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Melina Matsoukas on Queen and Slim, Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy years reviewed, Faustus: That Damned Woman, Richard Armitage

Melina Matsoukas on her film about police violence starring Daniel Kaluuya and what if Faustus was a woman - we talk to Chris Bush about her new take on this classic story.

Director Melina Matsoukas talks about her first feature film Queen and Slim, which follows a black couple on a lackluster date pulled over for a minor traffic infraction. The situation escalates, with sudden and tragic results and the erstwhile couple decide to go on the run. Known primarily as a director of music videos for megastars like Beyoncé, Matsoukas discusses her transition between mediums and the film’s political message.

Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years is the first exhibition to survey the artist’s earliest works - pots, plates and sculptures - which he made between 1982 and 1994. Critic Jacky Klein reviews the exhibition at the Holburne Museum in Bath which includes pottery that addresses his regular themes of gender, identity and social class.

The life of Faust, an itinerant alchemist and astrologer in 15th century Germany, has inspired great writers through the centuries, most notably Christopher Marlowe. Now Chris Bush reinvents the story again; Faustus is a woman and, instead of using the powers of Mephistopheles for self-gratificiation she seeks the kinds of knowledge denied women through the ages, traveling through time to attain it. Stig talks to Chris Bush about her ambitious, ideas-laden new play, Faustus: That Damned Woman.

As we continue to explore risk in the arts, actor Richard Armitage speaks to us about the physical and reputational risk of being waterboarded for the filming of Spooks.

Presenter: Stig Abell
Producer: Hannah Robins

Available now

28 minutes

Melina Matsoukas

Melina Matsoukas
Melina Matsoukas

Queen and Slim is in cinemas from 31 Jan, cert 15

Main image: Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith
Photo credit: Universal 

Grayson Perry

Grayson Perry
Grayson Perry

Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years at , Bath until 25 May, at York Art Gallery from 12 Jun and the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich
from October

Faustus: That Damned Woman

Faustus: That Damned Woman
Danny Lee-Wynter and
Jodie McNee
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

Faustus: That Damned Woman is at the until 22 Feb

Risk - Richard Armitage

Risk - Richard Armitage
Richard Armitage

Richard is currently appearing in Uncle Vanya at the until 2 May

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  • Wed 29 Jan 2020 19:15

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