Front Row - 23/06/2008

Presented by Mark Lawson. Including: A review of Disney's new Narnia film Prince Caspian, which tells the tale of what happens when the Pevensie siblings return to Narnia 1,300 years after the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Alan Ayckbourn is about to direct the premiere of his 71st play Life And Beth, his first since his stroke last year. He talks to Mark Lawson about the effect of his illness upon his writing process, his views on Health and Safety rules and the technical challenge of having an invisible cat onstage. Artists Antony Gormley and Yinka Shonibare have won the latest competition to come up with ideas for artworks to stand on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. Yinka Shonibare's work is a ship in a bottle, a scale replica of Nelson's HMS Victory. Antony Gormley's work involves 2,400 members of the public standing for an hour each on top of the empty plinth. The two artists explain the thinking and the logistics behind these complex projects. Steve Coogan, Irvine Welsh, and Peter Saville were among the creative leading lights who gathered in Manchester for a 24-hour public conversation last weekend. The event was launched in memory of the late Tony Wilson, music mogul, journalist, broadcaster and champion of talent. Elizabeth Alker and Joe Stretch report.