Opening Lines Podcast
Producer and writer John Yorke has worked in television and radio for 30 years, and he shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact behind the books, plays and stories that are being dramatised in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.
Episodes to download
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Democracy in America
Sun 17 Sep 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Alexis de Tocqueville鈥檚 seminal work, Democracy in America.
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The Three Musketeers - Episode 2
Sun 10 Sep 2023
John Yorke unpicks the sometimes overlooked aspects of The Three Musketeers.
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The Three Musketeers - Episode 1
Sun 3 Sep 2023
John Yorke on the swashbuckler to end all swashbucklers - The Three Musketeers.
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In Patagonia
Sun 6 Aug 2023
John Yorke explores groundbreaking travel writing classic In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin.
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Mother Courage and Her Children - Episode 2
Sun 23 Jul 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Bertolt Brecht鈥檚 Mother Courage and her Children.
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Mother Courage and Her Children - Episode 1
Sun 16 Jul 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Bertolt Brecht鈥檚 Mother Courage and her Children.
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Cloudstreet - Episode 2
Sun 18 Jun 2023
John Yorke delves into Tim Winton鈥檚 beloved novel Cloudstreet, published in 1991.
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Cloudstreet - Episode 1
Sun 11 Jun 2023
John Yorke delves into Tim Winton鈥檚 beloved novel Cloudstreet, published in 1991.
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One Moonlit Night
Sun 4 Jun 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Caradog Prichard's ground-breaking novel, One Moonlit Night.
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A Room With a View - Episode 2
Sun 28 May 2023
John Yorke explores EM Forster鈥檚 1908 novel A Room with a View.
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A Room With a View - Episode 1
Sun 21 May 2023
John Yorke explores EM Forster鈥檚 1908 novel A Room with a View.
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Anna Karenina - Episode 3
Sun 14 May 2023
John Yorke explores the world of Leo Tolstoy鈥檚 great novel Anna Karenina.
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Anna Karenina - Episode 2
Sun 7 May 2023
John Yorke looks at the themes and structure of Tolstoy鈥檚 great novel Anna Karenina.
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Anna Karenina - Episode 1
Sun 30 Apr 2023
John Yorke looks at the themes at the heart of Leo Tolstoy鈥檚 classic novel Anna Karenina.
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Twelfth Night - Episode 2
Sun 23 Apr 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Shakespeare鈥檚 Twelfth Night and asks what makes it work.
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Twelfth Night - Episode 1
Sat 22 Apr 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Shakespeare鈥檚 Twelfth Night and asks what makes it work.
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Enduring Love
Sun 9 Apr 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Ian McEwan鈥檚 1997 complex thriller Enduring Love.
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Antic Hay
Sun 26 Mar 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Aldous Huxley鈥檚 1923 satirical novel, Antic Hay.
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Confessions of a Justified Sinner
Sun 19 Mar 2023
John Yorke considers Confessions of a Justified Sinner.
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Porgy - Episode 2
Sun 12 Mar 2023
John Yorke looks into the novel Porgy and the controversy around it.
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Porgy - Episode 1
Sat 11 Mar 2023
John Yorke looks into the novel Porgy and its creator Edwin DuBose Heyward.
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Georges - Episode 2
Sun 5 Mar 2023
John Yorke on Alexander Dumas and race in his forgotten classic; Georges.
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Georges - Episode 1
Sun 26 Feb 2023
John Yorke looks into a forgotten swashbuckler, Georges by Alexander Dumas.
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The Bronze Horseman
Sun 19 Feb 2023
John Yorke looks at Alexander Pushkin鈥檚 celebrated narrative poem, The Bronze Horseman.
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Yentl the Yeshiva Boy
Sun 12 Feb 2023
John Yorke looks at how Isaac Bashevis Singer's short story Yentl makes its mark.
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Lady Chatterley's Lover - Episode 2
Sun 5 Feb 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Lady Chatterley's Lover by D H Lawrence.
