The Secret Lives of Women

What's stopping us telling the stories of women's inner lives, or listening to them, especially once they become mothers, or are over forty? Actresses discover there are far fewer roles once they're no longer seen as young; whilst middle-aged and older women's lives are conflated, as if they are having exactly the same experiences.

Ian McMillan is joined by Victoria Smith, author of 'Hags: the demonisation of middle-aged women' , by poet Patrick McGuinness (sharing poems from his forthcoming collection 'Blood Feather') by Jenny Lewis, author of 'Gilgamesh Retold' (her retellings of Mesopotamian myth reveal a female inn-keeper at the edge of the world) , and by folk legends Marry Waterson and Lisa Knapp (performing as 'Hack Poets Guild ) who share haunting songs of silenced and traduced women.

We also hear our latest BBC Centenary commission - this week it's 'Deep Listening' by Emily Berry.