Stella Duffy reads and talks about her work, in particular Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore. Theodora rose from abject poverty to become the comedy star of the Constantinople hippodrome at the age of 15 and, defying convention, was crowned empress alongside Justinian in 527. At a time when the nature of the Christ was debated in pub brawls and palaces, she herself underwent a faith conversion in the deserts outside Alexandria.
Stella Duffy has written seven literary novels including her latest, Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore. The Room of Lost Things and State of Happiness were both longlisted for the Orange Prize. She wrote five Saz Martin crime novels, eight plays, and over 40 short stories, winning the 2002 Crime Writers’ Association Short Story Dagger and 2008 Stonewall Writer of the Year. She is also an actor and theatre director.
