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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

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

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John Wilson

undefined Naturally 7

Kamila Shamsie

Rebecca Nicholson

John Goudie

Front Row: Birmingham's new library; Naturally 7; killer whale film Blackfish

Birmingham's new library; Naturally 7; killer whale film Blackfish

26/07/2013

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Birmingham's new library; Naturally 7; killer whale film Blackfish

Arts news with John Wilson, including an interview with vocal group Naturally 7.

Vocal group Naturally 7, a report from Birmingham's new library, killer whale documentary Blackfish, and Kamila Shamsie's nomination for the Cultural Exchange. With John Wilson.

With John Wilson.

In 2010 Dawn Brancheau, a trainer at the Seaworld theme park, died after being dragged into the water by Tilikum, Seaworld's largest performing Orca. A new documentary, Blackfish, explores how Tilikum came to be in captivity and asks whether whales kept as performing animals will inevitably become aggressive. Philip Hoare, author of Leviathan Or The Whale, reviews.

The vocal group Naturally 7 are about to perform at this year's BBC Proms. They demonstrate how they create the sounds of a variety of instruments using just their voices, and reveal how they build up a song, layer by layer. 

A big new library is the flagship project of Birmingham City Council's plans for the regeneration of the city. Ahead of the opening early in September, John takes a tour of the £188 million building, with project director Brian Gambles, and Birmingham-born author Jonathan Coe.

Author Kamila Shamsie reveals her Cultural Exchange choice: the 1950 classic movie All About Eve, with Bette Davis as an aging Broadway star.


Producer Rebecca Nicholson.

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

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