Podcast appearances and mentions of Lolita Chakrabarti

We look back at the quarter century in performing arts, exploring the changes in live stage performance and asking how the theatrical landscape has changed over those years. Samira Ahmed hears about some of the big trends that have changed the experience - such as immersive theatre and discusses the challenges the sector has faced. She is joined by playwrights Mark Ravenhill and Lolita Chakrabarti, who is also an actor, by the producer and CEO of Nimax Theatres, Nica Burns and by the critic Sarah Crompton. Plus we hear from Felix Barrett, founder of Punchdrunk Theatre and Nikolai Foster the artistic director of the Leicester Curve.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Ruth Watts

Send us a Text Message.This month's episode focuses on Red Velvet, the 2012 play by Lolita Chakrabarti.Laura has been speaking to actor Papa Anoh Yentumi about his role as the young Ira Aldridge in the upcoming Crescent Theatre Company production of the play.We also learn more about the play and the actor who inspired it, the American Ira Aldridge, who was the first black actor in England to play Othello on the professional stage.

How many women have decided not to have more children after a traumatic birth? The UK's first inquiry into traumatic childbirth has found that too often poor care is normalised, with devastating effects on women's mental and physical health. Nuala McGovern talks to one Woman's Hour listener who decided she couldn't face having another child after a traumatic birth, and to the author of the report, Dr Kim Thomas, about its recommendations. Journalist Decca Aitkenhead regularly sleepwalks. She talks to Nuala about her night-time escapades which include finding herself locked out in the middle of the night, eating food she'd find disgusting when awake and incredible strength that has seen her smash furniture to pieces. She's joined by neurologist and sleep expert Prof Guy Leschziner who explains what's going on in our brains when we sleepwalk, and how women are affected. New analysis from the TUC, the Trades Union Congress, says that more than 1.5 million women have dropped out of the workforce because of long-term sickness. The figure marks a 48% increase compared with five years ago. Nicola Smith, Head of Economics at the TUC, tells Nuala McGovern what may be stopping women from returning to work. Award-winning playwright and actor Lolita Chakrabarti discusses her new Radio 3 play, Calmer. All about motherhood and chaos, it follows three generations of ultra-successful women in one family - but their lives are not as ‘good' as they appear on paper.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Olivia Skinner

A new drama about motherhood and chaos, from Olivier-Award-winning writer Lolita Chakrabarti, starring Meera Syal.Three generations of ultra-successful women in one family:Maya, a self-help guru with an avid following, has an American TV deal in the offing. Nina, her daughter, a psychiatrist, is expanding her thriving practice. Amber, Nina's daughter, has an offer from Cambridge.But a fault line will soon tear everything apart.Deeply visceral, often sharply funny, Calmer explores mental health and the intense love and competition in mother-daughter relationships.By Lolita ChakrabartiMaya…. Meera SyalNina… Lolita ChakrabartiAmber… Payal MistryMichael… Julian WadhamJude… Benjamin WesterbyGrace… Sophie MelvilleProduction co-ordinator: Lindsay ReesOriginal music… Lee AffenSound design: Nigel LewisDirected by Fay LomasA BBC Audio Drama Wales Production

Award-winning playwright and actress, Lolita Chakrabarti, whose extensive career encompasses television, film, and stage (such as her adaptations of LIFE OF PI, INVISIBLE CITIES, and HAMNET), talks with Burning Coal Artistic Director Jerome Davis about her life, career, her play RED VELVET, and HYMN which will show at Burning Coal Theatre January, 25th - February, 11th.  

In this episode, playwright and actress, Lolita Chakrabarti, talks about her plays, Red Velvet and Hamnet.For a complete episode transcript, click http://www.womenandshakespeare.comInterviewer: Varsha PanjwaniGuest: Lolita Chakrabarti Researchers: Marie Tagbo & Sophie Massey Producers: Audrey Kim Chung & Niraj Nair  Transcript: Benjamin PooreArtwork: Wenqi WanSuggested Citation:  Chakrabarti, Lolita in conversation with Panjwani, Varsha (2024). Lolita Chakrabarti on Red Velvet and Hamnet [Podcast], Series 4, Ep. 5. http://womenandshakespeare.com/Twitter: @earlymoderndoc Insta: earlymoderndocEmail: earlymoderndoc@gmail.com

Byron Jennings, who has appeared with Burning Coal in ART by Yasmina Reza, STUFF HAPPENS by David Hare (playing Colin Powell), UNTIL THE FLOOD by Dael Orlandersmith and THE PRISONER'S DILEMMA by David Edgar, talks with Burning Coal Artistic Director Jerome Davis about their recent triumph with Tom Stoppard's ARCADIA, his upcoming role in HYMN by Lolita Chakrabarti and their mutual love for Stephen Sondheim, among other things.

Embark on a magical journey into the heart of Christmas with Wishmas, where wishes take flight in an enchanting realm filled with Wishkeepers, Robins, and the iconic Father Christmas. This festive adventure, featuring stellar performances is a delight for children of all ages and anyone who believes in the magic of the holiday season. Meanwhile, the Royal Shakespeare Company's highly anticipated production of Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet, now playing at London's Garrick Theatre following a sold-out run in Stratford-upon-Avon, boasts captivating performances from Madeleine Mantock and Tom Varey. Adapted by the award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti, the play unveils the untold story of William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, offering a captivating glimpse into the life of the literary genius. For a different kind of Christmas tale, join David Horovitch and Greta Scacchi and have Christmas at Hardcastle Hall in She Stoops To Conquer. OT Artistic Director Tom Littler with Francesca Ellis, directs an all-star cast including Tanya Reynolds, Freddie Fox, Sabrina Bartlett, and Robert Mountford  supported by a community ensemble in the 250th anniversary production of Oliver Goldsmith's glorious comedy of misunderstanding.  In the heart of the West End, Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends has become a sensation. This grand Broadway show, celebrating the life and work of the legendary Sondheim, features a stellar cast led by Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga, Christine Allado, Clare Burt, Janie Dee, Damian Humbley, Bradley Jaden, Bonnie Langford, Gavin Lee, Jason Pennycooke, Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Jac Yarrow, Marley Fenton, and Beatrice Penny-Touré. The company also includes Harry Apps, Bella Brown, Richard Dempsey, and Monique Young, completing a cast that is truly the best of the West End and Broadway. Lastly, experience the uproarious antics of disgraced actor Garry Starr in Garry Starr Performs Everything. Defying critics and saving performing arts from extinction, Starr fearlessly traverses every theatre style imaginable, offering a "masterclass in mockery." With an exclusive interview with star and creator Damien Warren-Smith, this is a unique and entertaining exploration of the world of theatre. Don't miss the chance to witness this extraordinary performance that leaves no genre unturned.

The prodigious, award-winning novelist talks to us candidly about her life as a novelist since she first published ‘After You'd Gone' 23 years ago.  She tells us how she started writing, her inspiration for ‘Hamnet' and her most recent published novel ‘The Marriage Portrait'.  She describes what it was like to watch ‘Hamnet' at the RSC and The Garrick, where Lolita Chakrabarti's adaptation of the novel is now playing and breaking the theatre's box office records.  She also talks about how she's been shaped by suffering from viral encephalitis as a child and her 17 near brushes with death recounted in her autobiography ‘I am, I am, I am'.  It's a fascinating insight into the mind and working practices of one of our most popular novelists. Hamnet is running at The Garrick Theatre until 17th February 2004.

When it comes to Shakespeare's biography and his inner life, there's a certain lack of evidence. But what if Shakespeare actually signposted us to an event that radically metamorphosed his world? What if he named his most famous, most acclaimed play Hamlet after his son, Hamnet, who died at the age of 11?In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Maggie O'Farrell who won the Women's Prize for Fiction with her novel exploring this very question. Hamnet is now also a play by the Royal Shakespeare Company, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, being staged at the Garrick Theatre in London. Suzannah talks to Maggie O'Farrell about both the novel and the play.This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Sign up now for your 14-day free trial here >You can take part in our listener survey here >Audio for Uploader: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1KANbFCd3WZAccYrGC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're chatting about the Royal Shakespeare Company's summer programme with Erica Whyman, who was Acting Artistic Director of the RSC till June, the director of the smash hit play ‘Hamnet' and the Lead Judge of the specially commissioned 37 plays.  We also talk to Tanya Katyal, playing Rani, in the new production at the Swan of Tanika Gupta's ‘The Empress'.   We also hear about the new production of ‘As You Like It' starring Geraldine James as Rosalind along with a cast of older actors – mostly over 70.  Erica also tells us about working with Lolita Chakrabarti to adapt Maggie O'Farrell's novel ‘Hamnet', which transfers to the Garrick Theatre in the West End in the autumn. The RSC has celebrated 400 years since the publication of Shakespeare's First Folio by commissioning 37 new plays from all over the UK.  The competition was open to all and Erica, as the Lead Judge, tells us about the winning entries – some came from writers as young as six. We also hear about the RSC's valuable work with schools across the UK.

Lolita Chakrabarti is the playwright of Red Velvet, about 19th-century Black actor Ira Aldridge, and has adapted Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities and Yann Martel's The Life of Pi for the stage. Now, she has adapted Maggie O'Farrell's bestselling novel Hamnet for the stage. Hamnet is currently playing at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Swan Theatre. The play tells the story of a young Agnes Hathaway and William Shakespeare as they fall in love and start a family, and the psychological damage caused by the death of their son, Hamnet. Barbara Bogaev talks with Chakrabarti about adapting O'Farrell's story, how she portrays the Shakespeare family, and her earlier play Red Velvet. Hamnet is onstage at the Royal Shakespeare Company's newly restored Swan Theatre until June 17 and will open at London's Garrick Theatre on September 30. From the Folger's Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published April 25, 2023. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the associate producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. Ben Lauer is the web producer, with help from Leonor Fernandez. We had technical help from Melvin Rickarby in Stratford and Voice Trax West in Studio City, California. Final mixing services provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc.

Maggie O'Farrell's historical novel Hamnet was published in 2020 to great critical acclaim, winning the Women's Prize. It tells the story of a gifted herbalist, Agnes Hathaway, who is married to a young William Shakespeare. We follow her on her journey as they meet, marry, and later come to terms with the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet. Now, the Royal Shakespeare Company is putting Hamnet on stage for the first time in Shakespeare's birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon. Presenter Dan Hardoon follows the RSC's Acting Artistic Director Erica Whyman throughout the rehearsal process. We also hear from award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti on the challenges of adapting the novel for the stage, and from cast and crew as they get ready for opening night.

Ian Paterson, who became known as the butchering breast surgeon, is currently serving a 20-year jail term after being convicted of 17 counts of wounding with intent and 3 counts of unlawful wounding. Now the Sunday Times has revealed that 27 inquests have been opened as a result of investigating the deaths of 650 of his patients. Nuala speaks to campaigner Debbie Douglas, who was one of Mr Paterson's patients, and the Sunday Times Health Editor Shaun Lintern. Is 'therapy speak' making us selfish? The prescriptive language of the therapist's couch has slowly seeped into everyday life, particularly online where words like ‘boundaries', ‘self-care' and ‘narcissist' are increasingly common. But when it comes to friendships, is the idea of self-care making us give up on them too easily? Sociologist and writer Amy Charlotte Kean talks to Nuala about how our relationships are being affected. In the next in the Woman's Hour Girl's World series, Ena Miller has been talking to three girls in Glasgow, Saskia, Francesca and Olivia all of whom are 13 and 14 years of age. We often talk about girls and their lives on Woman's Hour but we rarely talk to them, so Ena asks them - do they feel listened to? Award-winning playwright and actor Lolita Chakrabarti joins Nuala in the Woman's Hour studio to talk about the new play 'Hamnet'. Maggie O'Farrell's best-selling novel of the same name tells the story of the death of Shakespeare's 11 year old son as she would have us believe it happened. Having sold more than 1.5m copies the story has now moved from paper to stage at the RSC in Stratford Upon Avon thanks to an adaptation by Lolita. She'll tell us why she was so drawn to telling the story of the people around Shakespeare. A new BBC Africa Eye documentary, Uganda's Stolen Innocence, investigates the increasing levels of sexual violence and incest in Uganda, particularly in the North. Documentary producer Nicola Milne and Ugandan lawyer Eunice Lakaraber Latim join Nuala to talk about the lack of faith in the justice system and how the legacy of the insurgency led by Joseph Kony fuelled this issue further.

“Life of Pi,” directed by Max Webster with puppetry design by Finn Caldwell and Nick Barnes, won five Olivier Awards for its West End production, including Best New Play. The show opened at The Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway last night. Lolita Chakrabarti OBE is an actress and an award-winning playwright. Her's was the mind challenged with writing “Life of Pi” as a theater piece.

In this special episode, broadcaster Rob Crossan takes a look back over some of our London-based episodes, including Siobhán McSweeney at the Wellcome Collection, Lolita Chakrabarti at the Horniman Museum & Gardens, Mel Giedroyc at Pitzhanger Manor, and Lemn Sissay at the Foundling Museum.Wherever you go in London this autumn there is so much to love and enjoy. Be inspired, calmed, enthralled and entertained. Make a date with London. #LoveLondon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Award-winning playwright and actor Lolita Chakrabarti celebrates the life of Ira Aldridge, an icon of theatre who rose to fame at the height of the movement to abolish slavery and brought Shakespeare to audiences across the world. He made his career on the London stage before touring Europe where, along with rapturous applause, he received top honours from heads of state. He is the only actor of African-American descent among the 33 actors of the English stage to be honoured with a Bronze Plaque at The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon and a Blue Plaque at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre - which he managed in 1828 - also celebrates his contribution to theatre. Lolita Chakrabarti shares her deep passion and knowledge of this fascinating actor alongside historian Stephen Bourne, author of 'Deep Are The Roots -Trailblazers Who Changed Black British Theatre'. Presented by Matthew Parris Produced by Nicola Humphries

INTERVIEW: LOLITA CHAKRABARTI. At this year’s Olivier Awards, Lolita Chakrabarti’s adaptation of Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi took home five wins from its nine nominations. The success was another high point for Chakrabarti who, after a long career as an actor, turned to writing a decade ago with her play Red Velvet about the life […]

The stage version of The Life of Pi is currently pulling in the crowds and snaffling all the Olivier nominations, so Hannah got on the Zoom with the woman responsible for adapting the book: Lolita Chakrabarti. They talk about the highs and lows of tackling such a well-loved novel and its themes of storytelling and faith, as well as chatting about some of Lolita's other recent projects, including A Working Diary, the book she wrote with her husband, fellow actor Adrian Lester.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/standardissuespodcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lolita Chakrabarti is a force within the acting fraternity. She's been on our TV and movie screens for nearly 30 years!  She really is a veteran in her art, while still evolving her craft all the time.Such a pleasure to have her on the podcast. Enjoy!

In the first 37 Plays podcast episode, Mark Ravenhill is joined by actress and writer Lolita Chakrabarti, OBE. From Mark's 101 Playwriting Tips, Lolita choses: #71: A very good playwright told me she always has the last line/image of the play first. Jealous! a play does often drive toward that last moment. Everything else is a set up for that pay off. But it takes me many drafts to get there. Lolita's own tip is: “Keep your own counsel with the first draft. Don't listen to anybody before you have processed and felt the story, imagined it, and written that first painful, painful draft. Nobody can be a voice in your head, other than your own voice.”

Listen to Erica and Miriam discuss Almeida Theatre's production of Hymn.

In Episode Nine, Season Three, Lolita Chakrabarti joins Sheena to discuss her 30+ year career in the arts, working as a writer and an actor. Tracing her route from RADA to the West End, here, Chakrabarti talks about acting instinctively, expounds on the benefits of working in the same field as your partner, and shares her thoughts on the future of theatre post COVID-19. Let us know what you think of the episode by reaching out to us on social media - @citizenfemme

The crew rings in the New Year with BBC's submarine murder mystery that finally made it's way over to the US, Vigil. We take a look at the 2021 show starring Suranne Jones, Rose Leslie, Shaun Evans, Paterson Joseph, Adam James, Connor Swindells, Gary Lewis, Anjli Mohindra, Lorne MacFadyen, Lolita Chakrabarti, Stephen Dillane, and Daniel Portman.

In this show, Yuliya chats to Tamsin about the most challenging and the most fulfilling aspects of an audio producer's job, how having a professional producer can benefit the production process of audiobooks, and what do publishers, or self-publishing authors need to look for in an audiobook narrator when it comes to casting and choosing the right voice. Tamsin explains what the work of an audiobook producer encompasses- from royalties, manuscripts, book preparation, castings to recordings, production, and post-production. She brings us back in the days when the audiobooks were just taking off, sharing her memories on how her journey as an audiobook producer started off, what producers were looking in a good voice, and how the casting process has changed since then. “As soon as you make a choice about the accent of the narrator, you make a statement about the book. “says Tamsin.  And there are so many things you need to consider when you are casting the right voice for your audiobook as this can be a break or make moment. Tamsin explains in detail about all the aspects you need to analyse before making that choice. She talks about the importance of creating an atmosphere of trust, creativity, and teamwork quickly upfront. If you are a voice actor, you would be delighted to hear the best tips you could get from a highly experienced producer including tips on how to prepare for your recording session, how to warm up, what to eat and drink, what to wear, and how to prep your characters and pronunciation guides. So whether you are a publisher, or self-publishing author, a producer or voice director, an experienced or aspiring narrator or simply someone who is passionate about storytelling and the world of audiobooks, take a listen to this podcast which is full of incredible insight, packed with good humour and priceless tips for anyone working in the industry.     Host/Producer/Editor: Yuliya Stancheva Guest: Tamsin Collission   Tamsin has been working as a freelance audio producer/director for over 20 years, having produced over 400 audiobooks to date. She has worked for many of the UK's leading publishing houses and have been a regular contributor at Audible UK since 2015.  She has directed some of the finest writers and actors in the country, across an incredibly wide range of material, from the Quidditch World Cup Championships to the complete Anglo Saxon poem Beowulf in the original Old English.  She has just directed All the Sonnets of Shakespeare for Cambridge University Press, read by Kenneth Brannagh and Lolita Chakrabarti.  During Lockdown she directed a dramatisation of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park for Audible, home-recording 14 actors scattered across the UK, and a new audiobook of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, performed by Hugh Grant.  She is just finishing off an unabridged reading of Tolstoy's War & Peace, and has directed Audible's Christmas 2021 headline drama production. Tamsin teaches and directs at leading UK drama schools, including LAMDA and RADA, where she is an Academy Associate. For further details, visit her website at www.tamsincollison.co.uk.  

Paradox House presents… Episode 10 and the season finale of Scripted hosted by Daisy Lewis. For our final episode in season 1, we are treated with the presence of Lolita Chakrabarti OBE. Lolita carved some time out of her busy schedule to chat to Daisy about all things scripted - The process of writing, multi-hyphenates and representation in the stories she creates. Lolita Chakrabarti OBE is an award-winning actress and writer. She trained at RADA and has been working as an actor on stage and screen for over thirty years. Her writing work includes – Theatre HYMN, live-streamed and performed live at the Almeida Theatre, London 2021 Also shown on Sky Arts Adaptation of LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel World premiere at Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, July 2019. Transferred to Wyndhams, London in 2021. Awards: WhatsonStage Best New Play 2019, UK Theatre Award for Best New Play, Cameo Book to Stage 2020 Adaptation of INVISIBLE CITIES by Italo Calvino World premiere at Mayfields, Manchester International Festival and Brisbane Festival 2019 A collaboration with digital projectionist 59Productions, choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and twenty two dancers from Rambert. RED VELVET Tricycle Theatre, London 2012 and 2004 St Anne's Warehouse, New York 2014 Garrick Theatre, London 2016 To date there have been over 30 productions worldwide. Awards: Charles Wintour Evening Standard Award Most Promising Playwright Award 2012; Critics Circle Award in 2013 for Most Promising Playwright; AWA Award 2013 for Arts and Culture; Nominations for Whatsonstage Awards 2013 for London Newcomer of the Year & Best New Play; Nomination for an Olivier Award 2013 for Best Play in an Affiliate Theatre. THE GREATEST WEALTH – 2018 Old Vic Theatre, London Curated by Lolita. A series of 8 monologues celebrating the NHS' 70th birthday including SPEEDY GONZALEZ by Lolita Chakrabarti LAST SEEN – JOY – 2009 Almeida Theatre/Slung Low Dramaturg on MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE directed and choreographed by Kate Prince for ZooNation and Sadlers Wells Other Adrian Lester and Lolita Chakrabarti : A Working Diary published by Bloomsbury in 2020 Radio: PUT MY NAME IN LIGHTS – 2020 a monologue for BBC Radio 4 RED VELVET – 2014 Saturday drama BBC Radio 4 THE GODDESS – 2006 Woman's Hour serial BBC Radio 4 Film: Lolita produced OF MARY, a short film, directed by Adrian Lester Awards: Best Short Film at PAFF, Los Angeles 2012, nomination for Best Producers at Underwire 2012

Actor and writer Lolita Chakrabarti takes her friend, artist Sara Shamma, to the Horniman Museum & Gardens in London, where they explore a collection that's full of surprises. As they wander the galleries and grounds, the unusual items they discover prompt conversations about their inspirations as artists, the stories we tell about the past, and memories of time spent together as friends and neighbours. And – they even make a furry friend on the Animal Walk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join us for series 6 of Meet Me at the Museum from 7 October, where our star presenters discover fascinating stories at some of their favourite museums across the UK. Join actor Jack Lowden at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh; actor and writer Lolita Chakrabarti at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in London; writer and photographer Caleb Azumah Nelson at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery; host of The Guilty Feminist podcast Deborah Frances-White and actor Russell Tovey at the Design Museum; and more. To hear every episode, follow Meet Me at the Museum wherever you get your podcasts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In Part 2 of this Podcast with the mighty Lolita Chakrabarti, we walk the beat down memory lane of her time on The Bill, discussing specific storylines, plus her hopes for the future. Since recording this interview, Lolita has been appointed an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List! Follow the legend on Twitter - @lolitachakra The Bill Podcast is brought to you in association with: George Fairbrother, author of the Armstrong & Burton series georgefairbrother.com and Misty Moon Events, organisers of The Bill Reunions mistymoonfilmsociety.com

Clive Anderson and Anneka Rice are joined by Kenneth Branagh, Lolita Chakrabarti, Jackie Clune and Danny Wallace for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Paul Weller and Enny.

JAMILA'S BACK! The mighty Lolita Chakrabarti OBE joins us for a two-part special! In Part 1, we chat about Lolita's fantastic dual career as actress and writer - looking at her recent successes, her latest production "Hymn" and the struggles with Lockdown, analyse her early career and how she joined a certain police station in Sun Hill... even more gold dust to follow in Part 2 in a few weeks time... The Bill Podcast is brought to you in association with: George Fairbrother, author of the Armstrong & Burton series georgefairbrother.com and Misty Moon Events, organisers of The Bill Reunions mistymoonfilmsociety.com

Part of the Humanities Cultural Programme, one of the founding stones for the future, Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities on Thursday 13th May 2021. Join us for a fascinating evening with award-winning playwright and actress Lolita Chakrabarti in conversation with journalist Matt Wolf. Streamed live from an Oxford venue and chaired by Dr Sos Eltis, the event will cover Lolita’s wide-ranging career and hone in on her most recent play, Hymn, at the Almeida Theatre. Lolita Chakrabarti is an award-winning playwright and actress. Writing credits include the award-winning stage adaptation of Life of Pi, which will open in the West End in 2021, the ambitious Invisible Cities (MIF), Hymn (Almeida) and Red Velvet, which opened at the Tricycle Theatre before transferring to London’s West End and New York. Acting credits include playing Queen Gertrude, opposite Tom Hiddleston, in Sir Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet (RADA), Fanny & Alexandra (Old Vic) and Free Outgoing (Royal Court). A Casual Vacancy (BBC1/HBO), To Provide All People (BBC2), Beowulf (ITV), Jekyll and Hyde (ITV), Riviera (Sky), Criminal (Netflix) and Defending The Guilty (BBC). Matt Wolf is an American theatre critic based in London, where he has spent his entire professional life. He moved to the UK directly upon graduating from Yale, where he read English and was co-arts editor of the Yale Daily News (a good place to begin). Soon upon arrival in London, he found work in a self-created job as arts and theatre writer for the Associated Press (AP), where he remained for 21 years.  Along the way, following brief stints at the Wall Street Journal/Europe and The Hollywood Reporter, Matt became London theatre critic for Variety from 1992-2005, during which time he was freelancing regularly for The International Herald Tribune – now the International New York Times. Following the departure from his long-held post of the august Sheridan Morley, Matt became London theatre critic for the IHT/INYT, and in 2009 was thrilled to help birth The Arts Desk – an arts-centred website that within a few years of its inception was named best specialism journalism website at the Online Media Awards in London. He remains theatre editor at that site and reviews there across the cultural spectrum. In addition to his journalism, Matt has collaborated on two books – one about Guys and Dolls, the other about Les Miserables – and is the author of Sam Mendes at the Donmar: Stepping into Freedom, an account of the theatre and film director Sam Mendes’s extraordinary tenure at one of London’s premier theatrical addresses. Matt sits on the panel of the Evening Standard Theatre Awards and is on the faculty of both NYU/London and the V&A Museum; he can be heard regularly on various radio programmes for both the BBC and Monocle.  Following an acclaimed, sold-out live-streamed and on-demand runs, Lolita Chakrabarti's Hymn will be broadcast on Sky Arts on Sunday 18 April at 9pm. The world premiere of this production was directed by Blanche McIntyre and features actors Adrian Lester and Danny Sapani. Sky Arts is free to watch on Freeview Channel 11. Sky and NOW subscribers can also watch Hymn on-demand after the broadcast. Lolita Chakrabarti is a HCP Visiting Fellow part of the Humanities Cultural Programme.

Part of the Humanities Cultural Programme, one of the founding stones for the future, Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities on Thursday 13th May 2021. Join us for a fascinating evening with award-winning playwright and actress Lolita Chakrabarti in conversation with journalist Matt Wolf. Streamed live from an Oxford venue and chaired by Dr Sos Eltis, the event will cover Lolita’s wide-ranging career and hone in on her most recent play, Hymn, at the Almeida Theatre. Lolita Chakrabarti is an award-winning playwright and actress. Writing credits include the award-winning stage adaptation of Life of Pi, which will open in the West End in 2021, the ambitious Invisible Cities (MIF), Hymn (Almeida) and Red Velvet, which opened at the Tricycle Theatre before transferring to London’s West End and New York. Acting credits include playing Queen Gertrude, opposite Tom Hiddleston, in Sir Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet (RADA), Fanny & Alexandra (Old Vic) and Free Outgoing (Royal Court). A Casual Vacancy (BBC1/HBO), To Provide All People (BBC2), Beowulf (ITV), Jekyll and Hyde (ITV), Riviera (Sky), Criminal (Netflix) and Defending The Guilty (BBC). Matt Wolf is an American theatre critic based in London, where he has spent his entire professional life. He moved to the UK directly upon graduating from Yale, where he read English and was co-arts editor of the Yale Daily News (a good place to begin). Soon upon arrival in London, he found work in a self-created job as arts and theatre writer for the Associated Press (AP), where he remained for 21 years.  Along the way, following brief stints at the Wall Street Journal/Europe and The Hollywood Reporter, Matt became London theatre critic for Variety from 1992-2005, during which time he was freelancing regularly for The International Herald Tribune – now the International New York Times. Following the departure from his long-held post of the august Sheridan Morley, Matt became London theatre critic for the IHT/INYT, and in 2009 was thrilled to help birth The Arts Desk – an arts-centred website that within a few years of its inception was named best specialism journalism website at the Online Media Awards in London. He remains theatre editor at that site and reviews there across the cultural spectrum. In addition to his journalism, Matt has collaborated on two books – one about Guys and Dolls, the other about Les Miserables – and is the author of Sam Mendes at the Donmar: Stepping into Freedom, an account of the theatre and film director Sam Mendes’s extraordinary tenure at one of London’s premier theatrical addresses. Matt sits on the panel of the Evening Standard Theatre Awards and is on the faculty of both NYU/London and the V&A Museum; he can be heard regularly on various radio programmes for both the BBC and Monocle.  Following an acclaimed, sold-out live-streamed and on-demand runs, Lolita Chakrabarti's Hymn will be broadcast on Sky Arts on Sunday 18 April at 9pm. The world premiere of this production was directed by Blanche McIntyre and features actors Adrian Lester and Danny Sapani. Sky Arts is free to watch on Freeview Channel 11. Sky and NOW subscribers can also watch Hymn on-demand after the broadcast. Lolita Chakrabarti is a HCP Visiting Fellow part of the Humanities Cultural Programme.

We're feeling rather meta today as we are looking at a play that is focussed on theatre - specifically the pivotal career moment of Ira Aldridge, the first black actor to play Othello in London. Lexie and Meg have also brought all the fun facts to the podcast to kick start the episode, so there's lots of trivia to be had this ep - most importantly of all being the year Meg passed her driving test. Listen now and all shall be revealed!Co Hosted by Lexie Ward and Meg Robinson.Music By Connor Barton (Sethera Sound Design)Find SCRIPT IN HAND on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook  - Give us a like/follow to keep up to date with episode information and extra content.EPISODE BIOAdrian Lester - Interview before 2016 revivalwww.youtube.com/watch?v=oY7faBfM_w0Chicago Reader What happened to the real Ira Aldridgehttps://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/chicago-shakespeare-theater-red-velvet-lolita-chakrabarti-ira-aldridge/Content?oid=36523274Lolita Chakrabarti Interview on Red Velvethttps://naimakhan.com/2014/01/29/red-velvet-lolita-chakrabarti-on-theatres-frequently-forgotten-legacy/Guardian Review 2012 productionhttps://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/oct/17/red-velvet-reviewIra Aldridge Biohttps://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/aldridge-ira-1807-1867/Ohio State News article on Roy Bowen Theatre's performancehttps://news.osu.edu/red-velvet-details-first-black-actor-to-play-othello/Aldridge & Othellohttps://shakespeareandbeyond.folger.edu/2017/02/17/ira-aldridge/Evening Standard 2016 revival reviewhttps://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/red-velvet-theatre-review-rich-and-relevant-study-of-black-actor-who-fought-the-system-a3171276.html

Over the course of his career, Danny Sapani has appeared in many fan favourites, from Black Panther to Killing Eve. Sapani can also be currently seen on https://www.ntathome.com (National Theatre at Home) taking leading roles in the National Theatre productions of Medea and Les Blancs. Most recently, Sapani appeared opposite Adrian Lester in the world premiere of Lolita Chakrabarti's new play Hymn at the https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/hymn-live-recording/1-mar-2021-7-mar-2021 (Almeida Theatre), which explores the evolving relationship between two men who find out that they have the same father. While theatres remain closed, Sapani and Lester's performance was live-streamed to audiences watching from home and will be available to watch on-demand between Wednesday 3rd - Tuesday 9th March. We spoke to Danny to find out more about what it was like performing a play to an empty auditorium … Follow https://twitter.com/DannySapani (@DannySapani)

As the nation waits for the vaccine and lockdown restrictions to ease, what can literature teach us about the art of waiting? Writer Rebecca Stott, critic Alex Clark and poet Anthony Anaxagorou discuss the art of waiting, whether cheerfully or 'with a green and yellow melancholy… like Patience on a monument' as Viola says in Twelfth Night. Lolita Chakrabarti’s play Hymn begins at a funeral where two men meet, and begin to form a remarkable bond. Lolita discusses her play that uses music and dance to chart the developing bond between these men. The play that begins streaming live from the Almeida Theatre this week. What do you remember of The Silence of the Lambs? It was released 30 years ago yesterday - on St Valentine's Day. The critic Michael Carlson looks back at this horror classic which uses elements of the rom-com genre, and argues we are wrong to think Lecter is the central figure. Clarice Starling, the FBI trainee, played by Jodie Foster, is the focus, and the film plays out from her perspective. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Simon Richardson Main image above: Adrian Lester as Gil in Hymn Image credit: Marc Brenner

JAMILA'S BACK! The mighty Lolita Chakrabarti (WPC Jamila Blake) has recorded a two-part #TheBillPodcast interview, which hits Patreon later this month, followed by a wider release this Spring. But exciting news before then is that The Almeida has announced live streamed performances of Lolita's new play Hymn! In this clip from her upcoming Podcast, Lolita discusses the themes of the play, which is directed by Blanche McIntyre and features Adrian Lester in the role of Gil and Danny Sapani as Benny. The world premiere production which was originally due to play to socially distanced audiences will now be streamed live from the theatre for five performances from Wednesday 17 – Saturday 20 February. You can support the theatre industry and enjoy some live performances again, all from the comfort and safety of your home, by visiting https://almeida.co.uk/membership

21 years after Who's Afraid of the Working Class?, Andrew Bovell, Patricia Cornelius, Melissa Reeves, Christos Tsiolkas and Irine Vela reunite for Anthem at the Melbourne Festival, The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes by Back to Back Theatre shines a light on the shadows of prejudice, and we meet the team behind the most ambitious work at this year's Brisbane Festival: 59 Productions and Rambert's Invisible Cities, inspired by Italo Calvino's novel.

21 years after Who's Afraid of the Working Class?, Andrew Bovell, Patricia Cornelius, Melissa Reeves, Christos Tsiolkas and Irine Vela reunite for Anthem at the Melbourne Festival, The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes by Back to Back Theatre shines a light on the shadows of prejudice, and we meet the team behind the most ambitious work at this year's Brisbane Festival: 59 Productions and Rambert's Invisible Cities, inspired by Italo Calvino's novel.

A freak accident turns the world of an historian upside down. Read by Lolita Chakrabarti.

Clive Anderson and Sara Cox are joined by Lolita Chakrabarti, Indira Varma, Ayisha Malik, and Lynette Linton for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Jorja Smith and Ida Mae. Producer: Sukey Firth

Answering the big question...should I see this movie?All Is True (Biography, Drama, History) A look at the final days in the life of renowned playwright William Shakespeare.Director: Kenneth BranaghWriter: Ben EltonStars: Kenneth Branagh, Lolita Chakrabarti, Jack Colgrave Hirst - (IMDb) Movies First RSS feed:  https://feeds.megaphone.fm/BIT7197946000  Stream podcast episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com/moviesfirst (mobile friendly).  Subscribe, rate and review Movies First at all good podcatcher apps, including Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), Stitcher, PocketCasts, CastBox.FM, Podbean, Acast, Spreaker, etc.For more, follow Movies First on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube :Facebook - @moviesfirsttwitter - @MoviesFirstYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCatJQHaVabIvzCLqO16XvSQ   If you're enjoying Movies First, please share and tell your friends. Your support would be appreciated...thank you.#movies #cinema #entertainment #podcast #reviews #moviesfirst #allistrue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The 2019 Manchester International Festival will take place at various venues around the city in July. An edited version of the main presentation at the MIF launch on 7 March can be heard in a previous British Theatre Guide podcast episode, but we also spoke directly to some of the artists involved. We asked MIF Artistic Director John McGrath for his highlights of the theatre programme and how Manchester has changed since he was head of the city's Contact Theatre. We also spoke to Leo Warner of 59 Productions about his collaboration with choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, writer Lolita Chakrabarti and Rambert Dance on an adaptation of Italo Calvino's novel Invisible Cities. Finally, we asked director Phelim McDermott about Tao of Glass, his collaboration with composer Philip Glass on a new stage performance featuring ten brand new pieces of music composed by Glass. Invisible Cities will be performed at Mayfield beside Piccadilly Station in Manchester from 4 to 14 July. Tao of Glass will be at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester from 11 to 20 July. The Manchester International Festival 2019 will take place at various venues from 4 to 21 July. Photos: John McGrath, MIF Artistic Director and Chief Executive introduces the MIF19 programme. Image credit Tarnish Vision. Leo Warner, Lolita Chakrabarti, Benoit Swan Pouffer—Invisible Cities. Image credit Joel Chester Fildes. Philip Glass and Phelim McDermott. Image credit Rod Morata.

Highlights of the launch event for the Manchester International Festival 2019, held in Manchester on 7 March 2019. Introduced by MIF artistic director John McGrath, this episode also features announcements from festival participants including Phelim McDermott of Improbable Theatre, Kwame Kwei-Armah of Young Vic Theatre, actors Maxine Peake and Juliet Stevenson, Leo Warner of 59 Productions, writer Lolita Chakrabarti, choreographer Claire Cunningham, Mary Anne Hobbs of BBC 6 Music and grime artist Skepta. Other artists appearing at the festival include Philip Glass, Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson and David Lynch. Image from MIF launch: Michael Symmons Roberts, Emily Howard, John McGrath, Maxine Peake, Grainne Flynn, Wesley Thistlewaite, Adam Ali, Kirsty Housley, Claire Cunningham, Leo Warner, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Isaiah Hull, Young identity poet, Reggie Gray, Animals of Manchester child-curators, Sibylle Peters, Karl Hyde, Lois Keidan, Adam Thirlwell, Danny Collins, Adania Shibli, Juliet Stevenson, Lolita Chakrabarti, Benoit Swan Pouffer, Christine Cort, Mark Ball

In 1833, English audiences were shocked to see an African American man play the role of Shakespeare’s Othello. Ira Aldridge was London’s first African-American Othello and is the subject of the play Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti. Shirley Basfield Dunlap, Director of Red Velvet at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, tells us about Aldridge. Dunlap is an Associate Professor, and the Theatre Coordinator, at Morgan State University.

Ira Aldridge was 17 years old when he left his father’s home to pursue his dream of becoming a professional actor in England. Born in 1807 New York, Aldridge grew up during at a time when chattel slavery was legal, and black actors who performed works associated with Anglo culture, were met with chastisement and violence. Alone in a strange land, Ira would go on to become one of the most celebrated actors in the world. Red Velvet, is the story of an actor and the performance that transformed him into an international star of the theater and seminal figure in the narrative of African American achievement.Shirley Basfield Dunlap is an Associate Professor in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts and Coordinator of Theater Arts at Morgan State University. She is directing this new production of Red Velvet, and she joins me in Studio A. The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s Maryland premiere of “Red Velvet” by Lolita Chakrabarti includes free public events in the community made possible by partnerships with the arts and culture community of Baltimore. For more information, click the link below: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T-dxzeLaONAuOEfWTBFHAwi5K-eTOyDsLpZ82nzbRFM/edit?usp=sharing

Fictionalized history, like ‘free trade’ and ‘forgotten memories,’ is something of an oxymoron. The minute you introduce fiction to a story, its claim to being history loses strength. But unless a playwright has a transcript of the backroom conversations held by historical figures, she has no choice, in telling the story of great historical moments, but to guess at and improvise those conversations. The result is a hybrid of history and fiction, that when done well, illuminates and expose the truth of what happened—or what very likely happened—while employing just enough imagination and guesswork as necessary to allow the story to be told at all. Such was the task lying before British playwright Lolita Chakrabarti as she tackled the story of a significant, but little known, figure in theatrical world history—Ira Aldridge, the first black actor of perform on the legitimate stage in London. That was in 1833, when slavery was still legal in England. Chakrabarti’s award-winning play ‘Red Velvet,’ now brings the story to the Bay Area, where San Francisco Playhouse has put together one of the best shows of the year. Following the death of famed classical actor Edmund Kean, Aldridge—in an openly provocative and controversial move—was called upon to replace him in playing the lead in William Shakespeare’s Othello. In taking on the role, Aldridge would be acting alongside the all white actors of the distinguished company, performing at Keane’s famed Theater Royal. Abolition was three months from becoming law in England, and the city was in a state of conflict and turmoil, with open riots in the streets. This was hardly the best time to challenge centuries of tradition and deep-seated prejudice. What is known are the basic details of what happened, what the critics said about Aldridge’s performance, how the company responded, and what Alrdridge did next. What is not known, and what Chakrabarti makes a highly entertaining and impressive effort at surmising, is what that first multiracial meeting of artists might have been like. How did the company respond? What was the first rehearsal like? Who said what to whom before and after opening night? Did it happen this way? Who knows? But, as deftly and powerfully devised by Chakrabarti, directed by Margo Hall with marvelous command of the script’s complex blend of social comedy and raw drama, Red Velvet transcends the oxymorns of fictionalized history. This is a good play and a strong production, with a towering performance by Carl Lumbly as Aldridge. The superb supporting cast includes Sonoma County actor Tim Kniffin, excellent in a tricky role as the dying Keane’s affronted actor son Charles, whose rising indignation at watching a black actor play Othello—a role he’d expected to assail himself—is simultaneously hilarious and chilling. Also strong are Richard Louis James in dual parts as Aldridge’s long-suffering dresser and a stodgy Shakespearean actor, Susi Damilano as Charles’ tentative but artistically intrigued actress fiancée Ellen Tree, and the effortlessly accent-shifting Elena Wright in a trio of key roles, including that of Aldridge’s white, English-born wife. Chakrabarti’s robust script does somewhat stretch believability in an effort to have fun with Aldridge’s first backstage appearance at Theater Royal. That quibble aside, Red Velvet stands as a thing of graceful beauty, earning its way, line by line, to its heartbreaking climax. Supremely satisfying on numerous levels, this is a must-see historical drama. In eschewing simple conclusions or one-dimensional characterizations, Red Velvet delivers a 180-year-old story that, sadly enough, feels vividly and unnervingly contemporary. ‘Red Velvet’ runs Tuesday–Sunday through June 25 at San Francisco Playhouse, sfplayhouse.org

Duración 100 min. País España Director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo Guión Jaime Marqués, Nicolás Casariego Música Roque Baños Fotografía Enrique Chediak Reparto Clive Owen, Carice van Houten, Daniel Brühl, Kerry Fox, Ella Purnell, Pilar López de Ayala, Lolita Chakrabarti, Mark Wingett, Héctor Alterio, Izán Corchero Sinopsis Juan, un niño de siete años con una imaginación desbordante, vive en un barrio humilde de Madrid. Por las noches, sufre pesadillas en las que un intruso sin rostro lo ataca salvajemente, sin que su madre pueda hacer nada para evitarlo. Mientras tanto, Mia, una adolescente londinense de doce años, lee a sus compañeros de clase el misterioso cuento de Carahueca, un monstruo obsesionado con los niños. Ese mismo día, su padre, sufre un accidente en el rascacielos en construcción donde trabaja. La vida de las dos familias, aunque separadas por muchos kilómetros, dará un vuelco: los intrusos ya se han instalado en sus casas e intentan denodadamente arrebatarles algo a los niños.

Actor and playwright Lolita Chakrabarti explains how "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens affected her at a pivotal moment in her life. She first came across the novel at the age of 15, as a set text at school. Dickens's account of the French Revolution mirrored the tumult of the politics of the mid-1980s, while his narrative seized her imagination. "He paints pictures with words succinctly and with no pretension. He tells a cracking story, has a great sense of humour and creates credible, compelling characters," she says. The novel's portrayal of personality influenced her acting, leading her to search for the emotional impulse motivating each character. No wonder she still keeps her original paperback copy: "Many of the pages are loose, but I'm loath to throw it away because this book opened a door for me." Producer: Smita Patel.

The Fabulous free Bloomsbury Festival is almost here; Apple Day will be celebrated at Maiden Lane Community Centre, There is free Irish Traditional music and, separately a book launch at the Irish Centre and Proud Camden has free weekend afternoon live music; Camden Council and Transport for London are consulting local people; ‘Red Velvet’ by Lolita Chakrabarti opens at the Tricycle and The Improsarios are in Camden with a trilogy; Marina Warner and others debate whether Shakespeare is still contemporary; the Iranian film’About Elly’ is at the cinema. Read by: Beteil Baraki, Cina Aissa, Denise O’Connor, DJ Rude Boy P. Tosh, Jayson Mansaray, Marian Larragy & Sarah O’Brien Edited by: Nick Holder The Impresarios :: The Tricycle Theatre :: Apple Day at MLCC :: Proud camden :: London Irish During the Troubles :: Bloomsbury Festival :: King's Cross Transport Consultation :: Is Shakespeare Our Contemporary? :: Music gigs :: Back to Camden Community Radio :: Follow CCRadio on Twitter :: File Download (7:53 min / 7 MB)