Monocle on Culture

Cultural critic and novelist Lauren Oyler’s essays and reviews have caused a stir online. She joins Robert Bound in the studio to discuss her new book of essays, ‘No Judgement’. Oyler muses on gossip, Goodreads, expat life in Berlin and her experience of trying ‘jaw yoga’ to ease her anxiety-fuelled teeth-grinding.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We head to the Spanish capital for a special edition of the programme from Arco Madrid. As well as being a major contemporary art market platform, the fair has a strong curatorial core and deep connections with the Latin American scene. We meet the fair’s director and one of its leading curators. Plus: we find out about a major merger in Spain and hear from the artist representing the country at this year’s Venice Biennale. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 We meet the director and script consultant of ‘Io Capitano’, the stirring Oscar-nominated film that follows two Senegalese teenagers as they try to make their way from their homeland to Europe. Plus: we catch up with the Palestinian-American singer Lana Lubany, and find out about a computer program that used AI to create artworks 50 years ago. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the release of ‘Dune: Part Two’, we speak to the legendary film score composer and music producer, Hans Zimmer. He discusses his love for Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, his approach to world building and how he was once fired by the BBC. Plus: ‘Monocle on Culture’ contributor Leila Latif shares her thoughts on the new film. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arts journalist Andrew Male delves into Yoko Ono's vast contributions to art, emphasizing the interactive aspects of her new Tate Modern exhibition. Writer Jennifer Lucy Allan reflects on Ono’s powerful legacy and resilience, while curator Juliet Bingham shares insights on the exhibition's innovative concept. They discuss key works like 'Cut Piece,' exploring themes of vulnerability and agency. The conversation highlights Ono's optimistic philosophy and her ability to provoke deep connections between historical trauma and modern artistic expression.

We explore the world of Cymande, a 1970s jazz-funk group that is the subject of a new documentary, ‘Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande’. Robert Bound meets band members Patrick Patterson and Steve Scipio, and catches up with the documentary’s director, Tim Mackenzie-Smith. Plus: as ‘Nelken’, Pina Bausch’s signature work of contemporary dance, returns to the stage, we hear from dancer Christopher Tandy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Abigail Morris, Georgia Davis and Lizzie Mayland from UK indie band The Last Dinner Party. After signing with Island Records, the group won the Rising Star Award at the Brits and topped the BBC’s Sound of 2024 list – all without having released an album. Now that their debut, ‘Prelude to Ecstasy’, has arrived, Robert Bound meets them to discuss their influences, outfits and penchant for guitar solos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss ‘The Zone of Interest’, the latest film by UK film director Jonathan Glazer. Loosely based on Martin Amis’s novel of the same name, the film tells the story of Rudolf Höss, camp commandant at Auschwitz-Birkenau, and his wife as they build an idyllic life for their family as the Holocaust unfolds. We speak to Christian Friedel, who plays Höss, and film critic Jason Solomons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discover the career of filmmaker Werner Herzog in the new documentary 'Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer'. Hear about his audacious quests and dreamlike settings, his collaborations with Klaus Kinski, and his unique directing approach. Get insights from Thomas von Steinaecker, the director of the documentary, and Herbert Golder, one of Herzog's friends and collaborators.

Nancy Durrant and Matt Wolf join Robert Bound in the studio to preview the very best theatre to look forward to in 2024. They discuss a lively ska musical, a new play about the architect of the NHS, a Broadway debut from one of America’s biggest comedic actors and much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.