... AND YOUR RADIOPICKS

SUNDAY DRAMA: THE PLAGUE RADIO 4, 3PM

Radio adaptation of Neil Bartlett’s Arcola Theatre production of Albert Camus’s 1947 novel about a community facing lockdown (recorded by actors in lockdown), thought by some to be about the rise of facism but rather relevant now for obvious reasons.

MONDAY ACTRESS, RADIO 4, 12PM/10.45PM

In ten episodes, Irish Man Booker prizewinner Anne Enright reads her new novel. It’s about a daughter’s search for truth through the story of her actress mother’s rise and very public fall, from post-war Hollywood to Dublin obscurity.

TUESDAY LIFE, DEATH AND THE FOGHORN RADIO 4, 11.30AM

There used to be more than 100 safety foghorns stationed around the British coast – now there are fewer than 20. Foghorn obsessive Jennifer Lucy Allan (she has a PhD in the subject) assesses their significance along with music – a Foghorn Requiem – and poetry inspired by their plaintive sound.

THURSDAY MARY ANNE HOBBS RADIO 6 MUSIC, 1PM

Mary Anne Hobbs starts a series on iconic albums with a look at Prince’s Sign O’ The Times from 1987, described by Rolling

Stone as ‘exuberantly experimental’. There are behind-thescenes stories of its creation, an assessment of its influence and words from musicians inspired bythe diminutive artist (below).

AFTERNOON CONCERT: OPERA MATINEE RADIO 3, 2PM

Daniele Rustioni conducts the Lyon Opera Chorus & Orchestra in Puccini’s Tosca from last year’s Aix Festival. A quality cast includes Angel Blue as Tosca, Joseph Calleja as her doomed lover Cavaradossi and Alexey Markov as the scheming chief of police, Scarpia.

FRIDAY THE CRISIS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY RADIO 4, 11AM

With an American election looming, Ben Wright argues that democracy in the US is now at greater risk than at any time since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. In part one of three he investigates how even access to the ballot has become a political battle.

BBC PROMS 2020: STEPHEN SONDHEIM

80TH BIRTHDAY PROM

RADIO 3, 7.30PM

This first Sondheim Prom from 2010 celebrates the renowned genius responsible for such shows as Sweeney Todd,

A Little Night Music and Into The Woods. It features excerpts and performances by special guests including Simon Russell Beale,

Judi Dench and Bryn Terfel.