Literature Matters: Marina Hyde and Armando Iannucci

At the British Library this Spring, it’s the news that’s making headlines. Live from the Library, a unique conversation will be held between acclaimed writer, director and RSL Fellow Armando Iannucci and award-winning journalist Marina Hyde.
Starting with their passion for great storytelling, Armando and Marina will explore their shared love of satire in fact, fiction, film and TV, in a conversation about why literature matters to them.
Take a break from Twitter and spend the evening with the writers we turn to when we’re overwhelmed by the 24-hour news cycle and need to laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Marina Hyde is a columnist for the Guardian, where she writes on subjects from politics to sport to celebrity. In October 2022, Faber is publishing a collection of her columns entitled What Just Happened?! Dispatches from Turbulent Times.
Armando Iannucci has written, directed and produced numerous critically-acclaimed films, television and radio comedy shows, including The Thick of It, the Oscar-nominated In The Loop and Veep. His film adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Personal History of David Copperfield was released in January 2020, and has won numerous awards including Best screenplay at the WGBA and Best Screenplay at BIFA.
In partnership with the Royal Society of Literature

[@michaelstephenwright]

enjoyed that.keep up the good work.

[@alexandralimadimitrijevic836]

Wow I love this.

[@grantc61]

It's amazing how everyone thinks they're a performer nowadays, when in fact they just act like a pillock. Example 1000000000001: the Chair of the Royal Society of Literature.

[@mcnichollsdj]

Must admit, I skipped the first, ooh, 15 minutes or so? Felt like that.

[@robertking1629]

I'm three minutes in and have lost the will to live. It's like being talked at by a primary school teacher.

[@robertloader9826]

Go and read the comments below the Wakefield police trainee video, it's astonishing. 'Boris what a stand up, compassionate guy, not like the rest of 'em' and 'I may not agree with his politics but you can't say he doesn't have a heart'. Absolutely mind bending.

[@henrymcvey6538]

God the intro was dire!

[@ovaisnaqvi1521]

Britain's degenerated into a nation where every adult in politics or public affairs would rather be a comedian than a serious person, one who makes serious points, in a serious tone. Unless it's framed in comedy or childspeak or like the PM, teenagespeak, it's the fear that, "no one will like me for sounding serious or for telling the truth".

[@craigconnick4100]

Has British satire become Orwellian 2 minutes-hate? A quick fix release valve that both temporarily sates outrage short-term and appeases the desire to take any actual action long-term? Interesting question that

[@hotjavacool]

The archness and faux jocularity of the introduction to this nearly puts me off continuing. Hyde and Iannucci are guarantees that there will be a lot worth hearing. I can only hope that the presenter will keep his 'humour' to himself as we continue.

[@tmvmac8515]

I wish he'd let Marina speak more, he interrupts her a lot.

[@Butlinsgvn6]

nah, she interrupts just as much