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Eric Schlosser, Richard II, Basil Bunting, Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough

Anne McElvoy reviews David Tennant in Richard II, discusses nuclear security with Eric Schlosser, the rhythms of Old English and the poetry of Basil Bunting.

As the curtain goes down on David Tennant's much anticipated performance in the lead role of Shakespeare's Richard II at Stratford, Susannah Clapp joins Anne for the very first review.

In 1980 an accident in a missile silo in Arkansas almost detonated the most powerful bomb ever constructed. Had it gone off the explosion would have been more powerful than all of the bombs used in the Second World War combined, including those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In his new book Command And Control journalist Eric Schlosser reveals this was only one of several very near misses since 1945. He joins Anne.

It is a thousand years since King Sweyn 'Forkbeard' of Denmark was named king of England in 1013 and the Illuminating York Festival is marking the city's Viking history with an artwork in the form of a Son et Lumiere based around Old Nordic and Anglo Saxon texts. Eleanor Barraclough, Radio 3 New Generation Thinker and lecturer in medieval literature at Durham University, has had a sneak preview.

Poet Basil Bunting has fallen into obscurity since his death in 1985. Yet during his life he was admired by the finest writers of the twentieth century including W.B. Yeats, Ezra Pound, Ernest Hemingway and Ford Madox Ford. Richard Burton's new biography charts the poet's astonishing life including several spells in prison, and jobs working as an artists' model, music critic, balloon operator, wing commander, diplomat and spy.

Producer: Luke Mulhall.

Available now

45 minutes

Clip

Chapters

  • Richard II

    Susannah Clapp reviews Stratford's production of Richard II, starring David Tennant

    Duration: 06:59

  • Eric Schlosser

    Eric Schlosser discusses a series of near-disasters in the management of nuclear weapons

    Duration: 15:01

  • Illuminating York Festival

    New Generation Thinker Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough on the Illuminating York Festival

    Duration: 06:04

  • Basil Bunting

    Richard Burton on his new biography of the poet Basil Bunting

    Duration: 16:12

Richard II

, Stratford-upon-Avon until Saturday 16 November 2013.听It will be broadcast live to cinemas in the UK and around the world听on Wednesday 13 November 2013.

Eric Schlosser

Eric Schlosser
Command and Control written by Eric Schlosser is published by Allen Lane.

Richard Burton

Richard Burton

A Strong Song Tows Us: The life of Basil Bunting written by Richard Burton is published by Infinite Ideas Limited.

Basil Bunting

Basil Bunting

Hear about听Lee Hall's favourite Basil Bunting poem in .听

And you can find out more about Basil Bunting in .

Image: Basil Bunting at Rapallo, Italy, 1930s. Basil Bunting Poetry Archive, Durham University Library.

Illuminating York 2013

Illuminating York 2013

runs from Wednesday 30 October until Saturday 2 November 2013.

Image: Triquetra artists impression by Ross Ashton & Karen Monid

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Anne McElvoy
Interviewed Guest Eric Schlosser
Interviewed Guest Susannah Clapp
Producer Luke Mulhall
Interviewed Guest Eleanor Barraclough

Broadcast

  • Thu 17 Oct 2013 22:00

Free Thinking

Free Thinking

Radio 3鈥檚 new home for arts and ideas.