Podcasts about Royal Shakespeare Company

Send us Fan MailAs he continues his run as part of the 40th anniversary cast of Phantom of the Opera in the West End, Joseph Millson sat down to delve into the realities of the uncertain landscape of the acting industry, unpacking the profound highs and inevitable lulls of the profession. Having won a WhatsOnStage Awarad as Raoul in Love Never Dies, we hear him talk about the joy of reuniting with Sierra Boggess for Andrew Lloyd Webber's beloved musical's anniversary. During our conversation, he poignantly reflects on a life that has seen him acting on stage and screen, writing books and even directing feature film: Signs of Life. Our conversation explored his deeply personal life choices and the ongoing challenge of maintaining authenticity and "play" amid the rigorous demands of the business.In this new interview, Joseph Millson offers an introspective look at a career that has established him as a true veteran of the industry. Last year, he starred in one of the most acclaimed shows of 2025: The Forsyte Saga taking on the role of Soames having previously voiced the role in a radio adaptation. The show saw him return to the Swan Theatre, a place where he feels particularly at home having played numerous roles on the stage where in fact he is also an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Joseph also tells us about the inspiration behind Miller Rose Roberts, a highly praised novella that has been described by readers as a real highlight. After publishing his first memoir: Work and Other Four Letter Words, he also tells us about an in the works sequel which promises to be as honest and funny as his first book.

In this week's episode, I take a look back at the movies and streaming shows I watched in Summer 2026 and rate them. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Ghost Armor series at my Payhip store: FALLARMOR The coupon code is valid through September 21, 2026. So if you need a new ebook this fall, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 319 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is September the 4th, 2026, and today I'm looking back at the movies and streaming shows I watched over Summer 2026. We will also have Coupon of the Week and an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. So let's start off with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Ghost Armor series at my Payhip store. That coupon code is FALLARMOR. As always, you can get the coupon code and the links to my Payhip store available in the show notes for this episode. This coupon code will be valid through September 21st, 2026, so if you need a new ebook for this fall, we have got you covered. Now an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. I'm pleased to report that the rough draft of Blade of Visions is done. It came to 99,000 words. It'd be kind of cool if it came to 100,000, but as I've learned in the 15 years I've been doing this, it's not a good idea to pad things for length. Editing is underway. I'm about 15% through the first pass of edits. I'm working on the cover design, so I'm on good track to have the book out before the end of the month. I also wrote a tie-in short story called Winter Crown and don't forget that [newsletter] subscribers will get a free ebook copy of that short story when Blade of Visions comes out later this month. So this makes a very excellent time to subscribe to my new release newsletter. I am also 12,000 words into Elven-Warlock, which will be the seventh book in the Half-Elven Thief series. Hopefully that will be out in October, if all goes well. In audiobook news, I think Blade of Thieves (as narrated by Brad Wills) and Cloak of Worlds (as narrated by Hollis McCarthy) are now finally available at all the usual audiobook stores, which includes Audible, Apple, Amazon, Kobo, Google Play, Chirp, and all the others. So if you want to listen to those if you are going on a Labor Day road trip, you can check those out. A reminder that Stealth and Spells Online: The Complete LitRPG trilogy (narrated by C.J. McAllister) is also available on Audible, so check that out. That's 32 hours long and that would also cover all your Labor Day travels. So that is where I'm at with my current writing, publishing and audiobook projects. 00:02:22 Main Topic of the Week: Summer 2026 Movie Roundup So let's move on to our main topic this week. Our main topic this week is the Summer 2026 Movie Roundup and I always enjoy doing those. These episodes are a little less serious than some of the other episodes and it's fun to talk about things I enjoyed and that you might enjoy as well. And I did see a lot of new movies this summer. In fact, I went to the actual theater four times for Masters of the Universe, The Odyssey, Spider-Man, and Coyote vs. Acme, which is probably more than I've gone in a single season since before COVID times. So as usual, here are the movies I saw this summer (rated from least favorite to most favorite). The grades are totally subjective and based on nothing but my own thoughts and opinions. First up is The Breadwinner, which came out in 2026. This is basically standup comedian Nate Bargatze's act come to life as a movie. If you've seen Bargatze's standup, his usual routine is to portray himself as the dumb husband and bumbling Girl Dad, which is actually quite clever from a comedic standpoint since you're unlikely to have outraged mobs calling for your head if all you're doing is making fun of yourself. Anyway, Bargatze portrays Nate Wilcox, the best Toyota salesman in Nashville. (Don't worry, this is the first of only many product placement moments.) He lets his wife Kate manage the household and do the bulk of the work with their three daughters. When Kate's invention takes off on Shark Tank, she has to go to South Korea for two weeks to oversee manufacturing, leaving Nate in charge of the kids. Comedic chaos ensues. On the positive side of this movie, I did approve how this movie showed a married couple trying to work through a rough patch and do what's right for their kids and each other in a semi-productive way rather than blowing up their lives over nonsensical trivialities in the style of Eat, Pray, Love. On the downside, there was a lot of product placement, to the point where it at times felt like an extended commercial with bits of plot jammed in between product endorsement. No doubt most of the production budget came from product placement money. Will Forte was funny as an eccentric roofing contractor and Martin Herlihy as a shifty DoorDash employee. Kumail Nanjiani was funny as Nate's rival salesman at the car dealership. So overall, I would say this was blandly amusing and inoffensive with some funny slapstick moments. Overall grade: C- Next up is Supergirl, which came out in 2026. This movie really was sort of a strange combination of John Wick and the human trafficking subplot from 2020's Black Widow. The end result wasn't quite as good as Superman from 2025, alas. I did like this movie's interpretation of Supergirl. Kara Zor-El's departure from Krypton was way more traumatic than Superman's, so she's dealing with her unresolved emotional issues by traveling from planet to planet with red suns and getting hammered since the same yellow sun that gives Kryptonians their superpowers on Earth also keeps them from getting drunk because their bodies process alcohol too efficiently. However, Kara comes to a planet where a girl named Ruthye lives. Ruthye's family has been slaughtered by ruthless brigands yet led by Krem of the Yellow Hills and she's going on a quest for revenge. When Ruthye tries to recruit Kara for the quest, she's not interested, but then Krem steals Kara's spaceship and poisons her dog Krypto. Krem carries the antidote on his person, so now Kara and Ruthye team up to get vengeance on Krem and to heal Krypto. Krem is a nasty piece of work and he and his space gang travel from planet to planet abducting women to be their wives. I think the problem was that Krem was kind of a boring but nasty villain, but he was still boring. He was basically a space thug with too many piercings. Lex Luthor from 2025 Superman, by contrast, was a really interesting villain, this malignant narcissist who knows that his obsession with Superman is over the top, but he's going to act on it anyway. Additionally, I don't think this version of Supergirl is quite capable of being a lead character on her own. She'd make a superb secondary character, but I don't think she could quite carry a movie on her own. And Jason Momoa was pretty good as Lobo. Overall grade: C- Next up is Troy, which came out in 2004. I wanted to see this either before or after I watched The Odyssey this summer and ended up watching it the day before I went to see The Odyssey. I would say this movie was slow and ponderous, but I did enjoy watching it. This is an adaption of The Iliad and has the sort of slow stateliness of epic films from the '60s. It had good performances and good battle scenes. Brian Cox was enjoyable as a scenery chewing Agamemnon and Brad Pitt worked as Achilles. Interestingly, his version of Achilles reminded me of the interpretation of Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen from Dune 2 as sort of a violent psychopath with his own twisted sense of honor. Oddly, despite the fact that this was rather a long movie, the ending seems a bit rushed, like we needed to hurry up and get to the Trojan Horse. It was amusing how Achilles' relationship with Patroclus was changed to "cousin" for the modern audience, but Greek views on sexuality would definitely be unpalatable with both right-wing and left-wing versions of the modern mind, which is a good thing because while the Greeks contributed a great deal to the development of civilization, they were into a lot of unsavory stuff. So overall, I would say this was a fun, epic movie, but I think this walked so the 2026 version of The Odyssey could run. Amusing fact: Christopher Nolan was apparently supposed to direct this, but the deal fell through and he got Batman Begins as a consolation prize instead. Overall grade: B- Next up is The Dink, which came out in 2026. This is an Apple TV comedy movie about pickleball of all things. I feel like this was made because some Apple executive got made fun of by some tennis players for playing pickleball and then decided to take revenge through media. Jake Johnson plays Dustin Boyd, a washed up former child tennis star who now works at his father's tennis club. The club has difficulties because of a growing influx of pickleball players who the hardcore tennis players hate. Dustin's father decides to use the club's bylaws to force a duel match to decide the issue, in the grand tradition of wacky comedy stakes. Dustin really wants to play the duel match, but his wrist is injured in an accident. To get his wrist mobility back, the doctor suggested he play some pickleball and Dustin views this as beneath him, but he really wants to play again, so he signs up for pickleball. This ends up being a wacky sports company/buddy movie as Dustin gradually befriends an eccentric older pickleball player. Ed Harris should really do more comedic roles. He was great as Dustin's stern, yet unscrupulous father. I do admire Apple TV's dedication to making random stuff. Overall grade: B- Next up is Green and Gold, which came out in 2025, and this is a melodrama about a farmer and his granddaughter dealing with the grim economic realities of farming. This is set in 1992/1993 era Wisconsin. Buck refuses to modernize his dairy farm in Door County, Wisconsin. His granddaughter Jenny is a talented musician and also a skilled farmer, and Buck wants her to take over the farm one day, but Jenny's ambitions are looking elsewhere. Events come to a head when Jenny realizes that Buck is deeply in debt to the bank, which is about to foreclose on the farm. However, Buck and the chief banker have a personal animosity, so they settle on a bet. If the Green Bay Packers win a Super Bowl title in 1993, the banker will give Buck one more year to turn things around on the farm. Meanwhile, Jenny begins to wonder if her music ambitions might generate the money to save the farm. Of course, if you are familiar with the history of the Packers, you know that they won a Super Bowl in 1996, not 1993. The movie has carried on the back of the very strong performances of its actors. It also has an ambiguously happy ending, as is true with so many things in farming. I like this movie because I've spent a lot of my life in the American Midwest, [and] I did appreciate how it shows the difficulties of the farming life. Also, this is important: a fall from a ladder is a plot point. Ladder safety is important, people! If you are going up a ladder, for heaven's sake don't climb the ladder in high heels like the character in question does. Wear sensible, well-fitting shoes with good soles. A very long time ago, I used to work with a guy who would climb extension ladders in cowboy boots. It is nothing short of the mercy of God that he didn't fall off and shatter half the bones in his body. Overall grade: B Next up is Grumpy Old Men, which came out in 1993. Apparently this is set in Wabasha, Minnesota, which is amusing because filming actually took place in several areas in the Twin Cities in Eastern Minnesota, but not actually in Wabasha. I found that personally amusing because I'm quite familiar with the area and so I recognize several filming locations. Anyway, the movie is about two retirees, Max and John, who are enemies and have been enemies for years, but Max is lonely and wants to get married again, and John is about to lose his house to the IRS due to tax problems. Things come to a head when an attractive literature professor moves across the street and both Max and John take an interest in her and start competing for her affections. However, it turns out that Max and John are actually best friends whose love language happens to be hatred and practical jokes, kind of like Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, but more on them below. This was a good character comedy/drama. It was interesting that the professor was an early version of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, albeit several decades before someone came up with the term. This is worth watching both as a character and comedy drama and a time capsule of the 1990s. Sometimes a movie ages a bit badly (Airplane and the Thomas Crown Affair from the Spring Movie Roundup come to mind), but this didn't. The sequel Grumpier Old Men from 1995 is basically the same movie, but with the characters acting about 20% dumber so a sitcom style plot can happen. Still entertaining, but not as good as the first one, so Grumpier Old Men only gets a B-, but Grumpy Old Men gets a B+. Next up is Masters of the Universe, which came out in 2026. It was amusing to read reviews of this movie because people thought way too hard about a movie that is essentially about battling action figures. Anyway, this was pretty good. It was nice to see a movie about a science fiction property that doesn't actually hate the source material. Basically it's a live action version of the cartoons from the '80s, albeit with somewhat more thoughtful moments. I heard someone suggest that it was close in tone to Thor: Ragnarok, and that seems accurate. The plot is that Skeletor conquers Eternia and 10-year-old Prince Adam is sent with the Sword of Power through a magical portal to Earth to keep him and the sword out of Skeletor's reach. However, Adam loses the sword while passing through the gate and 15 years later is working in human resources. He's still seeking for the sword despite his therapist trying to convince him that it was a trauma-induced fantasy. However, his persistence pays off and he does find the sword. Teela, who is one of the resistance leaders against Skeletor's rule, comes to Earth to find him and bring him back, but Skeletor's minions arrive to claim the sword as well. Adam and Teela escape back to Eternia and it's up to Adam to find a way to use the Sword of Power to become the hero that Eternia needs. Dolph Lundgren's cameo was great. Overall, I would say this is a fun movie to watch, especially if you're a Millennial or Gen Xer who saw the cartoons or the live action movie back in the '80s. Jared Leto has something of an increasingly questionable reputation these days, but he did a good job as Skeletor, played him halfway between the solemn gravitas of the 1987 version and the malevolent comedic cornball of the cartoons. Of course, in my opinion, the Frank Langella version from 1987 is the best version of Skeletor since he placed it with all the seriousness of a Shakespearean villain monologue at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In hindsight, it wasn't terribly surprising that this underperformed at the box office. It felt like it was made for guys my age, not for kids. I would've been comfortable bringing an eight-year-old to see The Mandalorian and Grogu or Super Mario Galaxy, but I would've been less certain bringing a kid that age to see Masters of the Universe. Additionally, it seemed very Marvel in tone, and I think the overall mood of the US these days is less "Marvel Cinematic Universe quips and banter" and more sort of the grimness of The Odyssey, which we'll talk about shortly. Overall grade: B+ Next up is Young Washington, which came out in 2026, a biopic of the early life of George Washington, covering how he more or less accidentally started the French and Indian War and how he recovered his reputation at the Battle of Braddock's Field. To be fair, the international situation at the time meant that someone was going to start the French and Indian War. It just happened to be Washington, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Overall, I liked this. It was reasonably historically accurate, though some of the emotional and family dialogue at times was a bit clunky. Additionally, Washington was portrayed as having revolutionary leanings much earlier in life than he actually did, since when he was a young man, he had no thoughts of being anything but a British subject and officer. That said, some of the most implausible stuff in the movie actually happened in real life. Like if I were to write in a novel that the future president of the United States personally rallied the army's rear guard to save as many men as possible from an ambush, and in the process had two horses shot out from under him and ended up with bullet holes in his hat and coat (all while fighting continuously), you would probably find that a bit implausible, but it actually happened that way. Washington's daring actions during that battle were one of the reasons he was appointed commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, that and there weren't many other colonials with as much experience of military command as Washington. In that vein, the battle scenes were the best part of the movie. They captured the brutality and messiness of 18th Century warfare without being especially graphic. Anyway, I'm glad this is getting a sequel. Maybe we'll end up with a Young Washington Cinematic Universe. Overall grade: B+ Next up is Meet the Parents, which came out in 2000, and this is probably one of the apex forms of cringe comedy. Ben Stiller plays Greg Focker, a nurse who's in love with schoolteacher Pam Burns. Greg wants to marry Pam, but overhears a phone call with her sister where she says her fiancé asked permission of her traditional father first. Greg decides that he's going to ask Pam's father's permission first to get off on the right foot, and so accompanies Pam to her sister's wedding and her parents' house to, as the title says, Meet the Parents. However, Pam's father is the former CIA counterintelligence officer Jack, and he and Greg immediately get on each other's nerves. To make things worse, the airline has lost Greg's luggage. From these two starting premises follow a cascading series of hilarious disasters that accumulate in a septic tank fire on the lawn. I'm not sure, but I think I saw this one in the theaters when it came out in 2000, and I thought it was funny then. With 26 years of additional life experience under the belt, I still think it's pretty funny, though you could still tell that this movie was filmed before 9/11 because if Greg had his airport meltdown seen today, the consequences would've been much worse. Overall grade: B+ Next up is O Brother Where Art Thou, which came out in 2000. This is a very, very, very specific adaptation of The Odyssey directed by the Coen brothers. George Clooney plays Everett, a convict who escapes from a chain gang in Mississippi during the Great Depression. He wants to find a treasure and he recruits fellow convicts Delmar and Peter to assist him. Along the way, Everett and his team encountered 1930s era versions of the Sirens, the cyclops, the blind prophet Tiresias, and other characters and foes from the original Odyssey myth. Everett and his friends end up running a scam where they pretend to be a Christian music group, but as it turns out, they're actually pretty good at singing, so this leads to unexpected hilarity and opportunities. This was also a very funny movie. Imagine The Odyssey is a comedy with a lot of singing set in the Deep South during the Depression, and you're there. If you're a fan of bluegrass music, this is worth watching. If you've seen Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, it's worth watching this just to ponder how the same source material can produce such wildly divergent interpretations. If you don't care about The Odyssey, then this is still a fun movie to watch. Proof: I mentioned to someone that I had seen this and she responded that she both loved the movie and was surprised to learn that he had in fact been inspired by The Odyssey. Overall grade: A- Next up is Hoppers, which came out in 2026. Like most Pixar movies, this was very high concept. Unlike many recent Pixar movies, it wasn't too depressing and didn't disappear up its own tailpipe. In the city of Beaverton, hot tempered girl Mabel bonds with her grandmother in their favorite place, a woodland grove favored by beavers. Years later, Mabel is a biology student under Dr. Fairfax, but is neglecting her studies to face off against her nemesis, the popular yet sketchy Mayor Jerry of Beaverton. Mayor Jerry wants to build an expressway that will wipe out the woodland grove, and he's perfectly within his rights to do it since no animals have been found living there. Since Mabel's grandmother has died, she's unwilling to give up the grove. However, Dr. Fairfax's research might give her a way. Dr. Fairfax has worked out a way to temporarily transfer human consciousness to a robotic beaver capable of speaking to real beavers, much like the plot of Avatar. In a funny scene, Fairfax angrily denies that it's just like Avatar. Mabel gets the idea to use this to convince real beavers to settle in the grove, thereby thwarting Mayor Jerry's plans. This touches off both a wacky yet poignant adventure. The plot was very well structured and it followed the proper rules of story structure, which I've talked about before. Mabel definitely is a protagonist who takes action, but experiences setbacks and problems of her own creation. It was pretty good. I say it was a return to form for Pixar after some of their weaker movies in the 2020s. Overall grade: A Now it's time for my three favorite movies of summer 2026, all of which I actually saw in the theater. First up is Coyote versus Acme, which came out in 2026. This movie had an extra surge of popularity from the fact that Warner Brothers canceled it as a tax write-off, but distributor Ketchup Entertainment revived it. That makes it a plucky underdog since Warner Brothers senior executives are kind of like the apex version of soulless corporate bug men. Like if I wrote characters in my books who acted like Warner Brothers senior executives, people would think I was being didactic and heavy-handed. Anyway, after decades of failures in efforts to capture the Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote decides to sue Acme Corporation for its numerous defective products. Coyote teams up with a lazy strip mall lawyer named Kevin Avery, who specializes in getting small settlements from Acme. However, Avery and Coyote end up filing a massive lawsuit against Acme, which means they'll face the full wrath of Acme Corporation, including its ace lawyer Buddy Crane and its ruthless CEO, Foghorn Leghorn. What follows is a comedic courtroom battle as Coyote and Avery try to defeat Acme Corporation, defeat its sinister plans, and Coyote starts to realize that Road Runner might actually be his best friend. Both quite amusing and touching, and I'm glad this was rescued from the tax write-off vault. Overall grade: A Next up is The Odyssey, which came out in 2026. This wasn't quite as good as Oppenheimer in 2023 in my opinion, but it was still very good and very much worth seeing. It was weird that The Odyssey was briefly a football in the never-ending US culture war scrum because the movie isn't really political and doesn't really have a message beyond "war is destructive and bad", which every sensible person would agree with, and a lesser message of "violating the law of morality has unforeseen cascading bad consequences, including the destruction of civilization", which is also quite true and was one of the themes of Oppenheimer. Nolan himself dismissed the controversies as "irrelevant" and "part of the territory" since no one had actually seen the movie yet, and given that The Odyssey has made a billion and a half dollars as of this recording, I think that may have proved his point. I imagine the scrutiny from Batman fans back in the 2010s was way more intense since in the modern era, many people care more deeply about the accuracy of Batman than The Odyssey. I do think the debate over the historical accuracy in The Odyssey is pointless because the Odyssey is myth, not history. The Iliad and The Odyssey are a lot like Arthurian myth in terms of their actual historicity. Even when Arthurian legend was massively popular with English kings and nobles in the late medieval and early modern period (for example, Henry VIII's older brother was named Arthur in imitation of King Arthur), the version of Arthurian myth they celebrated and wished to emulate had virtually no connection to the reality of Britain in the 500s AD and was instead a sort of fantasy version of their own time in the 14th and 15th centuries. By the time The Odyssey was written down, no doubt a similar process was underway. Both The Iliad and The Odyssey and the Arthurian cycle probably have a kernel of historical truth buried underneath the tales of magic swords, sirens, cyclopses, and vengeful witches with magic islands. There likely was a Romano-British warlord who might have been named Arthur (or possibly Ambrosius Aurelianus) who held off the Saxons for a while before he was overwhelmed and killed. Likewise, Heinrich Schliemann was a highly eccentric and very sketchy crazy rich guy, but he did prove that there really was some version of the city of Troy that was destroyed at the end of the Bronze Age. But everything beyond those basic details came from thousands of years of embellishments and flourishes from later poets and writers. So arguing about the historical accuracy of The Odyssey is a bit like arguing if Star Wars portrays faster than light travel in an accurate way. That kind of argument is just missing the point entirely. It's also interesting to see how modern standards clashed with the ancient mindset. You know how I always say that everywhere in the United States is exactly the same right until it really, really isn't? I think ancient people are just like us until they really, really weren't. Like ancient people would have been superstitious to an extent that even the most credulous crystal and aura influencer on TikTok would find horrifying and frequently violent in a way that the most strident self-defense advocate would find shocking. The Odyssey's version of Odysseus feels guilt and remorse over his actions in a way an actual ancient Greek probably wouldn't have, but so what? This is The Odyssey viewed through the lens of the 21st century, just as those English nobles viewed the myth of King Arthur and his knights through the lens of their time. As I mentioned with Troy above, the ancient Greeks were often quite brutal and would celebrate sacking an enemy city. One side note before we get to the movie, I probably found it funnier than I should have how Nolan favorably cited classicist Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey as a source, and Wilson then had an extended and unintentionally comedic multi-article crashout about how much she hated the movie and of course how much she hated the commemorative Trojan Horse popcorn bucket. Apparently Wilson hated the movie so much she's going to do a new translation of The Odyssey, much to her publisher's baffled dismay. No one does offended huffy petulance quite like an academic. Anyway, back to the movie. It follows the familiar story of Odysseus through Christopher Nolan's preference for non-linear storytelling and practical effects. I did think it was interesting how in this interpretation, Odysseus explicitly connected the ruse of the Trojan Horse with the collapse of the Bronze Age and the rise of the Sea Peoples. It's also probably the most supernatural film Nolan has ever done with actual fantasy and supernatural elements as opposed to science fiction like Inception, Tenant, and Interstellar. Odysseus talks to Athena throughout the movie and it's left up to the viewer's interpretation whether or not he's actually talking to Athena or his own guilt-ridden hallucinations. That said, Odysseus encounters a witch with actual magic powers and travels to the underworld to speak with the shades of the dead, so it's entirely possible he's talking to the actual Athena. In this version, as I mentioned, Odysseus is guilt-ridden over the ruse of the Trojan Horse, which is shown as a violation of the sacred hospitality of Zeus's law and as great a crime as the creation of the atomic bomb in Oppenheimer, which of course is similar to Oppenheimer, where Oppenheimer's creation of the atomic bomb is treated similarly. There are also some genuinely scary sequences in the movie. The bit with the underworld is very spooky, the cyclops is actually quite frightening, and the character of Circe reaches the level of scary previously attained by Heath Ledger's version of The Joker in The Dark Knight. If Nolan ever decides he wants to do a horror movie, it will probably be one of the scariest ones ever made. To sum up, The Odyssey has great performances, great spectacle, great cinematography, and great action sequences. As an interesting interpretation of the original myth, definitely worth seeing. I think you can tell it was a great movie because of all the arguments on the Internet about "what does it really mean?" Great art often has that effect. Overall grade: A The final of my three favorite movies of [Summer] 2026 is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which came out in 2026. There's a rumor, and I don't know if it's true or not, that Tom Holland found the experience of working with Christopher Nolan on The Odyssey so eye-opening that he insisted that if they made another Spider-Man movie, it had to have a reason for existing other than "make a lot of money". If this story is true, it clearly worked. Previously, I though the two best Spider-Man movies were Spider-Man 2 from 2004 and Spider-Man: No Way Home from 2021. I must now amend that opinion to say that there are three best Spider-Man movies and Spider-Man: Brand New Day is one of the three. It is pretty good. I would've trimmed it here and there, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and is an excellent Spider-Man story that totally captures the essence of the character within a good story. It takes place four years after the events of No Way Home erased everyone's memory that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. Peter has now been crime fighting full time, but it is taking a severe toll on his emotions and personal life that he's deliberately ignoring. Meanwhile, Spider-Man has become the beloved crime fighter of New York, trusted by both the NYPD and the Federal Department of Damage Control, which is a reoccurring frenemy for superheroes from other movies. When someone launches an attack on the headquarters of Damage Control, the director recruits Peter to fight their new enemy, a mysterious figure who uses telepathy to possess people from a distance. Peter is the only one who can sense it thanks to his spider sense, and he's also the only one able to resist the telepath's possession abilities. But despite his resistance to possession, fighting a telepath is a dangerous proposition for someone with as many emotional issues as Peter, and things start to spiral out of control when the telepath starts digging into his life. But there's another lesson Peter has to learn. People (and especially superheroes) who take the federal government at its word tend to regret it. For that matter, ignoring his emotional issues is causing Peter's spider powers to start acting in strange ways. But of course, at the end of the day, Spider-Man always follows his conscience, no matter how high the cost to him personally. Definitely an enjoyable movie. All the scenes with Spider-Man and Punisher were great, and the two of them had a great dynamic together. A few other Marvel Cinematic Universe people show up, but this is probably one of the most standalone movies the MCU has done in a while. Of course, the risk of MCU Continuity Lockout is always there (which is one of the reasons I started writing Half-Eleven Thief in 2023). Overall grade: A So I would say it was a pretty good summer for movies. It's also valuable lessons in not taking the Internet too seriously, which too many people do nowadays. There are all these dedicated analyses on X, Threads, and Reddit in June and May explaining why The Odyssey was going to fail for whatever reason, and instead it made $1.5 billion. So I think that's a good lesson in not taking everything you read on the internet a little too seriously. So that's it for this week. Thanks for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show enjoyable. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy, and we'll see you all next week.  

My guest today is Simon Evans, director and co-adaptor of Cyrano de Bergerac for the Royal Shakespeare Company, starring Adrian Lester and Susannah Fielding, currently playing its West End transfer at the Noël Coward Theatre. He became a very familiar face during the pandemic with the BBC TV series Staged, which he wrote, directed and co-starred in, with Michael Sheen and David Tennant, all playing exaggerated versions of themselves. A prolific theatre director, his productions also include The Dazzle (starring Andrew Scott), Bug (James Norton), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Lenny Henry), Killer Joe (Orlando Bloom) and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Toby Stephens and Claire Skinner), and Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright, written by and starring Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, at the Wyndham's Theatre and the Hammersmith Apollo. Our interview was recorded at Fiction Studios on the 7th anniversary of Spieling The Beans, 21st August 2026. Produced by Dom Stephens & Emma Judge.

We couldn't be happier to welcome Mae Green herself, Annette Badland to the podcast! She is literally the best freaking person alive and we had a wonderful conversation not just about Lasso but her entire career. We talk her roots at the Globe Theatre in the Royal Shakespeare Company, her favorite roles, how that warped her to the sci-fi world of Doctor Who and finally to our favorite bar in Richmond.We also ask her all about Season 4! How she got the call that she was returning, what feels different about this season, what her new character arc means for the character and of course why Mae seems to find and protect those misfits. We also ask if the world still needs Ted Lasso which she absolutely crushes. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did it!FEATURING: Jeremy Goeckner & Craig McFarlandNamed the best Ted Lasso Podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcast.feedspot.com/ted_lasso_podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠frontrowlasso@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Facebook group at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/3161086474176010

Olivier Award-winning British actor Nathaniel Parker has built a distinguished career across theatre, film and television, from the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Merchant of Venice opposite Dustin Hoffman to Wolf Hall and the long-running BBC series The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. In this conversation, Nathaniel reflects on the experiences that have shaped him as an actor, the lessons he has continued to learn throughout his career, and the mixture of instinct, craft and confidence that allows a performance to come alive. He is in Australia for a significant new challenge – playing Professor Henry Higgins in Opera Australia's 70th anniversary production of My Fair Lady, his first ever musical. He recalls discovering his love of performance as a child, training at LAMDA and joining the RSC at the beginning of his professional life. He shares vivid memories of working with Dustin Hoffman, reflects on the transition from stage to television, and speaks with striking candour about the stage fright that kept him largely away from theatre for two decades. He also explains how returning to the stage in Wolf Hall, and the trust placed in him by director Jeremy Herrin, transformed his approach to acting and helped lead to his Olivier Award-winning performance as Henry VIII.Nat discusses finding his own interpretation of Henry Higgins for a modern audience, the advice he has received from Julie Andrews, his continuing passion for Shakespeare, Tom Stoppard and T.S. Eliot, and the roles he still hopes to play. With disarming humour and openness, he reflects on family, music, poetry and the enduring excitement of good writing.Nathaniel Parker stars as Professor Henry Higgins in Opera Australia's My Fair Lady at the Joan Sutherland Theatre of the Sydney Opera House from 10 September, before the production heads to Melbourne in November.

Send us Fan MailAs Game of Thrones: The Mad King continues its 5* rated run at the RSC, Noah Ritter sat down with us to reflect on his early career success. Fresh off his professional stage debut portraying John Lennon in Please Please Me at the Kiln Theatre, Noah discusses the art of stepping into the world of Westeros as a character that's largely existed as a myth in the books and TV series. We also explore his transition from graduating from Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) to working on high profile projects. We also hear him unpack his actor-director relationship with Dominic Cooke and how they worked together to ground a legendary figure like Rhaegar Targaryen in this epic piece of theatre. In a special new interview, Noah Ritter offers a candid look into his beginnings as an emerging talent in the industry. As the acting landscape continues to evolve and become as competitive as ever, he tells us about early wins - landing an agent early on and getting to do filming work before being given the opportunity to play John Lennon. We hear him reflect on the experience building a strong chemistry with Calam Lynch's Brian Epstein before arriving in Stratford upon Avon to play Rhaegar Targaryen in his RSC debut. It is a thoughtful, insightful conversation with an exciting young talent forging his own distinct path across British stage and screen.

A brand new stage play based on the "A Song of Ice and Fire" stories by George RR Martin has opened at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon.The hotly anticipated play, titled Game of Thrones: The Mad King, is adapted by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, and is an immediate prequel to "A Game of Thrones".Find out what Mickey-Jo thought of the story, the performances of this company, and the creative choices with which this has been brought to the stage.sign up to Mickey-Jo's weekly substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.com•00:00 | introduction02:38 | synopsis / writing11:14 | staging / design 21:26 | performances 31:33 | conclusion About Mickey-Jo:As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MickeyJoTheatre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the largest worldwide in terms of dedicated theatre criticism, where he also share features, news and interviews as well as lifestyle content for over 95,000 subscribers. With a viewership that is largely split between the US and the UK he has been fortunate enough to be able to work with PR, Marketing, and Social Media representatives for shows in New York, London, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Toronto, Sao Pãolo, and Paris. His reviews and features have also been published by WhatsOnStage, for whom he was a panelist to help curate nominees for their 2023 and 2024 Awards as well as BroadwayWorldUK, Musicals Magazine and LondonTheatre.co.uk. Instagram/TikTok/X: @MickeyJoTheatre Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's the Royal Shakespeare Company's much anticipated stage adaptation of Game of Thrones like? Critics Boyd Hilton and Kate Maltby give their verdict. Conductor Marin Alsop on what makes American classical music sound American, ahead of her American Classics Prom on 24 August. TS Eliot Prize-winning poet Anthony Joseph discusses his new collection, Haunting the Black Air, which journeys from the Trinidad of his childhood to the dancefloors of New York.And following the news of the death of the music producer William Orbit, music jpurnalist Kate Hutchinson discusses his career, including his work on Madonna's Ray of Light album. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Andrea Kidd

Spoilers, profanity, Jaime x Brienne. Gather round as the legendary Melrosing gives us all the gritty details from the first showing of ‘The Mad King' by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. George R. R. Martin was involved, so there are canon ASoIaF arguments brewing. Just remember: not believing R+L=J is a dealbreaker, ladies. We talk through the new reveals about Lyanna Stark, Elia Martell, and Ashara Dayne to mixed reviews. Rhaegar Targaryen reviews go from bad to worse. Nedbert gets a moment. Dany reveals cause aftershocks. GRRM's obsession with prophecy is now everyone's problem. But, most importantly, Jaime Lannister is unquestionably portrayed as a hero. Kingslayer, affectionate. (Pay no attention to the cabbages.) A Song of Ice and Fire. The Mad King Close The Door And Come Here - Episode 646

Kyra Belle Johnson originated and is currently playing the role of Belle in Disney's North American Tour of "Beauty and the Beast." Previously, Kyra played the role of Sophie in the Broadway National Tour of "Mamma Mia" and has been seen in films and on television in "Damned If You Do," "Role Play," and "FBI."A Los Angeles native, Kyra graduated from Texas State University, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. She continued her studies abroad, training at The Globe, Shakespeare's Birthplace Trust, and the Royal Shakespeare Company in the United Kingdom.Kyra is a beauty, inside and out, and we know you're going to love listening to this interview!Email: TheMouseAndMePodcast@gmail.comSupport: www.patreon.com/themouseandmeFB and Instagram: “The Mouse and Me”Music by Kevin MacLeod from https://incompetech.filmmusic.io

Sir Greg Doran is somewhat of a legend in the world of theatre and William Shakepeare. The first time the former Artistic Director Emeritus of the Royal Shakespeare Company came to New Zealand it was thanks to a copy of a First Folio of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet held at the Auckland Central City Library. Now the renowned theatre director is back in the country, but this time working with students, actors and the public discussing the love stories cultures share, and why they are such timeless tales. Sir Greg's visit was prompted by a creative project involving the Maori legend of Hinemoa and Tutanekai - two star crossed lovers that some call New Zealand's Romeo and Juliet, but with a happier ending.

The 16th episode of the fourth season of the BBC anthology series Play for Today, Penda's Fen – originally broadcast on 21 March 1974 – is widely celebrated as a visionary masterpiece of British folk horror and 1970s television drama. Written by David Rudkin and directed by Alan Clarke, Time Out London named it one of the 100 best British films. The Visionary Realism of Alan ClarkeDirector Alan Clarke is renowned for his stark social realism and controversial depictions of institutionalised communities. His 1977 borstal drama Scum was banned by the BBC, later returning as a 1979 feature film, while his television film Made in Britain introduced Tim Roth as a racist skinhead. He tackled corporate corruption in Beloved Enemy, military interrogation in Psy-Warriors, and directed David Bowie in Bertolt Brecht's Baal. His final work, The Firm starring Gary Oldman, drew heavy press criticism for its depiction of violent football hooliganism in Thatcher's Britain.While Penda's Fen trades Clarke's urban realism for a mystical landscape of angels and demons, it retains his fierce preoccupation with identity, authority, and systemic oppression.Cult Television & Audio ConnectionsThe surreal atmosphere is driven by an electronic score from Paddy Kingsland of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Kingsland manipulated a Benjamin Britten recording for the play, and went on to score The Changes, the radio and TV versions of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and classic Doctor Who serials.The cast links directly to landmark British cult media:Spencer Banks (Stephen Franklin): The quintessential 1970s television adolescent, Banks also starred as Simon Randall in the children's sci-fi series Timeslip.Georgine Anderson (Mrs Franklin): A veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company who later played May in the 2007 Doctor Who episode ‘Gridlock' – representing the show's first married same-sex couple.Ian Hogg (Arne): Famous as the lead in Rockliffe's Babies and the villainous Josiah Samuel Smith in the Doctor Who story Ghost Light.Jennie Hesselwood (Mrs Arne): Mother of Toby Jones and wife of Freddie Jones (Dune, The Elephant Man).Graham Leaman (Sir Edward Elgar): Features a massive Doctor Who pedigree including The Macra Terror (tying directly back to the Macra in ‘Gridlock'), The Seeds of Death, and The Three Doctors.Ivor Roberts (Cooke): A familiar face from the ‘Croftiverse' comedies Oh, Doctor Beeching! and You Rang, M'Lord?, as well as Genesis of the Daleks.Ron Smerczak (Joel): Later transitioned to action cinema in American Ninja 4: The Annihilation and Cyborg Cop.Current Promotions & EventsThe General Witchfinders Book Club: Our debut spin-off episode is out now, run with independent bookshop Teaseland & Skylark in Dorchester. Host Ross welcomes author Ray Newman (The Grave Digger's Boy) to unpack Andrew Michael Hurley's folk horror novel, Starve Acre. Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/GW-BC-01Summer Spin-Off – Department X: Join James and Ross as they investigate the 1970s obsession with ESP, telekinesis, and psychic premonitions. Listen to 'Mysterious Powers & Strange Forces' here: https://tinyurl.com/MYSpowerLondon Halloween Live Show: We are taking over ActOne Cinema in Acton on Friday 30th October at 7:30pm for a screening of Hammer's Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde and a live podcast recording. Tickets are £14: https://tinyurl.com/DRJeky11'Hammer Presents' Blu-ray Giveaway: Win a bundle of restored rarities including The Snake Woman, Dr. Blood's Coffin, Cry of the Banshee, and Crucible of Horror. Enter before Friday 31st July: https://tinyurl.com/HamPrizeGeneral Witchfinders Issue 4: Grab our 76-page zine of unsettling folk horror fiction, original artwork, and deep-dive features: https://tinyurl.com/gwZINESupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 111: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht Host: Douglas Schatz Guests: Stephen Sharkey and Tom Kuhn Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Bertolt Brecht's 'gangster spectacle', The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is both an exuberant and funny piece of theatre, and a chillingly topical political satire. Set in the 1930s Chicago of Al Capone, Brecht presents a parody of the rise of Hitler through the character of the gangster Arturo Ui. The play is a universal cry for vigilance against the rise of unscrupulous, populist leaders who threaten democratic societies and global peace. As we recorded this episode a new production of the play by the Royal Shakespeare Company was playing in Stratford-upon-Avon, starring Mark Gatiss as the title character. I am delighted to be joined by both the show's translator, playwright Stephen Sharkey, and by Brecht scholar, Professor Tom Kuhn, to guide us through Brecht's political parody.

In ep 180 of “How Do You Say That?!” sponsored by britishvoiceover.co.uk, Paul Cartwright joins Sam and Mark to talk about trusting your senses as a VA to do the work in a script without actively trying to do the work. We explore a commercial script using Paul's theory of pulling back on the crafting and being less voiceovery and less polished to make a real connection with the audience.As an artist, your body is naturally going to add pitch and depth and resonance and highs and lows... so what Paul shows us is comparable to the difference between stage acting and film acting - and it can be a rough uncomfortable ride.We also look at how to create a story arc for a famous tale re-told, but telling it in an authentic way, and our wildcards include Jack's giant, an old lady and a nervous best man delivering a speech.Get involved! Have you got a Wildcard suggestion that we should try or an idea for the show? Send it to us via Mark or Sam's social media or email it directly to podcast@britishvoiceover.co.ukScript 1Senior Living THE COMM, is an international community for those aged 65 and over. Enjoy an active, independent lifestyle with comfort, peace of mind, and healthcare assistance whenever it's needed.Find out more today on 966 878 400.Senior Living THE COMM. For those who already know what life is all about.Script 2Long ago, in a sleepy village on the outskirts of a busy town, there lived a boy named Jack. Jack's father disappeared when he was a child, and all Jack could remember of him was the joy of his laughter and the tenderness of his voice:But for Jack and his widowed mother, things were what they were: they were poor, and their farm was failing.But Jack wasn't worried. He was an unusual boy, cheerful to a fault and rarely complained. That, and he had a secret...He could speak to animals.We'd love your feedback - and if you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, hit the follow button today!**Listen to all of our podcasts here - you can also watch on YouTube, or say to your smart speaker "Play How Do You Say That?!"About our guest: Paul Cartwright spent more than two decades as a full-time actor doing musicals and plays before moving to the U.K. to get his MFA in Acting: The British Tradition from the Royal Conservatoire. After working with the best voice coaches in the world, including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Paul moved to Los Angeles to continue his on-camera and voiceover career. Some of the clients Paul worked with are: Disney Animation, Game of Thrones, Mercedes Benz, Pepsi, Google, Samsung, Epic Games, Genshin Impact, Nintendo, Bethesda and more. Paul has since moved to Salt Lake City, Utah with his family. He is a full-time voice actor and director.Paul's Website@PaulTCartwright on InstagramPaul's Facebook pageResources: Click here for the Wildcard Generator and don't forget to think of an action your character can be doing!Here are Paul's stories: AudioStories presents StoryLore on apple or Spotifyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audiostories/id1624488270About your hosts:With over 40 years representing major international clients such as Google, Emirates and HSBC; Mark Ryes has been trusted to be the voice for some of the world's biggest brands. If your business needs a fresh voice to represent you, then make it Mark's British voice. As a voiceover, TV presenter, podcaster or product demonstrator - Mark makes your brand truly sparkle!Mark's demos & contact details: https://linktr.ee/britishvoiceovermarkElegantly British with an intelligent, warm and seductive voice, Samantha Boffin helps creatives and production companies create great audio that really connects with their audience. BBC-trained and with over 20 years of broadcast experience on both sides of the mic, she's created award-winning promos, narration and commercials for companies all around the globe, including the BBC, Sky, Games Workshop, John Lewis, Audible and Penguin Random House.Samantha's demos & contact details: https://linktr.ee/samanthaboffin

Back for more Shakespeare! This week it's Henry IV Part 2 (following up last month's Part 1)--but with the addition of the book Year of the Fat Knight by Shakespearean actor Antony Sher.Part One's pairings of characters give way to one central relationship in Part 2: fathers and sons. It's much more serious as Prince Hal moves closer to assuming the throne: how much will he follow his father's wishes for him? How can he create his kingly presence with Falstaff acting as his best friend and surrogate father? And who, if anyone, might fill that advisor/father role when Hal loses his own?On top of this play, I read the wonderful Year of the Fat Knight. Sher was Falstaff in the productions of Henry IV from Royal Shakespeare Company, the ones I watched, and he was marvelous. I spotted this book when we were in Stratford last summer and decided that this was the perfect month to read it.Sher's memoir is amazing, full of all kinds of anecdotes about not only this play but being a Shakespearean actor in general. I strongly feel that you can't experience a Shakespeare play without seeing it in some form, and Sher's memoir made me see why. It's a true vocation to act in a play like this--embodying the complicated language so that it seems natural, filling in the blanks of a personality that Shakespeare leaves, deciding exactly how to appear in front of an audience. I'm really happy I read this one.Next week--Happy Birthday, America!BOOKS IN THIS EPISODEThe complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2rHenry IV Part 2 (RSC Production)Year of the Fat Knight (Antony Sher)CONNECTTo read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebookLISTENSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bdApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

In today's episode, we speak with Maria Aberg, a Swedish theatre director with a prestigious career in the UK and abroad, directing shows at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, the Royal Exchange, Donmar Warehouse and the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, to name a few. She is also the founder and Artistic Director of Projekt Utopia, formerly Projekt Europa - an international theatre company based in the UK, making bold, experimental work by migrant theatre makers for local and global audiences.Maria spoke with us about how central the idea of friction is to her artistic practice, the reasons behind her company's new name, and what she understands ‘migrant imagination' to be - as well as the crucial role it plays in our theatre industry and society at large. Find out more about Maria and Projekt Utopia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

pWotD Episode 3345: Penelope Keith Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 335,463 views on Monday, 29 June 2026 our article of the day is Penelope Keith.Dame Penelope Anne Constance Keith (née Hatfield; 2 April 1940 – 29 June 2026) was an English actress. Active in film, radio, stage and television, where she was also a presenter, Keith is primarily known for her roles in the British sitcoms The Good Life and To the Manor Born. Keith succeeded Lord Olivier as president of the Actors' Benevolent Fund after his death in 1989 and was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to the arts and to charity.Keith joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963, and went on to win the 1976 Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for the play Donkeys' Years. She became a household name in the UK playing Margo Leadbetter in the sitcom The Good Life (1975–1978), winning the 1977 BAFTA TV Award for Best Light Entertainment Performance.In 1978, Keith won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for The Norman Conquests. She then starred as Audrey fforbes-Hamilton in the sitcom To the Manor Born (1979–1981), a show that received audiences of more than 20 million. Keith went on to star in another six sitcoms, including Executive Stress (1986–1988), No Job for a Lady (1990–1992) and Next of Kin (1995–1997). From 2000, she worked mainly in the theatre, with her roles including Madam Arcati in Blithe Spirit (2004) and Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest (2007).This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:49 UTC on Tuesday, 30 June 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Penelope Keith on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Justin.

Emily Watson is an award-winning actor, widely regarded as one of the finest character actors of her generation.She began her career on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company before rising to prominence in 1996, when she was cast as Bess McNeill in Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves. The role earned her an Academy Award nomination. She received a second Oscar nomination for Hilary and Jackie, for which she learned to play the cello to portray Jacqueline du Pré.Watson has built a reputation for a level of commitment that is as intense as it is acclaimed. She describes her craft not merely as a profession but as a profound internal necessity, stating: "I love the sense of creating and inhabiting something. That feeling of making it feel magically real. That's the addiction".She grew up in London and was a passionate reader before leaving home to study English at Bristol University. Her parents were members of the School of Economic Science which proscribed that followers eschew TV and popular culture. Emily joined in with the university drama productions and followed her passion, with her parents' blessing, to pursue a career in acting. Emily Watson lives in London with her husband, and they have two children. Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah TaylorDesert Island Discs has cast other actors away over the years including Emily's fellow actor from Hamnet, Jessie Buckley. The writer, Maggie O'Farrell is in there too along with Emily's friend from university, the writer David Nicholls. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

Kulturkollen laddar upp för sommarens alla kulturevent med en guide om sånt som stör, och sånt som förgyller, publikupplevelsen. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. I veckan blev det stor uppmärksamhet när klassiska "Stormen" stördes på Royal Shakespeare Company – av en bebis i publiken. Vad var det som hände?Hur ser kutymen ut: Bör man som publik få filma ett framträdande, eller prata med varandra på bio?Är det engelsmännen som är bisarrt stränga med publiknormer, eller är svenskar till och med värre? Kulturnytt har gett sig ut på gatorna för kolla hur attityden till störande ljud från publiken ser ut.Allt detta diskuteras av programledare Rasmus Grosin och inhoppande etikettexpert Ellen Cavallin i veckans kulturkoll.

This episode we're covering Death Valley, the Welsh cozy mystery on BritBox that's basically Midsomer Murders but with even more unpronounceable town names and a retired actor solving crimes for fun. This is also our first video episode! Come check us out on YouTube or patreon.com/cluedunnitpodcast!  In this episode: Retired TV detective actor John Chapel (Timothy Spall) teams up with eager-but-junior DS Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) to investigate a murder at a 15-year high school reunion. The guesses:

Last weekend Mickey-Jo headed to the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon to watch two strikingly different pieces of theatre in one day.These were: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, starring Mark Gatiss, and The Tempest starring Kenneth Branagh.Check out this double bill review to find out what Mickey-Jo thought of these two plays...• 00:00 | introduction01:46 | The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui 11:10 | The Tempest 23:59 | conclusion About Mickey-Jo:As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MickeyJoTheatre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the largest worldwide in terms of dedicated theatre criticism, where he also share features, news and interviews as well as lifestyle content for over 95,000 subscribers. With a viewership that is largely split between the US and the UK he has been fortunate enough to be able to work with PR, Marketing, and Social Media representatives for shows in New York, London, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Toronto, Sao Pãolo, and Paris. His reviews and features have also been published by WhatsOnStage, for whom he was a panelist to help curate nominees for their 2023 and 2024 Awards as well as BroadwayWorldUK, Musicals Magazine and LondonTheatre.co.uk. Instagram/TikTok/X: @MickeyJoTheatre Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirsty Lang on Michael Pennington, the Shakespearean actor who preferred a life on stage to the glamour of Hollywood. For Dame Judi Dench, he was her 'Mr Plum', she recalls his life.Cynthia Shange defied apartheid to become the first Black woman to represent South Africa at Miss World. Scott Hastings the rugby legend, who was once Scotland's most capped player. He went on to become a well-known commentator and campaigner for mental health charities, following the death of his wife after her long battle with depression. And Beverley Martyn, the singer songwriter, a star of the British folk scene, who was signed by Beatles producer George Martin aged 16, but her career was not a smooth ride. Please note this programme references suicide. Support and information is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.Interviewee: Dame Judi Dench Interviewee: Nonhle Thema Interviewee: John Beattie Interviewee: Joe BoydProducer: Catherine Powell Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Andrea KennedyArchive: Miss World 1972. BBC TV, 01 Dec 1972; Bob Harris Sunday : Beverley Martyn plays live, BBC Radio 2, 27th April 2014; Five Nations, Rugby Union, Scotland v England, 17th March 1990; Scrum V, Live Pro12: 2016/2017, Edinburgh v Blues, 24th Feb 2017; BBC News Breakfast, 21st Dec 2020; Richard II, writer William Shakespeare, dir Gregory Doran, Royal Shakespeare Company, 2013; Gift of Gorgon, writer Peter Shaffer, dir Peter Hall, RSC, 1993; Henry V, dir Michael Bogdanov, The English Shakespeare Company in The War of the Roses, Produced by John Paul Chapple and Andy Ward, A Portman Classics production in association with Contracts International and Windmill Lane Productions, 1990

The latest new musical to arrive in the West End is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, based on the film of the same name and the memoir that inspired it.The musical, which premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon, tells the story of William Kamkwamba, who created a windmill from scraps in order to provide for his famine-stricken community.Check out Mickey-Jo's thoughts about this show, its original score, and its performances...check out Mickey-Jo's brand new substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.com• 00:00 | introduction01:45 | synopsis / overview07:23 | the material12:40 | performances20:17 | creative choices25:20 | conclusionAbout Mickey-Jo:As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MickeyJoTheatre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the largest worldwide in terms of dedicated theatre criticism, where he also share features, news and interviews as well as lifestyle content for over 95,000 subscribers. With a viewership that is largely split between the US and the UK he has been fortunate enough to be able to work with PR, Marketing, and Social Media representatives for shows in New York, London, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Toronto, Sao Pãolo, and Paris. His reviews and features have also been published by WhatsOnStage, for whom he was a panelist to help curate nominees for their 2023 and 2024 Awards as well as BroadwayWorldUK, Musicals Magazine and LondonTheatre.co.uk. Instagram/TikTok/X: @MickeyJoTheatre Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women are being forced to turn to loan sharks due to a "hidden" but devastating form of economic abuse, according to new research. Scottish Women's Aid has published a study on the problem of coerced debt – where an abusive current or ex-partner builds up debt in their victim's name, either without consent or knowledge or through force, threat or coercion. Anita Rani is joined by Dr Jenn Glinski, author of the report and the national policy lead for economic abuse at Scottish Women's Aid, to talk about the report findings.Canwen Xu was born in China and moved to the US when she was two years old. She grew up in predominately white areas – North and South Dakota and Idaho. When she was 18 she gave a TEDx talk, titled, I Am Not Your Asian Stereotype, which has been watched more than 3.7 million times. Canwen joins Anita to discuss her debut novel - Boring Asian Female – and its themes of identity, ambition, failure, and obsession.The Government is consulting on an outright ban of social media for under-16s, as well as other measures designed to stop teenagers accessing addictive and harmful material. In March in the US, a Los Angeles jury handed down an unprecedented win for a young woman who had sued Meta and Google over her childhood addiction to social media. So, what is social media addiction and how do you identify it in children? What's the tipping point between a ‘keen interest' and an addiction? Anita is joined by Dr Bernadka Dubicka, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, and Jenny Afia, a privacy and reputation lawyer for the law firm Schillings, who contributed to the UK Children's Commissioner's Digital Task Force.The Royal Shakespeare Company's musical production of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind has just transferred to London's West End. Based on the true story of 13-year-old William Kamkwamba who, in drought-stricken Malawi, and despite the lack of support from those around him, dreamt of saving his village. Anita is joined by the director Lynette Linton, and Madeleine Appiah, who plays William's mother.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

Stories of superstitious drinks and a cheese grudge. Paapa Essiedu is a highly acclaimed actor, known for his work across stage and screen. After attending Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Paapa joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, making his debut in The Merry Wives of Windsor at the age of 22. Other stage credits include Death of England: Delroy, The Effect and, most recently, All My Sons, a performance which saw him win an Olivier Award.   Paapa joins Nick and Angela to talk about two TV projects, including Falling, where he plays a priest who falls in love with a nun, portrayed by former Dish guest Keeley Hawes. The show is the first love story written by Jack Thorne, whose credits include Adolescence, His Dark Materials, Toxic Town and Skins. Falling is available to stream and watch live on Channel 4 from May 19. You'll also see Paapa in Babies, opposite Siobhán Cullen, as a couple struggling through the experience of pregnancy loss. The series, available on BBC iPlayer, has garnered praise for the poignant handling of its subject matter.  It's an episode with a chilli kick, with big-batch spicy margaritas to get things started and then spicy prawn tacos with rhubarb & scotch bonnet salsa to keep things going. The tacos are a recipe by Ixta Belfrage, which is paired by our wine experts with a glass of Tohu Sauvignon Blanc Awatere Valley. Paapa is a huge fan of big bold flavours, including Thai and Mexican cuisine, and there's also plenty of love for fresh tomatoes and, thanks to his recent theatre run, white chocolate matcha lattes. And, after recently taking up cooking classes, what skills can Paapa glean from watching Angela in the kitchen?  You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube and on Spotify.  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes The recipe for the spicy prawn tacos with rhubarb & scotch bonnet salsa was created for Waitrose by Ixta Belfrage For chocolate mousse inspiration, mentioned at the end of the episode, check out this recipe by Martha Collison. A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish If you want to get in touch with us about anything at all, contact dish@waitrose.co.uk  Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julie Peasgood is probably best known for having been a regular in no less than three soaps: Brookside, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks. She has a multi-faceted career as an accomplished actress, TV presenter and producer, award-winning author, voice-over artist and events host. Honoured by the Royal Television Society with their celebrated Television Personality of the Year Award, Julie's acting career spans over fifty years of prestigious theatre and television, including five years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, TV serials such as Taggart, Casualty, The Survivors, September Song, Spender, Russell T Davies' Years and Years and Doctors (playing Michael Fenton Stevens wife!). Julie has also made her mark as a prolific travel and lifestyle writer: she was Contributing Editor for Cruise & Travel magazine for twelve years and has had long-running columns in Crafts Beautiful, Yours and Now magazines and Group Leisure and Travel, as well as being a regular contributor to Metro and the Mail on Sunday. A veteran of over 100 cruises - as a travel presenter, cruise reviewer and guest speaker – in 2018 Julie decided to combine her love of cruise travel with her passion for crafts, to form her highly successful company Supercraft Cruises..Julie Peasgood is our guest in episode 584 of My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things she'd like to put in a time capsule; four she'd like to preserve and one she'd like to bury and never have to think about again .Julie's Supercraft Cruises company - https://www.supercraftcruises.com .To donate blood, visit - www.blood.co.uk .Buddhism in Action for Peace - https://sgi-uk.org .Follow Julie Peasgood on Instagram: @juliepeasgood .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 and get all episodes ad-free, 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.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews the Royal Shakespeare Company touring production of “Hamnet” at ACT Toni Rembe (Geary) Theatre through May 24, 2026.         Text of Review: In November 2025, a film adaptation of the 2020 Maggie O'Farrell novel Hamnet hit the screens of America. Four months later, Jessie Buckley won an Oscar for the role of Agnes Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare, and mother of their three children. But back in April 2023, the same month that Chloe Zao was contracted to co-author and direct the screenplay of Hamnet, a stage adaptation of the novel made its premiere under the auspices of the Royal Shakespeare Company at their home, the Swan Theatre in Stratford-on-Avon in England. And it's a touring production by that same company that is now at ACT's Toni Rembe Theatre through May 24th. From a purely academic viewpoint, it's fascinating to examine the differences between the two adaptations. The same high points exist in both, sometimes the dialogue even matches. The characters are mostly the same, though the film's Will, played by Paul Mescal, is warmer and more family oriented than Rory Alexander's Will on stage. The line from late in the film, “you weren't here” for instance, now has a resonance because the on stage Will often is not there, spending more time in London than his family would like, and Agnes complains. Agnes's ugly relationship with her stepmother Joan is fleshed out in the play, as is the turbulent relationship between Will and his father, played on stage by the scene-stealing Nigel Barrett. Act One of the play takes twenty minutes on film. The film zooms into the family surrounding Shakespeare's  young son. The play tells a more broader story, how Shakespeare became Shakespeare. Jessie Buckley's Agnes is someone we deeply care about, almost a modern woman dropped five hundred years into the past. Kemi-Bo Jacobs' Agnes on stage is extremely difficult. There's a reason why it takes a while for the other characters to warm up to her. She's often loud and angry, with an annoying cadence in her voice. It's almost no wonder that Will wants to spend so much time in London. Which is likely the more authentic performance? One other thing: the film nails the ending. The play, not so much. But then again, here we have a top-notch British production, the kind you'd only see in Stratford-on-Avon or maybe the West End, in person, with a massive gorgeous set, and actors who have been studying Shakespeare since infancy. People travel to England for productions like this, whatever their flaws. And now it's right at your front door. The Royal Shakespeare Company and Neal Street productions Hamnet plays at ACT's Toni Rembe Theatre through May 24th. For more information go to act-sf.org. I'm Richard Wolinsky on Bay Area theatre for KPFA. The post Review: “Hamnet” at ACT Toni Rembe (Geary) Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for another audio described theatre review.  This time we have Shakespeare's retelling of the initial phase of the Lancastrian war, part of the hundred years war as RSC Co-Artistic Director Tamara Harvey directs Alfred Enoch as Henry V at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon with description by Professional Audio Describers Carolyn Smith and Ellie Packer.About ‘Henry V'From a rebellious, carefree young man to the King of England. Overnight. And now this new king has an eye on the throne of France.   A reckless insult from the French Dauphin offers the perfect excuse for Henry V to declare war. But there's a human price to pay for his pursuit of power and thousands could die at Agincourt.   Henry must unite his country, defeat the French, and prove himself worthy of the crown of England. Does he have what it takes?  For more about access at the Royal Shakespeare Company including details of audio described performances of their productions do visit - https://www.rsc.org.uk/your-visit/access(Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB' written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio' is written in black in a smaller font)

Professor Alex Hill is the co-founder and Director of the Centre for High Performance. Author of Centennials: The 12 Habits of Great, Enduring Organisations, he's spent 13 years researching great organisations. In this episode we explore how organisations can use leadership to stay relevant and effective, as well as what leadership lessons we can draw from great organisations including NASA, the New Zealand All-Blacks, Eton College and The Royal Shakespeare Company. 

TODAY on The Great Women Artists podcast is the esteemed writer, Deborah Levy on avant-garde pioneer Gertrude Stein. The author of several novels, including August Blue, Hot Milk and Swimming Home, alongside the critically acclaimed Living Autobiography trilogy (some of my favourite books of all time): Things I Don't Want to Know, The Cost of Living and Real Estate, Deborah Levy is one of the most recognisable and influential writers working today. She has been shortlisted twice each for the Goldsmiths Prize and the Booker Prize, is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and has written for the Royal Shakespeare Company. But the reason why we are speaking with Levy today is because she has just published a new novel, My Year in Paris with Gertrude Stein, which follows a narrator who has travelled to Paris to find out more about Stein, the enigmatic, trailblazing writer and patron; a woman who bolted through the 19th to the 20th century and paved the way for modernism as we know it today, with her daring, experimental writing, from Tender Buttons to The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, and her patronage of artists such as Picasso, Cezanne, and Matisse – and I can't wait to find out more. My Year in Paris with Gertrude Stein https://www.waterstones.com/book/my-year-in-paris-with-gertrude-stein/deborah-levy/2928377373535 THIS EPISODE IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE LEVETT COLLECTION: www.famm.com/en/ www.instagram.com/famm_mougins // www.merrellpublishers.com/9781858947037 Follow us: Katy Hessel: @thegreatwomenartists / @katy.hessel Sound editing by Mikaela Carmichael Music by Ben Wetherfield

Olivier winner Eleanor Worthington-Cox is starring as Cilla Black and Cynthia Powell, John Lennon's first wife, in the world premiere of Tom Wright's play Please Please Me at the Kiln Theatre. Directed by Amit Sharma, the play tells the story of Brian Epstein, the influential manager often described as the “fifth Beatle”.Eleanor won an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical when she was one of the original Matilda Wormwoods in the West End production of Matilda The Musical.As a child, her credits also include: Chorus in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Liverpool Empire), Jean Louise “Scout” Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Blousey Brown in Bugsy Malone (Lyric Hammersmith) and Jess in Tomcat (Southwark Playhouse).More recently her theatre credits have included: Phaedra Cox in Jerusalem (Apollo Theatre), Lily in The Secret Life of Bees (Almeida Theatre), Alexandra Giddens in The Little Foxes (Young Vic), Hero in Much Ado About Nothing (Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company) and Mary Page Marlowe in Mary Page Marlowe (The Old Vic).Eleanor starred as Natalie Goodman in Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse and in the West End at the Wyndham's Theatre, receiving an Olivier nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role In a Musical. The production was filmed and has been released internationally to huge acclaim. She has worked across film and television too, with projects including Maleficent, Cucumber, The Enfield Haunting, Hetty Feather, Action Point, Britannia, Gwen, The Irregulars and About A Bell.Recorded during a break from rehearsals, in this episode Eleanor discusses all-things Please Please Me including how she's perfecting her portrayal of Cilla and why it's important for her to champion queer storytelling. She also reflects on the impact of Next To Normal, and her journey from Matilda to sustaining a career across stage and screen. Please Please Me runs at the Kiln Theatre until 29th May. Visit www.kilntheatre.com for info and tickets. This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening! Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Bannister onYanar Mohammed who campaigned for women's rights in Iraq and set up a secret network of shelters for those fleeing abusive relationships. She was shot dead on 2nd March.Phil Woolas, a key figure in the New Labour project who became MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth.Professor Robin Weiss, the eminent virologist who carried out important work to understand HIV.Jane Lapotaire, the classical actor who won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Edith Piaf.Interviewee: Nawal Al-Maghafi Interviewee: Nick Jones Interviewee: Jonathan Weber Interviewee: Zoë WanamakerProducer: Ribika Moktan Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn TansleyArchive used: Outlook, BBC World Service, 09/05/2005; News 1800, BBC Radio 4, 14/12/2003; BBC News, 1/04/1992; BBC News, 02/05/1997; Daily Politics: 2010 Election, Debates: The Immigration Debate, 4/05/2010; BBC News at Ten, BBC, 07/05/2009; BBC News at One, 09/12/2010; BBC News, 21/11/1986; Frontiers, BBC Radio 4, 24/02/1996; Piaf, playwright Pam Gems, director Howard Davies, production by Royal Shakespeare Company, broadcast on Arena: Theatre, BBC 12/02/1979; The 35th Annual Tony Awards, dir Clark Jones, Producer Alexander H. Cohen, produced and written by Hildy Parks, A Bentwood Television Production, CBS, 07/06/1981; Desert island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 22/08/1986; Richard II, dir Gregory Dean, The Royal Shakespeare Company, 2013; Woman's Hour, Radio 4, 24/04/2003

Today, I'm thrilled to announce my interview with star of stage and screen Jonathan Cake, who is currently starring in DEATH OF A SALESMAN. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his legendary career, including his collaboration with Fiona Shaw on MEDEA, touring as a young actor with the National Youth Theater, how he first encountered DEATH OF A SALESMAN, bringing Tennessee Williams' BABY DOLL to the stage, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company, how AND JUST LIKE THAT changed the way he dresses, working with an American company on CYMBELINE, why he turned down RICHARD III, a memorable incident while performing DOUBT, what he thinks about onstage intimacy, changing his look for THE PHILANTHROPIST, what he's learned from his podcast STAGE DOOR JONNY, working with Ethan Coen on ALMOST AN EVENING, performing in the Globe Theatre, starring in FUENTE OVEJUNA after the pandemic, balancing being a father with being an actor, the challenges of starring in CORIOLANUS in the Park, and so much more. Don't miss this thoughtful conversation with a master craftsman.

Actor Micah Balfour joins Johnny Seifert on Secure The Insecure podcast.Micah opens up about being a dad for the first time at forty six years old, how Micah wants to change what you are taught in drama schools and Micah shares his memories of working on The Bill and Eastenders. Finally, Micah talks about playing Exeter in Henry V at the Royal Shakespeare Company.For tickets to see Micah visit www.rsc.org.uk Secure The Insecure is the celebrity mental health podcast that airs on Mondays available to watch on Youtube or listen to on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Make sure you subscribe/rate/review where you are watching or listening to Secure The Insecure.Follow Johnny Seifert on Social Media:Instagram: www.instagram.com/johnnyseifertInstagram: www.instagram.com/securetheinsecurepodcastTikTok www.tiktok.com/johnnyseifert92 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Jon Robyns who is starring as Miss Trunchbull in the West End production of Matilda.Having premiered in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2010, the Royal Shakespeare Company's musical has been seen by 11 million people across 100 cities worldwide. Written by Dennis Kelly, Matilda has music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and direction by Matthew Warchus. Jon took over as Miss Trunchbull last year, immediately after his run as Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum.Jon's West End credits include The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (having previously played Enjolras and Marius), King George in Hamilton, alternate Huey in Memphis, Scrooge & others in Dickens Abridged, Galahad in Spamalot and Princeton & Rod in Avenue Q.Jon's other theatre credits include: Adam Nehemiah in Dessa Rose (Trafalgar Studios 2), Robbie in The Wedding Singer (UK & Ireland Tour), Emmet in Legally Blonde (Leicester Curve), Eddie in Sister Act (UK & Ireland Tour), Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Jamie in The Last Five Years (Greenwich Theatre), Hollis in Road Show (Menier Chocolate Factory), Mark in Rent (Frankfurt) and alternate Chris in Miss Saigon (UK & Ireland Tour). Jon performs in concerts all around the world and, alongside his performing work, is also a writer. Jon and his writing partner Christopher J Orton's musical Then, Now & Next premiered at the Southwark Playhouse in the summer of 2023, and they continue to collaborate on new writing projects.In this episode Jon discusses his time in The Great Gatsby, the process of taking over as Miss Trunchbull and his next writing project, plus lots more.Matilda runs at the Cambridge Theatre. Visit www.uk.matildathemusical.com for info and tickets.This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening! Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest on this episode of White Wine Question Tim is Joanna Page, an actor and presenter from Swansea, who was told whilst she was training at RADA that she was not a bad actress, the problem was that she was Welsh…Luckily for all of us she didn't let these comments hold her back, and ended up leaving RADA early to join the Royal National Theatre and then the Royal Shakespeare Company, appearing in the star-studded 1999 BBC adaptation of David Copperfield, and then what proved to be one of the nation's all-time favourite Christmas films, Love Actually.She seems to have a knack of winning roles in some of our most beloved shows, playing the titular Stacey Shipman in the BAFTA-winning series Gavin & Stacey alongside Ruth Jones, James Corden, and Matthew Horne - the final episode was one of the most-watched TV shows of the last two decades, with an audience of over 20 million.She has four children with her actor husband James Thornton, who she starred with in David Copperfield, but in a truly Dickensian plot-twist she didn't meet him at the time – it took a later introduction to throw them together from drama school friend Maxine PeakeSo sit back and enjoy this chat with Joanna Page as she discusses that Gavin & Stacey finale, Hollywood's very own Margot Robbie being a fan, and how she feels about nude scenes.If you're looking for more information about the National Lottery Open Week that Joanna mentioned - it runs from 7-15 March, and it's your chance to unlock some of the UK's hidden gems. You can show any National Lottery ticket, Scratchcard or Instant Win Game and get free or discounted entry, plus special offers, at hundreds of funded venues across the UK - from BFI Escapes to creative spaces and iconic hidden gems like Dover's wartime tunnels and the Eden Project's living clay sculpture. To find a participating venue near you, visit www.nationallotteryopenweek.comCheers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Broadway prepares for blizzard, ‘Titanique’ welcomes ‘In the Heights’ star, ‘Game of Thrones’ at Royal Shakespeare Company this summer Every week, Matt Tamanini will bring you the biggest news from across the theatrical landscape and will prepare you for what’s ahead over the next seven days. Any and all feedback read more

My guest this episode is the globally-renowned, multi-award-winning playwright, poet, and performer, Inua Ellams MBE FRSL, whose work has been produced by the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and BBC / Disney+'s Doctor Who, to name just three. Research Producer: Eileen Gbagbo

Whitney White is a theatrical powerhouse. A director, writer, actor, and musician, White's work has been seen on Broadway, Off Broadway, and at major institutions including The Public Theater, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and, most recently, the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her projects include Jaja's African Hair Braiding, The Last Five Years, Macbeth in Stride, and By The Queen, which was featured in the Folger's 2025 Reading Room Festival. In this episode, White discusses All Is But Fantasy, her four-play musical cycle created for the RSC, where it's now receiving its world premiere. The high-energy, gig-theater show investigates Shakespeare's women and ambition, focusing on Lady Macbeth, Emilia, Juliet, and Richard III. Each piece combines performance with original music, using sound and rhythm as a way into the text and as a tool for rethinking these characters whose inner lives are often cut short or overlooked. White reflects on why Shakespeare's women so often meet tragic ends, how those stories continue to feel familiar, and what it means to keep staging them now. She considers the ways that music, performance, and adaptation can help us better understand Shakespeare today. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published February 10, 2026. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica, with Garland Scott serving as executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. Technical support was provided by Melvin Rickarby in Stratford, England, and Voice Trax West in Studio City, California. Web production was handled by Paola García Acuña. Transcripts are edited by Leonor Fernandez. Final mixing services were provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. Whitney White is an Obie and Lily Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated director, actor, and musician, celebrated for her bold, innovative storytelling across both Broadway and off-Broadway. She recently received the Drama League's 2025 Founders Award for Excellence in Directing and an Obie Award for Sustained Achievement in Directing. All Is But Fantasy, White's four-part musical exploration of Shakespeare's women and ambition, commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, marks her RSC debut as a writer, director, and actor. The two-part high-energy gig theater show is receiving its world premiere at The Other Place in Stratford-upon-Avon in January and February 2026. White's other directing credits on Broadway include The Last Five Years and Jaja's African Hair Braiding, off-Broadway credits include Liberation, Walden, Jordan's, Soft, On Sugarland, What to Send Up When It Goes Down, Our Dear Drug Lord, and For All the Women Who Thought They Were Mad. She recently opened Saturday Church, a new musical featuring songs by Sia and Honey Dijon at New York Theatre Workshop. She also created Macbeth In Stride at Brooklyn Academy of Music, writing the book, music and lyrics. Additional directing work includes The Secret Life of Bees, By The Queen, The Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, A Human Being of a Sort, An Iliad, The Amen Corner, Othello, Canyon, and Jump. On screen, White has appeared in Ocean's Eight, Single Drunk Female, Louie, and The Playboy Club, and she contributed as a writer to Boots Riley's acclaimed series I'm A Virgo for Prime Video.

Theatre and opera director Katie Mitchell talks to John Wilson about her career and formative influences. She is renowned for her experimental storytelling on stage, her feminist perspective, and for contemporary reframing of classic plays, she has directed more than 100 productions over more than 30 years. She has worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Opera House and the National Theatre, where - as associate director - she staged bold new versions of work by a wide range of writers including Aeschylus, Virginia Woolf, Chekhov and Sarah Kane. For many theatre goers, she is one of Britain's most important and innovative living directors.Producer: Edwina Pitman

Adjoa Andoh MBE is an award-winning actress, passionate social activist, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Whether it be on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company, on the screen as Bridgerton's formidable Lady Danbury, or behind closed doors as a judge for the Booker Prize - Adjoa has helped to tell and share some of our most beloved and cherished stories. So, in this episode of Re-Enchanting, Belle and Adjoa talk about just that – the stories that Adjoa breathes in and out, the ones she finds herself telling both on and off stage.If you found this conversation interesting, Seen & Unseen, the creators of Re-Enchanting, offers thousands of articles exploring how the Christian faith helps us understand the modern world. Discover more here: www.seenandunseen.com Generosity changes things — in us, in others and in the world.At Stewardship, we help Christians give well and see their generosity make a real difference.Find out how a Stewardship Giving Account can help you give, grow, and live generously every day.https://stwdshp.org/re-enchanting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Louise Jameson is a classically trained actress whose first love is the stage—she spent two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company at the beginning of her career—but she also became known to millions of British television viewers through her roles in such hugely popular television series as Doctor Who, Tenko, Bergerac  and  EastEnders. Her recent theatre credits include Vincent River and directing the UK tour of Revenge. Her audio credits include Doctor Who (Big Finish), writing ATA Girl, about the women of the Air Transport Authority during World War II, and  multiple titles for BBC Audio and Audible. Louise talks with me about her unusually young start at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and how her training continued at the Royal Shakespeare Company, how her Doctor Who character, Leela of the Sevateem, reflected the feminism of the 1970s (and how she didn't), how she started writing, and what she thinks of the opportunities for—and representation of—women in film and TV over the years. If you want to watch this conversation, you can see it here on YouTube!   Episode breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 04:00 Louise describes childhood creativity, daydreaming, and reading early. 08:00 Drama school, age gap with classmates, and strict discipline. 12:00 Acting requires teamwork; Louise reflects on early career. 16:00 Louise's Shakespeare passion, favorite roles and performance experiences. 20:00 Louise talks about landing Leela role in Doctor Who. 24:00 Doctor Who impacts life daily; gratitude for lasting connections. 28:00 Leela's feminist traits and costume choices, fighting stereotypes. 32:00 Leela's intelligence and evolution, relationship with other companions. 36:00 Influence of audio plays; Gallifrey series has strong female fandom. 40:00 Louise discusses writing, self-doubt, and encouragement from collaborators. 44:00 Directing stage, teaching drama; regrets and living in the now. 48:00 Shakespeare's rhythmic influence on Louise's writing and teaching. 52:00 Conversation shifts to social media, attention economy, and technology. 56:00 Louise analyzes Shakespeare's poetic technique and its storytelling power. 01:00 Louise explains collective magic of live theater and storytelling. 01:04 Progress and ongoing challenges for women in TV and film.   Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing, theatre, and Doctor Who.   Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack. Please leave a review for this episode—it's really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks! If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you'll share it with a friend.

At Anti Social Camp in November 2025, we recorded two special live conversations with music greats Jamie Cullum and Billy Bragg. It's a rare chance to hear a pair of brilliant and very different songwriters reflect on their craft in front of an audience of songwriters and musicians. Jamie talks about working with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the creative discipline of working to a brief, and how collaboration can unlock ideas you would never find alone. Billy shares his belief in songwriting as a way of building connection and empathy, drawing on a career shaped by honesty, community, and lived experience. Together, these conversations offer a warm, generous look at how songs are made, why voice matters, and how music continues to bring people together.

British Chinese actress Naomi Yang is perhaps best known for her role as Maggy in Sky series Wolfe. Up next, she stars in Sky's crime thriller Under Salt Marsh, alongside Kelly Reilly, Rafe Spall, Jonathan Pryce and Harry Lawtey. She's just been announced as joining the cast of BBC's acclaimed drama Vigil in a major role for its upcoming third season Naomi can be seen in a range of acclaimed television dramas including BBC's Nightsleeper and Peaky Blinders. Most recently she starred in ITV's DI Ray opposite Parminder Nagra and Jamie Bell. Other television credits include Apple TV+'s Liaison with Eva Green and Vincent Cassel, ITV's Protection, ITV's Maternal, Peacock's Brave New World, ITV's Deep Water, Channel 4's Chimerica, and Disney+'s Mars. Naomi made her screen debut in the BAFTA-nominated film Lilting, followed by roles in several short films including BIFA-nominated Housewarming, and critically acclaimed animated short A Kind of Testament. On stage, she portrayed Tsukiko in the Royal Shakespeare Company's widely celebrated, Olivier-nominated production of My Neighbour Totoro. In 2020, Naomi was selected for the prestigious BAFTA Elevate programme, spotlighting rising talent in the UK screen industry.Naomi Yang is our guest in episode 552 of My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things she'd like to put in a time capsule; four she'd like to preserve and one she'd like to bury and never have to think about again .Follow Naomi Yang on Instagram: @imoanyang .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.

To untold millions of people she will always be bright-eyed Jane Banks in the original Mary Poppins (1964). The real-life Karen Dotrice is the mother of three who grew up in a show-business family. Her father Roy was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and her godfather was Charles Laughton! Luckily for us, Karen cherishes the memory of making Poppins and has especially fond recollections of Walt Disney, who lavished personal attention on her and her family while they were in Los Angeles. Jessie and Leonard were tickled pink to engage in conversation with a woman they've known and admired for years. (Karen even attended Jessie's bat mitzvah!) This interview first aired in 2022.

Noel catches up with Michael Ensign. The actor is a classic example of "Hey! It's that guy!" Michael is probably best known as the hotel manager in Ghostbusters and Benjamin Guggenheim in Titanic. He appeared in Midnight Express, Superman, Pink Floyd The Wall and Wargames. Michael's many television appearances include The Golden Girls, The X-Files, MacGyver, Dynasty, Star Trek, Friends and Alias. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

‘The Muppet Christmas Carol' underwhelmed at the box office when it was first released on 11th December, 1992 - but found its audience on video and DVD in the decades later, becoming a gold-plated Christmas classic, re-watched by families, year after year.  There was darkness behind the scenes - from the sudden death of Muppets creator Jim Henson, to the legal wrangling over Disney's acquisition deal for his company, and composer Paul Williams's return from a difficult decade of addiction. But, despite this, or, perhaps, because of it, 28 year-old first-time director Brian Henson delivered a faithful and enduring adaptation of Charles Dickens's novel. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly discover how Steve Whitmire shouldered the daunting job of playing Kermit for the first time; consider Michael Caine's masterstroke performance as Scrooge (‘as if playing opposite the Royal Shakespeare Company'); and reveal how Jerry Juhl's script shifted from comedy pastiche to heartfelt musical…  Further Reading: • ‘‘You'll never see Michael Caine blink': An oral history of The Muppet Christmas Carol at 30' (The Independent, 2022): https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/the-muppet-christmas-carol-brian-henson-b2243015.html • ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol movie review' (Roger Ebert, 1992): https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-muppet-christmas-carol-1992 • ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol Trailer #1' (Disney, 1992):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNo-Q0IDJi0 #90s #Film #Christmas #Heartwarming Thanks so much for supporting the show! We massively appreciate it. The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Edit producer:  Ollie Peart Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Democrats in the US Congress release three emails by the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein mentioning Donald Trump. One of the emails says the president spent several hours with a woman described as a victim of Epstein's sex trafficking. The Democrats say the communications raise serious questions about what the president knew at the time about Epstein's behaviour. The White House says the emails represent a "false narrative" and their release is an attempt to smear the president. Also: another corruption scandal shakes the Ukrainian government, with the justice minister being suspended; and how the Royal Shakespeare Company is trying to sell Britain's most famous playwright to young people. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb engages in a captivating conversation with award-winning dramatist Liz Duffy Adams about the new Royal Shakespeare production of her play Born With Teeth, which imagines a thrilling collaboration between William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. Suzannah and Liz delve into the fiery dynamics of the two men's relationship and the influence of politics on their works.Shakespeare and Marlowe existed under a time of oppressive royal censorship, when displeasing the crown would mean a trip to the Tower, or worse. How did they balance this struggle for truth and creativity amid the palpable danger?Extracts from Born With Teeth by Liz Duffy Adams, performed by Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel, courtesy of Royal Shakespeare CompanyMORE:Murder of Christopher MarloweShakespeare's Son Hamnet with Maggie O'FarrellPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle. Edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.