Q+A: Oct 28

This week’s Q+A with Stan Grant live from Sydney, adopting an arts related theme, featuring Boyer Lecture speaker John Bell.

In this year’s ABC Boyer lectures, Shakespeare: Soul of the Age, actor and theatre director John Bell argues Shakespeare’s works still have profound relevance to contemporary political issues, but is great art always relevant? Bell’s lectures cover four main themes and on Q+A we take a closer look at each of them: corruption and leadership, gender inequality, the influence of social media, and what makes for a good life.

With populism and authoritarianism on the rise around the world, where are the examples of good leadership? Have we been served well in these times of pandemic and conflict by our leaders? Is National Cabinet working? How toxic is the predominance of social media in our lives? Has outrage become an addiction? Are universities and schools the new battleground for the culture wars? How far have we come in the struggle for gender equality and were any of Shakespeare’s female leads a sort of feminist prototype?

As well as these philosophical musings, we’ll debate, as always, the major issues of the week.

Joining Stan Grant on the panel:
John Bell, founding Artistic Director of Bell Shakespeare
Nakkiah Lui, Writer, actor, director and Gamillaroi/Torres Strait Islander woman
Paul McDermott, satirist and entertainer, formerly Doug Anthony Allstars and Good News Week
Bri Lee, academic and activist, author of Who Gets to be Smart
Tim Dean, philosopher, ethics educator and author of How we became Human

Closing performance from Zahra Newman- starring in STC’s upcoming production of Julius Caesar.

8:30pm Thursday on ABC.