GETTY IMAGES/THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM/ALAMYENCOUNTERSDIARY
WATCH
Southern Spartacus
The story of abolitionist and freedom
fighter Harriet Tubman (1822–1913)
deserves to be better known outside the
USA. Born into slavery, she suffered
a severe head injury as a teenager.
Through the rest of her life, she saw
visions and suffered blackouts.
She also became devoutly religious
and imbued with a moral courage
evidenced by the number of times that,
as an escaped slave putting her own life
and freedom at risk, she headed south
to rescue those still living in bondage,
including members of her own family.
In director Kasi Lemmons’ terrific
biopic, Oscar-nominated Cynthia Erivo
plays Tubman with charisma and
energy. This makes the evolution of
Tubman into a near-mythical figure –
she was nicknamed ‘Moses’ because of
her work leading escapees out of the
south on the ‘Underground Railroad’
network – within her own lifetime
wholly believable.
Watch out too for a subtle perfor-
mance from Clarke Peters as Harriet’s
father, Ben Ross, and the singer Janelle
Monáe as a Philadelphia boarding
house owner who befriends Tubman.
Extras on DVD include deleted scenes
and a commentary from Lemmons.Harriet
Available to stream now and on DVD from
30 March / Cert: 12British actor Cynthia
Erivo earned an Oscar
nomination for her
powerful portrayal of
Harriet TubmanVISIT
Buried treasuresA selection of 80 fascinating artefacts
unearthed in Iraq will be travelling to Newcastle
as part of a new touring exhibition curated by
the British Museum.
Dating back several thousand years,
highlights on display include an imposing statue
of Gudea, ruler of the ancient region of Lagash,
plus elaborate treasures excavated from royal
tombs in the Sumerian state of Ur. Importantly,
the destruction of the country’s heritage by Isis
is also addressed.
Once the exhibition leaves the North East, it
can be seen at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham from
19 September to 13 December.Ancient Iraq: New Discoveries
Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle-upon-Tyne /
Until 2 August / greatnorthmuseum.org.ukLISTEN
New lease of lifeIt’s apparently taken a lot of “chipping
away down in the pod-mines” to
gather the material for a second series
of You’re Dead To Me, Greg Jenner’s
podcast mixing history and comedy,
but the task is now complete.
The result of all this effort is a
collection of episodes that deal with
such diverse topics as the ancient
Olympics, the Mayflower, French
cabaret star Josephine Baker and the
history of chocolate.You’re Dead to Me
Available to download now via BBC Sounds→→ Turn to page 68 for our interview
with Greg Jenner about his new book,
Dead FamousA beaded head ornament excavated from
Ur, thought to date from 2600–2300 BCThe spy and cabaret star Josephine Baker is the
subject of an episode of You’re Dead to MeGETTY IMAGES/THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM/ALAMYENCOUNTERS
DIARY
WATCHSouthernSpartacusThestoryof abolitionistandfreedom
fighterHarrietTubman(1822–1913)
deservesto be better knownoutsidethe
USA. Born into slavery,she suffered
a severehead injury as a teenager.
Throughthe rest of her life, she saw
visionsand sufferedblackouts.
She also becamedevoutlyreligious
andimbuedwith a moral courage
evidencedby the numberof times that,
as an escapedslave puttingher own life
and freedomat risk, she headedsouth
to rescuethose still living in bondage,
includingmembersof her own family.
IndirectorKasi Lemmons’terrific
biopic,Oscar-nominatedCynthiaErivo
playsTubmanwith charismaand
energy.This makesthe evolutionof
Tubmaninto a near-mythicalfigure –
she was nicknamed‘Moses’becauseof
her work leadingescapeesout of the
south on the ‘UndergroundRailroad’
network– within her own lifetime
whollybelievable.
Watchout too for a subtle perfor-
mancefrom Clarke Peters as Harriet’s
father, Ben Ross, and the singer Janelle
Monáeas a Philadelphiaboarding
house ownerwho befriendsTubman.
Extrason DVD includedeletedscenes
and a commentary from Lemmons.Harriet
Availabletostreamnow and on DVD from
30 March / Cert: 12BritishactorCynthia
ErivoearnedanOscar
nominationforher
powerfulportrayalof
Harriet TubmanVISITBuried treasuresA selectionof 80 fascinatingartefacts
unearthedin Iraq will be travellingto Newcastle
as part of a new touringexhibition curated by
theBritishMuseum.
Datingback severalthousandyears,
highlightson displayincludean imposingstatue
of Gudea,ruler of the ancientregionof Lagash,
plus elaboratetreasuresexcavatedfrom royal
tombsin the Sumerianstate of Ur. Importantly,
the destructionof the country’s heritage by Isis
isalsoaddressed.
Oncethe exhibitionleaves the North East, it
can be seen at LakesideArts, Nottingham from
19 September to 13 December.AncientIraq:NewDiscoveries
GreatNorthMuseum:Hancock,Newcastle-upon-Tyne /
Until 2 August/greatnorthmuseum.org.ukLISTENNew lease of lifeIt’sapparentlytakena lotof “chipping
awaydownin thepod-mines”to
gatherthematerialfora secondseries
ofYou’reDeadToMe, GregJenner’s
podcastmixinghistoryandcomedy,
butthetaskis nowcomplete.
Theresultofallthiseffortisa
collectionof episodesthatdealwith
suchdiversetopicsastheancient
Olympics,theMayflower, French
cabaretstarJosephineBaker and the
history of chocolate.You’reDeadto Me
Available to download now via BBC Sounds→→Turnto page 68 forourinterview
withGregJenner about his new book,
Dead FamousA beadedheadornamentexcavatedfrom
Ur, thought to date from 2600–2300 BCThespyandcabaretstarJosephineBakeris the
subject of an episodeofYou’re Dead to Me