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Ben Elton, Queen Coal, Transmitting Andy Warhol, Leviathan, Birds in Literature

With Kirsty Lang. Ben Elton on his new novel, Time and Time Again; Queen Coal reviewed; Tate Liverpool's Transmitting Andy Warhol; Leviathan reviewed; and birds in literature.

Successful novelist, playwright and stand-up comic, Ben Elton, a central figure in the alternative comedy scene in the 1980s, joins Kirsty Lang to discuss his new novel, Time And Time Again. His book follows ex-soldier Hugh Stanton who is transported back to 1914 from 2025, in order to prevent the Great War and re-write history.

Andy Warhol is the subject of a new show at Tate Liverpool which looks at how this quintessential 20th century artist sought to master the mass media of his day to ensure his art could reach as many people as possible. In the company of Darren Pih, the exhibition's curator, Kirsty Lang takes a look at Transmitting Andy Warhol.

Bryony Lavery's latest play, Queen Coal looks at the impact of the 1980s miners strike on the lives of three people who bonded on the picket lines. Writer Joolz Denby reviews.

Fresh from its recent win of the Best Film prize at the BFI London Film Festival, Leviathan - a tale of corruption in a small Russian town - opens in cinemas this week. Novelist Nicholas Royle reviews.

Helen McDonald has just won the £20,000 Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction for her memoir, H is for Hawk, about coming to terms with the death of her father by trying to win the trust of a goshawk, Mabel. What significance does the bird have here and elsewhere in literature? Kirsty is joined by Horatio Clare, writer and author of A Single Swallow.

Available now

30 minutes

Clip

Chapters

  • Ben Elton

    Duration: 09:00

  • Queen Coal

    Duration: 04:21

  • Transmitting Andy Warhol

    Duration: 06:01

  • Leviathan

    Duration: 04:37

  • Birds in Literature

    Duration: 03:31

Transmitting Andy Warhol

 opens at Tate Liverpool on Friday 7 November 2014 and runs until 8 February 2015.

Ben Elton

Time and Time Again, by Ben Elton, is published on 6 November 2014 by Bantam Press.

Leviathan

Leviathan
opens in selected UK cinemas from Friday 7 November, certificate 15.

Queen Coal

Queen Coal
premieres at Sheffield Theatres Studio on Tuesday 4 November and runs until 22 November.

Image: Julia Ford as Justine and Kate Anthony as Maggie in Queen Coal. Photo credit: Mark Douet.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Kirsty Lang
Producer Ekene Akalawu
Interviewed Guest Ben Elton
Interviewed Guest Joolz Denby
Interviewed Guest Nicholas Royle
Interviewed Guest Horatio Clare

Broadcast

  • Wed 5 Nov 2014 19:15

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