Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

Front Row

Magazines & Reviews

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music

BBC Radio 4 FM

Mark Lawson

Geoffrey Rush

Ellen Gallagher

Melvyn Bragg

Richard Davenport-Hines

Nicki Paxman

John Goudie

Front Row: Geoffrey Rush; artist Ellen Gallagher; Cultural Exchange - Melvyn Bragg

Geoffrey Rush; artist Ellen Gallagher; Cultural Exchange - Melvyn Bragg

01/05/2013

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Geoffrey Rush; artist Ellen Gallagher; Cultural Exchange - Melvyn Bragg

Actor Geoffrey Rush, Cultural Exchange with Melvyn Bragg, and artist Ellen Gallagher.

Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush on his new film The Eye of the Storm; Melvyn Bragg discusses a Rembrandt self-portrait for the Cultural Exchange; artist Ellen Gallagher.

With Mark Lawson.

Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush stars alongside Charlotte Rampling and Judy Davis in The Eye of the Storm, a film based on Patrick White's novel about sharp family tensions, as a middle-aged brother and sister return to the home of their dying mother. Geoffrey Rush talks about his career on stage and in films such as Shine, Pirates of the Caribbean and The King's Speech.

In the latest edition of the Cultural Exchange project, in which 75 leading creative minds share their passion for a book, film, poem, piece of music or other work of art, Melvyn Bragg shares his long-standing love of a Rembrandt self-portrait from 1658.

The artist Ellen Gallagher discusses her new exhibition, AxME, which opens this week at the Tate Modern. Gallagher's work includes painting, collage and film installations, and she often uses newspaper cuttings and advertisements from vintage magazines to explore race and identity. She discusses how she moved from being an aspiring writer to working as an artist via jobs as a baker and a carpenter, and the challenges of creating work using plasticine.

In 1963 John Profumo, the then war minister, resigned over his affair with Christine Keeler. The scandal damaged the government and led to the suicide of Stephen Ward - the man who'd introduced Keeler to Profumo. Whilst preparing a display to mark the 50th anniversary of the Profumo Affair, the National Portrait Gallery made an incredible discovery: on the reverse of Stephen Ward's pastel drawing of Christine there's a similar drawing of an unknown young woman. Richard Davenport-Hines, author of a book about the scandal, talks to Mark about the enduring appeal of the Profumo affair, and speculates on the identity of the woman.


Producer Nicki Paxman.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Front Row

Geoffrey Rush; artist Ellen Gallagher; Cultural Exchange - Melvyn Bragg

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4