Pin Drop

Pin Drop is delighted to welcome back the award-winning and bestselling American author, Lionel Shriver. To mark the publication of Shriver’s first collection of short stories, she appeared live at Pin Drop, taking centre stage in the theatre at Soho House, Dean Street, to read a new short story, 'The Astonishing Good Fortune of Marigold Castor' Shriver is the author of numerous novels including the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin, which was turned into the critically-acclaimed film starring Tilda Swinton. She is also a master of the short story. In 2014 she won the BBC National Short Story Award for Kilifi Creek, and she has written a new short story for Pin Drop’s forthcoming anthology, A Short Affair, published by Scribner on 12th July 2018.

Pin Drop Podcast: Jacob Fortune Lloyd reads Civilisation by Will Self from A Short Affair by Pin Drop Studio

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, Simon Oldfield interviews Molly Parkin, the legendary Bohemian, painter, novelist and journalist, who became most notable for her work on Nova magazine, newspapers and television in the 1960s.

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, leading British Actor reads Heart's Last Pass by Douglas W. Miliken from A Short Affair at Tate Liverpool. Supported by the Arts Council.

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, listen to a live recording of award-winning author Lionel Shriver, read her own unpublished short story, The ChapStick, exclusively for Pindrop at BAFTA 195, followed by a Q&A. Shriver's bestselling novels include Orange Prize winning novel We Need To Talk About Kevin. Her latest novel, The Mandibles, has garnered excellent reviews. Recorded in collaboration with BAFTA 195 on 18 May 2016.

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, listen to a live recording of acclaimed actress, Maura Tierney reading at Pin Drop: Live in New York. At this very special event live in New York, Maura read Like Rabbits by Bethan Roberts, followed by a Q&A at Soho House, New York. Maura stars in the award-winning television drama The Affair, for which she won a Golden Globe Award in 2016. Pin Drop in New York and LA is brought to you by Simon Oldfield in collaboration with John McIlwee and Bill Damaschke. www.pindropstudio.com

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, listen to a live recording of internationally acclaimed author, William Boyd, reading his own short story, Tears Of A Clown, exclusively for Pin Drop at BAFTA, followed by a Q&A. William Boyd is the author of bestselling novels including Any Human Heart, The New Confessions, Waiting For Sunrise and Solo. This episode was recorded in collaboration with BAFTA 195. “Pin Drop is a wonderful and rare conception. It provides us with a special opportunity to celebrate the short story on its own unique terms. The perfect antidote to the sound-bite culture.” - WILLIAM BOYD

Listen to Gwendoline Christie reading Sunbed by Sophie Ward, live at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. Sophie Ward won the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2018 for Sunbed, an original short story. About Gwendoline Christie Gwendoline is best known for portraying the warrior Brienne of Tarth in the HBO series Game of Thrones since 2012, and the First Order Stormtrooper Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017). It has recently been announced that she will be starring in Armando Iannucci’s The Personal History Of David Copperfield. About Sophie Ward Sophie Ward is an acclaimed actor and writer from North London. Her short stories have been published in the anthologies, Finding A Voice, Book of Numbers and The Spiral Path, and The Gold Room. Her book, A Marriage Proposal; the importance of equal marriage and what it means for all of us was published by The Guardian short books in 2014. She has published articles in The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Observer, The Spectator, Diva and Red magazine. About the Award The RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award is an annual non-profit, open-submission writing prize, staged by Pin Drop Studio in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts. It offers a platform for new writing open to published and unpublished writers from anywhere across the globe to showcase their short fiction. Past winners include Bethan Roberts, Claire Fuller and Cherise Saywell for their extraordinary stories, which have been narrated for our podcast series here by Stephen Fry, Juliet Stevenson and Dame Penelope Wilton. This year’s award also marked the publication of A Short Affair, Pin Drop’s first anthology of original short fiction featuring bestselling authors alongside past winners and shortlisted stories from the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award with artworks by artists from the Royal Academy Schools. Edited by Simon Oldfield with a jacket by Eddie Peake and a foreword by Tim Marlow. Published by Scribner on 12th July.

Critically acclaimed British actor, Russell Tovey took centre stage at Hauser & Wirth Somerset earlier this summer to read Heart's Last Pass by Douglas W Milliken, a story from A Short Affair, the first anthology of original short fiction from Pin Drop edited by Simon Oldfield. Buy your copy of A Short Affair here - https://amzn.to/2O5Na17 ----- About Russell Tovey Tovey is one of the leading actors of his generation. He has starred in award-winning films including The Pass, Pride and Alan Bennett’s The History Boys, and played leading roles in major television shows including Quantico, Looking, Him & Her and Being Human. Tovey is also committed to the theatre and has most recently starred in Angels in America at the National Theatre.

Lionel Shriver reads an extract from 'How They Turned Out', her fantastic short story which features in Pin Drop's anthology of original short fiction, 'A Short Affair' edited by Simon Oldfield. 'A Short Affair' is published by Scribner. Order your copy here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-Affair-Simon-Oldfield/dp/1471147320

Man Booker Prize-winning author Graham Swift made his long-awaited return to Pin Drop at the Royal Academy of Arts in February 2018. This very special evening featured a reading of Graham Swift’s short story, Haematology, from his critically acclaimed collection England & Other Stories against the backdrop of the landmark exhibition ‘Charles I: King and Collector’. Haematology draws on the divisions and conflict of the 17th century through the prism of a family torn apart in the aftermath of the execution of Charles I. Graham Swift is one of the leading short story writers of his generation and the author of numerous award-winning novels including Waterland, Last Orders and Mothering Sunday. The evening concluded with a conversation and audience Q&A with Swift, chaired by Pin Drop founder, Simon Oldfield.

Pin Drop Studio was thrilled to welcome the incredible, Daniel Lismore to Soho House for this very special evening. This event marked a rare opportunity to hear Daniel discuss his views on style and creativity, as well as some of his key influences following the publication in 2017 of Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken, published by Skira Rizzoli. The lavish edition is Daniel’s first major publication, and shares the 32 ensembles that comprised his first U.S. museum exhibition of the same name at SCAD FASH: Museum of Fashion and Film before moving on to Art Basel, Miami. The exhibition immersed audiences in Lismore’s unique sartorial point of view. These life-size sculptural ensembles, each worn by the artist at one time, are reflections of his own multidimensional identity and are a tapestry of his journey to his true self. As a prominent fixture of the London fashion and nightlife circuits, Daniel shared stories from his life as an artist and tastemaker.

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, critically acclaimed actress, Lisa Dwan reads from Samuel Beckett’s groundbreaking works, Foirades/Fizzles followed by an interview with Pin Drop founder, Simon Oldfield. This episode was recorded live at the Royal Academy of Arts in London as part of Pin Drop’s highly respected programme at the RA against the backdrop of Jasper Johns landmark exhibition. Foirades/Fizzles was published in collaboration with Jasper Johns in 1972 in a publication that juxtaposed the artist’s vibrant, energetic etchings with a series of Beckett’s short prose pieces, originally written in French and translated into English. They have been the subject of notable scholarly works and the collection is now considered to be one of the greatest artist’s books of the twentieth century, having been exhibited internationally and lauded for it’s significant impact across the visual arts, literature, music and theatre. Lisa Dwan is this generations leading Beckett actor. She is internationally acclaimed for her stunning performances of Beckett’s Not I and, most recently, the one-woman show No’s Knife, adapted by Dwan from the prose pieces Texts for Nothing, which wowed critics and audiences when it premiered at the Old Vic in October 2016.

Cherise Saywell has been awarded the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award, for her exceptional short story Morelia Spilota. The winning story was announced and narrated at a special live event by award-winning actress Dame Penelope Wilton. The judging panel for the award includes the Royal Academy of Arts’ Artistic Director, Tim Marlow, and Pin Drop Studio’s founders Elizabeth Day and Simon Oldfield, who commented; ‘It was a privilege to judge this year’s RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award and select the winning story from such a strong short list. Cherise Saywell is a worthy winner for her superb story, ‘Morelia Spilota’, which is written with great confidence and verve. It is a brilliant short story.’ ‘Cherise’s story is a superb example of the short form: elegant, lyrical and with a quiet, restrained power. It is written with such surety of tone and pace that reading it, you feel at once you are in the hands of a master storyteller.’ – Elizabeth Day ‘The quality of writing and the ambition of the writers seems to get stronger each year. It was a pleasure and a privilege to judge the prize and to encounter this year’s short-list’ – Tim Marlow

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast Simon Oldfield meets multi award-winning chef, Jason Atherton. Jason is the creative force behind The Social Company, a globally-renowned restaurant group that originated in London with his flagship Michelin-starred restaurant, Pollen Street Social. His empire now counts seventeen restaurants in major cities from New York to Sydney, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Jason is the author of numerous books that provide a glimpse into his unique and innovative approach, he regularly makes television appearances and he was recently named Best Restaurateur at the GQ Food and Drink Awards. He is also a passionate art collector and was joined for this very special event in conversation by Pindrop’s founder Simon Oldfield, who curated Jason Atherton’s art collection across numerous restaurants including City Social and Pollen Street Social.

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast we enter the wonderful world of Sue Tilley in a riotous interview with Simon Oldfield. Taking us on a journey through her life – Tilley discusses everything from being Lucian Freud’s muse, to Leigh Bowery’s biographer and her latest collaboration with Italian fashion house, Fendi. Sue, also known as ‘Big Sue’, was the muse for a number of iconic paintings by Freud including Benefit Supervisor Sleeping and Benefit Supervisor Resting, which both sold for record-breaking prices. Sue was introduced to Freud by her close friend, the avant-garde artist, performer and club icon, Leigh Bowery. After Bowery’s premature death in 1993, Sue wrote the definitive biography of this groundbreaking figure of the 1980s. Sue Tilley was joined in conversation by Pin Drop Founder, Simon Oldfield. Sponsored by Audible UK.

Dame Penelope Wilton, star of Downton Abbey, reads Morelia Spilota by Cherise Saywell, winner of the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award. Introduced by Tim Marlow, Chief Curator of the RA, and Pin Drop founders, Simon Oldfield and Elizabeth Day. The reading is followed by an insightful interview and Q&A with Cherise Saywell. ‘It was a privilege to judge this year’s RA & Pindrop Short Story Award and select the winning story from such a strong short list. Cherise Saywell is a worthy winner for her superb story, ‘Morelia Spilota’, which is written with great confidence and verve. It is a brilliant short story.’ ‘Cherise’s story is a superb example of the short form: elegant, lyrical and with a quiet, restrained power. It is written with such surety of tone and pace that reading it, you feel at once you are in the hands of a master storyteller.’ – Elizabeth Day ‘The quality of writing and the ambition of the writers seems to get stronger each year. It was a pleasure and a privilege to judge the prize and to encounter this year’s short-list’ – Tim Marlow

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Pin Drop hosted an evening with Elizabeth Day and Viv Groskop – two powerful female voices. Elizabeth is an award-winning author and journalist. Her fourth novel, The Party, from which she reads in this recording, is published by 4th Estate in July 2017. Day is also a feature writer for UK and US publications including New York Magazine and Vogue, and a contributing editor for Harper’s Bazaar and recent interviews include Claire Danes, Matt Damon and Kiera Knightly. Viv is a writer, broadcaster and stand-up comedian who regularly appears at the Edinburgh Festival, features on BBC Radio 4 and writes for various publications including The Times, The Pool and the Guardian.

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast the award-winning author Will Self is live at Royal Academy of Arts reading read his short story, The Shore, followed by an interview with Simon Oldfield. Self is the author of ten novels, five collections of shorter fiction, three novellas and five collections of non-fiction writing. His work has been translated into 22 languages, and his novel Umbrella was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, which The Daily Telegraph described as “possibly Self’s most ambitious novel to date”. He regularly appears on television and he’s a frequent contributor to major newspapers and publications. This podcast forms part of Pin Drop's ongoing collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts.

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, listen to acclaimed Australian novelist, Tim Winton, author of Cloudstreet, The Turning and Eyrie, reading his own short story to a live audience. His latest book, Eyrie, is hailed by The Guardian as, ‘… a superb novel: a novel of disillusionment and redemption, loss and beauty, the taking of responsibility, and the overcoming of disappointment. This is Tim Winton on top form.’

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, listen to award-winning and best-selling author, Sebastian Faulks, reading live at Pindrop at the Royal Academy of Arts. Faulks, whose books have been adapted for film, TV and stage, is best known for his critically-acclaimed novels Birdsong, Charlotte Gray and Human Traces. Listen to him read two short stories selected by him in response to the art and themes presented in the RA’s landmark exhibition Rubens and His Legacy: Van Dyck to Cezanne, followed by a Q&A. The podcast is introduced by Stephen Fry and the RA’s Director of Artistic Programmes, Tim Marlow, alongside Pindrop co-founders, Elizabeth Day and Simon Oldfield. Produced as a collaboration between Pindrop and the Royal Academy of Arts.

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, listen to the Orange Prize-winning novelist, Lionel Shriver, reading her own short story, Vermin, for Pin Drop at the Royal Academy of Arts. Shriver was one of our first ever narrators at the Simon Oldfield Gallery in 2013. The evening was introduced by the Royal Academy’s Director of Artistic Programmes, Tim Marlow, who also moderated a Q&A with Shriver. alongside Pin Drop co-founder, Simon Oldfield. This podcast was produced as a collaboration between Pindrop and the Royal Academy of Arts. “Packed, attentive audience in a venue so beautiful and august that the challenge was to live up to it. Especially gratifying to be able to read a whole story, which is a fuller experience for both the writer and listener than a novel extract. Long may the cooperation between the RA and Pin Drop continue. It’s a killer combo.” – Lionel Shriver

Listen to the Booker Prize-winner, Graham Swift, reading a short story for Pin Drop at the Royal Academy of Arts from his new collection, England and Other Stories. One of the country’s most highly acclaimed novelists, Swift is the author of numerous novels including Waterland and Last Orders, which were both made into hugely successful films. This podcast was produced as a collaboration between Pin Drop and the Royal Academy of Arts. “Pin Drop’s winning dedication to the act of narration upturns the view that the experience of being told a story belongs chiefly to childhood. A Pin Drop event offers to adults a form of intimate grown-up theatre and a sophisticated immersion in a primal human pleasure.” – Graham Swift

Booker Prize-winning author, Ben Okri, read for Pin Drop at the Royal Academy of Arts in February 2016 during the landmark exhibition, Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse. Okri read one of his superb short stories followed by an audience Q&A. Ben Okri has published eight novels, including The Famished Road and Starbook, as well as collections of poetry, short stories and essays. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has been awarded the OBE as well as numerous international prizes, including the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Africa, the Aga Khan Prize for Fiction and the Chianti Rufino-Antico Fattore. He is a Vice-President of the English Centre of International PEN and was presented with a Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum.

Pin Drop Podcast: Juliet Stevenson reads A Quiet Tidy Man by Claire Fuller from A Short Affair by Pin Drop Studio

In the episode of the Pin Drop podcast two of Britain’s most cherished actors, Dame Eileen Atkins and Dame Sian Philips give a live reading at the Royal Academy of Arts of a short story from 1919 called The Dictator: The Story of Ak and Humanity by Yefim Zozulya. Eileen Atkins is an award-winning actress, known for her critically-acclaimed roles in film and television productions including Gosford Park, Cranford and The Crown. Siân Phillips has starred in era-defining film and TV including Beckett and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – and the BBC adaptation of I, Claudius, for which she won a BAFTA for Best Actress. The performance was followed by a Q&A with Pin Drop founder, Simon Oldfield

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, bestselling author William Boyd and award-winning actor Ed Stoppard, read stories live at the Royal Academy of Arts

Listen to Stephen Fry narrate the winning story of the inaugural RA and Pin Drop Short Story Award, Ms. Featherstone and The Beast, an exceptional story by Bethan Roberts. The quality and volume of the entries was high. In such a competitive field, we needed a truly exceptional winner and our choice was unanimous. Bethan Robert’s evocative story , is both tender and poignant. It deals with big themes – love, war and loss of innocence – with a restrained lightness of touch. And, like all the best short stories, its impact lingered. “Pin Drop is a wonderfully innovative scheme that unites the written arts with the visual. In iconic venues like the Royal Academy, new and established writers have their works read, discussed and questioned by enthusiastic audiences. The presence of the written word in public spaces filled with visual art reminds writers, whose work is so often private and inward, of the capacity of literature to reach out, uniting it with the family of all the arts where it belongs. I really believe in Pindrop and felt immensely rewarded to be involved.” – Stephen Fry

In this episode of the Pin Drop podcast, we meet A. C. Grayling – one of the leading thinkers of our time – for this very special event at the Royal Academy of Arts in October 2016. Forming part of the RA’s autumn programme, A. C. Grayling joined Pindrop to read one of his own short stories followed by a Q&A with curator and Pindrop founder, Simon Oldfield against the backdrop of the landmark exhibition, Abstract Expressionism. A. C. Grayling is a highly-respected philosopher, academic and author of acclaimed and much-discussed works of contemporary thought including The God Argument and Friendship. He is also a frequent broadcaster, contributing editor of Prospect Magazine and in 2014 he was chairman of the Man Booker Prize judges.