Playing God

Patrick Barlow on his play The Messiah, and Daisy Black on a new medieval mystery play.

• 44 mins

Mike Leigh

Mike Leigh talks to Matthew Sweet as his historical epic Peterloo opens in cinemas.

• 44 mins

The Dark and Political Messages of Kids Fiction

Michael Rosen looks at socialist fairy tales and radicalism in books for children.

• 44 mins

Modern Japanese history - Being inspired by others & enjoying their pain

Julian Baggini, Tiffany Watt Smith and Christopher Harding with Rana Mitter.

• 44 mins

Religious divisions, puppet shows and politics.

The exile of English Catholics 450 years ago, plus suffragette Punch and Judy.

• 44 mins

Rethinking the Human Condition

A look at free-thinker Thomas Woolston, philosopher Isaiah Berlin, memory and neuroscience

• 44 mins

Wilfred Owen: Poetry and Peace

Gillian Clarke, Sabrina Mahfouz and Michael Symmons Roberts respond to the war poet.

• 44 mins

Landmark: Journey to the End of the Night

Marie Darrieussecq, Andrew Hussey, Tibor Fischer & Damian Catani on Céline's masterpiece.

• 44 mins

Why are we silent when conflict is loud?

Peter Hitchens; Rev Lucy Winkett; Neil Bartlett: Prof Steve Brown @ Imperial War Museum.

• 44 mins

Lost Words and Language

Shahidha Bari looks at research showcased in the Being Human Festival at UK universities.

• 44 mins

Death rituals

From death cafes to bronze age burials, from C19 mourning rings to the way doctors cope.

• 44 mins

Buses, beer and VR - a taste of university research

From ancient religion to London's Greek Cypriot community and the 29 bus route.

• 44 mins

What kind of history should we write?

Peter Frankopan, and Maya Jasanoff, winner of the world's richest prize for history.

• 44 mins

The Left Behind

Eric Kaufmann talks to Philip Dodd about white identity, populism and immigration

• 44 mins

Leadership: lessons from US presidents and campaigners

Doris Kearns Goodwin on what makes a good president. Plus Georgina Harding on war.

• 44 mins

Plagues, Urban Inequality and Restricted Books

Artist Penny Woolcock, global health researcher Thomas Bollyky and Jane Stevens Crawshaw

• 44 mins

Slavery Stories

A long-lost classic now published and Esi Edugyan's Man Booker Prize shortlisted novel.

• 44 mins

Mike Hodges; Dark Sweden.

The director of Get Carter talks to Matthew Sweet about writing his own crime stories.

• 44 mins

Bessie Head. Rwanda Representation and Reality

Anne McElvoy looks at the career of Botswana's most influential writer.

• 44 mins

Is there a great divide between the arts and science?

Sir Paul Nurse and Tristram Hunt debate with an audience at Queen Mary University London.

• 44 mins

Are we being manipulated?

Who's pulling your strings? Matthew Sweet and guests track down today's hidden persuaders.

• 44 mins

Writing and Frankness

Deborah Levy, Adam Phillips and Amia Srinivasan join Matthew Sweet at the British Library.

• 44 mins

Linton Kwesi Johnson

The reggae poet and recording artist talks politics, religion and writing with Philip Dodd

• 44 mins

Ice

A journey to the frozen ends of the Earth, plus theatrical magic from the 17th century.

• 44 mins

Trees of Knowledge

Peter Wohlleben Emanuele Coccia Marion Sidebottom Luke Turner

• 44 mins

What does game playing teach us?

Bobby Seagull and Irving Finkel join Shahidha Bari to look at competitiveness and games.

• 44 mins

Landmark: Watership Down

An ecological fable about a perfect society? Matthew Sweet reads Richard Adams' classic.

• 44 mins

Landmark: Laurel and Hardy's The Music Box

Matthew Sweet pays tribute to Hollywood's most famous comedy duo, Stan and Ollie.

• 44 mins

Born in 1819: Ruskin, Clough and Bazalgette.

Ruskin, Bazalgette and Clough: Laurence Scott examines three of Victoria's class of 1819.

• 44 mins

Boredom

Shahidha Bari, Josh Cohen and Sam Goodman explore the value of doing nothing.

• 44 mins