Mary and her guests discuss the links between culture, money and power. Arts funding, corporate sponsorship and accessibility are examined. Plus, she visits the Bank of England.
Mary Beard in conversation with influential writer and director Armando Iannucci. They discuss taking liberties with a literary classic, whether it's possible to satirise the current political situation, and the impact of swearing.
Mary and her guests discuss how our culture is responding to the issue of migration. How can writing and drama contribute towards a conversation about this? Is migration a valid topic for comedy or satire?
Mary and her panel of guests discuss why sensationalised representations of death figure so prominently in popular culture while we are so reluctant to talk about real pain and loss.
As London Fashion Week opens, Mary and her panel of guests discuss the art and ethics of the clothing industry. When can fashion genuinely be regarded as an art form? who is high-end designer fashion actually for?
Mary and her panel of guests explore the links between crime and culture. Why is the detective novel so prevalent in our literary and theatrical culture? Can representation of crime be blamed for encouraging violence in real life?