Monocle on Culture
Robert Bound and guests explore what’s new in art, film, books, and media. Expect lively discussions, in-depth interviews, and expert insights.
Latest Episodes
Looking ahead to 2017
Robert Bound sits down with DJ and broadcaster Georgie Rogers, film critic Jason Solomons and author Mark Mason to discuss the year to come in music, film and books.
Culture with Robert Bound: best of 2016
Robert Bound and producer Holly Fisher sit down to discuss their ‘Culture’ highlights from the past year.
What makes a good Christmas TV special?
Robert Bound is joined by Alice Vincent, arts and entertainment writer for ‘The Telegraph’, to discuss why nostalgia and cosiness get us all huddled around the television at Christmas.
Who has the best Christmas album of 2016?
Music journalist Laura Snapes, DJ and broadcaster Baylen Leonard, and chief rock and pop critic for ‘The Times’, Will Hodgkinson, join Robert Bound in the studio to rate this year’s Christmas albums. Plus: singer-songwriter Marika Hackman tells us about the making of her festive EP ‘Wonderland’.
Have we reached peak biennial?
When almost every city in the world seemingly has one, what is the role of the biennial? We wonder who does this soft-power attraction best and which parts of the world benefit from them as a showcase of how dynamic and cultural they can be.
Why would you read a manuscript?
It’s not often that you get your hands on a manuscript, whether it’s the first draft of a novel or an ancient text etched on vellum. On the show today we get to know stories in their original formats and discover what can be learned by experiencing them first hand.
Why do we love quizzes so much?
Robert Bound is joined in the studio by John Mitchinson, question-writer for British quiz show ‘QI’, and Mark Mason, writer of upcoming book ‘Question Time’, to discuss the enduring and global appeal of the humble quiz. Plus: we put their knowledge to the test in the ‘Culture Show Quiz Show’.
Do we need protest songs now more than ever?
This year has been one of divided politics, from Brexit to Trump, so is it time to take a stand? We look at the history of the protest song and discuss the musicians vocalising the opinions of a new generation.
How funny is the presidential race?
How has the media satirised the two most talked-about names of the year: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump? We discuss the highs and lows of late-night TV sketches, speak to ‘The Atlantic’ and ‘New York Magazine’ about media coverage and discover a film about a Trump piñata.
Why are we so morbidly fascinated?
We explore the theme of morbid fascination with collectors of weird and wonderful objects in New York and a professor who has been studying why we are so compelled to watch things that frighten or disgust us. Plus: We hear from artist Luc Tuymans, who has just put on a…
