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The Voices of the Women in Classical Myths in 15 Heroines; Front Row's Book Group with Booker Nominee Douglas Stuart

Dramatists give voice to the women of classical mythology in new plays, 15 Heroines. Listeners put their questions to Booker Prize nominee Douglas Stuart in Front Row's Bookclub.

Ulysses, Hercules, Jason and Achilles - classical mythology is all about men of action. The women tend to have things - often horrible - happen to them: they get kidnapped, raped, abandoned. The Roman poet Ovid wrote a series of fictional letters, The Heroides, giving voice to these put-upon women. 15 leading British dramatists, all women or non-binary, have drawn on Ovid, recasting their stories for our times, and filmed live in an empty theatre for streaming. Front Row hears about the 15 Heroines project from director Adjoa Andoh and writers Natalie Haynes and Juliet Gilkes Romero.

In advance of the winner announcement on the 19th of November here on Front Row, we鈥檝e another of our Booker Prize Book Groups. Tonight鈥檚 it鈥檚 the turn of Douglas Stuart, who will be meeting readers to answer questions about his novel Shuggie Bain. It鈥檚 the story of a powerful bond between a mother suffering from addiction and a son whose nascent sexuality marks him out as different. The Booker Prize 2020 judges called the book 鈥渁n amazingly intimate, compassionate, gripping portrait of addiction, courage and love.鈥

Front Row reveals how, as well as reading from Seamus Heaney's The Cure at Troy on the campaign trail, and quoting the 'To every thing there is a season' verses from Ecclesiastes, in his victory speech President Elect Biden made a reference to the Langston Hughes poem Harlem - a subtle touch that will not be lost on African American voters.

Presenter: John Wilson
Producer: Julian May

Main image above: Olivia Williams as Hypsipyle by Natalie Haynes, part of 15 Heroines.
Image credit: marc Brenner

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28 minutes

Booker Prize nominee Douglas Stuart

Booker Prize nominee Douglas Stuart
by Douglas Stuart is out now in hardback, Ebook and Audiobook formats.聽 Image: 聽 Image credit: Martyn Pickersgill聽 聽聽The winner is announced live on Front Row on 19 November 202.

15 Heroines

15 Heroines
from 09 - 14 November 2020.聽 聽 聽 聽聽Main image above: Olivia Williams as Hypsipyle by Natalie Haynes聽 Image credit: Marc Brenner.聽 聽 Image to the left: Indra Ove as Deianaria by April De Angelis.聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Image credit: Shonay Shote

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  • Mon 9 Nov 2020 19:15

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