Break Out Culture With Ed Vaizey by Country and Town House

Just a month away from the summer solstice, we explore the mysteries that still surround Stonehenge. Our guest is Dr. Neil Wilkin , the extraordinarily knowledgeable curator of the British Museum’s exhibition ‘ The World of Stonehenge’ , which you still have time to catch as it runs till mid-July.  It’s not to be missed as it’s the first major exhibition on Stonehenge to be staged in Lon...

This week we’re going back to the eighties, a time of momentous change, as chronicled by John Walsh in his new book Circus of Dreams . John, renowned literary editor, journalist, author and popular panellist on Radio Four’s The Write Stuff , persuades us that the eighties were probably the most exciting time to work in the literary world.  The decade was hit by a tsunami of talent as new...

On this week’s episode we’re honoured that our guest is Sir David Hare , not just one of Britain’s leading playwrights, but also a screenwriter and theatre and film director. He’s written over 40 full length plays, 19 staged at the National, including Plenty (which went on to be a star-studded movie), Skylight and many more. He talks to us about his new play Straight Line Crazy , directed by Nicho...

This week we’re celebrating Shakespeare’s 458th birthday with Robert McCrum, author of Shakespearean , and Editor-in-Chief at Faber and Faber for nearly 20 years, as well as literary and associate editor of The Observer.   Robert’s enthusiasm is infectious as he guides us through the best of this summer’s stage productions from Gregory Doran’s production of  Richard III at RSC Stratford...

This week we’re going on a whirlwind tour of the movies with BAFTA committee member Anna Higgs. She tells us about the BAFTA winning movies, starting with Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast and moving on to Jeymes Samuel’s contemporary Western The Harder they Fall . We discuss some of the winning actors from Will Smith for King Rich...

Did you know Jewish Book Week is London’s longest running literary festival? Claudia Rubenstein, Director of Jewish Book Week, tells us about its extraordinary history and what to look forward to amongst the host of fun events that begin on Saturday 26th February.   Those taking part include Elif Shafak , Michael Ignatieff , Julia Neuberger , Claudia Roden with Jay Rayner , Simon Schama...

This week we chat to James Birch , gallery owner and author of Bacon in Moscow , about his life-long friendship with Francis Bacon, one of Britain’s most popular and controversial artists.  Having known him since childhood and been a regular Soho drinking companion, James gives us a fascinating often funny and moving insight Bacon’s life.  He tells us all about his new book, the extraord...

On this week’s podcast, we’re talking to Royal Ballet’s principal dancer Marcelino Sambé about the challenges and joys of following in Rudolf Nureyev’s footsteps – and many more - playing Romeo in Kevin MacMillan’s much-loved ballet. Juliet will be played by Anna Rose O'Sullivan . Since Romeo and Juliet was first performed to Prokofiev’s score in 1965, it’s become a firm favourite and this version...

In the first episode of 2022, Ed and Charlotte set out to discover who the mystery man is taking Hollywood by storm.  They talk to Londoner Alexa Jago who has produced a BAFTA-nominated mockumentary about Gatsby Randolph’s astonishing rise to celebrity status. How did he do it? Find out by listening in to her and to Gatsby himself, all the way from LA. See the trailer on YouTube her...

Kit Hesketh-Harvey on his Litvinenko opera and playing King Rat in Dick Whittington We’re visiting: A Generous Space : A celebratory exhibition of works sold via The Artist Support Pledge Hastings Contemporary https://www.hastingscontemporary.org/exhibitions/ Till 17 th April 2022 Miss Clara and the Celebrity Beast in Art 1500-1860 The Barber Institute, Birmingham https://barber.org.uk/miss-clara/...

We’re reading: A Man of Honour by Barbara Taylor Bradford We’re visiting: Changing Lanes by David Yarrow at the Maddox Gallery, Westbourne Grove Extended till January 5th 2022 https://maddoxgallery.com/exhibitions/98-david-yarrow-changing-lanes-november-19th-january-5th-2021/ Waddesdon Manor Christmas Fair Wednesday till Sunday 12 to 7 Grounds Till 23rd December, plus Monday and Tuesday 21st and 2...

On the podcast with Ed and Charlotte: DAVID CICLITIRA : Co-Founder of StART Fair JENNIFER GUERRINIA MARALDI of JGM Gallery PHILIPP HUMM, artist MARK SLOPER aka ILLUMINATI NEON, artist

Anush Hovannisyan on playing Violetta in La Traviata and Stewart Collins tells us about this week’s Petworth Literary Festival We’re reading: The King and the Christmas Tree by A.N. Wilson We’re going to: The 2021 Petworth Festival Literary Week Until 7th November Jeffrey Archer on Sunday 31st October 5.30 p.m. Seaford College Hamish de Bretton-Gordon on Sunday 31st October 8 p.m. St. Mary’s Churc...

Patrick Hughes on his new exhibition as he celebrates his 82nd birthday and Andrew Roberts turns our assumptions about George III on their heads. We’re reading: George III : The Life and Reign of Britain’s Most Misunderstood Monarch by Andrew Roberts www.andrew-roberts.net We’re going to: Paintings by  Patrick Hughes ‘The Perspective Paradox’ The Hang-Up Gallery, Hoxton 29th October to 16th D...

Plus Cliveden Literary Festival and The Affordable Art Fair We’re booking: The Mirror and the Light Gielgud Theatre till 23 rd January https://themirrorandthelight.co.uk We’re going to: The Cliveden Literary Festival Saturday 23 rd and Sunday 24 th October https://clivedenliteraryfestival.org The Affordable Art Fair Battersea Park 21 st to 24 th October https://affordableartfair.com With thanks to...

Plus the 2021 Cheltenham Literary Festival, StART Fair at Saatchi Gallery and felt artist Lucy Sparrow. We’re reading: Every Leaf a Hallelujah by Ben Okri, illustrated by Diana Ejaita We’re visiting: The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival 8th to 17th October https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/ StART Fair 13th to 17th October Saatchi Gallery, London https://startartfa...

We're taking a break for the summer but have compiled this 'best of' episode from some of our favourite interviews from the last year. Featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber, Nicholas Hytner, Gyles Brandreth, Hugh Bonneville, Paul Greengrass, Kevin McDonald, Nicole Farhi, Gilbert & George, Andrew Marr, Russell Tovey and Rob Diament, Misan Harriman, Gered Mankowitz, Sathnam Sanghera, Peter York, Elif Sh...

Plus Iwona Blazwick on Whitechapel Gallery’s one-night-only art festival and Lewis Biggs on the Folkestone Triennial Subscribe to our Newsletters Follow Country & Town House on Twitter Follow Country & Town House on Instagram We’re going to: Bach and Sons at the Bridge Theatre, Till September 11th https://bridgetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/bach-and-sons/ Nocturnal Creatures at Whitechapel Galler...

Juliet Stevenson on her film on Stevie Smith and the Ledbury Poetry Festival, Camilla King on the Cheltenham Music Festival and digital artist Philip Colbert on launching Lobsteropolis in Decentraland with Simon de Pury auctioning his NFT work with DEVO Subscribe to our Newsletters Follow Country & Town House on Twitter Follow Country & Town House on Instagram We’re going to: The Ledbury P...

Subscribe to our Newsletters Follow Country & Town House on Twitter Follow Country & Town House on Instagram Plus historian James Holland on the Chalke Valley History Festival. We’re reading: Refugee Tales Volumes 1 to 3, Available from Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group https://www.gdwg.org.uk https://www.refugeetales.org/books We’re walking: In support of detainees 3rd and 4th July Home Fir...

Subscribe to our Newsletters Follow Country & Town House on Twitter Follow Country & Town House on Instagram We’re going to: Kensington + Chelsea Art Week,A World of Culture in West London, 21st June to 4th July The Other Art Fair, West Handyside Canopy, King’s Cross, 1st to 4th July We’re visiting: Our local bookshop to celebrate Independent Bookshop Week, 19th to 26th June, Indie Book Aw...

Andrew Marr on painting and why the government needs to do more to support the arts, Ina Sarikhani Sandmann on redefining Iran at the V&A and Isabel Adomakoh Young on playing Juliet at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Subscribe to our Newsletters Follow Country & Town House on Twitter Follow Country & Town House on Instagram We’re visiting: Town & Country New paintings by Andrew Mar...

Subscribe to our Newsletters Follow Country & Town House on Twitter Follow Country & Town House on Instagram We’re visiting: Hay Festival till Sunday 6th June - https://www.hayfestival.com/home We’re reading: Talk Art: Everything you wanted to know about contemporary art but were afraid to ask by Russell Tovey & Robert Diament The Startup Wife by Tahmima Anam We’re tuning into: Russell...

Subscribe to our Newsletters Follow Country & Town House on Twitter Follow Country & Town House on Instagram We’re visiting: Adrian Sassoon at Parham A House of History - Online 26th May – 31st August In-Situ at Parham House : late June to 31st August www.adriansassoon.com https://www.parhaminsussex.co.uk We’re reading: Raymond Gubbay’s autobiography - Lowering the Tone and Raising the Roo...

We talk to Sarah Wyndham Lewis about bees, Simon Wallis, director of the Hepworth Wakefield  Gallery in West Yorkshire, and Wigmore Hall’s director John Gilhooly. To celebrate World Bee Day, Martin Miller’s Gin is offering listeners a 10% discount on all its ranges from 12th May till 31st October Code: Breakout Buy from https://www.masterofmalt.com Subscribe to our Newsletters Follow Country...