Episodes

  • Southbank Centre’s Book Podcast: Hilary Mantel – The Mirror and the Light

    Southbank Centre’s Book Podcast: Hilary Mantel – The Mirror and the Light
    Mar 13 2020
    British author Hilary Mantel reveals the eagerly awaited third novel in her thrilling Thomas Cromwell trilogy, The Mirror and the Light. The book offers a defining portrait of predator and prey, of a ferocious contest between present and past, between royal will and a common man’s vision. It’s the story of a modern nation making itself through conflict, passion and courage. In this podcast, chaired by journalist and broadcaster Alex Clark, Mantel reflects on the finale of one of the most compelling and celebrated trilogies of modern times, ending with a special reading of The Mirror and the Light.
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • Will Self: a life in writing

    Will Self: a life in writing
    Feb 28 2020
    In this podcast, recorded live at Southbank Centre, author and journalist Will Self joins Alex Bilmes, to discuss his newly released, and typically funny and frenzied memoir, Will. In an entertaining half hour, Self discusses why he wrote Will, the challenges of memoir writing and how it can lead to criticism that is much more ad hominem. Will, perhaps inevitably, is also a book about drugs and drug use, a subject which Self expands upon to talk about the evolution of drug culture and why stories of drug use often draw in people who would never entertain the idea of drug-use themselves.
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    35 mins
  • Richard Dawkins: an argument for Atheism

    Richard Dawkins: an argument for Atheism
    Jan 28 2020
    Ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins joins David Freeman to discuss his latest book Outgrowing God: A Beginner’s Guide. In this podcast recorded as part of our 2019 autumn literature season, the pair take Dawkins’ book as a cue to discuss a broad range of topics including the ‘tribalism’ of religion, Dawkins preference for truth over symbolism and whether you can be good without a God.
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    28 mins
  • Phoebe Waller-Bridge - Fleabag: The Scriptures

    Phoebe Waller-Bridge - Fleabag: The Scriptures
    Jan 8 2020
    At the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Phoebe Waller-Bridge stepped on stage to debut her new one-woman show, Fleabag. Now, six years on, that character has grown into a full-on phenomenon, with a sell-out runs in London’s West End and off-Broadway, and two critically acclaimed award-winning television series. In this podcast, Waller-Bridge joins host of The Guilty Feminist, Deborah Frances-White, on stage at Southbank Centre to discuss all things Fleabag. Listen to the pair discuss the how the camera came to represent outside pressure to deliver a performance; combatting loneliness by trying to find connections through sex and family relationships, and how the character of the priest became ‘Hot Priest’. Waller-Bridge also explains how Fleabag evolved from a ten minute monologue written to try and make her friend laugh and cry, and how one drunk woman’s feedback propelled it to the current phenomenon it is.
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    37 mins
  • Malcolm Gladwell: Talking to Strangers

    Malcolm Gladwell: Talking to Strangers
    Dec 6 2019
    Malcolm Gladwell is the author of five international bestsellers and was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine. In this podcast, recorded from a London exclusive live appearance here at Southbank Centre, Gladwell discusses his latest book, Talking to Strangers, with broadcaster and former barrister Afua Hirsch. In this fascinating and entertaining talk, the author examines the misinterpretations and misunderstandings at the heart of the tragic case of Sandra Bland. He also asks, why are human beings so bad at detecting lies? And discusses taking risks in his writing. But there is also a lighter side to this podcast as Hirsch and Gladwell discuss how most rich people are really terrible at being rich, why no-one wants to fight a naked pensioner, and suggest that if we are to have meaningful televised political debates, they should not be between politicians, but between their former spouses.
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    37 mins
  • Anthony Daniels: My Life as C-3PO

    Anthony Daniels: My Life as C-3PO
    Nov 20 2019
    Star Wars actor Anthony Daniels joins puppeteer and actor Brian Herring to reflect on his time playing one of the most famous droids in cinematic history. Recorded at London Literature Festival, this podcast sees Daniels discuss his new book I Am C-3PO - The Inside Story, a memoir of both himself and his best known role. Daniels talks of his approach to writing the book and his childhood want to be an actor, before going on to discuss his role in the Star Wars films. Hear about the difficulties of honing the character of a droid whose expression never changed, the challenges of working with non-speaking robot co-stars, and incredibly enthusiastic directors alike, and how he feels about the potential end of Star Wars.
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    34 mins
  • Hillary Rodham Clinton & Chelsea Clinton

    Hillary Rodham Clinton & Chelsea Clinton
    Nov 12 2019
    Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton join the scholar Mary Beard to discuss their new book The Book of Gutsy Women: Favourite Stories of Courage and Resilience. In this UK-exclusive event, introduced by Southbank Centre Chief Executive, Elaine Bedell, the pair discuss how and why they chose to write this book. In this podcast recorded from their talk you’ll hear the stories of some of the women featured in The Book of Gutsy Women, including Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts of the USA, young Ruby Nell Bridges Hall, the first African-American child to desegregate an all-white Elementary School in Louisiana. The Clintons also discuss the challenges that women continue to face today, particularly in politics.
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    33 mins
  • Nikki Giovanni at Poetry International

    Nikki Giovanni at Poetry International
    Oct 30 2019
    The poet and activist Nikki Giovanni discusses the power of literature as she joins us for Poetry International and London Literature Festival. An undeniable cultural icon, Giovanni is the winner of numerous awards, including the Langston Hughes Medal and NAACP Image Award, as well as a Grammy Award nomination for her album The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection. She appears here at Southbank Centre in conversation with the British Ghanaian writer, Bridget Minamore.
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    37 mins