Nancy and Sarah continue their conversation with the award-winning actress Diana Quick about her career beyond Brideshead Revisited, in which she went from playing alluring women, to women with nervous breakdowns to bonking grannies. She talks about her favourite roles, the importance of children to art, and why the most interesting parts are often monsters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy and Sarah quiz Diana Quick about her career, which began when she was a student and is still going strong. She has paved the way for so many women, but her most famous role remains that of Julia Flyte in Granada's legendary television version of Brideshead Revisited. That's where our conversation begins. It goes on to take in life as an actress in the 1960s, singing a weekly song on TV, starring in Ridley Scott's first film, why Albert Finney had the right attitude to work - and what it was like being called the most beautiful woman in the world. Part Two next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy has been curating an exhibition of art made by actors; Sarah has been watching musicals including Groundhog Day at the Old Vic and 42nd Street on tour. While on Broadway, Tom Stoppard and Patrick Marber, subject of a previous podcast, have taken prizes at the Tony Awards. All are the subject of this week's freewheeling conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inspired by Sarah's obsession with Succession and the way in which actors with both screen and stage backgrounds combine to make a perfect whole, Sarah and Nancy talk about screen acting and screen writing and Nancy reveals that the difference between the two is not quite what you think. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finn Caldwell is the Olivier-award-winning movement director and director of puppetry behind Life of Pi and Ocean at the End of the Lane and many other hits. He started out as the man manipulating the goose in War Horse. He talks to Nancy and Sarah about the way you design a puppet, how they come to life - and how they are changing what theatre can do. "It needs to be capable of anything," he says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To celebrate the National Theatre's wonderful new production of Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa, Nancy and Sarah talk about what makes the play such a classic and so full of feeling - with the help of Nancy's husband Jo Stone-Fewings, who met Friel when he appeared in the 2009 revival at the Old Vic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Motive and The Cue by Jack Thorne is about to open - inspired by the time Richard Burton played Hamlet in New York, directed by John Gielgud, with Elizabeth Taylor watching things from the wings. It inspired Nancy and Sarah to talk about why great and famous actors would want to take on those huge Shakespearean parts - and what it takes out of them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Ivo van Hove's ultra-violent version of A Little Life starring James Norton opens on stage, Nancy and Sarah take a look back at some of the history of violence on stage - the plays that have shocked people most, the purpose of stage violence, and the most violent play Nancy has ever starred in. Warning: there are discussions of subjects that some people may find upsetting including violence, bloodshed, self-harm and thoughts of suicide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inspired by Jamie Lee Curtis, and Nancy's matinees at the Menier Chocolate Factory in Marjorie Prime, Sarah and Nancy take a gentle look at the pleasure of a mid-afternoon performance. And suggest that perhaps we should be considering shows at midnight too! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy, currently on stage in Marjorie Prime, completely lost her voice thanks to bacterial laryngitis - which prompted Sarah to ask whether actors' voices have changed down the years, and what you can do to change and alter your voice. With special reference to Richard Burton, Benedict Cumberbatch - and Sting! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Nancy prepares to open in Marjorie Prime, she and Sarah discuss how few women's voices are still heard - and ways to make sure women are studied in schools and listened to on stage and film. With nods to Caitlin Moran, Sleepova at the Bush Theatre, Women Talking - and why Nancy feels the urge to jump over furniture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an incident in which a choreographer smeared dog faeces in a critic's face because he took against her review, Nancy and Sarah discuss what drives creatives to attack critics, why reviewers have to be free to say what they think - and suggest ways in which the dialogue can improve Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy is in rehearsals for a new play at the Menier Chocolate Factory. So she and Sarah take the opportunity to talk about what goes on behind the scenes when a cast come together - and why you must never have an affair! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy and Sarah return from their January break full of excitement as Luke Hallgarten, artistic director of the Revel Peck Circus, explains how the art of the circus ring reaches parts other arts really can't reach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah and Nancy tip full-tilt into Christmas with a chat about Scrooge, pantomime dames, and all things festive. What does make a good Christmas show? Why is Sarah so miserable at a pantomime? And why does Nancy love carols? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Second World War, the British government thought the arts mattered enough to fund an entire entertainment arm. After the war, they built new theatres to enrich the peace, Why have we stopped believing culture is important now, when the world is reeling from a pandemic and a cost of living crisis? Nancy and Sarah take the long view of why they care about the arts - and why they should belong to everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As James Graham's new play Best of Enemies transfers to the West End, Nancy and Sarah talk to director Jeremy Herrin about working with new playwrights, the challenges of commercial theatre, the importance of assistant directors - and how a teacher changed his life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we begin the run up to Christmas, Nancy and Sarah look back on shows that had a huge impact on them and their children - and the magic ingredients that all kids' shows need Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inspired by Dominic Dromgoole's new book First Nights That Changed the World, Nancy and Sarah talk about the rituals of first nights - the food, the parties, the mood in the audience - and the effects they can have. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy and Sarah welcome their first critic guest, Sarah Hemming, who writes for the Financial Times and the conversation goes all over the place, from the dangers of biscuits onstage to the idea that critics should walk towards a play if they want to be part of the discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy and Sarah talk to David Hare about actors he has loved, performances he remembers, the difference between writing and directing, why some people loathe the theatre and why critics are so often wrong about breakthrough plays. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Nancy and Sarah went to the Old Vic to see Eureka Day - a comedy about a serious subject. One scene makes the audience collapse with helpless laughter, which got us thinking about the role of laughter in theatre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy and Sarah discuss recent theatrical outings at the Globe, the National Theatre and elsewhere to see multiple versions of Much Ado About Nothing. Why are some Shakespeare plays performed all the time - and should directors be bolder in their choices? Nancy also reveals her understanding of the reason you can't say Macbeth in a theatre - and Sarah shows a sad obsession with alphabetising her programmes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the week after Queen Elizabeth's death, Nancy and Sarah find themselves talking about the way she had been portrayed on stage and screen and how that affects our views - both of her personally and of the monarchy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy has been watching All's Well that Ends Well at the RSC in preview on her travels, and Sarah has been to see a sensational and long-running production of The Seagull. In this week's episode, we talk about the benefits of previews - and why they enrage journalists while helping actors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a visit to the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre to see 101 Dalmatians together, Nancy and Sarah talk about the effects of theatre in the open air - and how different audiences react to different venues. Plus Sarah reports back from her trip to the Edinburgh Festival. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As thousands flock to the Edinburgh Festival over the next few weeks, we decided to devote this week's podcast to the joys of being in a city which is totally taken over by art - from the street performers to the most famous international artists. Nancy has performed there as a student; Sarah has watched an awful lot down the years. And we both have very happy memories of the place and what we have seen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Marber's Closer is 25 years old. As a new version opens at the Lyric Hammersmith, Nancy - who was in the last London revival - and Sarah are joined by the playwright to discuss what it meant when it was first unveiled, what it means now, and the role of critics in making it a success. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy has been part of a project performing all Christopher Marlowe's plays so we took the opportunity to have a chat about the mysterious life and difficult work of a master playwright. Mamma Mia, here we go again.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, as the awards season comes to its end with the announcement of the Tony Awards in New York, we talk about theatrical prizes - what it's like to win one, what it's like to judge them, and what purpose they serve. Plus Nancy describes going into labour in the middle of the Olivier Awards. You won't want to miss this one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy Carroll and Sarah Crompton begin by discussing how critics write about actors on stage - and the difficulties of intensely personal descriptions. But then the conversation ranges far and wide to nudity, positive images of bodies, the effect of language on society - and a surprising amount about dogs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy Carroll and Sarah Crompton discuss the value of the Ian Charleson Awards - invented by a critic to honour a great actor - and their remarkable success rate in identifying the stars of tomorrow Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Nancy, Sarah and their special guest Rosalie Craig talk about Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein and the great musicals they love - and new productions that are changing our view of them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy Carroll and Sarah Crompton talk about what it's like to play a real person - Nancy has - and about Bertie Carvel as Donald Trump at the Old Vic. Plus other theatrical incarnations of living people. And a bit about Jerusalem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.