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Episode 10

Episode 10 of 10

Laura Wade eavesdrops on historic conversations between men and women to explore thorny gender issues today
10.Connell and Marianne in Sally Rooney's 2018 novel, Normal People

Laura Wade eavesdrops on conversations between men and women from the past to examine some of today's thorniest gender issues

Recent high profile campaigns around issues such as sexual consent, harassment and assault, the pay gap and power imbalances between men and women have encouraged many of us to re-examine everyday gender relations. In ten programmes covering the last 500 years, playwright Laura Wade eavesdrops on encounters between men and women in great literary works to shed light on some of today鈥檚 most pressing issues.

10.Sally Rooney's 2018 novel, Normal People, was not only sensationally successful, but revealed new truths about contemporary relationships between young people such as its protagonists, Connell and Marianne. Laura Hackett and John Maier - both recent winner of the Today Programme Student Critic award - bring the series to a close with a discussion about issues of sex, love and commitment in 21st century Britain.

With readings by real-life couple Adrian Lester and Lolita Chakrabarti

Laura Wade is an Olivier Award-winning playwright, the author of 鈥淧osh鈥 and 鈥湷扇丝焓, I鈥檓 Darling鈥. Her recent adaptation of Jane Austen鈥檚 unfinished story, 鈥淭he Watsons鈥, transfers to the West End in 2020.

Producer: Beaty Rubens

Available now

14 minutes

Last on

Fri 21 Feb 2020 13:45

Broadcast

  • Fri 21 Feb 2020 13:45