Main content

Hamilton musical, Irish film Sanctuary, Louise Erdrich novel, 麻豆社 TV Christmas specials

Hamilton opens in London. Sanctuary, an Irish film with a cast made up of actors with learning difficulties. Plus a new novel by Louise Erdrich and TV Christmas specials.

The much-anticipated musical Hamilton has opened in London. It tells the story of Alexander Hamilton; one of the Founding Fathers of The United States with intentionally colour-conscious casting of non-white actors as the Founding Fathers. It has been a phenomenon on Broadway and across the US; how will it play with British audiences?
Irish film Sanctuary has a cast made up almost exclusively of actors with learning difficulties. It lightly tells the story of a trip to the cinema where the best laid plans go awry. And even though it includes hugging and learning, does it tread the difficult line avoiding sentimentality or patronising the cast and the issues raised?
In Louise Erdrich's newest novel Future Home Of The Living God, evolution is running backwards and all around the central character society is crumbling. She's a 26 year old fighting for her life in an oppressive post-cataclysm America, pregnant (maybe by an angel)
And we review 3 of the 麻豆社's TV Christmas specials: Father Brown, Upstart Crow and Not Going Out - what is the attraction of these yearly yuletide delights?

Tom Sutcliffe's guests are Sarah Churchwell, Dreda Say Mitchell and David Benedict. The producer is Oliver Jones.

Available now

45 minutes

Hamilton

Hamilton

Hamilton runs at The Victoria Palace Theatre for the foreseeable future, with bookings currently being taken until 30th June

Sanctuary

Sanctuary

Sanctuary (cert 15), is on limited release聽

Louise Erdrich

Louise Erdrich

Future Home Of The Living God by Louise Erdrich is published by Corsair聽

TV Christmas specials

TV Christmas specials

Father Brown is available on iPlayer, Not Going Out is on 麻豆社1 at 2245 on 24th聽December, Upstart Crow is on 麻豆社2 at 2025 on Christmas Day聽聽

Podcast recommendations

Dreda recommends: David recommends: by Margaret Atwood聽
Sarah recommends: by Winifred Watson, Tom recommends:

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Tom Sutcliffe
Interviewed Guest Sarah Churchwell
Interviewed Guest David Benedict
Interviewed Guest Dreda Say Mitchell
Producer Oliver Jones

Broadcast

  • Sat 23 Dec 2017 19:15

Subscribe to the Saturday Review podcast

Sign up to the Saturday Review podcast for the latest and past episodes to download.

Podcast