Episode 1 Out of the Blue

Hello and welcome to Out of the Blue. I'm Graham Little. And I'm

Joanne Salley. We are live. And with us tonight... She has been on

the fiddle since she was six. Now she is a Classic Brit Award winner.

Violinist Tasmin Little will be knocking us for six later.

Christine Trueman is half-way through a 60-minute masterpiece for

us. Find out how you can get your hands on that later!

And joining us on our sofas, from Downton Abbey to down-town Belfast!

Allen Leech, also known as chauffeur Branson. And APPLAUSE.

9 million people watched last night's episode. Why do you think

you have -- the Edwardian fascinate us? I do not know, but it is

fascinating. I suppose it is an opportunity to look at a way of

life you would normally not be able to. It also has the added bonus

that you not only see the aristocracy, but how the people who

make their life possible, how they are living and interacting. I am a

big fan. Great. We will hear more from Allen later.

Class 6 of another kind, there is the fight for one of the biggest

book prize of the year. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is revealed

tomorrow after judging by a panel headed by Dame Stella Rimington.

Northern Ireland has produced a steady stream of the award-winning

authors, but Colin Bateman has to be discovered and antrum novelist

who broke every that -- every law every time she put pen to paper.

Larne, gateway to the games, a land of rolling hills and waters. And

home to a great literary secret. Once upon a time, billions of Larne

roamed by a now forgotten novelist whose work can only be described as

genius. Edinburgh has Robert Louis Stevenson. London has Charles

Dickens. Nottingham has DH Lawrence. And Larne has Amanda McKittrick Ros.

You may ask to this is? She was regarded with awe by cs Lewis and

Aldous Huxley. Off-shore drew inspiration from her. And the time

has come to finally remove the Bushell that has hit in the light

of the worst writer in the world. Was I falsely informed of your ways

and worth? Was I duped to ascend the ladder of Liberty, the hill of

triumph, not back the Lived here on the street, in fact we have this

school is now. -- the women lived here on this

street. Born in 1860, Amanda qualified as a teacher, moved to

Larne and married the local station master. Though worst writer in the

world, that is some title. How bad do you have to be to get that? And

how did she get published? Her husband paid for the publication.

It was the tenth anniversary wedding present. The point about

her work is that it is so bad that it is good. She carried the main

features of the romantic novel to such tremendous extremes that it

was bizarre and funny. When her characters are in the throes of

anger or grief, speeches can call on for pages. She was also drunk on

alliteration. The week in which she found quite ridiculous phrases to

describe very ordinary things, so legs become bony supports. Sundays

becomes sanctified measures of time. She probably thought of herself as

a genius. She was hard at work on her second book. Then something

happened that transformed a man the from an unknown writer to someone

on everyone's lips. A copy of her first novel found its way into

reader in London. He wrote a scathing review and widespread and

her name was spoken in hushed tones. There were parties were her books

read aloud. There was a society in Oxford, with a group of academics,

including CS Lewis and G R Tolkien, with competitions to see who could

read her work allowed longest without laughing. Other admirers

included six freed so soon and the great American writer Mark Twain.

He gave Amanda's hero Ben Amos off the most unintentionally hilarious

novel. Peru Amanda, but her books were now being read. And she was

amazing. In her final novel, she named her characters after pieces

of for it. Such as Lord raspberry. This is writing beyond that satire,

beyond criticism. Her self-belief was bullet proof and Portree poured

out of a until her death, convinced her work would be read for 1,000

years. Her books and now all out of print. And let us face it, there

are many writers who would give the right time for the kind of

publicity Amanda got from the grades of her day. In this fine

town of Larne, there are many who wished a man die used her right arm

for something other than writing. - - which Amanda.

She could never see that it was not a bad beat back's work. Did you

know anything about her? Absolutely not. You could be the best that

being the worst. What she wrote Downton Abbey? I doubt it would

have been made. And that was written by Julian

Fellowes, an Oscar winner with Gosford Park. He is writing about

what he knows. And he has just been made a lord. He is an incredible

writer. Look at the way he juggles 22 characters, still interested in

all of them, is a gift. And he won an Emmy for Downton Abbey. Your

character is in a pretty complicated relationship with Lady

Sybil. I have told Mary. I see. That is

the finished, then. Without a reference. No, she is not like that,

she will not give us a way. But she will not encourage us. No. Why are

you smiling? I thought you would be angry. Because that is the first

time you have spoken about us. In those days, upstairs ladies,

downstairs tradesmen would have been almost impossible. I want to

know, is it going to happen? cannot tell you. I wish I could,

and the amount of people asking every day, and I am doing a bit of

teasing on Twitter. I am giving odds. He is running out of fences,

as in episodes, so hopefully he will get over the last hurdle. I am

giving him a living-2. The action has moved forward in this second

series. Let us see your character, a man of split loyalties.

I cannot think about it and although war is over. It will not

be long now, so we wait. I would wait for ever. I am not asking for

for ever, just a few more weeks. He is an Irish Republican, and

tipping his hat to the military chiefs of England. Will he keep his

anger under control? Are I think he will, and he is clever enough, so

Branson knows if he wants a chance with Lady Sybil, he will keep it

together. Good for him. The Belfast Festival of Queens

Lodge last Friday, bringing two weeks of performances and more to

venues around the city. Ralph McLean has been to Canterbury to

checkout one show renowned for its tough cast.

One night at they hear to usually means people talking on stage, some

singing or dancing. -- one night at the theatre. Maybe a laid-back

experience, but not these men. ID is not so much laid-back, more flat

out. This is a high octane mix of circus and dance that becomes pure

theatre. The Canadian-based out for it has been thrilling people since

it first got off the ground nearly 20 years ago. It looks dangerous,

is it? Yes, but we are well trained. It would be more dangerous for you

to do it. There is a danger factor and I think that is what makes it

exciting and why we do it. The key is to mix concentration between the

energy, their acting it presents, and the acrobatics itself. These

days, people expect more and more from the theatre and expect be on

the law to be pushed. Is that difficult? It is true, people

expect more. What I think makes us popularity -- what I think makes us

popular is to focus on acting and energy as well as the acrobatics.

It is a balance of those. Fantastic, the best sure we had seen.

students from the school were inspired. Tomorrow, I think we will

be excited. We thought it was tremendous. A fantastic show, I

enjoyed it, very energetic. All I can say is, don't miss that. That

was absolutely amazing, styles from gymnastics to aerobics to

Jacqueline to skating and suitable for the Hall family. I was tired

just watching them. -- juggling. It is an absolutely brilliant show.

Now what did I put my bicycle? We will have to get him in a tight

vest during those moves. I would rather not see that. No offence if

you are watching. Cirque Eloize runs that the grand

opera house from -- Until Saturday next week.

We have asked four Northern Irish names to tell us what are they

would like to put on a pedestal. The first is a man who grew up in

Armagh, cycled the stage of the Tour de France and gets up horribly

Wow. Never disappoints, this painting, or one of my all-time a

bits. The definitive anti-war painting. -- all-time favourites.

It depicts the bombing, a small village in Spain during the Spanish

Civil War. You see dot or on people's faces, -- the horror on

people's faces, it takes your breath away. It is astonishing.

Given what I do, it almost says more than any photograph or any

moving footage. The horror in that, What is this? A book, clearly. Yes,

no prizes why I love this, about an investigative journalist. He

uncovers some very dark doings in Sweden. The author was a journalist,

who sadly died in 2004, with the main character, an investigative

journalist. I travelled to Stockholm to go on one of the

walking tours. It was to look at one of the locations. Because of my

profession, journalism can matter, we are not all phone hackers and

doorsteps. It proves that all good journalism can change things and

uncover things and make things perhaps a tiny bit better. A great

read. I have a great pub debate about

what is the best 70s sitcom and get out voted. Everyone goes for Fawlty

Towers, but I go for this. Absolutely marvellous. I don't know

why you asked me to make it. I can stand conducting at conversation

when in the lavatory. The central themes are about the tension

between the aspirational working class man who wants to become

middle class. He has a white-collar job. And his friend, who is staying

true to his working-class roots. His that your friend's car? Do me a

favour, get stuffed. I remember watching it with my brother and my

brother was very much like Terry, he liked his beer and cigarettes

and gambling. Everyone knows men like that, it is priceless. I am

taking my driving test. And it goes Some music awaits, I suspect. Yes.

Fantastic stuff. What do you choose? The Beatles. This song

shows of George Harrison's writing skills. It has his mate, Eric

Clapton, on it. I remember getting into this in the early 70s when I

was studying for my O-levels, during the Council strike. The

lights were going out. That is -- art is inextricably linked with

memory. Don't you love the Beatles?

Absolutely. Do you have a particular piece of hard work?

think I would go with music can say Van Morrison. Are you just saying

that because you are in Belfast? No! You have been in lots of

costume dramas, in Rome and The Tudors. Obvious you like --

obviously you liked dressing up. have an oversize leprechaun

costume! It is not really by choice. It is just the stuff I tend to get

cast in. It is all very different. The costumes are varied and they

are different periods of time. I seem to do a lot of riding horses

and driving old cars. The next thing we will see you in is a huge

departure from Downton Abbey - a thing written by Charlie Brooker.

It is a little edgier, shall we say? It centres on a terrorist plot

to kidnap a fictional Princess from the Royal Family. The on the way

that they will finally release her - I do not want to give away too

much - you will see if you watch it why I could not talk about it

before the watershed. Do you find, their bit harder than straight

drama? It is harder. With Charlie because -- with Charlie Brooker's

stuff, you do not have to be funny. You do not have to try to be too

funny. You're nicked! You're going to be

in the Mike Sweeney. Yes, we begin filming in a week and a half. It is

a modern version of the classic one from the 70s. Have you seen the

script? Yes, it is great. Have they toned it down a bit for our

sensitive ears? No. It is really full on. There is an incredible gun

fight scene that I cannot wait to do. We will be driving cars fast,

smashing through stuff - fantastic. We look forward to seeing that!

You can catch Allen in Downton Abbey. It is on on Sunday. Series

two is out on DVD next month. Belfast City Hall will be showing

pictures at an exhibition next week as part of the festival.

photographers and film-makers have come together to form are the

unique portrait of our rapidly changing city. -- to form a unique

portrait. We went to take a look. How do you even begin to capture an

entire city in a work of art? Especially in a potboiler of a

place like Belfast. Two film makers and three photographers from the

Belfast Now project have been wrestling with how to put the place

Both films are look at everyday life in Belfast. They are things

that may not have had a spotlight shone on them so far. My name is

Jane. I and 67 years old and my grand son is Scott. He is a very

nice fella. I cannot give too much away but his is about two people -

an 18-year-old lad and his granny. -- but it is about. Adam's film

And there are three photographers involved. They have all got their

own individual vision. Michael is very much into the buildings of

Belfast and architecture. Tommy is very much into portraiture. The

third has a very unique black and white version. How can people make

a contribution? Our website -- our Facebook page is available for

people to offload their photographs. By the time the festival is

finished we will have a mass of photographs that show what the

citizens of Belfast see in their city.

I am a great fan of Tommy. Belfast Now runs until the end of October.

Every week we have an artist making a work of art in only 60 minutes.

First up is Christine Trueman. This is fantastic. Tell me about it.

This is a local woman that I wanted to paint. She is known as Ruby

Murray. She was a singer. You do not just use paint, what other

materials have you stuck on here? Anything that will stick goes on

the canvas, as far as I am concerned. If it is bright, bold,

colourful. You have used children's toys as well? Yes. I draw the line

at food. I think that might be pushing it a little bit. Have you

found it difficult to work in the timescale? Very, very challenging,

yes. And with people watching. I am usually in the studio, Galway, have

a cup at the, come back again. -- Galway, have a cup of tea. Your

only became a professional artist about two years ago. Why so late?

It was really just a hobby. When I had a bit of spare time I went and

did a class for beginners. I posted things online and people started

asking about it. Do you like icons for painting? People with strong

bone structures make very good subject.

If you do like Christine's work and would like to buy this, here is

your chance. All of the works of art created on Out Of The Blue will

be auctioned off with the proceeds going to BBC Children In Need. Log

on to that Children in Need website. -- on to the Children In Need

website. From art to music, on Friday the

Ulster Hall will be filled with the rich sound of the Ulster Orchestra,

playing Elgar's Violin Concerto and Brahms' Symphony No. 3. Joining

them on stage will be one of the best violin players in the world,

Tasmin Little. Fine you for joining us here before Friday. You have

brought your violin to stop it does not look like your average one, I

have to say! It was made 250 years ago. It is a beautiful, passionate

instrument with lots of red flames of varnish up the back. I hope I

look that well when I am 250 years of age! What will be in the show

one Friday? The highlight for me is being back in Belfast, where I have

been coming for more years than I care to remember. I love the

audience and the Ulster Hall. The Elgar is a beautiful, passionate

piece. I was thrilled earlier this year to get a Brit award for my

recording of it. It has everything a violin concerto should have -

some great themes, tricky passages and great bits for the orchestra.

The Ulster Hall, obviously, is a tremendous venue, but you are also

very happy playing classical music outside places that are a bit out

of the ordinary. If you have played in a prison and you have let people

download tracks from your website for nothing. Is this part of your

campaign to bring classical music to more people? Yes. I started a

project called The Naked Violin about three years ago. It is

designed to bring classical music to people who never had an

opportunity before. I think most of us are comfortable with the

internet and I thought it would be good to put some music up there. I

have had letters from people all over the world and about 500,000

people had downloaded it. A incredible. Tasmin, we're very

excited to have you here to play tonight. I will let you get over

there and get ready. Thank you. Tasmin is that the Ulster Hall this

Friday and hard Delius and double concerto recordings are not now.

We will be back next week with the story behind railway posters that

are no posting big prices in art auctions.