Richard Cadell and The Sooty Show; The Handmaids Tale opera; actor Liz Carr; gender neutral dance calling

Published: April 11, 2022, 7:09 p.m.

70 years after Sooty first appeared with Harry Corbett on the BBC\u2019s Talent Night, presenter and current owner of The Sooty Show Richard Cadell talks to Samira about Sooty\u2019s enduring appeal, as Sooty\u2019s Magic Show embarks on a new tour and a theme park opens at the end of May.

Annilese Miskimmon, Artistic Director of English National Opera, discusses her directorial debut at the ENO. The Handmaid\u2019s Tale, the opera written by Poul Ruders and Paul Bentley, is based on Margaret Atwood\u2019s dystopian novel about a repressive totalitarian state where women are stripped of their identities and their rights.

The winner of Best Supporting Actress at last night's Olivier Awards was Liz Carr of Silent Witness fame, for her role in the National Theatre\u2019s revival of The Normal Heart. She tells Samira why she made a plea, after the ceremony, for more Covid-safe theatre performances for vulnerable audiences.

As the season for folk festivals approaches, we consider how the times they are a-changing in the world of folk dance. Lisa Heywood, pioneer of gender-free dance calling, and Gareth Kiddier, who organises the dancing at Sidmouth Folk Festival, talk to Samira Ahmed about why gender-free calling matters, how they do it, and how it goes down on the dance floor.

Presenter: Samira Ahmed\nProducer: Jerome Weatherald

Image: Presenter Samira Ahmed with Richard Cadell and Sooty