Main content

Christian Bale, Ella Fitzgerald, Theatre artistic directors

Kirsty Lang looks at the careers of Christian Bale and Ella Fitzgerald and the role of artistic directors in the theatre.

The British actor Christian Bale started his film career as a child star but has gone on to become a hugely successful adult actor. With the release of his latest film The Promise - an epic set in First World War Turkey - film critic Angie Errigo looks at his choice of roles and assesses what it says about Bale as a serious actor.

The clash of creative differences at Shakespeare's Globe has put the role of Artistic Director into the spotlight. But what exactly is that role and what are the pressures facing the people leading theatres? Daniel Evans, who has just started his first season at the helm of Chichester Festival Theatre, and Tamara Harvey, now in her second year at Theatr Clywd, discuss.

On last night's Front Row John Wilson hosted a debate about the future of museums with with Hartwig Fischer, the new director of the British Museum, Tristram Hunt, who's just taken up his post as director of the V&A, Sarah Munro, director of the Baltic Centre for Contemporary art in Gateshead, and Stephen Deuchar, director of Art Fund. The debate continued off air and in tonight's programme, and last night's podcast, you can hear the panellists discuss the importance of museums working with schools, local communities and each other.

This week is the 100th anniversary since the birth of a singer who has been dubbed the Queen of Jazz. Ella Fitzgerald sold over 40m albums and won 13 Grammy awards. Singer Peggy Lee described her as 'the greatest jazz singer of our time, the standard by which each of us is measured'. To celebrate Lady Ella's centenary week, Kevin Le Gendre picks three stand-out moments from her vast canon of work which highlight what makes her so special.

Presenter Kirsty Lang
Producer Harry Parker.

Available now

30 minutes

Chapters

  • Christian Bale

    Duration: 06:35

  • Theatre Artistic Directors

    Duration: 10:07

  • Front Row's museums discussion

    Duration: 03:44

  • Ella Fitzgerald

    Duration: 07:19

Christian Bale

Christian Bale

Christian Bale in is showing in UK cinemas from 28 April 2017, certificate 12A.

Images:

Main image above: Christian Bale

Image credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Image to the left:聽Charlotte Le Bon (Ana) and Christian Bale (Chris) in The Promise

Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald
Image:

Theatre artistic directors

Theatre artistic directors

Alan Bennett's Forty Years On is at until 20 May 2017.

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde is at from 04 - 27 May 2017.

Image: Tamara Harvey, Artistic Director of Theatre Clwyd; and Daniel Evans, Artistic Director of Chichester Festival Theatre

Daniel Evans image credit: Tobias Key

Front Row's museums discussion

Front Row's museums discussion

Image: Front Row's discussion on聽the future of UK museums, held at the British Museum's Nereid Gallery.

From Left: Stephen Deuchar, director Art Fund; Sarah Munro, director BALTIC; Tristram Hunt, director V&A; Hartwig Fischer, director British Museum; John Wilson

Image credit: Art Fund

Click to listen to the discussion

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Kirsty Lang
Producer Harry Parker

Broadcast

  • Fri 28 Apr 2017 19:15

成人快手 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