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Front Row: Royal Ballet's Alice reviewed, author Ben Macintyre

Royal Ballet's Alice reviewed, author Ben Macintyre

01/03/2011

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Royal Ballet's Alice reviewed, author Ben Macintyre

With John Wilson: the Royal Ballet's new full-length Alice reviewed; writer Ben Macintyre.

With John Wilson: writer Ben Macintyre on his book Agent Zigzag, one of 25 titles in World Book Night's million book give-away on Saturday; the Royal Ballet's new Alice reviewed.

With John Wilson.

The first ever World Book Night takes place on Saturday, 5 March: one million books will be given away across the UK and Ireland by 20,000 volunteers, distributing 25 different titles. The books range from The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood to Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez to Killing Floor by Lee Child. On the Radio 4 website you can find a collection of interviews with the writers and this week Front Row is adding to the collection, taking to authors whose books are being given away. Tonight British author, historian and columnist Ben Macintyre discusses his book Agent Zigzag, about the real-life double agent of Germany and England during the Second World War, Eddie Chapman.

Historian Tom Holland casts a critical eye over Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World, a new exhibition at the British Museum which highlights the trading and cultural connections and riches in Afghanistan's history.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is the first full-length ballet commissioned by The Royal Opera House for around 20 years - featuring a performance by actor Simon Russell Beale as the Duchess. Guardian dance critic Judith Mackrell reviews.

Music journalist Dorian Lynskey discusses modern protest songs with Reda El Mawy, Arabic TV and Radio presenter, who was in Tahrir Square during the protests. From Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit to a recent remix using samples from Colonel Gaddafi's speeches in Libya, the discussion looks at direct reponses to political events by musicians past and present. 

Producer Rebecca Nicholson.

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