Front Row - 05/03/2009

Presented by Mark Lawson. Mark was at the opening night of Tina Turner's European concert tour. He is joined by writer and journalist Dreda Say Mitchell to ask if Tina is still 'simply the best'. Mark talks to novelist and screenwriter Neil Cross, who has written episodes for the TV spy series Spooks. Cross also discusses his latest novel, Burial. A new BBC2 series, Rocket Science, documents a Merseyside schoolteacher's attempt to overturn his pupils' prejudices against the subject of science. But where does the phrase 'rocket science' come from? Linguist and author David Crystal reveals the history of this and other scientific cliches. Mark explores the phenomenon of unimpressed parents, following reports that film director Danny Boyle's father described his son's multiple Oscar-winning movie, Slumdog Millionaire, as 'reasonable'. Mark also hears from actor Anthony Sher, writers Tony Harrison and Hanif Kureishi and artist Michael Landy.