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Versailles, Louisa Young, Museum of the Year contender, TV drama music

Louis XIV drama series Versailles reviewed, Louisa Young on her novel Devotion, Martin Roth of the V&A, shortlisted for Museum of the Year, and Americana music in hit TV dramas.

Versailles is the new high-budget, 10-part ±«Óãtv2 drama series which is already creating controversy ahead of its first broadcast. Boyd Hilton reviews the period costume drama set in the court of Louis XIV with its themes of sex, murder and conspiracy.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is one of five museums and galleries in the UK to make the shortlist for Museum of the Year. In the first of our reports from the shortlisted venues, the Museum's director Martin Roth explains how to choose a record-breaking exhibition like the Alexander McQueen and why the V&A is planning to expand into the Olympic Park, Dundee and China.

A Jewish Italian family ends up among Mussolini's most ardent supporters in Louisa Young's new novel Devotion, the latest in her series begun by the WWI novel My Dear I Wanted To Tell You and The Heroes' Welcome. She charts the political awakening of the next generation as another war looms, and tells Kirsty Lang why she found the Italian experience so compelling.

The credits to the forthcoming TV drama series New Blood feature a raw Deep South bluesy soundtrack, a trick learned from some of the most talked-about series in recent years, from The Sopranos to Breaking Bad and True Detective. Ben Wardle considers the appeal of Americana music to today's TV directors.

Presenter Kirsty Lang
Producer Jerome Weatherald.

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30 minutes

Last on

Wed 1 Jun 2016 19:15
±«Óãtv Radio 4

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Chapters

  • Versailles

    Duration: 05:48

  • Louisa Young

    Duration: 07:13

  • The Victoria and Albert Museum - Museum of the Year Finalist

    Duration: 09:28

  • Americana

    Duration: 04:50

Versailles

Versailles
Versailles begins on ±«Óãtv Two on Wednesday 1 June at 9.30pm 
Image credit: Canal + 

Louisa Young

Louisa Young
Devotion by Louisa Young is published by Harper Collins
Image copyright: Sarah Lee 

The Victoria and Albert Museum - Museum of the Year Finalist

The Victoria and Albert Museum - Museum of the Year Finalist

The Elytra Filament Pavilion at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Image credit: V&A 

The winner of the Museum of the Year Award will be announced on 6 July.

Americana

Americana
Ben Wardle considers the appeal of Americana music to today's TV directors

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Lang
Interviewed Guest Boyd Hilton
Interviewed Guest Martin Roth
Interviewed Guest Louisa Young
Interviewed Guest Ben Wardle
Producer Jerome Weatherald

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  • Wed 1 Jun 2016 19:15
    ±«Óãtv Radio 4

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