Saturday Review - 26/09/2009

Tom Sutcliffe is joined by comedian Natalie Haynes, novelist Linda Grant and director of the ICA Ekow Eshun to discuss the cultural highlights of the week - featuring an eccentric village, a divine ruler and trouble and strife chez Darwin. The American philosopher Daniel Dennett has described the theory of evolution, as expounded by Charles Darwin, as 'the single best idea that anyone has ever had'. Jon Amiel's film Creation attempts to give the writing of On The Origin of Species a domestic and personal context. So we find Darwin (Paul Bettany) in poor health, failing to come to terms with the death of his 10 year old daughter Annie (Martha West) and at loggerheads with his wife Emma (Jennifer Connelly) over the assault that he seems to be mounting on her Anglican faith. Notwithstanding is a collection of linked short stories by Louis de Bernieres loosely based on his experience of growing up in a small Surrey village. Populated by a cast of eccentrics, it is an affectionate journey back to a more or less lost world in which horny-handed sons of the soil get one over on the incomers, retired generals go shopping without their trousers on and small boys catch enormous pike. On 10th July 1941 1,600 Jews were massacred in Jedwabne in north-eastern Poland when they were forced into a barn which was then set alight. After the war, the atrocity was attributed to the Germans who had occupied the town, but it eventually transpired that it was the victims' Catholic neighbours who were responsible. This event is at the centre of Tadeusz Slobodzianek's play Our Class which is being performed for the first time at the National Theatre. The play follows a group of Catholic and Jewish classmates from their early schooldays in 1925 to the events of 1941 and beyond. Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler is the last in the British Museum's series of exhibitions which give an insight into a civilisation through the lives of one of its rulers. Moctezuma was the semi-divine emperor of the Aztec or Mexica people from 1502 to 1520. The exhibition dispays artefacts which reflect the ritual importance of human sacrifice, including a large carved bowl in the shape of an eagle which held human hearts and blood. The arrival of a Spanish expeditionary force led by Cortes in 1519 brought an abrupt end to this vigorous, imperial civilisation and resulted in Moctezuma's death. The exhibition tells a poignant story of power and tragedy. Since Dizzee Rascal won the Mercury Prize with his debut album in 2003 his life has changed beyond recognition. Tongue N Cheek, his fourth album, contains the three number one singles Dance Wiv Me, Bonkers and Holiday which suggests that it's a more pop-friendly offering than its predecessors. Lyrically it reflects the life of a successful hip hop star rather than a young man living by his wits on the streets of Bow. Dizzee describes it as a party album that's naughty and nice and has something for everyone. Maybe even you.