Free Thinking Episodes Episode guide
-
![]()
Black British theatre archives and an Afro-Cuban star
From an 18th-century Black Juliet to Ira Aldridge鈥檚 daughter Amanda. Plus, Rita Montaner.
-
![]()
Sugar
Matthew Sweet examines how sugar built the modern world.
-
![]()
Colour
Artist Lubna Chowdhary, author Mich猫le Roberts, art historians James Fox and Kelly Grovier
-
![]()
Frieze: Museums in the 21st century
Anne McElvoy talks to the directors at London's National Gallery, Yale and New York's Met.
-
![]()
Choice
Do poets choose their words or are they predetermined?
-
![]()
The British Academy Book Prize 2021
New ways of thinking about global problems - Rana Mitter reads this year's shortlist.
-
![]()
Breakfast
Literally "breaking the fast" - Matthew Sweet moves from the Full English to Tiffany's.
-
![]()
Order and Chaos
A history of indexes and ideas about tidiness, clutter and archiving in Ruth Ozeki's novel
-
![]()
Thomas Mann
Novelist Colm Toibin joins Anne McElvoy to discuss the German author's life and struggles.
-
![]()
The continuing appeal of Tudor history
Philippa Gregory, Nandini Das, Susan Doran and Adam Roberts with Matthew Sweet.
-
![]()
Punk
Punk often caused offence. Shahidha Bari asks if that idea of rebellion resonates today.
-
![]()
Dirk Bogarde
As The Servant is released on DVD, Matthew Sweet and guests explore Dirk Bogarde's career.
-
![]()
Hannah Arendt's exploration of totalitarianism
Why do Hannah Arendt's ideas continue to fire the imaginations of artists and thinkers?
-
![]()
Belonging
A teacher's view, a Frankenstein-inspired ballet, outsider status and circus paintings.
-
![]()
The Glitch
Novelist Tom McCarthy joins Matthew Sweet to explore glitches and what they tell us.
-
![]()
Dante's Visions
Art historian Martin Kemp and painter Emma Safe, parallels with Proust and a Dante website
-
![]()
Bette Davis
As the BFI prepares a season of films, Matthew Sweet and guests discuss the Hollywood star
-
![]()
Connecting with Nature
Music from thunder, art inspired by a dog walk; essays about a city wood and a rural field
-
![]()
Alain Robbe-Grillet
Guests including author Tom McCarthy join Matthew Sweet to discuss the French 'new novel'.
-
![]()
Breathe
Writer James Nestor, musician Soweto Kinch, Forensic Architecture's Imani Jacqueline Brown
-
![]()
Mining, Coal and DH Lawrence
Matthew Sweet looks at the connections between the arts and coal mining communities.
-
![]()
Epic Iran, Lost Cities and Proust
Rana Mitter and guests explore the art and culture of Iran, and why people abandon cities.
-
![]()
The English country house party
Why does the grand country house party hold such power over the English imagination?
-
![]()
Glenda Jackson on filming Sunday Bloody Sunday
Matthew Sweet and guests including Glenda Jackson on John Schlesinger's love triangle film
-
![]()
The Innovative Shape of Poems
Sandeep Parmar talks to poets Kayo Chingonyi, Paisley Rekdal and Dr Nasser Hussain.
-
![]()
Cornwall and Coastal Gothic
From crumbling tin mine towers to second homes: Laurence Scott on art, fiction and film.
-
![]()
World's Fairs and the Future
Owen Hatherley, Emily MacGregor and Paul Greenhalgh go back to the future.
-
![]()
Mid Century Modern
Shahidha Bari and guests look at labour saving devices and revamping the 1950s home.
-
![]()
Building London
Eric Parry and Alison Brooks; writers Fiona Mozley and SI Martin and pianist Belle Chen.
-
![]()
Masks
The role of masks in African traditions, Greek tragedy and Covid conspiracies
