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Ben Elton on Shakespeare, Call to Action Art, Vanessa Kisuule

Ben Elton on his fascination with Shakespeare. Vanessa Kisuule reads a poem for the winter solstice. Plus is art becoming more political?

Ben Elton, creator of the iconic Elizabethan sitcom Blackadder II, talks about his fascination with Shakespeare, as Upstart Crow returns to 大象传媒 Two for a Shakespeare/Dickens mashup, A Crow Christmas Carol. He's also written the screenplay for All is True, a Shakespeare biopic starring Kenneth Branagh.

Vanessa Kisuule reads her poem Describing Snow in the Aftermath, part of Radio 4's poetry day marking the winter solstice.

As artist Olafur Eliasson installs melting ice blocks outside Tate Modern in order to highlight the dangers of climate change, Stig asks whether political art is becoming more of a call to action. With critics Jacky Klein, Jonathan Jones and artist Bob and Roberta Smith.

And why has misery won out over cheer on Christmas TV in recent years? David Butcher investigates.

Presenter: Stig Abell
Producer: Timothy Prosser

Available now

28 minutes

Ben Elton on Shakespeare

Ben Elton on Shakespeare

Up Start Crow's Christmas special, A Crow Christmas Carol is on 大象传媒 2 at 8.35pm on Christmas Day, and on the 大象传媒 iPlayer.

Images:

Main image above: from Left:David Mitchell as Will and Kenneth Branagh as Colin

Image credit: 大象传媒/Gary Moyes

Image to the left:

Call to Action Art

Call to Action Art

Image: , Ice Watch

Image credit: Matt Alexander/PA Wire

Vanessa Kisuule

Vanessa Kisuule
Image:

Broadcast

  • Fri 21 Dec 2018 19:15

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