11/05/2011

This week Libby Purves is joined by Jon Cousins, Paul Broda, Suggs and Patsy Rodenburg. Jon Cousins set up the website 'Moodscope' to help people manage their moods. Through his own personal experience of suffering from depression he used research by an American psychologist to create a site that lets fellow sufferers monitor their own wellbeing through a brief, daily online test. The results produce a "happiness number" that comforts those worried about their own state of mind, and the results can also be e-mailed to concerned friends or relatives. Paul Broda is a micro-biologist. His memoir 'Scientist Spies', centres on the lives of his mother, father and stepfather, the latter two spies who passed nuclear secrets to the Russians in the 1940s. He also describes how from early childhood his own life was shaped by his family life and influences. 'Scientist Spies - a memoir of my three parents and the Atom Bomb' is published by Matador. Suggs, real name Graham McPherson, is the singer, actor, broadcaster, but is probably best known as the frontman of the pop/ska band 'Madness'. He is performing his first solo show 'LIVE SUGGS! The Rambunctious Recollections of the Madness Front Man' - a 'stand-up memoir' - as he looks back on his life as he reaches fifty. He's also in the Radio 4 Saturday play Deep Down and Dirty Rock 'n' Roll about two musicians in mid-life meltdown. Patsy Rodenburg has been Head of Voice at the Guildhall School for the last twenty-six years. She is about to direct Richard III at the school. Recently listed number 15 in the Times' most influential people in theatre list, she is acknowledged as one of the world's leading voice coaches. Richard III is at the Bridewell Theatre, Fleet Street, EC4.