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Mark Lawson

Tamsin Greig

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Front Row: Actress Tamsin Greig; novelist Jonathan Coe; Martin Bailey on Van Gogh's Sunflowers

Actress Tamsin Greig; novelist Jonathan Coe; Martin Bailey on Van Gogh's Sunflowers

04/09/2013

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Actress Tamsin Greig; novelist Jonathan Coe; Martin Bailey on Van Gogh's Sunflowers

Actress Tamsin Greig; novelist Jonathan Coe; Martin Bailey on his Van Gogh discoveries.

Tamsin Greig reflects on comedy and tragedy; Jonathan Coe on his latest novel, Expo 58; Martin Bailey on his Van Gogh discoveries; and who has released the most albums?

With Mark Lawson.

Tamsin Greig, familiar to Radio 4 listeners as Debbie Aldridge in The Archers, is also well known from TV comedies such as Black Books and Green Wing, along with numerous acclaimed stage roles. This week she stars in the TV drama series The Guilty, as a mother who is also leading a police investigation into the death of a young boy. She reflects on the relationship between comedy and tragedy, corpsing on stage and the importance of pauses.

Jonathan Coe, best known for What a Carve Up! and The Rotters Club, discusses his new novel Expo 58. It's set at the 1958 World Fair in Belgium, where a naïve young civil servant is sent to run the British pavilion against a backdrop of the Cold War. Jonathan Coe discusses spies and intrigue in his latest comic novel.

A rare photograph of one of Vincent Van Gogh's sunflower paintings has been tracked down by writer Martin Bailey. The original painting, Six Sunflowers, was destroyed in Japan, during bombings in 1945. Martin Bailey explains how he found the image, and how he believes it enhances our understanding of Van Gogh's work.

As Cliff Richard prepares to release his 100th album, The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook, David Hepworth attempts to chart which band or artist has recorded the most albums.

Producer Nicki Paxman.

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