Front Row - 11/08/2009

Arts news and reviews with John Wilson. In the 1940s and 50s, the activities of the anti-communist House Un-American Activities Committee changed the face of Hollywood. Their investigations into alleged communist influence on the American film industry heralded an era in which numerous writers, actors and directors were blacklisted and ostracized for their political affiliations. Dalton Trumbo was just one of many forced to write under an assumed name and some of his most celebrated works, including Roman Holiday and Spartacus, were written during the dark days of the blacklist. Art critic and journalist Laura Cumming discusses her new book, A Face to the World, on the art of self-portraiture. She considers the drama of self-portraits and what they reveal about the artist's innermost sense of self, from Rembrandt and Velazquez to Munch and Warhol. John Wilson speaks to Tony Parsons about his novel Starting Over, a story which follows the life of 47-year-old George Bailey, who, after suffering a heart attack, is given the heart of a 19-year-old wildboy and nothing is the same again. Music critic Alexis Petridis provides a guide for UK-bound holiday makers who want to keep an eye on what cultural fare is on offer for their 'staycation'. Alexis gives the lowdown on what to look out for in Brighton and the south east.