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Front Row: James Fenton, rained-off festivals, and author Nicola Barker

James Fenton, rained-off festivals, and author Nicola Barker

11/07/2012

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, James Fenton, rained-off festivals, and author Nicola Barker

Poet James Fenton interviewed; festival insurance in wet weather; author Nicola Barker.

Mark Lawson meets the poet James Fenton, author Nicola Barker discusses her new novel, and how does the wet weather affect festival insurance?

With Mark Lawson. 

James Fenton reflects on how his years as a war reporter fed into his poetry, and why it moves him so much to hear that his poem For Andrew Wood is popular at funerals. And he reveals how the words of the Roman poet Catullus happily fit the Archers theme tune. 

Author Nicola Barker is known for her distinctive dialogue and unpleasant characters. She discusses her new novel and explains why she wanted to set it in Luton.

Bank Of Dave is a Channel 4 documentary which follows the fortunes of Dave Fishwick, who sets up his own small bank. Dave is also the name of a TV channel. David Quantick - David rather than Dave - charts the Daves and Davids in popular culture.

Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan were set to be reunited in a huge concert in Hyde Park this evening. But along with many other summer music events it has been cancelled due to the wet weather. Insurance expert Jeff Park explains how our increasingly wet summers will affect festival prices.

Producer Ellie Bury.

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