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Morecambe and Wise, Kate Tempest, Poets' Corner, the return of Blofeld

Arts news with Kirsty Lang. Morecambe and Wise remembered, performance poet and rapper Kate Tempest, the CS Lewis memorial in Poets' Corner, and the return of Blofeld.

With Kirsty Lang.

Morecambe and Wise are remembered and revived in a new stage production called Eric And Little Ern, which follows on from a TV biopic of the double-act, a one-man show about Eric Morecambe, and the award-winning The Play What I Wrote. The writers and stars of this latest homage, Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens, discuss the reasons for the comedians' enduring appeal.

Performance poet and rapper Kate Tempest won this year's Ted Hughes Prize for innovation in poetry for Brand New Ancients, an hour long spoken story depicting the intertwining lives of two families. As she begins a tour which will take the show all over the country, she explains who the Brand New Ancients are and reveals the play that changed her life.

James Bond producers found themselves embroiled in a legal dispute with Kevin McClory - a co-writer of the 1965 film Thunderball - over who invented the cat-stroking supervillain Blofeld. As a result, the character was left on the shelf for 30 years but with news that the relevant rights have been acquired from the McClory estate, it looks like our most famous screen villain could be given a new lease of life. To reflect on the character of Blofeld and why he has become so ubiquitous in popular culture, journalist Stephen Armstrong came to the rescue.

And 50 years after his death, the Chronicles of Narnia writer CS Lewis has been honoured with a memorial stone in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey. The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, explains how the selection process works.

Produced by Ella-mai Robey.

Available now

30 minutes

Chapters

  • Morecambe and Wise

    Duration: 08:29

  • Poets' Corner

    Duration: 05:27

  • Kate Tempest

    Duration: 08:53

  • Blofeld

    Duration: 05:02

Eric and Little Ern

Eric and Little Ern
Main image left to right:听Jonty Stephens and听Ian Ashpitel.听Photo by听Geraint Lewis.

runs at the听Vaudeville Theatre in London from now until 12 January 2014.

Poets' Corner memorials

Poets' Corner memorials
Writer C.S. Lewis has been honoured with a memorial stone in听Poets' Corner at听Westminster Abbey, 50 years after his death.

Image: the C.S. Lewis memorial, courtesy of Andrew Dunsmore/Westminster Abbey

Kate Tempest

Kate Tempest
听runs until 20 April 2014.听

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Kirsty Lang
Interviewed Guest Ian Ashpitel
Interviewed Guest Jonty Stephens
Interviewed Guest Kae Tempest
Interviewed Guest Stephen Armstrong
Interviewed Guest Dr John Hall
Producer Ella-mai Robey

Broadcast

  • Fri 22 Nov 2013 19:15

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