Ron Rivlin, May 13, 2016
One of Andy Warhol’s most famous quotes was his proclamation that “everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes,” but as it turns out Warhol himself has remained a hot topic in the media and entertainment world for much longer than a quarter of an hour. Still relevant to pop culture today, Warhol’s glamorous lifestyle is now the subject of a new BBC radio drama directed by acclaimed British director Dirk Maggs.
The Andy Warhol- Death and Taxes radio series, written by Sean Grundy, is a series of dramas bringing Andy Warhol’s acclaimed diaries to life. From his personal relationships to his public persona, the radio series focusses on the themes surrounding Warhol’s loves (art, fame, men, money) and his fears (failure, death, embarrassment).
Warhol’s diary began as a way of documenting the money he spent on day to day activities such as cab rides or quick phone calls but ultimately blossomed into an eye-opening literary portrait of his surroundings and daily life. Published in 1989, The Andy Warhol Diaries was described by Forbes as ‘extraordinarily revealing’ and is a must-read for all Warhol fans.
Focusing more on the later years of Warhol’s life, the radio series’ episodes take place during the years 1976 to 1987 and include a number of Warhol’s famous friends such as Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall and Liza Minnelli. The voice of Warhol is played by American actor Scott Capurro who manages to beautifully capture the eccentric personality of Warhol.
Every episode provides an in-depth look into the wonderful world of Warhol while listeners get an inner glimpse of the lives of New York’s high society.
The series features four 15 minute long episodes and is available on BBC iPlayer Radio or http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07c6n56/episodes/player
