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Harriett Gilbert and friends present global arts, culture and entertainment.

This programme is no longer on-air, listen to our archive of available episodes online. The Strand brings you news and reviews from the best in arts, culture and entertainment.

*** This programme is no longer on-air, but please listen to our archive of available episodes online ***

The Strand is a daily 18 minute programme highlighting the best of what's going in the arts. Wide-ranging and with eclectic interests, The Strand reflects the artistic response to the BBC's news agenda. Presented by Harriett Gilbert and friends, it features discussions, reviews, big-name interviews and location reports as well as live studio performances and Hollywood, Bollywood gossip.

The Strand

The Strand Archive: The Strand Weekend

The Strand Weekend

15/08/2009

BBC World Service - The Strand Archive, The Strand Weekend

The best of this week's Strand including Woodstock's photographer Henry Diltz.

The best of this week's Strand including Andrey Kurkov, Taliban TV, Woodstock, Nihal, Georgian Cinema, Santiago, Calatrava and The Labeque Sisters.

Andrey Kurkov
The new book by the Ukrainian author of "Death and the Penguin" is a psychedelic Slavic romp through the deserts of Kazakhstan in search of the Ukrainian national spirit. Andrey joins us from Kiev to talk about "The Good Angel of Death".

Poking fun at the Taliban
Hum Sub Umeed Say Hain is one of Pakistan's favourite comedy sketch shows. The television programme has been running for nearly 7 years, but recently it's been producing increasingly risqué material. This includes poking fun at the Taliban and their fondness for guns and silent girls. Dr Muhammad Younis Butt, the show's creator, joins Harriet to explains all.  

Woodstock 
Woodstock 1969 is to this day the most historic music festival in history.  It marked the height of peaceful counterculture revolution - it was not just about the music, but embodied an entire set of ideals. We talk to the official photographer for Woodstock, Henry Diltz. 

Nihal 
BBC Radio 1 DJ Nihal takes us through a global tour of brand new music. From South Africa to Dubai to India and beyond, Nihal introduces three essential tracks to discover. Check out his favourites cuts of the moment at www.soundcloud.com/dj-Nihal 

Tracks played: 

Waqas vs Medina: Teri Yaad 
iSide feat Pundit Bhimsen Joshi: Tryst With Destiny
T.O.B.: Phrygian Mode 

Georgian Cinema
In the 12 months that have elapsed since Georgia's war with Russia last August, the country's government has spent a huge chunk of its cultural budget on war films. In Georgian cinemas this autumn there will be no less than 13, including ten shorts, dedicated to the topic of war in the Caucasus. But is this a political move, or purely cultural?

Santiago Calatrava
The Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has created some of the world's most beautiful structures. He is now involved in what he describes as the biggest challenge of his career. As Ground Zero starts rising-again from the ashes of 9/11, he has designed the Transportation Hub for the World Trade Centre - a building that, above ground resembles a great white steel-and-glass bird poised either to land or take flight. Calatrava talks to The Strand about the ideas and demands behind the project

The Labeque Sisters
French piano duo Katia and Marielle Labeque perform for us ahead of their Proms performance, and talk to Mark about being spotted by composer Olivier Messiaen whilst studying, and hanging out with Miles Davis.

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