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The Archers' Canterbury Tales, Watership Down, Gremlins - alternative Christmas film, Putin and Rap

Carole Boyd - Lynda Snell - on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, performed by the cast of The Archers. A new television version of Watership Down and Gremlins, alternative festive film.

As the Archers prepares for its Canterbury Tales Christmas special, Carole Boyd - who plays the doyenne of Ambridge theatricals Lynda Snell - is joined by Oxford Professor of Medieval Literature Laura Ashe to discuss Chaucer鈥檚 tales of courtly love and boisterous sex.

The new 大象传媒 and Netflix animated version of Watership Down will be broadcast on 大象传媒 ONE at 7pm on December 22 and 23. Critic Mark Ecclestone gives his view on how it compares with the book by Richard Adams, and whether the new version will traumatise children, as the first film version did in the seventies.

Recently rappers in Russia have found their concerts cancelled by venues and local authorities and some musicians have been arrested. Over the weekend President Putin admitted he couldn't get rid of rap, but that he wanted to control it, saying, "If it's impossible to stop something, you have to take charge of it." But what is his objection and what does he intend to do? Alexander Kan, the 大象传媒 Russian Service's arts and culture correspondent, reads the runes.

If you're in need of a break from all the sugar-coated seasonal fare, Front Row is offering some substitute Christmas treats for you to consider. The film critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh unwraps her alternative festive film, Gremlins, a tale of Christmas shopping gone wrong.

Presenter: Samira Ahmed
Producer: Julian May

Available now

28 minutes

The Archers' Canterbury Tales

The Archers' Canterbury Tales

The Archers' Canterbury Tales Special is at 2.30pm听 on 29 December 2018 and 05 January 2019 on 大象传媒 Radio 4.

Images:

Main image above and image to the left: Actor Carole Boyd who plays Lynda Snell in The Archers

Watership Down

Watership Down

The 大象传媒's 2-part animated series of Watership Down is on 大象传媒 1 at 7.00pm on 22 and30 December 2018.

Netflix's 4-part series of Watership Down is available from 23 December 21018.

Image: Fiver convinces Bigwig to follow his plan and head for Watership Down.

Image credit: 大象传媒/Watership Productions

Putin and Rap

Putin and Rap

Image: Husky, the Russian rapper who was arrested after performing on a car roof outside the venue where his planned concert had been cancelled.

Image credit: a still from the Husky video Bullet Fool

Broadcast

  • Mon 17 Dec 2018 19:15

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