04/08/2012

Tom Sutcliffe and his guests novelists Adam Mars Jones and Lisa Appignanesi and writer Ekow Eshun review the week's cultural highlights including Seth MacFarlane's film Ted. Mark Haddon's best-selling novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has been adapted for the stage by Simon Stephens. The production at the National Theatre is directed by Marianne Elliot and stars Luke Treadaway as Christopher Boone - a 15 year old "mathematician with behavioural difficulties" (his own description). When Christopher tries to find out who killed a neighbour's dog he unearths more about his own life than he anticipated. The Daylight Gate is Jeanette Winterson's latest book and is published by the Hammer imprint. The book is set in 17th century Lancashire and is based on events around the notorious Pendle witch trials. The central character is Alice Nutter, a free-thinking woman who finds herself drawn into a dangerous conflict with the local magistrate and a witch-finder newly arrived from London, determined to uproot witchery and popery. Seth MacFarlane's television series American Dad and Family Guy have made him one of the best paid writers in Hollywood. His first feature film is Ted - the story of a boy called John and his teddy bear. A wish makes the bear come to life, but John (Mark Wahlberg) is still hanging out with Ted twenty-five years later and his girlfriend (Mila Kunis) is increasingly unhappy about the situation. Water House in Walthamstow was William Morris's family home from 1848 to 1856. It became the William Morris Gallery in 1950 and has just reopened to the public after a major refurbishment. Apart from personal memorabilia and samples of Morris's work, there is also a gallery to house temporary exhibitions where Grayson Perry's Walthamstow Tapestry can be seen until 23rd September. To celebrate its 30th birthday, Channel Four is launching a season of new comedies under the title of Funny Fortnight. This will comprise over 30 hours of programming featuring sitcoms, comedy dramas and stand up from new talent and established names. The programmes being reviewed here are three pilots: Bad Sugar, Toast of London and The Function Room. Producer: Torquil MacLeod.