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Michael Keaton

Henry Hitchings

Kirsty Lang

Liz Gilmore

David Bratby

Rebecca Armstrong

Front Row: Michael Keaton, Herons, Helen Ellis, John Bratby exhibition

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22/01/2016

Michael Keaton, Herons, Helen Ellis, John Bratby exhibition

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Michael Keaton, Herons, Helen Ellis, John Bratby exhibition

Featuring Michael Keaton on Spotlight and a review of Simon Stephens's play Herons.

Featuring Michael Keaton on Spotlight, a review of Simon Stephens's play Herons, Helen Ellis on American Housewife, her book of short stories, and the John Bratby exhibition.

Michael Keaton discusses Spotlight, the Oscar-nominated film about a team of investigative journalists at the Boston Globe who in 2002 uncovered widespread child abuse in the Catholic Church.

The playwright Simon Stephens is well known for his gritty, hard-hitting dramas, as his play Herons demonstrates. It's a disturbing portrait of adolescent violence experienced by 14-year-old Billy, who is tormented by local bullies. First performed in 2001, it now returns to the stage in a new production by Sean Holmes, Artistic Director at London's Lyric, Hammersmith. Henry Hitchings reviews.

US Blogger and novelist Helen Ellis counts Margaret Atwood amongst her fans. Kirsty talks to her about her humorous collection of stories, American Housewife.

The painter John Bratby became famous for his paintings of dustbins and the interiors of lavatories in the '50s and '60s. Dismissed by some as a 'Kitchen Sink' artist, but celebrated by many, he was such a prolific artist that he is believed to have painted over 3,000 works. The majority of those are owned by the public and many have been brought together in an exhibition at the Jerwood Gallery in Hastings. Curator Liz Gilmore and David Bratby discuss his work.

Presenter: Kirsty Lang
Producer: Rebecca Armstrong.

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