiar story, a timeless tale of betrayal and desire. Together for twenty five years, theyÌýlook like the perfect couple, they’ve rubbed the sharp edges off andÌýfeel comfortable. They’re set to sail peacefully into an uneventful middle aged sunset. Then something happens and things start to unravel.


This revival of the popular 1981 West End and Broadway show isÌýsettingÌýthe black comedy stage alight with an all starÌýensemble cast Zoe Wanamaker, Owen Teale, Samantha Bond, Oliver Cotton, Annabel Scholey and Sian Thomas. It's at theÌýuntilÌý 3rd August

Joss Whedon directs Much Ado About Nothing

Joss Whedon directs Much Ado About Nothing
Joss Whedon,Ìýdirector of Buffy the Vampire Slayer has turned his hand to Shakespeare and brings aÌýmodern feel toÌýthe famous comedy Much Ado About Nothing which was filmed in just twelve days, completely in black and white. It starsÌýAngel actors Amy Ackers and Alexi Denisof who used toÌýrecite Shakespeare's work atÌýJoss Whedon’s LA home

Helen O'Hara reviews latest film releases

Helen O'Hara reviews latest film releases

1. Much Ado About Nothing

Director: Joss WhedonÌýÌýÌýÌý

Cast: Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion

A modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic comedy.

Much Ado About Nothing isÌýin cinemas now.


2. Man Of Steel

Director: Zack SnyderÌý

Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him (Henry Cavill) must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

Man Of Steel isÌýin cinemas now

Ìý

3. Stuck In Love

Director: Josh BooneÌýÌý

Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Greg Kinnear, Lily Collins
An acclaimed authorÌýhasÌýwriter's block due to his marriage break down, andÌýstruggles to raise his two teenaged children,Ìýwho are embarking on their own love lives.

Stuck In Love is in cinemas now.

Ìý

4. Warm Bodies (DVD)

Director: Jonathan Levine
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich


Life for Julie and R couldn’t be more different; he's a zombie with a great record collection; limited vocab and an overpowering love of brain food. She's a human; beautiful; strong; open minded and all heart.Ìý As the unlikely relationship develops, R’s choice to protect her sets in motion a sequence of events that might just change both of their worlds forever.

Warm Bodies isÌýout on DVDÌýfrom Monday


5. The Great Escape – 50th Anniversary of the original release

Director: John Sturges
Cast: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Richard Attenborough, Gordon Jackson, James Donald, Donald Pleasance


The Great Escape’s based on a true story.Ìý In 1943, the Germans opened a maximum security prison-of-war camp, designed to hold even the craftiest escape artists. By doing so, they unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military history who worked on what became the largest prison breakout ever attempted.

The Great Escape is out on blu ray now,

Neil Gaiman talks about The Ocean at the End of the Lane, his new novel

Neil Gaiman talks about The Ocean at the End of the Lane, his new novel

Neil Gaiman’s Ìý2005's Anansi Boys is followed up by The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, it'sÌýa tale about childhood for grown-ups, a fantasy rooted in the darkest corners of reality, it’s a story he's been waiting all his life to tell.

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman is published by Headline and out on Tuesday.Ìý It’s also available on eBook and audio download.

Ìý

Ìý

Christian Dior, Designer in Focus exhibition at Manchester's Costume Museum

Christian Dior, Designer in Focus  exhibition at Manchester's Costume Museum

Christian Dior was one of the world’s greatest clothes designers and founder of one of the top fashion houses. His chic clothes and elegant perfumes are loved and endorsed by Hollywood A-listers, many of whom donnedÌýDior on the red carpet at Cannes recently.

It wasÌýDior's New Look designs of the late 1940s and 1950s that marked a pivotal change in ladies fashion which is part ofÌýa new exhibitionÌýopened byÌýMiles Lambert,curator of the Costume Museum in Manchester.

ÌýuntilÌýSeptember

Ìý

Ìý

Michael Billington brings latest Theatre news

Michael Billington brings latest Theatre news

1. Sweet Bird of Youth at the Old Vic.

Kim CattrallÌýis back on the London stage in Tennessee Williams's 1956 play about a fading Hollywood movie-star who has an affair with a small-town gigolo.ÌýDirected by Marianne Elliott- (War Horse and The Curious Incident.)
Sweet Bird of Youth is at the until August 31.

Ìý

2. The Amen Corner at the Olivier.

This is a rare sighting of James Baldwin's first play written in 1965. It's all about a hardline Harlem preacher, Sister Margaret, confronted by the husband she deserted. It also contains a feast of gospel singing.

The Amen Corner plays in until August 14


3. Strange Interlude at the Lyttelton.

Eugene O'Neill's 1928 play which follows the fortunes of a woman, Nina Leeds, over a period of 25 years. The play is famous for its lengthy asides which prompted Groucho Marx to say in Animal Crackers, "Pardon me while I have a Strange Interlude."

Strange Interlude until the autumn

Ìý

4. The Birthday Party at the Royal Exchange, Manchester

Harold Pinter's first full-length playÌýwas famously a big flop when first seen in 1958. Now this story of a seaside recluse, Stanley, who's tortured by two visitors and taken away to re-join a mysterious organisation, is regarded as a modern classic.


The Birthday Party runs at the until July 6.

Ìý

Anna Bailey brings latest Arts Desk News

Anna Bailey brings latest Arts Desk News

FILM: the launches this week. Highlights include the world premiere of Martin Freeman’s new comedy film Svengali, The Sea featuring Rufus Sewell, The Story of Wikileaks and Sofia Coppola’s Bling Ring.

Ìý

ART: sculpture works by the surrealist French artist Alexander Calder are to be exhibited in the gardens of Sudeley Castle in the Cotswolds. There are also tours of the gardens which have recently been restored. Calder At The Castle runs from June to October 2013.

Ìý

CLASSICAL MUSIC: a five day festival celebrating British composers kicks off in BirminghamÌýtomorrow ÌýIt includes Chaos And Cosmos an early piece from Benjamin Britten which is being performed by the Birmingham Conservatoire at Birmingham Town Hall on 21 June.

Ìý

CHILDREN’S THEATRE: The award-winning theatre company Complicite is celebrating its 30th birthday with its first ever children’s show Lionboy at the Oxford Playhouse and then touring.

Ìý

THEATRE: Noel Cowards’ play Relative Values is being performed at the featuring a celebrity cast including Patricia Hodge, Caroline Quentin and Rory Bremner. Directed by Sir Trevor Nunn, it runs from 12-29 June.

Ìý

PHOTOGRAPHY:Ìý Visions Of The Universe has just opened at the National Maritime Museum in London. It features images taken from space by NASA, the Russian Space Programme and winners from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. Runs until the 15 September.

Ìý

Broadcast

  • Fri 14 Jun 2013 22:00