# Review Show: Rivals and Ian McKellen in The Christophers

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/front-row-944015/review-show-rivals-and-ian-mckellen-in-the-christophers
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/front-row-944015/review-show-rivals-and-ian-mckellen-in-the-christophers.md
Podcast: [Front Row](https://stenobird.com/podcast/front-row-944015)
Published: 2026-05-14T19:46:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002w62d
Audio file: http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/6/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download-rss/proto/http/vpid/p0nlbbky.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/front-row-944015/episodes/review-show-rivals-and-ian-mckellen-in-the-christophers
Duration seconds: 2527

## Resource

Observer Theatre critic Susannah Clapp and Heat's Entertainment Director Boyd Hilton join Samira to discuss The Christophers - Steven Soderbergh’s film about an ageing artist and a young forger hired to copy his work, starring Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel. They also discuss the second series of Rivals, based on Jilly Cooper’s bonkbuster novel which was set in the affluent 80s world of commercial TV. Plus, they talk about the West End transfer of 1536. It's Ava Pickett’s award-winning historical debut play about female friendship set around the backdrop of Anne Boleyn’s arrest for treason. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Claire Bartleet

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## Transcript

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