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Front Row: MIA, Man Booker Shortlist, Short Story Award nominee Nell Stevens, Playwright Stephen Jeffreys remembered.

MIA, Man Booker Shortlist, Short Story Award nominee Nell Stevens, Playwright Stephen Jeffreys remembered.

20/09/2018

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, MIA, Man Booker Shortlist, Short Story Award nominee Nell Stevens, Playwright Stephen Jeffreys remembered.

Kieran Yates reviews Matangi/Maya/MIA,  a documentary about the political rapper MIA

Matangi/Maya/MIA, a documentary on political rapper MIA, The Man Booker Prize shortlist, National Short Story Award nominee Nell Stevens and playwright Stephen Jeffries remembered

New documentary Matangi/Maya/MIA about the political rapper MIA, uses self-filmed archive footage of the outspoken and ‘controversial’ Sri Lankan immigrant artist who took up the Tamil cause. So how does the film by director and friend Stephen Loveridge help us understand her life and music? Journalist Kieran Yates reviews.

The Man Booker Prize 2018 shortlist of six books has just been announced and features two debuts, the youngest ever writer to make the list, a novel in verse and four women authors. Toby Lichtig of the Times Literary Supplement and critic Arifa Akbar give their thoughts on a list which includes some notable omissions - Sally Rooney and Michael Ondaatje for example.

Nell Stevens is the final shortlisted writer for this year’s National Short Story Award. She joins Kirsty to talk about The Minutes, her darkly funny and mysterious tale which follows a group of students captivated by an enigmatic stranger as they protest against the demolition and gentrification taking place in their neighbourhood.

Roy Williams pays tribute to fellow playwright Stephen Jeffreys, who has died aged 68. He is best-known for writing The Libertine, about the hedonistic Restoration poet and courtier - the Earl of Rochester. Jeffreys also long championed the work of young, new dramatists, including Roy, offering them support and advice.

Presenter: Kirsty Lang
Producer: Harry Parker

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