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Tarell Alvin McCraney's Queer Icon; Romola Garai and Helen Edmundson on Queen Anne; Jamaica's Poet Laureate Lorna Goodison

Oscar-winning writer Tarell Alvin McCraney on Paris is Burning; Romola Garai and Helen Edmundson on the often overlooked Queen Anne.

The Royal Shakespeare Company production of Queen Anne has opened at London's Theatre Royal Haymarket. Set in the early 18th century, the play charts the intimate and increasingly fraught relationship between the childless and insecure queen and her closest confidante Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. Romola Garai who plays Sarah Churchill and writer Helen Edmundson discuss this often overlooked British monarch.

For our Queer Icons series, the Oscar-winning writer of Moonlight, Tarell Alvin McCraney, champions the film Paris is Burning, about drag houses, drag balls and fabulousness in 1980s New York. Queer Icons is Front Row's celebration of LGBTQ culture, to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality.

The philanthropist Lloyd Dorfman today announced a major donation to the Royal Academy of Arts in London with a view to transforming the future of architecture at the institution. Architecture critic Hugh Pearman assess the significance of his contribution.

The outgoing Poet Laureate of Jamaica, Mervyn Morris, was on Front Row recently. Today Samira meets his successor, Lorna Goodison, the first female to hold that post. She explains her role as 'praise-singer to the nation'. Her Collected Poems has just been published and from this monumental book she reads work that expresses her admiration for the Jamaican people, their language and her love of the landscape of the island.

Presenter: Samira Ahmed
Producer: Edwina Pitman.

Available now

30 minutes

Chapters

  • Romola Garai and Helen Edmundson

    Duration: 09:06

  • Tarell Alvin McCraney

    Duration: 04:44

  • Lloyd Dorfman and Hugh Pearman

    Duration: 04:47

  • Museum of the Year 2017

    Duration: 01:08

  • Lorna Goodison

    Duration: 09:00

Romola Garai and Helen Edmundson on Queen Anne

Romola Garai and Helen Edmundson on Queen Anne
Photo credit L - R: Romola Garai, Samira Ahmed, Helen Edmundson

Queen Anne is on at the 聽until 30 Sept

Tarell Alvin McCraney's Queer Icon

Tarell Alvin McCraney's Queer Icon
Photo and main image: Tarell Alvin McCraney
Paris is Burning is available on DVD

A reading of Tarell Alvin McCraney's play Wig Out!聽is at the on 7 July聽at 7.30 pm as part of their Queer Theatre series

Lloyd Dorfman

Lloyd Dorfman
Lloyd Dorfman

Jamaica's Poet Laureate Lorna Goodison

Jamaica's Poet Laureate Lorna Goodison
Photo credit: Samira Ahmed and聽Lorna Goodison


Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Samira Ahmed
Interviewed Guest Romola Garai
Interviewed Guest Helen Edmundson
Interviewed Guest Tarell Alvin McCraney
Interviewed Guest Hugh Pearman
Interviewed Guest Lorna Goodison
Producer Edwina Pitman

Broadcast

  • Thu 6 Jul 2017 19:15

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