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Orhan Pamuk on competing myths

Andrew Marr discusses the divisions in society with Orhan Pamuk, Jon Sopel, Shobana Jeyasingh and Roxana Silbert.

Andrew Marr talks to the Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk about his latest novel, The Red-Haired Woman. Set in Istanbul in the 20th century, it's a family drama which weaves together competing foundation myths of patricide and filicide and pits tradition against modernity; east and west. There are more competing ideologies in Jon Sopel's 'Notes from Trump's America' which paints a picture of a country riven by divisions between black and white, rich and poor, the urban and the rural. Reality and fantasy play a part in the choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh's critique of the orientalist ballet La Bayadere. She looks back to the moment in the 19th century when genuine Indian dancers were rejected in favour of the idealised exotic version of the temple dancer in the Western imagination. 'What Shadows' is a play that tells the story of Enoch Powell's famous 'rivers of blood' speech from 1968, and its impact on the country decades later. The play's director Roxana Silbert says the play shows how prejudice can be found across the political spectrum.
Producer: Katy Hickman.

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43 minutes

Last on

Mon 18 Sep 2017 21:30
大象传媒 Radio 4

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Orhan Pamuk

Orhan Pamuk won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2006. His novel My Name Is Red won the 2003 IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. His last novel, A Strangeness in My Mind, was an international bestseller and was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize. His work has been translated into more than sixty languages. He lives in Istanbul.

The Red-Haired Woman, translated by Ekin Oklap, is published by Faber & Faber

Roxana Silbert

Roxana Silbert is artistic director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre and was previously an associate director of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Previously she was artistic director of Paines Plough Theatre Company (2005-2009), literary director at the Traverse Theatre (2001-2004) and associate director at the Royal Court (1998-2000).

Roxana directs聽What Shadows聽at Edinburgh鈥檚 Lyceum Theatre until the 23rd September, and then at the Park Theatre in London from 27th September.聽

Jon Sopel

Jon Sopel has been the 大象传媒鈥檚 North America Editor since 2014. As a 大象传媒 presenter of 16 years, Jon has worked variously as the corporation鈥檚 Paris Correspondent, Chief Political Correspondent, hosted both The Politics Show and Newsnight. As North America Editor, Jon has covered the 2016 election at first hand, reporting for the 大象传媒 across TV, radio, and online 鈥� accompanying President Obama on Air Force One and interviewing him at the White House.

If Only They Didn鈥檛 Speak English - Notes from Trump鈥檚 America is published by 大象传媒 Books

Shobana Jeyasingh

Shobana Jeyasingh is a British choreographer. Born in Chennai, Jeyasingh grew up studying the classical Indian dance form bharatanatyam. She came to the UK in 1981, and in 1988 she launched her own company, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance. She holds an honorary MA from Surrey University and an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University, Leicester. She states that her work is rooted in her experiences as a British Asian and explores the conflicts between diverse personal and cultural origins. Her choreography draws upon various sources, including ballet, Bharatnatyam and contemporary ethnic dance forms.

Bayad猫re 鈥� The Ninth Life at The Lowry, Salford 28鈥�29 Sept 2017; Sadlers Wells Theatre, London 16鈥�17 Oct 2017

Credits

Presenter Andrew Marr
Interviewed Guest Orhan Pamuk
Interviewed Guest Jon Sopel
Interviewed Guest Shobana Jeyasingh
Interviewed Guest Roxana Silbert
Producer Katy Hickman

Broadcasts

  • Mon 18 Sep 2017 09:00
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Mon 18 Sep 2017 21:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4

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  • Start the Week

    Weekly discussion programme, setting the cultural agenda every Monday