Irish-born playwright and novelist
Samuel Beckett remains one of the most distinctive and influential voices of postwar European theatre.
Sometime secretary to James Joyce , he shared Joyce's fascination with language and the inadequacies of verbal communication. But he was also influenced by his early visits to the Dublin music halls and the comic cross talk acts - the interaction of comedy and deep despair became a hallmark of his work. As new official and unofficial biographies compete for attention this autumn, Richard Coles reassesses the man, the work and the legacy. Also tonight, a live report from the opening in Liverpool of A Doll's House, which stars Janet McTeer , Owen Teale and John Carlisle.
Producer Edwina Wolstencroft