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In this special episode, author, curator, and archaelogist Dan Hicks joins EMPIRE LINES live, to trace the origins of contemporary conflicts over art, history, memory, and colonialism, through their book, Every Monument Will Fall (2025).This episode was recorded live at Curio at Common Ground in Oxford in October 2025. Find all the information in the first Instagram post: instagram.com/p/DN0R3hN2ExOEvery Monument Will Fall: A Story of Remembering and Forgetting by Dan Hicks is published by Penguin, and available in all good bookshops and online.Hear artist Pio Abad on Giolo's Lament (2023) at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford: pod.link/1533637675/episode/1e7df6b20f9c99aae3e4df96f50913cfRead about Ali Cherri's 2025 exhibitions, How I Am Monument at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, and Vingt-quatre fantômes par seconde (Twenty-four Ghosts Per Second) at the Bourse de Commerce in Paris, in the Burlington Contemporary: contemporary.burlington.org.uk/articles/articles/ali-cherriFor more about Octavia Butler, hear artist Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum on It Will End in Tears (2024), at the Barbican in London: pod.link/1533637675/episode/6e9a8b8725e8864bc4950f259ea89310And read about the exhibition, in gowithYamo: gowithyamo.com/blog/pamela-phatsimo-sunstrum-barbicanPRODUCER: Jelena Sofronijevic.Follow EMPIRE LINES on Instagram: instagram.com/empirelinespodcastSupport EMPIRE LINES on Patreon: patreon.com/empirelines
Send us a textAs the RSC's Twelfth Night heads to the Barbican Theatre for a festive run, we are joined by veteran actor Norman Bowman. Known for seamlessly bridging the worlds of musicals and plays, Norman's career has taken him from the West End to the Donmar Warehouse to the RSC. Hailing from Arbroath, his journey is one of continuous growth and reinvention, tackling everything from tap shoes to the complexities of Shakespearean verse. As he continues to play Antonio, he shares with us his experience working with actor / director / doctor Prassana Puwanarajah and also about welcoming in new actors such as Daniel Monks to the rehearsal room for the Barbican run.In our interview with Norman Bowman, we discuss his return to the role of Antonio in the RSC's transfer of Twelfth Night to the Barbican. Having previously played Curio in a previous production, Norman tells us about his love for this show and the various characters within the world that Shakespeare has created. Having started off his career in musicals, we also talk about his recent turn as Archie in Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's landmark revival of Brigadoon. Throughout our conversation, Norman is humble about the longevity of his career which has taken him from the like of Les Miserables and Guys and Dolls to Twelfth Night which sees him reunite with Samuel West and Freema Agyeman following last year's acclaimed Stratford run.Twelfth Night runs at Barbican Theatre until 17 January 2026
Sæunn happens to be one of the most respected cellists in the world, performing with orchestras like the Los Angeles Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, and Iceland Symphony, and in venues like Carnegie Hall, Barbican, and Suntory Hall, to name just a few accolades. She's basically one of the best out there, for those who find language like that easier to understand. But what makes Sæunn stand out beyond her accolades are the challenges she throws at accepted narratives both in the classical music world and beyond. Sæunn is the kind of kindred spirit I don't have to circle around or soften edges for. There's an immediate intellectual and emotional honesty and shared language that allows us to get straight to the heart of the matter without performance. This was her first reappearance on Tapasya Loading since lockdown. The last time we spoke, the world was paused. And both of us have stepped away from academia as full-time identities since, and re-examined calendars from a different lens as performing artists as well. A central thread in this chat is our shared fascination, and frustration, with how many co-artists remain passively locked into inherited industry narratives. So we talk candidly about how many of these myths get internalized, shape behaviour, and how difficult it can be to step outside them without feeling like we're risking our worth. We reflect on the assumption of being ‘busy' being the same as being ‘good', and the fear and freedom that comes when we're no longer chasing multiple forms of what are essentially external sources of validation. Complete Episode https://www.saeunn.com/ www.findTL.com Explore coaching + courses for independent artists: holisticmusicianacademy.com Work with me: → C.I.A.R. self-paced course: https://holisticmusicianacademy.com/page/ciar → HMA group coaching & 1:1 mentorships https://holisticmusicianacademy.com/page/coaching
In this week's Gramophone Podcast we remember Alfred Brendel, one of the most significant and much-loved musical figures of age, in the company of his son, the cellist Adrian Brendel, who takes Editor Martin Cullingford around the pianist's library and studio and reflects on what his books, art and belongings tell us about him. He also talks about a very special event on January 5, at the Barbican in London, at which fellow artists and friends of Alfred Brendel will gather for a remarkable evening of music, to celebrate his life and also raise money for a cause very close to his heart.
You might know the star of Rivals for his revealing role in the hit Disney+ show, but did you know about his dramatic allium allergy?! I thought not. Alex Hassell might be best known for his portrayal of the dashing bounder, Rupert Campbell-Black in the Emmy-Award winning TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper's Rivals but his career spans the Royal Shakespeare Company, a leading role opposite Anya Taylor-Joy in The Miniaturist, HBO's His Dark Materials and co-founding the pioneering Factory Theatre Company. In this conversation, Alex reflects on the role therapy and his marriage have played in weathering early-career rejection. We talk about his struggle with self-confidence, his unlikely 'failure' to get into trouble and the rebellious streak that defined his youth - including that time he took acid at Alton Towers. Plus: having to spray tan his own private parts. This episode was recorded live at the Barbican earlier this year. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 03:17 Season Two of Rivals 04:35 The Challenges of Acting 05:28 Therapy and Self-Reflection 11:17 Overcoming Self-Doubt 13:31 School Experiences and Bullying 20:13 The Factory Theater Company 23:31 Reflecting on Early Career Challenges 23:57 The Onion Allergy Struggle 28:16 Balancing Historical Accuracy and Sensitivity in 'Rivals' 29:30 The Pressure to Be Good 33:12 Family Influence and Personal Growth 40:57 The Actor's Vulnerability and Connection
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 8 the season finale of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk all about this season ender. Bus frustrations! Multiple gun standoffs! Church fires! Plus we discuss all those endings, Chekhov’s grenade and … Caps for Sale? Finally, will we see a season two and what could it look like? All that and more in this episode! Fehinti’s TED Talk “How to find your voice for climate action” – https://www.ted.com/talks/fehinti_balogun_how_to_find_your_voice_for_climate_action Fehinti’s other TED Talk “A Letter to My Brother: Overcoming Powerlessness in a Complex World” – https://youtu.be/-RumkQQ0Gpw?si=PVnRFj4BvIezOGT5 Keir Graff's Website – https://keirgraff.com/ Sign up for Keir's newsletter – https://keirgraff.com/newsletter/ The Filmographer's Podcast – https://filmographerspodcast.com/ The Filmographer’s Podcast Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheFilmographersPodcast Keir on the Fine Arts Building – https://www.newcity.com/2023/10/30/enduring-art-after-125-years-the-fine-arts-building-is-defiantly-unmodernized-and-ready-for-its-next-act/
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 8 the season finale of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk all about this season ender. Bus frustrations! Multiple gun standoffs! Church fires! Plus we discuss all those endings, Chekhov's grenade and … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 8 – Recap
Dave Hendon looks back at a dramatic UK Championship final, delves into Mark Selby's character, gives a history of the 'triple crown' and hears from listeners about the Barbican, pocket sizes and a new campaign to stop chalk disappearing. Email us at snookerscenepodcast@mail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Today, Ceri speaks the extraordinary Memo Akten — artist, researcher, computer scientist. For more than a decade, he has worked with emerging technologies, AI, Big Data, and our Collective Consciousness as scraped and shaped by the internet, to explore consciousness, perception, ecology and the politics of our techno-lifestyles. He won the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica, became Google's first artist-in-residence in their Artists & Machine Intelligence programme, and has exhibited at the Venice Biennale, Tribeca, the Barbican, ACMI, Mori Art Museum, and the Academy Museum in LA. His collaborations span U2, Lenny Kravitz, Depeche Mode, Max Cooper, Richard Dawkins, Google, Apple and McLaren. KEY TAKEAWAYS Technology is never neutral. It shapes us as much as we shape it. Memo reminds us that behind every dataset is a culture, behind every model is a worldview, and behind every technological leap is a chain of ecological, political and emotional consequences. The world can only meet your ideas if you let them out of hiding. Memo's story is a masterclass in releasing the work before you feel ready. If you are wrestling your way through a project remember - the destination is just the documentary still. Gathering the threads that eventually become something whole is where the real art is. BEST MOMENTS “We can use technology to understand ourselves more deeply, to pay attention to the world more carefully, and to ask bigger, braver questions.” “I very rarely begin a project with an end goal of this is what it should look like, in mind. I usually begin with this is how I want it to behave.” AN UNMISSABLE OFFER If the art world feels confusing, you're not imagining it. Most artists are guessing their way through it and staying stuck far longer than they need to. Inside the Ceri Hand Coaching Membership, you get straight answers and real support. Each week, I run live sessions where you can bring any problem and I'll help you cut through it fast — creative blocks, pitches, pricing, all of it. You'll get coaching with me, the chance to host or attend a virtual studio visit, portfolio reviews, monthly art world experts, and a community who genuinely get it. It's the kind of guidance most artists wish they'd had years ago. Right now, you can join or gift a full year for £99, our only discount of the year, available until the first of January. Join the Membership, or gift it to someone who needs it. We'll get there faster together. Just click here: cerihand.com/membership. EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.memo.tv https://www.instagram.com/memo_akten HOST BIO With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals. ** Artworld Network Self Study Course Our self-study video course, 'Unlock Your Artworld Network', offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today. https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/ ** Book a Discovery Call To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at hello@cerihand.com ** This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. I’ve got a special Down Cemetery Road interview episode for you. I was lucky enough to get some time with both Fehinti Balogun who plays Amos and Darren Boyd who plays C. I thought both were really fascinating conversations and I think you’ll enjoy them. Fehinti’s TED Talk “How to find your voice for climate action” – https://www.ted.com/talks/fehinti_balogun_how_to_find_your_voice_for_climate_action Fehinti’s other TED Talk “A Letter to My Brother: Overcoming Powerlessness in a Complex World” – https://youtu.be/-RumkQQ0Gpw?si=PVnRFj4BvIezOGT5 Darren’s show SPY – https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/spy-2011
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. I've got a special Down Cemetery Road interview episode for you. I was lucky enough to get some time with both Fehinti Balogun who plays Amos and Darren Boyd who plays C. I thought both were really fascinating conversations … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Interviews – Fehinti Balogun and Darren Boyd
Alan previews and predicts what is a stellar lineup at the UK Championship semifinals at The Barbican. Old newspaper clippings from yesteryear return, and replies your emails. Snookerbreakfast@mail.com is the address. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 7 of the show Down Cemetery Road. I welcome Matthew Bradford back to the show. We talk about whether Amos is more Jason Bourne or Michael Meyers. Plus we discuss those great locations, minor character moments, cliffjumpers and cliffhangers. Finally, what’s going to happen next episode? All that and more in this episode!
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 7 of the show Down Cemetery Road. I welcome Matthew Bradford back to the show. We talk about whether Amos is more Jason Bourne or Michael Meyers. Plus we discuss those great locations, … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 7 – Recap
Alan catches up on developments at The Barbican as we get nearer to the quarter final lineup, along with listener emails. Also - The new 5 team has been announced, with a possible huge name to be added! Email the show at snookerbreakfast@mail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
With day one in the books at The Barbican, Alan looks at how it all happened. A small look ahead to The Shootout including a 75 year long connection. Where we stand as far as the double maximum prize on offer, and a bit of a tease as to the future of The World Championship and The Crucible. Email snookerbreakfast@mail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 6 of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk about the joys of train travel, boat travel and helicopter travel. Plus we discuss why this episode would not be sponsored by the Scottish Tourism Board and playing Bananagrams. Finally, did the end of the episode have an epically successful needle drop? All that and more in this episode! SNL Irish American Skit – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzlMME_sekI Keir Graff's Website – https://keirgraff.com/ Sign up for Keir's newsletter – https://keirgraff.com/newsletter/ The Filmographer's Podcast – https://filmographerspodcast.com/ The Filmographer’s Podcast Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheFilmographersPodcast Keir on the Fine Arts Building – https://www.newcity.com/2023/10/30/enduring-art-after-125-years-the-fine-arts-building-is-defiantly-unmodernized-and-ready-for-its-next-act/
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 6 of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk about the joys of train travel, boat travel and helicopter travel. Plus we discuss why this episode would not be sponsored by the Scottish … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 6 – Recap
Idag ska vi ägna oss åt ett litet, men laddat, plagg, förklädet. Som blivit lite av en vattendelare. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. Det har länge fungerat som ett okontroversiellt skydd för smuts och stänk på olika arbetsplatser, inte minst på restauranger. Men under senare tid har förkläden även dykt i sociala medier där de bärs av unga kvinnor som lajvar traditionella hemmafruar, ”så kallade ”tradwives”. Kvinnor som sköter för hushållet, medan mannen står för försörjningen.Förklädet har även börjat synas på catwalken. Flera olika modemärken, som The Row, Hermès, Phoebe Philo och Dior har alla lekt med förklädet och dess former, den senaste tidenMen nyligen tog det italienska märket Miu Miu ledningen genom att under sin visning av modet för våren och sommaren 2026 klä alla sina modeller i olika typer av just förkläden.Genom historien har förklädet förekommit i många olika modeller, färger och former, men de har också haft olika funktioner. Reportage med dräkthistorikern Toni Lewenhaupt som berättar om förklädet historia. När förklädet inte gör gästspel på modehusens runways, så hör det oftast hemma i – just det – restaurangköken. Bland skärbrädor, knivar, ugnar och eld driver kocken Niklas Ekstedt flera krogar i Stockholm och har sedan länge varit ögonvittne till förklädets utveckling som statusmarkör. Vi tar också en titt på just det som förklädet ska skydda oss från smutsen. En aktuell utställning i London på kulturcentret Barbican skärskådar den komplicerade relationen mellan just mode och smuts, vi ringer upp curatorn Karen Van Godtsenhoven.
From Addis to the Barbican and back again, this episode dives into the sound-world shaped by Mulatu Astatke — the father of Ethio jazz. With Mulatu having recently completed his farewell tour, Steve goes back to a long, previously-unreleased interview he recorded with him during the making of Hackney Colliery Band's Collaborations: Volume One. What emerges is a portrait of a true pioneer: a composer trained in London and at Berklee, a collaborator with Duke Ellington, and the architect of a style heard across film soundtracks, samples and stages worldwide.Expect discussions of Ethio jazz's roots in traditional modes and tribal instruments; a journey through pentatonic and diminished scales; and Mulatu's deep reflections on African musical heritage and collaboration. There's even a live extract of Derashe from HCB's Barbican show — the tune he discusses in the interview.In this episode:• How Mulatu fused Ethiopian pentatonic traditions with jazz harmony and improvisation.• Why some Ethiopian tribes use diminished (whole–half) scales, and how that changes the emotional palette.• The story of Duke Ellington's Jazz Ambassadors tour — and how Ellington ended up performing one of Mulatu's arrangements in Addis.• The embilta, washint and other Ethiopian wind instruments that parallel trumpets, trombones and baritone sax.• The link between African “bush” instruments, mbira/“African piano” traditions, and Western harmonic thinking.• A rare 2018 interview captured at Livingston Studios during the HCB/Mulatu recording sessions.• A live performance of Derashe from the Barbican, featuring Hackney Colliery Band and Mulatu Astatke.Also in this episode, Steve welcomes listeners from the New Scientist Podcast and explores the science–music crossover behind shell acoustics, underwater sound, and the physics of musical evolution. Plus a reminder that the new Origin of the Pieces website now includes full transcripts, an interactive world-map archive of every episode, and a growing library of extras.And don't miss the upcoming Wilton's Music Hall shows on 24th January 2026, including the first ever Origin KIDS matinee at 2pm and the evening performance at 7pm. TICKETS.
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. The links to donate to Literally Healing are tinyurl.com/teame25 for the amazon wishlist of books and tinyurl.com/giveteame for a monetary donation. We are here to recap episode 5 of the show Down Cemetery Road. I'm joined by computer expert Gary. We talk about cool PI cars, train stations and the importance of a nice bath. Plus we discuss brute force, sql injections and spidering, oh my! Finally, we talk about Sarah the outlaw. All that and more in this episode!
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. The links to donate to Literally Healing are tinyurl.com/teame25 for the amazon wishlist of books and tinyurl.com/giveteame for a monetary donation. We are here to recap episode 5 of the show Down Cemetery Road. I'm joined by computer expert … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 5 – Recap
(Full episode for paid subscribers on Substack.)I have been lucky enough to interview Liz Gilbert multiple times over the years. First almost ten years ago now, when I launched my podcast Ctrl Alt Delete in 2016. We spoke on Skype, the audio was tinny, it was the early days of podcasting, I was in my mid-twenties recording from my spare box-room in my old Hackney flat. I remember how magical it felt to be speaking with a woman I admired so much. I was invited to her book launch luncheon for Big Magic in London members' club and I sat with journalists ten years older than me. I interviewed Liz again in 2019, when I was writing my first novel Olive, and her brilliant novel City of Girls was published. I went to the Bloomsbury offices on a bright sunny day, walking through Bedford Square Gardens with a t-shirt that said Sigourney Weaver on it.In April last year, I had the honour of introducing Liz on stage in front of thousands of people at the Barbican as part of her UK tour, and I got to attend one of her sold-out creativity workshops. As readers, we get to see all her different eras. During our conversation, we call the writing life ‘living out loud' and ‘learning in public.' For many Millennial women like me, Liz has been an unapologetic symbol of living a creative life, leaning into solitude, travel, adventure—and quite frankly: doing whatever you want with your one wild and precious life.Before All the Way to the River came out this year—her new memoir all about her all-consuming relationship with her late partner Rayya Elias—I was lucky enough to read an early copy in proof form. I was absolutely glued to it, pretty much ignoring my husband for two days, totally immersed in Liz's world. I love Liz's novels for this reason, they're big and expansive, an intricately built world to escape into, and I love this about Liz's non-fiction too—she lets us into the full truth of what's been going on in her life and shows us around. She did it in Eat Pray Love, Committed, and now this new book. It takes courage to say: Actually, you know what, I'm still a work in progress—and aren't we all? She says life is full of ‘good guesses' and it suggests that we should all have compassion for our past selves who were trying to figure out all of this *points around*. We don't have to tie up our stories in pretty packages. We don't have to be ‘consumed' easily. We don't have to have our personal stories confused with ‘giving advice' or being a guru. We live in ever-changing lives and worlds. Life is messy—and so are the memoirs that follow. “I'll see you in ten years with the next memoir. We'll see what happens after this.” — Elizabeth GilbertI loved interviewing Liz again this week, about our books, writing fiction vs non-fiction, ‘cooking' our writing before publishing it, and why we do what we do. I also asked her for some friendly advice as my own memoir A Year of Nothing publishes in January. I hope you enjoy the conversation (and how progressively dark my office gets over the recording lol, it was 4pm in the UK i.e. winter hours!) xoxoxoTimestamps during our conversation:00:00 - An introvert on tour06:00 - All The Way To The River and how it was born08:00 - Journalling vs ‘cooked' writing10:00 - How would Eat Pray Love look in 2025?13:00 - Self-help vs memoir16:00 - Having respect for your readers18:30 - The myth of the ‘guru'20:00 - The fear of publishing a memoir23:00 - Dealing with judgment or criticism25:00 - The reason why we write books27:00 - When a memoir demands to be written30:00 - Writing the book you want to read34:00 - Choosing which form to write in37:00 - Fiction vs non-fiction 40:00 - Creativity and divinity 44:00 - “Success” isn't enough47:00 - A darkness retreat50:00 - Martha Beck advice54:00 - What's next for Liz 56:00 - US vs UK audiences1:00 - Where do we write?1:05 - Alone vs lonely1:07 - Women and invisibility 1:13 - The end! More on similiar topics: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thehyphen.substack.com/subscribe
Keaton Henson is an English musician, composer, and visual artist known for his hauntingly emotional songs and fragile voice. Despite his success, Henson rarely performs live due to severe anxiety and stage fright, which has become a defining part of his story. His debut album Dear… (2010) brought him widespread acclaim for its raw honesty, followed by Birthdays (2013) and Kindly Now (2016), which cemented his reputation as one of Britain's most distinctive singer-songwriters. His orchestral work Six Lethargies was performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at the Barbican, and his album Monument (2020) was praised for its moving exploration of loss. Alongside his music, he is also a talented illustrator and poet, known for blending art and emotion in all his work. His latest album Parader is out on 21st November .Keaton Henson is our guest in episode 543 of My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .For Keaton Henson's videos, books, music and more, visit - https://keatonhenson.com .Keaton's music on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/6GFfu1alUSrL7qazImC160?si=pZINSBFvQcmjJY7qu4mKIg .Keaton's music on Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/keaton-henson/318147460 .Follow Keaton Henson on Instagram: @keatonhenson .Follow My Time Capsule on Instagram: @mytimecapsulepodcast & Twitter/X & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter/X: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people .To support this podcast, get all episodes ad-free and a bonus episode every Wednesday of "My Time Capsule The Debrief', please sign up here - https://mytimecapsule.supercast.com. All money goes straight into the making of the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Get ready for a live podcast recorded at the Opentable Hospitality Summit at a sold-out Barbican, where we're joined by a heavyweight trio from the heart of UK dining. Please welcome Hawksmoor co-founder and CEO Will Beckett, Dom Hamdy of Ham restaurants, and Florence May Maglanoc, founder and chief executive of Donya and Panadera. Our panel lifts the lid on what really matters right now. Will reveals the story behind Hawksmoor St Pancras and what London can learn from the high-voltage hospitality of New York and Chicago. Dom breaks down the shift toward high-value, high-theatre experiences that make dinner feel like a show without the ticket price shock. Florence speaks to the joy and grind of running both restaurants and bakeries, the rise of 45 past the hour bookings, and how to keep service swift without losing soul. Together they tackle the big questions. Earlier dining, smaller plates, smarter bar food, and the art of making guests feel not just comfortable but special.Then we go under the hood. Operations, margins, and the tech that actually helps. From AI-powered fixes on a broken ice machine to the real game of showing up where diners now search, our guests map the road ahead. Expect sharp takes on perceived value, pre and post theatre flows, relentless incremental improvement, and how to keep regulars coming back with names remembered and off-menu surprises. If you want the blueprint for hospitality that wins in 2025, this live episode is your seat at the table.----- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 4 of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk about the pluses and minuses of juggling, whether Amos and Axel grew up as theater kids and proper neighbor etiquette. Plus we discuss nosey … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 4 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 4 of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk about the pluses and minuses of juggling, whether Amos and Axel grew up as theater kids and proper neighbor etiquette. Plus we discuss nosey … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 4 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 3 of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk about whether assassins make the best handymen, proper crime scene clean up and the best way to view CCTV. Plus we discuss dinners with … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 3 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 3 of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk about whether assassins make the best handymen, proper crime scene clean up and the best way to view CCTV. Plus we discuss dinners with … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 3 – Recap
Welcome to this special episode of the Journal of Biophilic Design podcast. We're really excited to share this feature from our very first Biophilic Design Conference, which took place at the iconic Barbican Centre in London. It was a landmark moment — the UK's first-ever conference dedicated entirely to biophilic design — and we were joined by an amazing lineup of experts, designers and researchers exploring how connecting people and nature through design can transform our buildings and cities. This year's conference is back — bigger and better than ever — at Westminster Central Hall in London on Sunday, 17th November. https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/biophilic-design-conference Join us for a day of inspiring talks, interactive sessions, and meaningful connections with the people who are shaping the future of design for wellbeing, sustainability and climate resilience.This special edition of the Journal of Biophilic Design podcast is a podcast recorded by our friends at Workplace Geeks, Ian Ellison and Chris Moriarty. Host Ian Ellison sets out to explore a big question: Is biophilic design simply good design, or something we need to intentionally spotlight because of its unique importance to people, place and planet?In this deep dive, Ian speaks with a host of experts and thought leaders — including Dr Nigel Oseland, Dr Sally Augustin, Oliver Heath, Prof Harriet Shortt, Mark Catchlove, Dr Vanessa Champion, Matthew Burgess, Chloe Bullock, and Prof Geoff Proffitt — to unpack the science, theory, and lived experience behind biophilic design.You'll hear:The psychological and evolutionary roots of our natural affinity for nature.Insights from the UK's first Biophilic Design Conference and what made the Barbican such a fascinating venue.Real-world examples of biophilic design in action — from workplaces and clinics to urban spaces and beyond.Tune in to reflect, challenge assumptions, and join the ongoing conversation: is biophilic design just a feel-good concept, or is it the future of how we should be designing every environment?Book tickets to the 2nd Biophilic Design Conference - join us in PERSON and ONLINE https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/biophilic-design-conferenceSession schedule : https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/-2025-conference-sessionsConnect with the Workplace Geeks community:Share your thoughts using #WorkplaceGeeks or email hello@workplacegeeks.org.Follow @WorkplaceGeeks on LinkedIn and subscribe for more thought-provoking insights on workplace and design. To listen to the original visit https://www.buzzsprout.com/1933353/episodes/16903582-biophilic-design-buzzword-or-big-deal-a-workplace-geeks-investigationThey also have a listener survey live at the moment, with prizes, so do the survey too, that would be superb https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/WGls2025sv/Have you got a copy of the Journal? You can now subscribe as a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design or purchase a gorgeous coffee table reference copy or PDF download of the Journal journalofbiophilicdesign.comor Amazon and Kindle. Credits: with thanks to George Harvey Audio Production for the calming biophilic soundscape that backs all of our podcasts. Listen to our podcast on Audible, Amazon Music, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and all the RSS feeds.https://www.facebook.com/journalofbiophilicdesign/https://twitter.com/JofBiophilicDsnhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/journalofbiophilicdesign/https://www.instagram.com/journalofbiophilicdesignIf you like this,please subscribe!
In her latest novel, One Aladdin Two Lamps, the writer Jeanette Winterson takes inspiration from the legendary story of Shahrazad in One Thousand and One Nights. But she calls on the reader to look again at stories we think we know, unpick how fiction works, and have the courage to challenge and change the narrative.The saxophonist and presenter Soweto Kinch will perform his new album, Soundtrack to the Apocalypse, with the London Symphony Orchestra (at the Barbican, London, on Friday 14th November), combining British jazz, hip-hop and orchestral music. This is the finale of his acclaimed trilogy of politically charged, genre-defying works that tell different stories of the past, present and future. The former MP Rory Stewart spent nearly a decade in Britain's most rural constituency, Penrith and Borders, and wrote a column for a local newspaper. In Middleland: Dispatches from the Borders he's collected together these fragmentary moments from rural life and local politics to capture a wide-ranging portrait of life and stories from the Cumbrian countryside. Producer: Katy Hickman Assistant Producer: Natalia Fernandez
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. This episode I have an interview with Nick Mohammed who plays Mayor Jaffrey on SLOW HORSES. We talk about his playing a politician on show and why we're interested in spies behaving badly. Plus what's it like joining the … Continue reading Barbican Station – Nick Mohammed Interview and Season 5 wrap-up
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. This episode I have an interview with Nick Mohammed who plays Mayor Jaffrey on SLOW HORSES. We talk about his playing a politician on show and why we're interested in spies behaving badly. Plus what's it like joining the … Continue reading Barbican Station – Nick Mohammed Interview and Season 5 wrap-up
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. We are here to recap all the action in the new series Down Cemetery Road based on the book by Mick Herron. I'm pleased to welcome back Keir Graff to talk all the action and changes from the book … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 1 and 2 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap all the action in the new series Down Cemetery Road based on the book by Mick Herron. I'm pleased to welcome back Keir Graff to talk all the action and changes from the book … Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 1 and 2 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we look at season finale of season 5 of SLOW HORSES. I'm pleased to welcome back Matthew Bradford to the show for his traditional role of clean up man on the finale episode of the season. … Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 6 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we look at season finale of season 5 of SLOW HORSES. I'm pleased to welcome back Matthew Bradford to the show for his traditional role of clean up man on the finale episode of the season. … Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 6 – Recap
Are you watching Blue Lights? If not, why not? On this episode is one of the stars of the Belfast-based cop drama. She's a star of stage and screen at the peak of her acting prowess. You may have seen her as Sherlock' Holmes' evil sister in Sherlock alongside Benedict Cumberbatch or starring opposite Suranne Jones in Doctor Foster. If you're really lucky you may have even seen her break-out theatre role as Ophelia in Hamlet at London's Barbican. Sian rarely does podcast interviews - so what an honour to share a couple of glasses of wine and a really lovely chat about the confidence gained from early drama classes, the women who've reached down to help her on her journey, and the illness that nearly ended her career before it really began. Sit back, grab whatever drink you fancy and enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Goevert, Tobias www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Fazit
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. This episode I have an interview with Hiba Bennani who plays Tara on SLOW HORSES. We talk about this season and the surprising turn we see in episode 5. Plus how she integrated into the cast and that nightclub … Continue reading Barbican Station – Hiba Bennani Interview
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we look at season 5 episode 5 of SLOW HORSES. I'm pleased to welcome author and podcaster Keir Graff to the show to talk through this penultimate episode of the season. We talk about track suits, … Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 5 – Recap
Today I talk to Ellen E Jones the winner of the Kraszna- Krausz Moving Image Book Awards 2025. The event at the Barbican to celebrate Ellen's win is on 27 October - https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2025/event/imitation-of-life-12-with-introduction-reception Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today I talk to Ellen E Jones the winner of the Kraszna- Krausz Moving Image Book Awards 2025. The event at the Barbican to celebrate Ellen's win is on 27 October - https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2025/event/imitation-of-life-12-with-introduction-reception Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
We're back at Woof Fest with a Jennifer Coolidge lookalike. Geoff name drops to a 12-year-old. Plus Jackson Lamb, Ho, Standish, Tavener, et al, and more mentions of our time spent at the Barbican. Did we mention we stayed in the Barbican? Write to us: fuckoff@firecrotchandnormcore.comFund our closets (we can't tell you how much we're about to spend on closets, but it's heartbreaking) patreon.com/theyliketowatchEdited by Annabel Port who is a young gun on the TikTok now! Check her out: https://bit.ly/4n8Xhlv Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we look at season 5 episode 4 of SLOW HORSES. I'm pleased to welcome back author Frank Sennett to the show to break down everything we saw in this episode. We talk about a the proper … Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 4 – Recap
Of the 7,000 languages estimated to exist, half will have disappeared by the end of this century. That's the stark warning from the Director of the Endangered Languages Archive, Mandana Seyfeddinipur. The evolution of languages, and their rise and fall, is part of human history, but the speed at which this is happening today is unprecedented. Mandana will be appearing at the inaugural Voiced: The Festival for Endangered Languages at the Barbican in October. A sense of loss also runs through Sverker Sörlin's love letter to snow. The professor of Environmental History in Stockholm writes about the infinite variety of water formulations, frozen in air, in ‘Snö: A History' (translated by Elizabeth DeNoma), and his fears about the vanishing white landscapes of his youth.In the Arctic the transformation from frozen desert into an international waterway is gathering pace. Klaus Dodds is Professor of Geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London and with co-author Mia Bennett sets out the fight and the future of the Arctic in ‘Unfrozen'. While territorial contest and resource exploitation is causing tensions within the region, there is also potential for new ways of working, from Indigenous governance to subsea technologies.Producer: Katy Hickman Assistant Producer: Natalia Fernandez
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under “Barbican Station”. This episode I have an interview with James Callis who plays Claude Whelan on SLOW HORSES. We talk about this season and Claude's role as First Desk, Claude's wife and his inability to take control. We also get into … Continue reading Barbican Station – James Callis Interview
For the British writer and cultural critic Olivia Laing, restoring and tending to their backyard garden has prompted complex questions of power, community, and mystery, concepts that they beautifully excavate in their latest book, the fascinating and mind-expanding The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise. Whether in their nonfiction works, including the critically acclaimed The Lonely City (2016), their art and culture writing and criticism (2020's Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency), or their novels (2018's Crudo and the forthcoming The Silver Book, out this November), Laing turns an incisive eye to examining what it will take for people—our “temporal selves,” as they put it—to forgo loneliness and isolation, reconnect with nature and one another, and flourish on a planet in crisis.On this episode, recorded in their apartment at the Barbican in London, Laing explores gardening and writing's symbiotic relationship; the act of rebelling against a reactive culture by embracing slowness; and the importance of imagining, in vivid detail, the kinds of utopias we could one day very well live in.Special thanks to our Season 12 presenting sponsor, Van Cleef & Arpels.Show notes:Olivia Laing[4:35] The Barbican[7:39] “The Garden Against Time” (2024)[7:53] Mark Rumary[9:08] Notcutts[14:08] “The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone” (2016)[16:07] Jhumpa Lahiri[18:41] Piet Oudolf[19:21] Middleton Place[19:21] The Sackler family[22:54] “Modern Nature” (1991)[24:07] “Paradise Lost” (1667)[25:40] “The Secret Garden” (1911)[25:40] “Tom's Midnight Garden” (1958)[29:29] “The Garden” (1681)[30:29] “Everybody: A Book About Freedom” (2021) [35:07] “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” (2014)[39:57] David Wojnarowicz's "Magic Box"[39:57] Ana Mendieta[40:51] Agnes Martin[43:08] “Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency” (2020) [45:29] “Crudo” (2018) [48:20] “A Dance to the Music of Time” (1951–1975) [50:29] “The Silver Book” (2025)[52:48] Federico Fellini[52:48] Pier Paolo Pasolini[55:17] “News from Nowhere” (1890)
Hailing from Cork, Ireland, songwriters Cathal Coughlan and Sean O'Hagan formed the band Microdisney in 1980. After relocating to London in 1983, the band recorded six Peel Sessions for BBC Radio and released their debut album for Rough Trade called 'Everybody Is Fantastic'. This week's guest, musician, filmmaker, podcaster and radio host Alexei Shishkin, joins us to discuss the band and that record. The duo's combination of lushly orchestrated pop paired with wryly poetic, at times biting lyrics were right up Alexei's musical alley, and we're here for it! Songs discussed in this episode: Dear Rosemary - Microdisney; Disco Elysium, Tiki Taka - Alexei Shishkin; Palm Of My Hand - The Pale Fountains; Horse Overboard - Microdisney; Pack Yr Romantic Mind - Stereolab; Blues For Ceausescu - The Fatima Mansions; McCardle Brown - Sean O'Hagan; Idea, A Few Kisses, Escalator In The Rain - Microdisney; Half A Person - The Smiths; Dolly (Live, Barbican sessions 2018), Dolly - Microdisney; The King Of Rock 'N' Roll - Prefab Sprout; Dreaming Drains, I'll Be A Gentleman, Moon, Sun, Sleepless, Come On Over and Cry, This Liberal Love, Before Famine, Everybody Is Dead, Everybody Is Dead (Peel session) - Microdisney; Ode To Carl Dennis - Alexei Shishkin
Secret filming by the BBC's Panorama programme last night revealed evidence of racism, misogyny and officers revelling in the use of force at one of London's busiest police stations. Panorama's evidence suggests that a toxic culture still exists inside the Met and that racist and misogynistic attitudes haven't been eliminated but have been driven underground. Anita Rani speaks to Matt Jukes, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.The secrets we keep reflect the conventions, taboos and laws of the outside world, and women have traditionally had the bigger burden of secrets, often unable to reveal things that could get them or others judged, in society or by law. Anita talks to Juliet Nicolson about her new book The Book of Revelations which explores secrets through social history, her own family and many case studies she spoke to. The conservationist and primatologist Dame Jane Goodall died yesterday, aged 91. According to the Jane Goodall Institute, she died of natural causes in California where she was staying as part of a speaking tour in the US. There has been tributes from around the world. Joining me Anita to remember this ground-breaking conservationist who revolutionised the study of great apes is wildlife biologist, National Geographic Explorer and President of the Wildlife Trust, Liz Bonnin, and Jillian Miller who is the director of the Gorilla Organisation who work to save gorillas from extinction.From gowns buried underground to transforming fabrics with melted bandages, fashion has a history of exploring the aesthetics of dirt and decay. A new exhibition at the Barbican, Dirty Looks, explores 50 years of designers from Vivienne Westwood to Alexander McQueen, who used dirt and distress to make statements about luxury, beauty, class and the environment. The exhibition also looks at waste as fashion is now one of the most polluting industries in the world. Anita is joined by the exhibition's curator, Karen Van Godtsenhoven, and artist and designer, Michaela Stark, whose work challenges ideas of imperfection.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt