Front Row - 29/09/2009

The former Children's Laureate, Jacqueline Wilson, talks to Kirsty Lang about her new book, Hetty Feather. In the novel, Jacqueline has moved away from the modern children's homes of Tracey Beaker to tell her first historical story, set in the foundling hospital in London's Coram Fields. Kirsty Lang and art critic Richard Cork discuss the new exhibition at Tate Modern, Pop Life: Art In A Material World. The Royal Opera House is remounting Kenneth MacMillan's ballet, Mayerling - a tale of death, sex, debauchery and drugs - and the Institute of Psychoanalysis is getting ready to host a conference on MacMillan's work. Front Row assesses the importance of the man who broke the bounds of classical ballet by insisting that no subject was too dark or too brutal to tackle. When impressionist and actress Ronni Ancona decided she was fed up with football, she persuaded her ex-boyfriend and Big Impression co-star Alistair McGowan to give it up for a year. Their new book, A Matter Of Life And Death, is a comic memoir of their battle to wean him off his obsession. They talk to Kirsty Lang about the merits and the pitfalls of the beautiful game.