麻豆社

In this second episode, John Yorke digs deeper into Euguene O鈥橬eill鈥檚 1921 play 鈥淎nna Christie鈥� 鈥� about an estranged daughter who is reunited with her sea captain father, and falls in love with a sailor. The play examines identity, family and sexual politics, and asks questions about love, faith, redemption, resilience and forgiveness.

John asks how and why the Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winning dramatist introduced realist theatre to the US, looks at Eugene O鈥橬eill鈥檚 influence and legacy, and asks what we should make of 鈥淎nna Christie鈥� today.

John Yorke has worked in television and radio for over 30 years and shares his experience as he unpacks the themes and impact of the books, plays and stories dramatised in 麻豆社 Radio 4鈥檚 Sunday Drama series. As former Head of Channel Four Drama and Controller of 麻豆社 Drama Production he has worked on some of the most popular shows in Britain; from EastEnders to The Archers, Life on Mars to Shameless. He created the 麻豆社 Writers Academy and trained a generation of screenwriters, now with thousands of hours of television to their names. His acclaimed books Into the Woods and Trip to the Moon explore the structure and power of narrative, and he writes, teaches and consults on all forms of storytelling, including many podcasts for Radio 4.

Contributor:

Robert M. Dowling, professor of English at Central Connecticut State University, author of the biography Eugene O鈥橬eill: A Life in Four Acts.

From the 麻豆社 archives:

Playwright Arthur Miller, from Changing Stages: America, 19 Nov 2000.
Actor Natasha Richardson, from Woman鈥檚 Hour, 18 June 1990.

Credits:

Excerpts from 鈥淎nna Christie鈥� by Eugene O鈥橬eill, 1921, including Ruth Wilson in the 2011 Donmar Warehouse production.
Excerpt from the 1930 film adaptation of 鈥淎nna Christie鈥� starring Greta Garbo.

Researcher: Henry Tydeman
Sound: Sean Kerwin
Producer: Jack Soper
Executive Producer: Sara Davies
Production Hub Coordinator: Dawn Williams
A Pier Production for 麻豆社 Radio 4 & 麻豆社 Sounds

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