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Richard Curtis's Film Yesterday, a summer solstice poem, Bradford Literature Festival protests

Richard Curtis discusses his latest film, Yesterday, in which a musician finds himself in a world where only he remembers The Beatles, so takes credit for writing their songs

Richard Curtis talks to John Wilson about The Beatles, the rom-com and time itself. He's written Yesterday, a musical fantasy comedy directed by Danny Boyle in which a musician, after an accident, finds himself in another world. Here he is the only person who remembers The Beatles, a fact he turns to his advantage. He takes the credit and becomes famous for writing and performing their songs. Himesh Patel stars as the singer and Lily James, Kate McKinnon, and Ed Sheeran also appear.

Several writers and commentators have now withdrawn from the Bradford Literature Festival because of the funding of a pre-festival programme by Building a Stronger Britain Together, a Home Office counter extremism programme. Front Row hears from one of them, Hussein Kesvani, author of Follow Me, Akhi : the Online World of British Muslims, and discusses the reasons for the withdrawals.

It's the summer solstice and Radio 4 has been celebrating with new poems throughout the day. In Front Row Mona Arshi reads her specially written midsummer song. She talks, too, about her new collection, Dear Big Gods, in which she explores both the intimacies of ordinariness and the collective experience of myth.

Presenter: John Wilson
Producer: Julian May

Available now

28 minutes

Richard Curtis's film Yesterday

Richard Curtis's film Yesterday

is in UK cinemas from 28 June 2019, certificate 12!.

Images:

Main image above: Himesh Patel as Jack Malik in Yesterday

Image to the left: Richard Curtis (3rd Left) on the Yesterday set, with (from Left)听 Danny Baker, Himesh Patel and Lily James

A summer solstice poem

A summer solstice poem

Mona Arshi's latest collection of poems, , is available now in paperback and as an eBook.

Image:

Image credit: Svetlana Cernenko

Bradford Literature Festival protests

Bradford Literature Festival protests

Image: A story-telling event, part of education work.

Image credit: Bradford Literature Festival

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  • Fri 21 Jun 2019 19:15

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