Main content

Antonio Banderas, Philippa Gregory and V.V. James on witches in literature, umbrellas in chinese culture

Antonio Banderas on playing film director Pedro Almodovar in Pain and Glory and Philippa Gregory and V.V. James on witches in literature.

Antonio Banderas on playing Pedro Almod贸var in Pain and Glory - Almod贸var's film based on his own life. Tom Shakespeare talks to Antonio about how the actor's heart attack affected the performance, the differences between acting in Hollywood and European cinema and how the film is the best depiction of back pain he's seen.

Witches have always been a popular subject in fiction but recent months have seen a particular flowering. Why? And how do authors choose whether to set their work in the past or the present? Front Row asks Philippa Gregory whose latest book Tidelands is about a 17th century wise woman and V.V. James, whose novel Sanctuary, set in a version of present-day USA, contains witchcraft.

Last weekend in Hong Kong, 1.7 million protestors marched against the Beijing government, brandishing their brollies to protect themselves from the downpour. The umbrella itself has become a symbol of protest since the Umbrella Movement first emerged in 2014 - but the cultural significance of the umbrella within China which dates back nearly two millennia. Zhaoying Fung, US Correspondent for the 麻豆官网首页入口 Chinese Service in Washington talks to us about the historical importance of umbrellas and the ceremonial role they continue to play in contemporary Chinese culture.

Presenter: Tom Shakespeare
Producer: Hannah Robins

Available now

28 minutes

Antonio Banderas

Antonio Banderas

Pain & Glory聽 opens in UK cinemas on 23 August 2019, certificate 15.

Images:

Main image above:聽 Antonio Banderas as Salvador in Pain and Glory

Image to the left, from Left: Asier Etxeandia (Alberto), Director Pedro Almovadar and Antonio Banderas (Salavador) behind the scenes during the making of Pain and Glory

Images credit: (c) El Deseo

Photographer: Manolo Pavon

Umbrellas in Hong Kong

Umbrellas in Hong Kong
Image: discarded umbrellas after a recent protest in Hong Kong.

Witches in literature

Witches in literature

by is published in hardback, as an Ebook and as an audio download on 20 August 2019.

by is out now, in hardback and as an Ebook.

Image: from Left - V V James, Tom Shakespeare and Philippa Gregory in the Front row studio.

Broadcast

  • Tue 20 Aug 2019 19:15

麻豆官网首页入口 Arts Digital

The best of British culture live and on demand.

Inspire

Inspire

A season discovering where artists find inspiration and helping listeners get creative.

Podcast