The Forum Episodes Episode guide
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Antigone: A drama of defiance
The classic play from Ancient Greece about civil disobedience
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The Master and Margarita: Devilish satire
One of Russia鈥檚 favourite novels that combines magical fantasy with dark political satire
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Fermentation: Ancient Food Alchemy
What's your brew? Friendly microbes making our fare tastier
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The Emergence of Modern Turkey
The birth of the secular republic of Turkey from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire
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Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: Revealing the Gulag
The Russian writer who exposed the grim, nightmarish world of Soviet forced labour camps
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The Iranian Coup of 1953: Overthrow of a Prime Minister
How British and US intelligence agencies helped oust Iran鈥檚 leader Mohammad Mossadeq
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Diaghilev and the ballet revolution
The Russian impresario whose Ballet Russes company transformed 20th century dance
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Charlie Chaplin
The life and work of early Hollywood's most successful comedian
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Coal: a Burning Legacy
How coal created empires and wealth but also caused misery and unprecedented pollution
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Lifting the lid: The history of the toilet
An invention many rely on, but prefer not to discuss
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Calm in the chaos: The story of the Stoics
A philosophy for resilience and equanimity
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Cambodia's ancient Khmer Empire
Builders and sculptors of South East Asia's awe-inspiring monuments
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Who was the real Cleopatra?
Unpicking fact from fiction in the life of the last queen of Egypt
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Karl Kraus: Austria鈥檚 fearless satirist
The scathing critic of deceit and corruption in Vienna
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Cool: Sunglasses, style and American counter-culture
Exploring the elements of that seemingly effortless pose to which so many aspire
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Frida Kahlo: A life in colour
The life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, known for her ground-breaking self-portraits
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The Jet Engine
The trailblazing technology which made the air age soar
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Edgar Allan Poe: Master of horror
The dark, tumultuous life of America鈥檚 great gothic writer
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The Making of Modern Japan
Rajan Datar and guests discuss the astonishing transformation of Japan over 150 years
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The American author James Baldwin
A giant of twentieth century American culture
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The Acropolis: Cradle of democracy
How the Acropolis of Athens provided the West with its foundations of politics and drama
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Friedrich Engels: The Man Behind Karl Marx
The eventful life of Engels and his pivotal contribution to Marxism
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Empress Nur Jahan: Leader of the Mughals
The woman who wielded unparalleled power over the Mughal Empire in 17th century India
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Waiting for Godot: The play that changed the rules of theatre
How a play in which nothing happens created a revolution in contemporary theatre
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Christina of Sweden: Queen of surprises
The rebellious monarch who scandalised 17th-century Europe
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Vincent van Gogh: The struggling artist
Charting the highs and lows of the influential Dutch post-Impressionist painter
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Mark Twain: The 'father of American literature'
Bridget Kendall and guests discuss the life, work and legacy of Mark Twain
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Pioneers of surgical hygiene
The painful route to cleanliness in 19th century hospitals
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The invention of numbers
How numbers and counting shaped our world
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The life and works of William Blake
Radical visionary, artist and poet
