| A. FOUR SENSATIONAL EPISODES FROM THE 1960s AND 1970s |
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| A1. The Lady Chatterley Trial sixty years on |
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| Why did DH Lawrence’s novel become a celebrated court case; what courtroom drama did the trial produce; How does it anticipate the later 60s upheavals and the permissive society? |
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| A2. A Cliveden Weekend and Beyond |
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| In July 1961, John Profumo met Christine Keeler at a weekend country house party. The consequences for himself, his Party and many others went far beyond his expectations and left Britain shell-shocked. |
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| A3. Enoch Powell's Rivers of blood speech over 50 years on |
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| Powell’s speech in Birmingham on 20 April 1968 was one of the most explosive of the post-war years. What kind of man was Powell; what did he say; why did he speak as he did; how can his speech be seen today? |
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| A4. The Politician, the stable boy and the Establishment |
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| Jeremy Thorpe, a rising political star, became leader of the Liberal Party in 1967. But a past relationship threatened his career. Here is a story of ambition, loyalty among friends, blackmail, establishment partisanship and one of the most celebrated Old Bailey trials of the century. |
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B. EXTRAORDINARY LIVES: SOME WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR GOOD OR ILL |
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| B1. Winston Churchill; man, politician and leader |
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| Churchill is remembered as the man who won the war. This vivid portrait considers both his formidable and decisive leadership but also the kind of man he was; his early life, marriage; friendships; enthusiasms; beliefs, moods and, not least, his stature as a human being. |
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| B2. Nelson Mandela: the triumph of warmth, humanity and generosity over ruthless oppression. |
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| Following the centenary of Mandela’s birth, this presentation, drawing on Mandela’s writings, his years in prison and his leadership of his country, offers a vivid portrait of one of the most remarkable human beings of our times. |
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| B3. Adolf Hitler: Architect of the most profound collapse of modern civilization. |
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| What kind of man was he; what did he believe and why; what circumstances in Germany after 1919 made him possible; what were his characteristics as a leader; how did he craft his appeal to the German people; how did he bring a civilised nation to barbarism? |
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C. HISTORY: HOLDING A MIRROR TO OUR OWN TIMES |
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| C1. The First World War in Perspective: The Human dimension. |
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| This was a war unlike any other. This vivid portrayal looks at the euphoria at its outbreak; the reality and horror of life in the trenches; the impact on those who fought and those who waited at home and, not least, the war as a catalyst for change. It will move you to tears. |
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| C2. Not much gratitude there. |
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| Why was Mr Churchill, so widely regarded as the architect of our victory over Hitler, so decisively rejected in the General Election of 1945. Was the result a surprise or might it have been anticipated? |
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| C3. ‘And a little mouse shall lead them’. |
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| How, despite his personal lack of charisma, did Clement Attlee’s Government shape a new direction for Britain after the war? How did that agenda come to shape a new and remarkable cross-party consensus? |
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| C4.Supermac: The Last Edwardian? |
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| An intimate portrait of Harold Macmillan; the actor/manager as Prime Minister. How was the image he cultivated part of his appeal? Was Macmillan out of touch or did he understand very well the adjustments needed in a changing post-war world? |
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| C5. Maggie: The Iron Lady. |
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| What kind of woman was Mrs Thatcher? What shaped her instincts, beliefs and style? What challenge did she bring to the post-war consensus? How much did she change; why did she fall; was her legacy enduring? |
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| C6. TB/GB: the rivals: friendship, partnership and antipathy. |
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| How did Tony Blair and Gordon Brown shape New Labour’s vision? How did they work together in cabinet and why did their personal relationship become so acrimonious? |
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| C8. Who is our greatest post-war Prime Minister? |
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| Vivid and amusing character portraits can help us understand how 15 different Prime Ministers have played the role. What are the characteristics of a great Prime Minister and what kind of rank order can we build? |
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| C9. Reliving our own story: a vivid pastiche of our post-war social and cultural revolution. |
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| Can you believe it? A portrait of a turbulent society, unrecognisable from the bankrupt and exhausted Britain of 1945. A fascinating journey. |
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| C10. Post-war social change (1) No Turning Back |
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| The pace of change since 1945 has been remarkable. This vivid pastiche of Britain’s post-war revolution embraces social class; families and marriage, earning a living and day-to-day life. |
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| C11. Post-war social change (2) A New World and almost unrecognizable world is born |
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| How we lost one world while embracing another: homes, transport, religion, sport and leisure, popular entertainment, crime, the mass media. |
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| C12. Post-war social change (3) Well who would have thought it? |
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| Britain’s post-war revolution in attitudes and values; the advent of choice; the consumer, race and immigration and a more permissive and inclusive culture. |
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| C13. The Crumbling of old Certainties: British politics in turmoil. |
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| The 2016 EU Referendum and its aftermath have turned British politics upside down. What is happening and why? Can we put together the jigsaw and where are we going? |
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| C14. Liverpool: from crisis to renewal: a city’s turbulent past and its resurgence |
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| The story of Liverpool’s rise, decline and recovery: the Beatles; Football; Toxteth; Heysel; Hillsborough; 2008, cultural capital. |
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| C15. This United Kingdom: a vivid portrait of the English (or British) |
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| Their people, culture, beliefs, attitudes, enthusiasms and eccentricities to set alongside the often different characteristics of the countries we visit; is Britain still united? |
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D. CURRENT AFFAIRS AND OUR WORLD TODAY |
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| D1. After the Covid storm: Covid 19 has been unlike anything in our lifetimes. |
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| How will we, our society, our politics, our economy and the world be different when normality returns? Will some things change forever? |
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| D2. Wealth in Britain today: too much for the Baby Boomers? |
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| How is wealth divided between the generations; how has this arisen; has the inter-generational contract been broken? Does it matter and if it does what might be done? |
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| D3. How should we lead our lives? |
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| Canadian Psychologist, Jordan Peterson, became an international megastar when his book, Twelve Rules for Life, was published a short time ago. Does his message relate to our own lives? |
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| D4. Happiness and how to make it part of your life |
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| We find happiness in different and often unexpected places. This wide-ranging presentation teases out those approaches and attitudes which may open the door to personal fulfilment. |
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| D5. What does it mean to speak of ‘Post Truth’ today? |
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| The gap between rhetoric and reality in political exchange has brought public disenchantment and distrust. How has this happened? How widespread is it? What can be done? |
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| D6. Political Correctness: the new insanity? |
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| George Orwell argued that freedom is the right to say that 2+2 = 4. Are we free today, or are we constrained in what we write, say and think and in how many issues are discussed? |
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| D7. Amidst doom and gloom, ought we to celebrate? |
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| Every day seems to bring news of some disaster; now coronavirus. But we are living through an era of unprecedented progress. How is that best defined? Why has it come and where is it proving elusive? |
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| D8. Making sense of today’s world. |
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| Since 2008, the West has been in upheaval. In different ways, Britain, Europe and America have all seen a revolt against traditional leadership; What is going on? How can we explain and begin to understand the challenge of 'outsiders' to 'insiders'? |
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| D9. Brexit in a broader context |
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| How did circumstance, age, education, geography, culture and identity shape voters’ choices? Who are the Brexiteers and what shapes attitudes to Brexit today? |
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| D10. Understanding Iceland |
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| Iceland, by far the smallest of the Nordic countries, is famed for spectacular scenery, robust knitwear, belief in elves and an historic capital. In 2008, it faced acute financial debt. Where is Iceland heading next? |
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E. THE BALTIC AND RUSSIA |
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| E1. Tsar Vladimir I? |
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| Winston Churchill described Russia as, ‘a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’. How can an understanding of Russian history and culture enable us better to understand the phenomenon of Vladimir Putin today? |
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| E2. Alexander Solzhenitsyn and the triumph of the human spirit |
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| The engaging and uplifting struggle of one extraordinary Russian writer, patriot and human being, against adversity, brutality, tyranny and oppression. It is a story which speaks to us all. |
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| E3. 'They do things differently there' |
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| What is distinctive about Norwegian culture which has made this Nordic country amongst the happiest, most peaceful, tolerant, egalitarian, progressive and prosperous in the world? |
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| E4. The Nordic Temperament: two responses to adversity separated by 70 years. |
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| Twice, in recent years, Norwegians have faced crises not of their choosing. This presentation considers their moving and dignified response and the influences behind their character and thinking. |
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| E5. Denmark and Sweden |
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| Are these two Nordic countries, sharing common and distinctive characteristics, saying something to us? How different are they and why? How are they responding to the pressures of the contemporary world? |
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| E6. ‘A collection of countries you can’t tell apart’ is how the Nordic countries have been described. |
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| Is that true? What are the characteristics of and contrasts between these five countries? What are they telling us? |
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| E7. Changing Sweden? |
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| This is the land of consensus, equality, welfare, personal liberty, diligence and neutrality; home of Volvo, IKEA and prosperity. But Sweden also faces growing unrest and tension. Why? |
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| E8. Denmark and Norway: A portrait of another world. |
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| A fascinating exploration of the distinctive characteristics and culture of these two countries but also of the questions they are asking as they look to the future. |
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| E9. Denmark: Trust and personal freedom. |
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| A fascinating exploration of the distinctive attitudes, characteristics and culture of this Nordic country but also of the questions some apprehensive Danes are asking as they look to the future. |
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F. AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN |
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| F1. JFK; the politics of hope and expectation. |
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| John Fitzgerald Kennedy became President of the USA at the age of 43; less than three years later he was dead. What kind of man was Kennedy and how did he see the future of both America and the world? What did he achieve and overlook and what was his legacy? |
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| F2. He had a Dream; Martin Luther King embodied the civil rights movement in America from 1955 to his death, in 1968, at just 39. |
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| What was distinctive about King which made him such a charismatic and influential leader? Did he realise his Dream and is America, today, a different place because of him? |
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| F3. Donald Trump: Can you Believe it? |
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| America’s 45th President is like no other: showman, entertainer, tweeter and unfailingly economical with the truth. Here is a vivid portrait of the man: his past, his style, his ruthlessness, his ego, his connections. And a second term? |
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| F4. What was and is ‘the American Dream’ and what role does it play in American life? |
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| Where did the ‘Dream’ originate; how has it been understood and articulated; has it ever been made a reality and where stands the ‘Dream’ in American life today? |
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G. SPAIN AND THE IBERIAN PENINSULAR |
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| G1. Spain’s Golden Age and After: a portrait of another world |
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| The remarkable story of how the Spanish Conquistadors, through ambition and a fearless spirit of adventure, created a global Empire and how that Empire was lost. |
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| G2. Understanding Modern Spain |
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| The story of Spain’s troubled and turbulent past; her brutal Civil War and dictatorship and her remarkable social, economic, cultural and political transformation of the last 50 years. |
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