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Front Row

Bryan Cranston, Lazarus, Oneworld, Remembering Howard Davies

Duration: 30 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Bryan Cranston played a hapless dad in Malcom in the Middle, a dentist to the stars in Seinfeld, and most famously a teacher-turned-drugs-lord in Breaking Bad. Now he has written an autobiography. Cranston discusses A Life in Parts which recalls the many odd parts he's played in real life - paperboy, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, husband, father and, of course, actor.

One of the last projects David Bowie worked on was his musical Lazarus which includes new music and some of his best-known hits. The production which broke box office records when it played in New York has now transferred to a specially-built venue in London. We speak to Enda Walsh, Bowie's co-writer on the project, and the show's director Ivo van Hove about bringing Bowie's vision to life.

Paul Beatty has become the first US author to win the Man Booker Prize, with his racial satire The Sellout. It marks the second win in a row for independent publisher Oneworld who also published last year's winner, A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James. So what is their secret? How do they talent spot the authors who go on to win big? We will hear from one of the founders, Juliet Mabey.

We remember theatre director Howard Davies whose death at the age of 71 was announced today. During his long career he won three Best Director Olivier Awards, and established and ran the Warehouse Theatre for the Royal Shakespeare Company, now the Donmar Warehouse in London. He also did much work for the Royal National Theatre, where he directed 36 productions. Former NT artistic director Nicholas Hytner recalls working with him there, and Matt Wolf, theatre critic for The International New York Times, assesses his work.

Presenter: John Wilson
Producer: Angie Nehring. Show less

Contributors

Presenter:
John Wilson
Interviewed Guest:
Bryan Cranston
Interviewed Guest:
Enda Walsh
Interviewed Guest:
Ivo Van Hove
Interviewed Guest:
Juliet Mabey
Interviewed Guest:
Nicholas Hytner
Interviewed Guest:
Matt Wolf
Producer:
Angie Nehring

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