Your Culture fix
This month, watch a modern political musical, listen to Maya Angelou’s memoir, and see a Disney remake of a classic
THEATRE
SYLVIA, THE OLD VIC, LONDON
As a year of celebrations marking the centenary of some women winning the vote draws to a close, the world premiere of a modern musical celebrating the life of one of its central figures, Sylvia Pankhurst, opens in London. An unlikely combo of dance, hip-hop, soul and funk sheds new light on the story of how one woman’s politics threatened to destroy her family. Frank, fresh and starring Beverley Knight as Emmeline Pankhurst, this take on the Suffragette movement is an important contribution to its legacy. From 3rd-22nd September; oldvictheatre.com
TV
BODYGUARD
Get set to be gripped by
Bodyguard, a new Westminster-based drama from Jed Mercurio and the creative team behind
Line Of Duty. Heroic war veteran David Budd, played by Game Of Thrones star Richard Madden, is assigned to protect Home Secretary Julia Montague (Red
cover star Keeley Hawes), but he finds himself despising her politics, leading us to question whether the person assigned to protect Julia is actually the greatest threat to her safety. Don’t miss it. Starts early September on BBC One
RADIO
GATHER TOGETHER IN MY NAME BY MAYA ANGELOU She won three Grammys, a Tony, a National Book Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama. You don’t need to just take my word for it, then, that the late, great Maya Angelou’s words are worth reading – and now, thanks to Radio 4, you can listen to them, too. Gather Together In My Name is the second instalment in the seven-part dramatisation of Angelou’s memoirs, and covers events in her late teenage life. Once you’ve tuned in, put the dates for the next parts in your diary: between 1st and 5th October. From 6th-10th August, 10.45am, on Radio 4
FILM
CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Named after the son of Winnie-the-pooh creator AA Milne, the young boy became one of the honey-hungry bear’s best friends in the nostalgic cartoons. Now, though, Disney is bringing his story to life in its latest live-action remake starring Ewan Mcgregor (as Christopher himself), Sophie Okonedo (as the voice of Kanga) and Toby Jones (as the voice of Owl). In the film, an older Christopher Robin meets his furry childhood friend, who helps him rediscover life’s pleasures. If you’re looking for family fun on a rainy summer’s day, this is perfection. In cinemas nationwide from 17th August