cheltenham literature festival brochure 2008

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10 – 19 OctoberBox Office 0844 576 7979cheltenhamfestivals.com

Working in PartnershipOfficial Car

Title Sponsor

Principal Sponsor

Radio Partner

Festival Partners

Local Media Partner Regular Funders

The Oldham Foundation

Major Sponsors

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Welcome to our most exciting Festival yet and join us on an exhilarating journeythrough our ten-day celebration of the pleasures of reading and writing.

This year we explore the family, and how it shapes who we are and how we live, read and write. Why have particular families become dynasties shaping entire nations? How have writers drawn on their family experiences and those of others?

Kate Adie and Ian Rankin are this year’s two Guest Directors, and each has put together an exciting mix of writers and themes over the Festival’s twinweekends; other Festival Features include a unique series of exclusive readings from past Man Booker Prize winners and the return of one of the highlights ofthe Festival, The Times Debate.

As the Festival continues to grow we launch a new outdoor voices off Stage inffthe town centre over both weekends of the Festival, more free events for childrenon our hugely popular Family Fun Days in Imperial Gardens, and this year more events than ever in The Centaur, one of Britain’s largest literature venues.

With more than 450 writers and over 350 events, join us for ten days of what promises to be another action-packed celebration of books and the written word.

Artistic Director Sarah SmythExecutive Director Clair GreenawayBook It! Director Jane Churchillvoices off Director ff Sara-Jane ArburyDevelopment Manager Susannah SheppardFestival Organiser Christin SteinFestival Assistant Philip WoodsFestival Assistant Judith Lüdenbach

Wednesday 29 October The Centaur 7pm £12

One of the world’s greatest writers, Toni Morrison has won almost every major literary honour, including the Nobel Prize for Literature, as well as attracting a passionate global readership. Her renowned novels include The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon and Paradise, as well as the PulitzerPrize-winning Beloved, named ‘the best work of American fiction of the dpast 25 years’ by the New York Times. Her writing is marked by an epic power, an unerring ear for dialogue, a poetically-charged and richly-expressivevision and her personal insights into repression, racial tension and the fightfor human rights. Don’t miss this chance to hear one of the world’s mostacclaimed writers as she flies over from the US for a rare appearance todiscuss her work and new novel, A Mercy, with yy Mark Lawson.

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It is only with the generosity of our festival fans and commercial sponsors, donors and trusts that this and our sister festivals are able to bring world class culture to Cheltenham throughout the year.

With many thanksDonna Renney Chief Executive Cheltenham Festivals

2008 is both the National Year of Reading, and the third year of the Festival’s partnership with Waterstone’s.

The Festival Book Tent in Imperial Gardens stocks titles by all Festival authors, and is at the heart of your Cheltenham reading experience. In addition, you will find Waterstone’s at all Festival venues, so don’t forget to get your copysigned by the author after the event.

To reserve signed stock before the Festival, call Waterstone’s at 33-41 Promenade, Cheltenham on 01242 571779 or email [email protected]

This year’s Festival once again offers a fabulous range of events for adults and young people alike. Why not join usfor The Times’ events; Russell T Davies and John Barrowman talking about Doctor Who, and Magic BallerinaDarcey Bussell - both exclusive to Cheltenham.

I do hope that you will come and join our writers at The Times Tea Tent. You will be able to meet Erica Wagner,Books Editor, Sarah Vine, Caitlin Moran, Ben Macintyre, Kate Muir, Alyson Rudd, Giles Coren, Mike Atherton,Bronwen Maddox and Ed Smith.

Don’t miss the special Times events at this year’s Festival, including The Times Debate on Saturday 11 Octoberand The Times Festival Book Groups on Friday 17, Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October.

You can also visit Times Online, www.timesonline.co.uk, to access free podcasts of events, and to read reviews and blogs direct from Cheltenham. The Festival will also be featured daily in the paper.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival.

Alex O’Connell Executive Editor

Associate your brand with world class events

Reach audiences of over 150,000Inspire 14,000 school childrenAccess press coverage worth £2.2 millionIntroduce your clients to the finest audiences, performers, musicians and thinkersEngage your company with our ground breaking cultural programme

For details about sponsorship opportunities at Cheltenham Festivals please contactKathryn Honeywill01242 [email protected]

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We’re joining forces with Penguin Modern Classics, Gloucestershire Libraries and Waterstone’s for a Big Read like no other – join us to read Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. Tying into the release of a new film adaptation this is the biggest reading project the Festival has ever undertaken.

As well as a wide range of activity at the Festival itself, we’ll be hosting book groups throughout August and September in branches of Waterstone’s and local libraries. Why not make Brideshead Revisiteda choice for your book group this summer? For more information about the project please email [email protected]

See 55 for our Brideshead Revisited event, 134 for our Real Brideshead event and 217for our Festival Book Group.

Sat 11 & Sat 18 October Imperial Gardens11am–2pm FreeImperial Gardens comes to life with free family fun! We’ll be joining forces with Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum to launch our Big Draw project on Saturday 11 October. Illustration students from the University of Gloucestershire will be onsite to help you create your very own masterpiece.

Punch & Judy make a welcome return, along with face painting, jugglers, stilt walkers and a chance to learn circus skills with our resident experts. There will also be a bouncy castle and much, much more.

Look out for a programme of outdoor performances from storytellers and poets, and a host of colourful children’s characters will be roaming the Gardens – they would love to meet you!

Mon 13 – Fri 17 OctCafé Theatre FreeOur weekday programme of free poetry goes from strength to strength, uniting a wide range of poets as they bring their work to life on stage. Join Michael Horovitz, Simon Armitage, Patience Agbabi,Glyn Maxwell and many more for a FREE celebration of verse in the Café Theatre.

live literature at a venue near youvoices off is about literature that’s alive – fun, exciting, different, quirky, eccentric, inspiring. Sometimes the Festival fringe, other times more mainstream – one thing voices off isn’t is ‘definable’. With its unique identity and maverick style, it’s a performance programme that occupies a special place at the heart of the Festival. Check out the prize poets, stunning storytellers, adventurous authors and thrilling thespians appearing in a variety of venues and make up your own mind!

A fantastic free-for-all around the town on each Saturday of the Festival! Roving minstrels, transcontinental troubadours, wacky wordsters, street theatre, dancers, circus artistes, stiltwalkers, musicians – words are on the move so get into the groove!

Sat 11 & Sat 18 October voices off Stage, The Promenade 11am–4pmFreeIt’s new, it’s exciting and it’s all happening over at the voices offStage! A plethora of poets and performers entertain the crowds and YOU on the hour from 11am – 4pm. Make sure you clock them!


There are more than 350 events in this year’s Festival, from debates and discussions to interviews, performances, live literature, poetry, book clubs and talks.

As well as the two weekend series programmed by our Guest Directors Kate Adie and Ian Rankin you’ll also find events grouped by theme, exploring a range of topics. Look out for the bright yellow titles…

Celebrated winners of the Man Booker Prize present exclusive new workThe Festival is renowned for commissioning new writing and this year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Man Booker Prize. John Banville, Penelope Lively, Ben Okri, D B C Pierre and Graham Swift première exciting new work, which will be broadcast by BBC Radio 4.

Exploring some of the great families who’ve shaped nationsFrom the Tudors to the Romanovs and from the Hapsburgs to the Windsors, we explore the families that have shaped history in a series of keynote talks including visits from David Starkey,Helen Rappaport, Michael Holroyd and Jane Wellesley.

What are the challenges facing family relationships today?Our series of events looking at the family ranges from an exploration of the power of the memoir to debates on the role of fathers, the challenge of growing old gracefully and how society responds to, supports or undermines the family. Participants include Oliver James,Julia Neuberger, Richard Madeley, Esther Rantzen and Frank Furedi.

Exploring the richness of family relationships as inspiration for fictionFathers and sons, mothers and daughters, brothers and sisters – we explore the complex portrayal of families in literature with appearances from Linda Grant, Sadie Jones, Isabel Fonseca and Fay Weldon.

Shakespeare from the inside out... In our third year of partnership with the RSC, Antony Sher gives this year’s Shakespeare Lecture, Harriet Walter, Janet Suzman and Tim Piggott-Smith discuss tackling some of Shakespeare’s great roles, and acclaimed Shared Experience / RSC director Nancy Mecklerjoins Jonathan Bate to give a fascinating insight into her work.

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From ancient legends to newly-minted tales, storytelling bursts into life at the FestivalOutstanding contemporary storytellers, including Ben Haggarty,Pamela Marre, Hugh Lupton and Clare Murphy, bring their compelling tales to life at this year’s Festival.

In association with The Crick Crack Club

Tackling the hot topics of the dayAs we approach the US elections, we bring together leading thinkers from the worlds of economics, politics, history and philosophy. From Jeffrey Sachs to Robert Fisk, Åsne Seierstad to Nassim Nicholas Taleb, don’t miss the chance to hear some of the most influential thinkers of today.

In partnership with the Wellcome Trust, we look at the relationship between literature and medicine

How do writers and medical experts explore the human body in fact, fiction and memoir?Uniting high-profile specialists and bestselling authors, we explore issues relating to medicine, the body and writing. Those taking part include neurosurgeon Henry Marsh and Falkands war veteran Simon Weston.

From Jane Austen to Marcel Proust we explore the relationship between writers and the medicine of their dayWe also investigate iconic figures including Freud and Florence Nightingale who exerted a potent influence on the literary imagination and the history of medicine. Participants include Lisa Appignanesi, Mark Jackson, Thomas Ruetten, and Janet Todd.

As part of its growing commitment to the Medical Humanities, the Wellcome Trust will be making a major announcement at the Festival to celebrate medicine in literature.

A host of programmes recorded for broadcast at the FestivalWe’re delighted to welcome BBC Radio 4 as our new radio partner. From Start the Week with Andrew Marr to Open Book with Mariella Frostrupand The News Quiz with Sandi Toksvig and Jeremy Hardy, this is your chance to be part of some of the nation’s most high-profile broadcasts.

The new award to mark the year’s most outstanding broadcast interviewJoin us at the Nick Clarke Debate on Saturday 11 October to see BBC Radio 4 Controller Mark Damazer present the very first Nick Clarke Award.


Graham Swift John Banville Tony Robinson Penelope Lively Simon Schama Anita Shreve

Crosscurrents

01 Town Hall 12–1pm £6John Gray, described as ‘our most important living philosopher’, is the bestselling author of Straw Dogs, Al-Qaeda and What It Means To Be Modern and Black Mass. In a characteristically provocative and thought-provoking discussion, he considers our religious, political and secular beliefs, argues that a misplaced faith in our ability to improve the world has actually made it far worse, and considers what the future holds for Western liberal democracies.

02 Town Hall 12–1pm £6Author of Waterland and the Man Booker Prize-winning Last Orders, which was adapted into an acclaimed film starring Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins, Graham Swift joins us to talk about his writing and remarkable literary achievements, including his most recent novel, Tomorrow.

McMafia03 Town Hall 2–3pm £6In his powerful new book, McMafia,distinguished journalist Misha Glennytakes us on a journey through the new world of international organised crime. From gun runners in Ukraine to cyber-criminals in Brazil he explores the pitfalls of a globalisation where the rules dividing the legal from the illegal are often far from clear.

Clive Aslet04 Town Hall 2–3pm £7Country Life’s Editor-at-Large Clive Aslet presents a captivating illustrated exploration of the way the English have lived over the last millennium in The English House: The Story of a Nation at Home. From back-to-back terraces to stately homes, he explores 20 houses all over England, opening a remarkable series of windows into history.

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher05 Town Hall 2–3pm £7The 1860 Road Hill House murder horrified the English public and became a media sensation, influencing writers from Dickens to Conan Doyle. In The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, acclaimed journalist, writer and winner of this year’s Samuel Johnson Prize Kate Summerscale reconstructs the detective’s investigation of the crime. Who murdered the youngest son of the house: his father, his nursemaid, or his 16-year-old sister? Chaired by the BBC’s Nick Higham.

BBC Radio 4

Man Booker 40 Readings06 Town Hall 2–3pm £6Celebrating 40 years of the Man Booker Prize, John Banville, author of winning novel The Sea, and Graham Swift, author ofwinning novel Last Orders, join BBC Radio 4 Executive Producer Sara Davies to read some brand-new writing, which will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 3.30pm between 13-17 October.

BBC World Service

07 Town Hall 4–5pmFree – Advance Booking RequiredBridget Kendall presents lively conversation and thought-provoking debate with some of the stars of the Festival in a special edition of The Forum, recorded in front of an audience at Cheltenham to be broadcast on Sunday 19 October at 9am on the BBC World Service.

Writers & Remedies

Mark Bostridge, Maura Buchanan & Christine Hallett08 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £6Florence Nightingale is an iconic figure in medical and cultural history. Her new biographer Mark Bostridge joins history of nursing expert Christine Hallett and President of the Royal College of Nursing Maura Buchanan to discuss the literary, medical and cultural influence of Nightingale’s life and work, and its impact on the nursing profession.

09 Town Hall 4–5pm £7John Julius Norwich, son of diplomat Duff Cooper and actress and society beauty Lady Diana Cooper, spent an extraordinary childhood amidst some of the greatest figures of the 20th century including H G Wells, the Churchills, Charles de Gaulle and Hilaire Belloc. He discusses his new memoir and shares some of his remarkable memories in a hugely enjoyable event.

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Clive James Mark Bostridge Andrew O’Hagan Frank Skinner Alexander McCall Smith Poetry Slam!

Deyan Sudjic & Tom Dyckhoff 10 Town Hall 4–5pm £6 In an age when the word ‘designer’ has often become synonymous with the cynical and manipulative, Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum, and author of The Language of Things,joins The Times’ Architecture Critic Tom Dyckhoff to examine the qualities behind successful design today and explore the conflicting tensions between high art and mass production.

Breaking the Rules

B27 Book It! Tent Age 12+ 5.30–6.30pm £4Please see page 30 for details.

Crosscurrents

11 Everyman Theatre 6.30–7.30pm £8 With elections fast approaching, The American Future is more uncertain than ever. In this illustrated talk, celebrated historian and presenter of A History of Britain, Simon Schama takes a close look at the nation’s past, examining America’s path to supremacy and it’s future in an ever-changing global climate.

The TLS Event

12 Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm £7Clive James – poet, polymath, literary critic and broadcaster – has won legions of devoted fans with his hilarious memoirs, witty essays - many of which have appeared in the Times Literary Supplement - and trenchant TV criticism. He joins TLS Deputy Editor Alan Jenkinsto discuss his life and writing, including his new book Angels over Elsinore, and share his unique view on the world.

Tony Robinson, Richard Curtis& John Lloyd13 Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm £10Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first broadcast of Blackadder, one of Britain’s best-loved and most-cited sitcoms, we unite writer and creator Richard Curtis,actor Tony Robinson, who’s turnip-obsessed Baldrick is one of television’s most iconic characters, and the series’ producer John Lloyd to discuss their favourite moments and cunning plans…

14 Town Hall 7.30–8.30pm £6Celebrated for his richly metaphorical work and for reworking the African oral storytelling tradition, Nigerian author and Booker Prize winner Ben Okri is a much-feted writer. Join him as he explores his award-winning writing and recent novel Starbook, a modern-day parable.

Crosscurrents

Bronwen Maddox, Andrew O’Hagan & Lionel Shriver 15 Everyman Theatre 8.45–10pm £7How will the US elections influence what lies ahead for America and, equally importantly, what are the implications of the outcome for Britain? The Times’ Chief Foreign Commentator Bronwen Maddox,author of In Defence of America, American novelist and commentator Lionel Shriver,author of The Post-Birthday World, and essayist and novelist Andrew O’Haganjoin BBC broadcaster Bridget Kendall to explore the current and future relationship between America and the wider world.

16 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £7Anita Shreve is one of America’s leading novelists and the bestselling author of The Weight of Water, Body Surfing and the acclaimed The Pilot’s Wife. Join her for a rare Festival appearance as she flies in specially from the USA to discuss her celebrated writing and new novel Testimony.

C1 The Centaur 8.45–10pm £12Award-winning comedian Frank Skinner,well known for The Frank Skinner Showand, with his comedy partner David Baddiel, Fantasy Football and the iconic football anthem Three Lions, recently made a triumphant return to his stand-up roots. He joins Mark Lawson to discuss his life and work as featured in his new extended autobiography.

17 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £8Who is your favourite female writer? Virago Modern Classics celebrates its 30th birthday this year and to mark this anniversary,Penelope Lively, Alexander McCall Smith and Virago founder Carmen Callildiscuss their favourite novels by women writers in a hugely enjoyable event.

18 Book It! Tent 8.30–10pm FreeFancy a starring role in the UK’s slam extravaganza (event 42)? Then take a stanza on stage and see if your poetry and performance has what it takes. Or come and join the applaudience – there’s all to cheer for! Twenty poets only, first come first served, contact Marcus Moore on 01285 640470 or email [email protected]

Official Car


Jenni Murray Robert Peston Julie Walters Andrew Motion

Family Matters

19 Main Hall 10–11am £7Few relationships are more complex than that between parent and child. Exploring the relationship with her own parents, Jenni Murray, acclaimed presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, discusses her life and her Memoirs of a Not So Dutiful Daughter.

The Black Swan20 Garden Theatre 10–11am £6Although we pretend otherwise, the world is profoundly unpredictable.Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s concept of The Black Swan – a random event completely changing our worldview – led him to to warn against the credit crunch, and is influencing business leaders and politicians across the globe. We welcome one of the world’s most influential thinkers on a rare visit from America.

The Bolter21 Everyman Theatre 10–11am £6Idina Sackville was an inspiration for Nancy Mitford’s The Bolter and the founder of White Mischief’s scandalous 1920s Kenyan ‘Happy Valley’ set. Through private family letters, diaries and previously unseen photographs, her great-granddaughter Frances Osborne tells a moving tale of betrayal, high society and heartbreak behind Idina’s journey to scandal and return.

Crosscurrents

22 Drawing Room 11am–12pm £6As the credit crunch bites, award-winning journalist, author and BBC Business Editor Robert Peston explores the seismic faults in our economy and the widening gap between the super-rich and the average person. Exploding the myth that the financial creativity of those amassing vast fortunes is good for the wider economy, he asks Who Runs Britain?

C2 The Centaur 11am–12.15pm £14From Educating Rita to Harry Potter,Julie Walters is one of our most popular actresses and comediennes, earning critical acclaim and numerous awards. With characteristic wit and candour she presents her new autobiography and discusses the highs and the lows of her remarkable life.

Family Event

F1 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 10+ 11.30am–12.30pm £7 (£5)Please see page 28 for details.

23 Everyman Theatre 12–1pm £6Andrew Motion, Poet Laureate, reads poems old and new and introduces extracts from his new collection of essays, Ways of Life: Places, Painters and Poets. He talks about his acclaimed autobiography In The Blood: A Memoir of My Childhood and answers questions about the Laureate’s role.

Guest Director

‘You can’t say that!’

Time for writers to consider – or perhaps confront – the blue pencil of political correctness. Just how did we erect new barriers to expression? Out of enlightenment or fear of offending? Edward Stourton will be discussing his new book about the pros and cons of PC behaviour. There’ll be firm views from Clarissa Dickson Wright, who dislikes PC food, and Nick Cohen peering at a PC future. And does ‘suitable’ language bother the contributors to the BBC’s From Our Own Correspondent? Misha Glenny and Mark Mardell join me and the programme’s producer Tony Grant, to find a suitable answer.

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Ann Widdecombe Roy Hattersley Frances Osborne David Blunkett James Kelman Bruce Parry

24 Main Hall 12–1pm £8Making a welcome return to Cheltenham, join bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith as he celebrates the tenth anniversary of his beloved No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, and discusses his successful writing, including The Comfort of Saturdays, the new book in his Sunday Philosophy Club series.

BBC Radio 4

25 Drawing Room 1–2pmFree – Advance Booking RequiredMark Damazer, Controller of BBC Radio 4,Sony UK Station of the Year, joins Francine Stock for a question and answer session guided by you. Ever wondered what it’s like behind the scenes of one of the UK’s most popular radio stations? Here’s your chance to find out!

C3 The Centaur 1.30–2.45pm £10Shortly after joining us last year to talk about his hugely successful BBC series and book on Tribe, Bruce Parry embarked on an epic nine month journey down the Amazon, travelling over 6,000 km. Now he talks about his extraordinary experiences and the people he met, from tribesmen to cocoa growers and illegal miners, whilst following the world’s greatest river.

Patrick Leigh Fermor 26 Main Hall 2–3pm £8Deborah, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire and John Julius Norwich join Charlotte Mosley, editor of The Mitfords,to celebrate the writing of Patrick Leigh Fermor, whose long correspondence with the Dowager Duchess sheds fascinating light on his life and significance as one of Britain’s greatest living travel writers.

BBC Radio 4

27 Garden Theatre 2–3pmFree – Advance Booking RequiredAndrew Marr presents lively conversation and thought-provoking debate with some of the stars of the Festival in a special edition of Start the Week,recorded in front of an audience at Cheltenham to be broadcast on Monday 13 October at 9am on BBC Radio 4.

Into Danger28 Everyman Theatre 2–3pm £7When some are fearful of anything beyond their daily routine, why are others drawn towards professions which put their lives in regular peril? Award-winning war-zone journalist Kate Adie talks about extraordinary people who walk Into Dangeron a daily basis, from those who clear landmines to Saddam Hussein’s food taster.

Programmed by Kate Adie

29 Drawing Room 3–4pm £7One of Britain’s best loved writers, Penelope Lively has won numerous prizes, including the Booker Prize for Moon Tiger. She talks about her forty years of writing, her new book Consequences, and the surprise aspects of a writing life.

F2 Book It! Tent 3.30–4.30pm £4Please see page 28 for details.

10am–5pm FreeTrade a transatlantic stanza or sample an inter-continental scribble-nibble with Thom the World Poet. He’s a one-man walking festival, so don’t miss his peripatetic poetic perambulations!

Have a family get-together in Mothercare and elsewhere with instant poet Brenda Read-Brown as she collects thoughts from kith and kin and pens on-the-spot-poetry.

Circus performer Catrin Osborne has Great Expectations as she brings one of Dickens’ most inspired characters to life – as an 8 feet tall Miss Havisham!

Engage the verse-services of Emergency Poet On Call Marcus Moore. Look out for his trademark top hat and tails!

Catch street dancers CoadyCrewperforming their own style of moves and grooves!

Pitch up with human verse-vending machine Matt Black and select a poem or two from the tasty track listing of his unique Poetry Jukebox.

Word On The Street artistes will be entertaining the crowds at the Centaur over the course of the weekend!

Turn to page 13 for Free Speech.


Andrew Marr Ray Mears Gavin Esler Mariella Frostrup Ken Russell Ben Okri

BBC Radio 4

Man Booker 40 Readings35 Garden Theatre 6–7.15pm £6Celebrating 40 years of the Man Booker Prize, Penelope Lively, author of winning novel Moon Tiger, Ben Okri, author of 1991 winner The Famished Road, and D B C Pierre, author of 2003 winner Vernon God Little, join BBC Radio 4 Executive Producer Sara Davies to read some brand-new writing, which will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 3.30pm between 13–17 October.

Writers & Remedies

Jane Adams, Claire Harman & Janet Todd36 Everyman Theatre 6–7pm £6Well-heeled society flocked to 18th and 19th century spas such as Cheltenham and Bath not only for their health but also for the heady mix of romance, scandal and intrigue portrayed in the novels of Jane Austen and Fanny Burney. Join Jane Austen expert Janet Todd, Burney biographer Claire Harman and spa history specialist Jane Adams to discuss the spa’s medical, social and literary history.

BBC Radio 4

32 Garden Theatre 4–5pmFree – Advance Booking RequiredMariella Frostrup presents a special edition of Open Book. She’ll be talking to some of the biggest names at this year’s Festival, and discussing the best of recent fiction. Recorded for broadcast on the following day, Sunday 12 October on BBC Radio 4.

33 Drawing Room 5–6pm £6PR guru Mark Borkowski presents a gripping study of the forgotten lives and broken dreams of the creators of the celebrity industry in The Fame Formula.From its roots in early Hollywood, vaudeville and the circus, he reflects on how this anarchic industry became the mighty industry it is today.

Family Event

F3 Book It! Tent Age 12+ 5.30–6.15pm £4Please see page 28 for details.

34 Main Hall 6–7.15pm £9From his acclaimed work for television, including documentaries such as Elgar,to his seminal films including Women in Love, The Devils and the film version of The Who’s Tommy, Ken Russell is one of our most controversial and visionary artists. Here he discusses his life on and off the screen and updated autobiography A British Picture.

C4 The Centaur 3.45–5pm £10Having traversed the globe for most of his life learning and teaching wilderness skills, survival expert and BBC TV’s Bushcraft presenter Ray Mears reflects on his experiences in some of the most remote and beautiful places on Earth and urges us to look more closely at the Vanishing World around us.

BBC Radio 4

David Blunkett, Ann Widdecombe & Libby Purves30 Main Hall 4–5pm £8Quizzed on the World At One, castigated in the press, often mistrusted by the public - the lot of today’s politician doesn’t seem a happy one. But what draws people into politics and who do politicians themselves look to as role models? Two of our best-known politicians, David Blunkett and Ann Widdecombe, join Libby Purves to consider what drives politicians through the highs and lows of a successful political career. Introduced by BBC Radio 4 Controller Mark Damazer.

This debate is dedicated to the memory of Nick Clarke, an outstanding broadcaster, consummate interviewer and much-loved friend of the Festival for many years.

31 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £7International human rights barristerPhilippe Sands’ book Torture Teamtraces the creeping acceptance of torture in the US military, from Donald Rumsfeld’s infamous 2002 memorandum of authorisation to Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. He joins Newsnight’s Gavin Esler,author of the novel A Scandalous Man.

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Philippe Sands Terry Jones Nick Barratt Nassim Nicholas Taleb Roger Moore Word On The Street

John Lloyd & John Mitchinson41 Book It! Tent 8.45-10pm £6Want to know how to impress your friends, frustrate your enemies and win every argument? Join QI producer John Lloydand John Mitchinson, Director of Research for QI, as they explore the misconceptions, mistakes and misunderstandings in The Book of General Ignorance and The Book of Animal Ignorance and introduce their brand new book, Advanced Banter.

42 Main Hall 8.45pm onwards £5It’s Europe’s premier performance poetry competition! Fifteen plucky bards aim to join the dynasty of slam winners, but who will become the poor relations? Sara-Jane Arbury and Marcus Moore compère as random judges compare the writing, performances and your applause to find the prize prodigy in the mother of all poetry slams. See event 18 for entry details.

voices off Stage The Promenade Free

11am Thom the World PoetAn international poetic treasure

12am AnnamationBright and breezy storytelling

1pm Matt BlackThe man behind the Poetry Jukebox

2pm Baba BrinkmanA hip-hop tour-de-force

3pm Nathan FilerDexterous, nimble, surreal slam-winning rhymes

4pm Open Mic with Brenda Read-BrownIf you want to perform, sign up at the Stage on the day!

Nick Barratt39 Garden Theatre 8–9pm £7The fascinating lure of family history goes from strength to strength, and we’re delighted to welcome TV historianNick Barratt, the primary genealogist on BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?Sharing his intriguing insights into the ancestral discoveries of participants including Stephen Fry and Sheila Hancock, he offers expert advice on researching your family tree.

C6 The Centaur 8.45–10pm £12From iconic roles in The Saint and The Persuaders to his suave performance as 007, the legendary Roger Moorehas entertained generations of cinema goers. In a Cheltenham exclusive he considers his career on the big and small screen and presents his autobiography, My Word is my Bond.

Kate Adie, Mark Mardell, Misha Glenny & Tony Grant40 Everyman Theatre 8.45–10pm £8For more than fifty years BBC Radio 4’sFrom Our Own Correspondent has been one of Britain’s best-loved radio programmes. Its presenter Kate Adie and regular contributors Mark Mardell and Misha Glenny join producer Tony Grant to talk about its uniquely personal glimpse into the lives of journalists and the countries from which they report.


Kate Adie, Roy Hattersley,Michael Gove, Andrew Marr,Ann Widdecombe & Libby PurvesC5 The Centaur 6.30–7.45pm £12Did we ever have it so good, and have we really got it so bad?We’re always harking back to a golden age, whether Macmillan’s 50s, the swinging 60s or the prosperous 80s, but was life really any better then and is it really as bad now as we’re led to believe? Kate Adie, Roy Hattersley, Michael Gove, Andrew Marrand Ann Widdecombe join novelist and BBC Radio 4 broadcaster Libby Purvesfor a spirited and enjoyable debate.

Richard II37 Book It! Tent 7–8pm £6For 600 years Richard II has been reviled as a weak and neurotic king, whose unhappy reign ended in tyranny. Join historian and Monty Python memberTerry Jones as he reveals that the monarch was actually a victim of spin - whose name has been blackened by the propaganda churned out by the man who usurped and murdered him.

38 Drawing Room 8–9pm £6One of the most significant novelists writing today, James Kelman has won numerous prizes for his novels, including the Booker Prize for How late it was, how late. He talks about his writing and his remarkable new novel, Kieron Smith, Boy. ‘A talent so huge one is tempted to mention Zola and Beckett’ (The Independent).


Edward Stourton Ben Macintyre Sheila Hancock Roger McGough Kate Muir Alistair McGowan

It’s a PC World43 Main Hall 10–11am £7Political correctness was meant to promote equality, but many now argue that it has turned language into a minefield. Todaypresenter Edward Stourton, author of witty and thought-provoking It’s a PC World, joins Kate Adie to tackle the complex language games of political correctness and discuss its pros and cons.


Ben Macintyre44 Garden Theatre 10–11am £7For your eyes only… Celebrating the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth and the Imperial War Museum’s major exhibition, join Ben Macintyre, acclaimed Timesjournalist and Agent Zigzag author, as he takes a look at the life and iconic work of the man who created the world’s most famous secret agent, James Bond.

Family Event

F4 Everyman Theatre Age 10+ 10–11am £7 (£6)Please see page 29 for details.

The Silence at the Song’s End45 Drawing Room 11am–12pm £6Following the death of Nicholas Heiney, his moving poems and journals about his adventures sailing the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans were discovered by his parents - broadcaster Libby Purves andPaul Heiney and his Oxford tutor professor Duncan Wu. Here they celebrate these collected writings, The Silence at the Song’s End, and discuss the extraordinary impact the book’s publication has had.

C7 The Centaur 11.30am–12.45pm £9In her moving autobiography The Two of Us, Sheila Hancock relived her life with John Thaw. She discusses moving on and looking back as explored in her new book Just Me. Insightful and wonderfully down to earth, she is a woman seizing the future with wit, gusto and curiosity, on her own.

Shakespeare on Stage

Shakespeare and Me46 Main Hall 12–1pm £9Renowned stage and screen actor Tim Piggott-Smith joins Fiona Lindsay to consider the influence of Shakespeare on his life and career. Perhaps best known for his award winning role in The Jewel In The Crown, he discusses his career as an actor and director.

BBC Radio 4

47 Garden Theatre 12–1pmFree – Advance Booking RequiredJoin Sue MacGregor and her two guests as they discuss a selection of their favourite books. Recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

Family Event

F5 Everyman Theatre 12–1pm Ages 9+ £7 (£5)Please see page 29 for details.

Family Fictions

48 Drawing Room 1–2pm £6How are we defined by the people around us? What do our relationships show us about who we are and where we belong? Isabel Fonseca, authorof Attachment, Kate Muir, who has recently published West Coast, and Ewan Morrison, whose new novel is Distance, discuss their powerful new novels and the issues they raise.

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Libby Purves Isabel Fonseca Ewan Morrison Richard Attenborough Harry Hill

C8 The Centaur 1.45–3pm £12From Brighton Rock to Jurassic Park,Oscar winner Richard Attenboroughis a screen legend as both actor and director, and a passionate advocate of British cinema. In this exclusive Festival event he discusses memorable scenes from his life on and off the screen and his memoir Entirely up to you, Darling.


49 Everyman Theatre 2–3pm £10Arguably the most significant female role for the stage, Cleopatra represents the pinnacle of an actress’ career. RSC actresses Harriet Walter, Janet Suzman and Noma Dumezweni consider the transition from drama school to Queen of the Nile.

50 Garden Theatre 2–3pm £7David Guterson, bestselling author of Snow Falling on Cedars, which was made into the acclaimed film starring Ethan Hawke, has been celebrated as a master storyteller. He flies in specially from America to discuss his writing and new novel The Other,a moving exploration of the mixed blessings that friendship can bring.

51 Main Hall 2–3pm £9From The Big Impression to the RSC, Alistair McGowan’s career on stage and screen is truly remarkable. He joins Fiona Lindsay to discuss his many incarnations, from David Beckham to The Merry Wives of Windsor,his recent directorial debut at the Guildhall and the books and writing which have influenced his life and work.

Family Event

F6 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 8+ 2–2.45pm £7 (£5)Please see page 29 for details.

F7 Book It! Tent 2.30–3.30pm £4Please see page 29 for details.

52 Drawing Room 3–4pm £6Guest Director Kate Adie joins journalist and political commentator Nick Cohen,author of the acclaimed What’s Left?They discuss the controversial history of political correctness, ask whether it’s actually any use as a weapon against discrimination and look towards the future.


Miles Kington: A Celebration53 Main Hall 4-5pm £9Much loved journalist and broadcaster Miles Kington faced the cancer that eventually claimed him with astonishing courage and his sparkling trademark wit in his final book How Do I Tell the Dog? Join Maureen Lipman, JoannaLumley and Terry Jones as they share hilarious anecdotes and remember the remarkable career of this master humorist.

BBC Radio 4

54 Garden Theatre 4–5pmFree – Advance Booking RequiredIn a special Festival edition of the programme, Roger McGough selects listeners’ requests for favourite poems, old and new, and he’s joined on stage by poets and leading actors to read them. Recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

55 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £8Why is Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisitedsuch a much-loved classic? His grandson Alexander Waugh and biographer Selina Hastings discuss this year’s Festival Big Read and its creator. They are joined by John Mortimer, scriptwriter of the iconic 1980s BBC TV series, to consider the enduring popularity of this novel and its adaptation for the screen.

Janet Suzman


Harriet Walter Sarah Vine Clarissa Dickson Wright John Barrowman

C9 The Centaur 4–5.15pm £10From fighting ferocious aliens in Torchwood and Doctor Who to finding the future Josephs, Marias and Nancys for the West End, John Barrowman is one of our most popular entertainers on stage and screen. Join him for this exclusive Festival event and find out why Anything Goes in the world of show business.

Family Event

F8 Book It! Tent Age 10+ 4.15–5pm £6 (£4)Please see page 29 for details.

Bodies

Henry Marsh, Jonathan Kaplan & Francis Wells56 Drawing Room 5–6pm £6Often portrayed as godlike beings wielding powers of life and death, surgeons face moral and ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. Author of The Dressing StationJonathan Kaplan joins neurosurgeon Henry Marsh, featured in the BBC film The English Surgeon, and Francis Wells, who performed open heart surgery viewed by the public, to discuss the challenges and rewards of their profession.

Breaking the Rules

B26 Book It! Tent Age 12+ 5.45–6.45pm £4Please see page 29 for details.

57 Main Hall 6–7pm £10With a style and wit that is uniquely her own, celebrated actress and columnist Maureen Lipman shares stories from her professional and private life over the past 25 years. She recalls eccentric characters and memorable encounters with gusto and relish in her new memoir Past-It Notes.

On Beauty58 Garden Theatre 6–7pm £7Acclaimed actress Harriet Walterand photographer and ex-model JillKennington explore the beauty of the ageing female face in the exhibition Infinite Variety. They join The Times’Beauty Editor Sarah Vine and SueMacGregor to discuss the challenges and choices facing women as they grow older in an image-obsessed world.

59 Everyman Theatre 6–7pm £9A woman of many talents, Clarissa Dickson Wright trained as a barrister before becoming a cook, a campaigner and a writer. Touring the country as one of The Two Fat Ladies, she became known for her dislike of unreasonable rules and political correctness. She joins Festival Guest Director Kate Adie to talk about her personal views on what some believe is now a PC society.


Doctor WhoC10 The Centaur 6.15–7.30pm £12 (£8)In a unique Festival event, we’re delighted to unite Russell T Davies,the reinventor of Doctor Who, and John Barrowman, known to millions of viewers as Captain Jack Harkness. From Daleks and the Doctor, to the Tardis and Torchwood, they join The Times’ Caitlin Moran for this unmissable event.

Russell T DaviesJohn Mortimer

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David Guterson Jonathan Kaplan Tim Piggott-Smith Spiel Unlimited

60 Drawing Room 7–8pm £5Richard Barnett and Mike Jay present an illustrated stroll through the streets of Medical London, charting the many roles that diseases, treatments and cures have played in the city’s sprawling story. You’ll never consider the capital in the same way again.

BBC Radio 4

61 Garden Theatre 8–9pmFree – Advance Booking RequiredWe’re delighted to welcome BBC Radio 4’s long-running and popular series in which a well-known guest chooses their favourite pieces of writing, for a special edition from Cheltenham. Recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

62 Book It! Tent 8–9pm £6D B C Pierre’s dazzling and blackly comic Vernon God Little won the 2003 Man Booker prize to huge acclaim. He joins us to talk about his writing, his award-winning debut, which has been adapted for the stage, and his second equally compelling novel Ludmila’s Broken English.

Sweet William63 Everyman Theatre 8–10pm (inc. interval) £9Leading actor and director Michael Pennington presents Sweet William, his much-applauded one-man Shakespeare show, weaving together his own stage experiences with aspects of the playwright’s life and work. From Hamletand King Lear to Love’s Labour’s Lost and Pericles, he brings to life some great Shakespearean moments, and reveals some of the playwright’s hidden gems.

with Spiel Unlimited64 Café Theatre 7.30pm onwards Free – Advance Booking RequiredHow do you change BLAIR into BROWN? Are you a shining wit at Spoonerisms? Fancy a game of Book Bingo? Or perhaps you’d rather Boggle™ at letters, Scrabble™ for points or search for synonyms when all else is Taboo™? Come along and play your favourite word games in convivial surroundings. Expect a few surprises along the way!

Sunday 12 October University of Gloucestershire, Park Campus

Some of the quickest minds in word games will be in Cheltenham during the Festival for The Times Crossword Championship. First to solve the puzzle will be crowned National Champion, and there’s a chance for children to take part as well. Look out for more details in The Times in the run up to the Festival – you’ll need to qualify in advance to take part.

The competition will be held at the University of Gloucestershire, and there’ll be a chance for all Festival-goers to get into the spirit with our very own Festival Crossword.

Maureen Lipman


Alexander Waugh Carol Seymour-Jones Simon Weston Patrick French Terry Waite Michael Horovitz

Dynasties

Alexander Waugh65 Town Hall 10–11am £6Paul Wittgenstein, brother of philosopher Ludwig, survived his dysfunctional family and the loss of an arm in the Great War to become the world’s greatest left-handed pianist. Alexander Waughexplores the life story of this remarkable musician, for whom Ravel composed his famous left-hand concerto.

Dynasties

The Enemy at the Gate66 Everyman Theatre 10–11am £6In 1683, the Habsburg dynasty faced a crisis with The Enemy at the Gate: the Turkish army had reached Vienna’s city walls and began their legendary siege. Historian Andrew Wheatcroft explores their extraordinary 250-year power struggle and takes us back to this epic conflict which marked the beginning of the Ottoman Empire’s slow decline.

Book It! For Parents

B28 Book It! Tent 10.15–11.15am £3Please see page 30 for details.

Carole Seymour-Jones67 Town Hall 12–1pm £6The intense, passionate and sometimes painful relationship between extraordinary free-thinkers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir is brought to life by Carole Seymour-Jones in her new book ADangerous Liaison. In this illustrated talk she presents a fascinating account of the truth behind the powerful legend of this brilliant and tempestuous couple.

Book It! for Parents

Book It! Tent Age 0–3 £3B29 12–12.30pm B30 2–2.30pmPlease see page 30 for details.

Tree of Rivers68 Town Hall 12–1pm £6The product of a lifetime’s interest and research, former Director of the Royal Geographical Society JohnHemming presents Tree of Rivers: The Story of the Amazon. He tells about delightful naturalists who explored this tropical paradise, but then outlines the threats causing the destruction of the world’s most luxuriant ecosystem in this compelling illustrated talk.

Christopher Somerville & Julia Somerville69 Everyman Theatre 12–1pm £6The wild is rapidly disappearing – butcan be discovered in the most unexpectedof places. From wildest Wales to the remoteHighlands, join bestselling Coast authorChristopher Somerville and former newsreader Julia Somerville, in this illustrated talk as they explore theBest Wild Places in Britain – some,like the Malverns, surprisingly close.

Writers & Remedies

Michael Hofmann, Ritchie Robertson & Thomas Ruetten70 Town Hall 2–3pm £5From Death in Venice to The Magic Mountain,the writing of Thomas Mann and his contemporaries such as Kafka offers a fascinating insight into early 20th century medical issues from cholera to the role of the sanatorium. Medical historian Thomas Ruetten is joined by German literature expert Ritchie Robertson and acclaimed poet, critic and translator Michael Hofmann.

Adam Nicolson71 Everyman Theatre 2–3pm £6First built in the 15th century, Sissinghursthas a long and vibrant history. In this illustrated talk, Adam Nicolsonrecounts the history of this beautiful house, from the celebrated gardens created by his grandparents Harold Nicolson and Vita Sackville-West to the challenges of contemporary living in his family’s own national treasure.

Jonathan Fenby72 Town Hall 2–3pm £5Debate about China often centres on its future, but it also has an extraordinary past. In this fascinating illustrated talkJonathan Fenby, author of The Penguin History of Modern China, considers the country’s turbulent past, from the decline of the 2,000 year old empire through a failed republic, warlords, civic conflict, invasion and the Maoist era.

Double ticket for event 72 and 73 £8

Duncan Hewitt, Jonathan Fenby & John Gittings73 Town Hall 4–5pm £5China has made a remarkable and turbulent journey over the past century to become the extraordinary country it is today. In a fascinating discussion, former BBC China correspondent Duncan Hewitt and Jonathan Fenby, author of The Penguin History of Modern China, joinChina expert John Gittings to consider this vibrant, dynamic and fast-evolving nation.


74 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £6Much loved for her frankness, honesty and acerbic wit, Katharine Whitehorn,renowned columnist and author of the legendary Cooking in a Bedsitter,discusses her life, her work and autobiography Selective Memory.

Bodies

75 Town Hall 4–5pm £7Simon Weston, who suffered burn injuries in the Falklands, and James Partridge,having sustained facial burns in a car accident, have both written movingly about their experience. They join surgeon Iain Hutchinson and psychologist Alex Clarketo discuss the physical and emotional effects of reconstructive facial surgery and living with and writing about facial disfigurement.

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Susan Greenfield Yasmin Hai Sathnam Sanghera Rick Stein Jenny Éclair & Judith Holder Annamation

Patrick French76 Town Hall 4–5pm £6Nobel Prize-winning author V S Naipaul is one of the greatest writers of English prose. Here Patrick French, who had been given unprecedented access to the writer’s letters and diaries, presents The World Is What It Is, his critically-acclaimed biography of the author, and discusses an extraordinary life on and off the page.

Poetry Café

77 Café Theatre 5–5.45pm FreeAcclaimed jazz troubadour Michael Horovitz projects his magnum opus A New Waste Land, and other song-poetry. He joins Patience Agbabiwho performs poems from Bloodshot Monochrome, a glorious and inventive snapshot of 21st century Britain.

78 Everyman Theatre 6–7pm £9Many believe our individuality is under attack as never before. Neurologist and Director of the Royal Institution Susan Greenfield explores what makes us individual and how the latest findings in neuroscience could help us explore our individuality and give us greater insight into what makes us who we are.

The Middle East79 Town Hall 6–7pm £7Few issues are more current than the troubles of the Middle East, but they stem from a complex recent history, particularly over the last thirty years. Humanitarian and writer Terry Waite,held captive in Beirut for four years, talks about his personal experience as negotiator and victim, and brings his unique perspective to bear on the roots of the current situation.


James Caan & Sammy French80 Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm £7What are the secrets of great entrepreneurship? What does it take to build and maintain a business through thick and thin? Join leading entrepreneur James Caan and Sammy French,whose canine exercising machine was a great success on Dragon’s Den, as they discuss their own remarkable stories, share some of their business insights and the lessons they’ve learned.

Storytelling

81 Town Hall 7–8pm £6From the lusty air of the wedding night to the tentative touch of lovers’ first meeting, come and listen to tales of love, romance and seduction. Irish storyteller Clare Murphy presents a night sure to spice the blood, enflame the heart and even spill a tear or two.

Family Matters

82 Town Hall 7.30–8.30pm £6Join Yasmin Hai, whose autobiographyThe Making of Mr Hai’s Daughter explores her father’s determination to assimilate into his British future after arriving from Pakistan, and Sathnam Sanghera, who journeys into his family’s unimaginable past in memoir If You Don’t Know Me by Now.They discuss their work, exploring identity, memory and the power of family memoir.

83 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £9Whether it’s a French Odyssey or aMediterranean Escape, Rick Stein, one of Britain’s most popular chefs, revels in culinary exploration. He discusses his new collection of favourite recipes from around the world, Coast to Coast, and sets out his personal menu of literary treats.

84 Everyman Theatre 8.45–10pm £9Perrier winner Jenny Éclair celebrates the pitfalls and pleasures of being a woman of a certain age in the hilarious TV series and stage show Grumpy Old Women. She joins its creator Judith Holder to present Wendy: The Bumper Book of Fun for Ladies of a Certain Age.

Crosscurrents

Christina Lamb & David Loyn85 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £7In Butcher and Bolt, BBC Foreign Correspondent David Loyn discusses Afghanistan’s history of chronic instability and conflict. He joins journalist Christina Lamb, 2007 Foreign Correspondent of the Year and author of Small Wars Permitting.They explore the country’s history and the realities of its current situation, drawing on their extraordinary personal experiences as foreign correspondents under fire.


86 Town Hall 9–10pm £4Local writers and competition winners from the Gloucestershire Writers’ Network present their wonderful mix of writing inspired by the theme of ‘Snakes and Ladders’, with a little help from poet Nigel McLoughlin.

87 Café Theatre 8.30–9.45pm £5Ancient to Urban. Classic to Contemporary. Tales with a triple twist from Anna, Anna and Susanna of Annamation!It’s said the power of life and death is held in the tongue. Hear a fast-moving flow of stories with a unique fusion of a cappella harmonies, poetic storytelling and an interactive physical style. Suitable for ages 12+.

www.naturalgrocery.co.uk


Stephen Venables Max Arthur Louis de Bernières Tom Paulin Menzies Campbell Ken Livingstone


Book It! Tent Age 18 months – 4 years £3B32 10–10.45am B33 12–12.45pmPlease see page 30 for details.

Andrew Lambert88 Town Hall 10–11am £6For centuries the British Navy was the most successful organisation in the world commanded by such illustrious leaders as Robert Blake, James II and Andrew Cunningham. In a fascinating illustrated talk leading naval historian Andrew Lambert celebrates the achievements of eleven remarkable British Admirals.


Michael Ashcroft89 Town Hall 12–1pm £6From the Iranian Embassy siege to the Cockleshell heroes, Special Forces missions have been central to some of the most crucial moments in Britain’s military history. Michael Ashcroft tells the thrilling stories of the members of Britain’s Special Forces decorated for their remarkable courage and daring around the world.


Stonehenge90 Everyman Theatre 12–1pm £7The mystery of Stonehenge has captured the curiosity of historians and archaeologists since the Middle Ages. Rosemary Hill, acclaimed cultural historian and author of the celebrated God’s Architect, explores the facts and fiction about Europe’s most famous pre-historic monument, whose history is as fascinating as its secrets.

Bodies

Stephen Venables, Mike Stroud, Mike Grocott & Hugh Montgomery91 Town Hall 12–1pm £6What happens to the body when it is stretched to breaking point in extreme environments? First Briton to climb Everest without oxygen, acclaimed mountain writer, Stephen Venables and Mike Stroud, who completed the first walk across the Antarctic with Ranulph Fiennes, join Caudwell Xtreme Everest Director Mike Grocott and Research Leader HughMontgomery to discuss the effect of extreme conditions on human systems.

Dambusters92 Everyman Theatre 2–3pm £6On the 17 May 1943, nineteen Lancasterbomber crews gathered at a remote RAF station in Lincolnshire for a mission of extraordinary daring. Historian and Forgotten Voices author Max Arthurpresents a landmark collection of first-hand accounts which vividly bring to life the preparation, execution and aftermath of one of the most remarkable military operations of all time.

93 Town Hall 2–3pm £8From his firebrand days on the Greater London Council to his triumphant role as the first Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone is one of our most outspoken high-profile politicians. He joins GQ Editor and author of Cameron on Cameron,Dylan Jones for a light-hearted discussion about life at the cutting edge of politics.

Family Matters

94 Town Hall 2–3pm £6Following his bestselling Maps for Lost Lovers, Nadeem Aslam’s The Wasted Vigil offers a timely portrait of love during war and conflict in Afghanistan. He joins novelist and acclaimed historian of the Middle East Amin Maalouf who, following the sudden death of his father, set out to explore his own past in Origins.They discuss their work and the power of the journey as a narrative force.

95 Town Hall 2–3pm £6Culinary genius Raymond Blanc has led a life dedicated to the search for gastronomic perfection and his restaurant Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons has remained one of England’s finest restaurants for over two decades. He joins us to reveal the secrets of his exceptional career in A Taste of my Life.

96 Town Hall 4–5pm £6Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a museum? Join bestselling author Richard Fortey,former senior palaentologist at London’s Natural History Museum, as he reveals the secret life of the Museum and discusses his book Dry Store Room No.1in this enjoyable illustrated talk.

Writers & Remedies

David Canter & Frank Tallis97 Town Hall 4–5pm £6Sigmund Freud was an admirer of detective fiction, and his models for analysing human behaviour deeply influenced the development of the study of psychology as well as crime fiction. Crime novelist and leading psychologist Frank Tallisand one of the country’s leading criminal psychologists David Canter are joined by an expert in Freud’s work to discuss Freud’s legacy and the influence of his ideas on both psychology and crime writing.

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Ruth Rendell Chris Patten Rosemary Hill Michael Parkinson Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Raymond Blanc

98 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £6Poet, literary critic and Newsnight Reviewpanellist Tom Paulin reveals The Secret Life of Poems as he explores pieces by some of the finest poets. Drawing on his passion for language, he takes a stimulating look at what makes a poem beautiful and how poetry affects us.

99 Town Hall 4–5pm £6Former leader of the Liberal Democrats Menzies Campbell discusses his extraordinary life and work. From participating in the Olympic Games to representing his party on the Commons floor he offers a characteristically honest and witty look behind the scenes of the politics and personalities of the past twenty years.

Kit Wright & Michael Henry100 Café Theatre 5–5.45pm FreeMichael Henry’s After the Dancing Dogsis a far-reaching exploration of journeys - emotional, physical, vicarious, told with wit and a sharp eye for detail. Kit Wright joins him to read some of his award-winning poetry, moving from funny to serious, sometimes in the space of a single poem.

101 Town Hall 6–7pm £6Louis de Bernières, award-winning author of the bestselling Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and Birds Without Wings,makes a welcome return to Cheltenham to discuss his work and acclaimed new novel A Partisan’s Daughter.

102 Everyman Theatre 6–7pm £7The undisputed Queen of Crime, Ruth Rendell, joins us for a very special Festival event. She contemplates the opportunities afforded by writing under her alter ego Barbara Vine, as well as her award-winning books, from the Inspector Wexford series to new psychological thriller The Birthday Present.

Crosscurrents

103 Town Hall 6–7pm £9Chris Patten, the last Governor of Hong Kong, examines our global present and future, and asks how we can take on the challenges of the 21st century, from climate change and globalisation to international crime and drug trafficking. In a thought-provoking event, he brings his unique political insight and experience to bear as he asks What Next?

The RHS Lecture

104 Town Hall 6–7pm £6Often described as the plantsman’s plantsman, Roy Lancaster has travelled the world in search of unique specimens. In this beautifully illustrated talk, he discusses his career as a plant explorer in the world’s wild places, from schooldays spent searching for native flowers to his later adventures in China, Japan, Patagonia and beyond.

Susan Cooke Kittredge 105 Town Hall 7.30–8.30pm £6Alistair Cooke’s BBC Radio 4 Letter from America was a much-loved national institution and Reporting America is a collection of his previously unpublished reportage. Marking the centenary of Alistair Cooke’s birth we welcome his daughter Susan Cooke Kittredgeto discuss his fascinating life and legacy as one of the most influential chroniclers of modern America.

Storytelling

106 Everyman Theatre 8–10pm (inc. interval) £7Master wordsmith Hugh Lupton and leading folk musician Chris Wood present On Common Ground, a performance of stories, songs and music exploring the life and times of John Clare. Through the eyes of this remarkable poet they unearth the story of England’s enclosure and remember the forgotten histories of the soil.

107 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £10After more than 35 years of interviewing the world’s biggest celebrities and teasing out fascinating secrets from the rich and famous, Michael Parkinson,acclaimed broadcaster and much-loved television presenter, explores his personal journey in his new autobiography. Join him as he discusses his life and work in a hugely enjoyable event.

Supported by The Oldham Foundation in memory of Diana Oldham

108 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £6In this rare opportunity to see one of the most applauded new voices writing today, join Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,bestselling Nigerian author of Half of a Yellow Sun and Purple Hibiscus, as she discusses her powerful writing and how it was influenced by Africa’s troubled past.

by Brenda Read-Brown109 Café Theatre 8.30–9.30pm £5A simple story: two people meet and fall in love, and one of them dies. What’s different is that they’re performance poets. Tonight’s play, performed by TADS, charts the unconventional life of Pete Brown, former UK Allcomers Poetry Slam Champion, and won top prize in the Gloucestershire Drama Association One Act Play Festival.

Warning: contains smoking, adult themes, strong language and a brief scene of non-sexual nudity.


C J Sansom Janet Street-Porter Edward de Bono Esther Rantzen Ffion Hague Jenny Uglow

Our Times110 Town Hall 10–11am £6When Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953 many proclaimed the start of the New Elizabethan Age though few had any inkling of the changes that would occur over the next 50 years. A N Wilsontakes us on an exhilarating journey from that day to this, examining the social and political change of Our Times.

Phillip Ball111 Everyman Theatre 10–11am £6Chartres Cathedral is revered as one of the most beautiful and profound examples of the breathtaking Gothic church style. Leading author and Consultant Editor for Nature Philip Ball explores the history and architecture of this soaring Universe of Stone, showing how the birth of Gothic reveals a profound shift in the way the medieval mind viewed the world.


Leo Hollis112 Everyman Theatre 12–1pm £6Interweaving architecture, history, science and philosophy Leo Hollis tells the story of the formation of London, the first modern city, with the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral at its heart. In his new book The Phoenix he charts the careers of five extraordinary men, including architect Sir Christopher Wren and scientist Robert Hooke, who helped create the capital.


Dynasties

113 Town Hall 12–1pm £7The drama of the extraordinary lives of actor-manager Henry Irving and actress Ellen Terry rivalled the Shakespearean plays they performed at London’s Lyceum Theatre. In this illustrated talk, Michael Holroyd, the acclaimed biographer of Lytton Strachey, offers A Strange Eventful History of two theatrical dynasties moving from the Victorian stage to the modern age.

The Alan Hancox Lecture

114 Town Hall 12-1pm £6From Gutenberg’s printing press to Microsoft Word, the art of typography has subtly shaped how we read, learn and see the world. In a revealing illustrated talk, expert typographer Robin Kinross traces the development of this hidden art, and considers the typograpical journey of a classic text through its publication over several centuries.

115 Town Hall 2–3pm £6C J Sansom’s Tudor detective Shardlake has won legions of devoted fans; his latest mystery unites a religious maniac, Henry VIII’s future wife and the Book of Revelation. Clare Clark’s The Nature of Monsters is a compelling historical tale set against the clamour and roar of 18th century London They talk about their work and the challenges of re-imagining the past.

Family Matters

The Family Today116 Everyman Theatre 2–3pm £7What are the current challenges facing family life? Is the family in crisis as politicians and the media claim? Esther Rantzen, founder of ChildLine, Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of Kids Company, and Oliver James,psychologist and author of They F*** You Up: How To Survive Family Life discuss the complex relationship between society, children and their families.

117 Town Hall 2–3pm £7Legendary journalist, broadcaster and keen walker Janet Street-Porter is one of life’s true originals, well known for her strong views and fearless expression of them. She talks about her remarkable life and career and her book – an indispensable guide for surviving and living life to the full in the21st century.

118 Town Hall 4–5pm £6One of our most acclaimed novelists and foremost literary critics, David Lodge is the author of Small World and Nice Work,both shortlisted for the Booker Prize and adapted for television. Join him here as he discusses his award-winning writing and remarkable new novel Deaf Sentence.

Nicholas Rankin119 Town Hall 4–5pm £6The British bluffed their way out of trouble by using camouflage, deception and native cunning to help win two world wars. In this illustrated talk, writer and broadcaster Nicholas Rankin tells the remarkable stories of Churchill’s Wizards, the backstage creative people whom military history forgot.

120 Town Hall 4–5pm £7Sharpen your mind with Edward de Bono,the originator of lateral thinking and author of the bestselling Six Thinking Hatsand Simplicity. This is a rare opportunity to see a master of creative thinking as he discusses his latest work Six Frames for Thinking about Information.

Family Matters

Growing Old Gracefully121 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £6As the needs of older people are often neglected by society, Rabbi and social reformer Julia Neuberger vehemently stresses in Not Dead Yet that they deserve more attention. She joins psychologist and author Oliver James, and baby boomer broadcaster Esther Rantzen,author of If Not Now, When? to discuss our attitudes to age and the challenge of maintaining quality of life for an ageing population and living life to the full.

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Elaine Paige Åsne Seierstad Moniza Alvi David Starkey John Prescott Steve Larkin

Poetry Café

122 Café Theatre 5–5.45pm FreeMaura Dooley’s Life Under Water uncovers the magical beauty hidden beneath the surface of everyday life, while Moniza Alvi’s Europa powerfully draws on ancient and modern trauma, the poems moving towards regeneration. They are joined by prize-winning local poet, Angela France to read from their work.

Lloyd George’s Women123 Town Hall 6–7pm £8One of our greatest Prime Ministers,Lloyd George was a man who loved women,and the tale of his intertwined relationships contains many unsolved intrigues.Ffion Hague discusses his life, his politics,and his fascinating relationships with women, from his wife Margaret to hismistress Frances Stevenson.

A donation from the proceedsof this event will be made to

The Laurie Lee Lecture

Words and Pictures: The Romantics, Landscape and Rural Life124 Town Hall 6–7pm £7In this beautifully illustrated talk, Jenny Uglow explores the links and contrasts between the Romantic poetic vision of the countryside, especially in the work of Wordsworth and Clare, and its depiction in the paintings and engravings of artists of the day, from Constable and Turner to Morland and Bewick.

The Summerfield Event

125 Everyman Theatre 6.30–7.30pm £6A master of literary reportage, Åsne Seierstad movingly writes about the dispossessed and vulnerable across the world. Join her here as she flies in from Norway to discuss her writing, from the bestselling Bookseller of Kabul to her latest, The Angel of Grozny,focussing on the conflict in Chechnya.

Family Fictions

126 Town Hall 7.30–8.30pm £6In her brilliant debut novel, Poppy Adamsmovingly follows Vivien as she meets her estranged sister Ginny, who lives in seclusion and studies The Behaviour of Moths. She joins Orange Prize-winner LindaGrant whose wise and tender new novel is not only about The Clothes on Their Backs,but also about the personalities we dress ourselves in.

127 Town Hall 7.30–8.30pm £6Tahmima Anam’s A Golden Age is set against the backdrop of the Bangladesh War of Independence, while Mohammed Hanif’s A Case of Exploding Mangoes is centred on the assassination of Pakistani dictator General Zia. Join two highly praised debut authors as they discuss their work and how politics and place can be powerful inspiration for fiction.

Dynasties

128 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £8Rarely has a monarch been more iconic, daring and controversial than Henry VIII. Looking ahead to the 500th anniversary of the king’s accession to the throne in 2009, bestselling historian David Starkeyexplores the obsessions, the life and legacy of a figure whose significance is often overshadowed by his six marriages.

129 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £8Britain’s longest-serving Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott played a key role in Labour’s return to power and later kept a crucial peace between Brown and Blair. He discusses his compelling journey from 11-plus failure to resilient MP as explored in his memoir Prezza: Pulling No Punches.He joins Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis.

130 Everyman Theatre 8.45–10pm £8Celebrating 40 years on the West End stage, actress, singer and producer Elaine Paige shares Memories from her glittering career. Known for her starring roles in Evita, Cats and Chess the undisputed first lady of British musical theatre discusses her extraordinary career and offers a revealing, funny and personal insight into her remarkable life.

131 Slak 8pm onwards £5A motley crew of weird and wonderful wordsters and musicians take you on a fantastic journey through their inner worlds tonight. Hippy chick love mother sex goddess Lucy English,unpublished and proud patron of live literature Dreadlockalien,elocutionary revolutionary Steve Larkin and New York City’s angriest yodelling banjo player Curtis Eller are gathered here in one place. Rejoice.

132 Slak 11pm onwards FreeIt’s the vinyl countdown with DJ Jonnie Connelly as he drops his needle into your grooves.Working in Partnership


Thorsten Opper Fay Weldon Joanna Blythman Marcus Trescothick Simon Armitage Jane Mulvagh

Other People’s Daughters133 Town Hall 10–11am £6From Vanity Fair to Jane Eyre, governesses are a key feature of the Victorian novel, but few historical records exist of their strange existence marooned within the confines of other people’s lives. RuthBrandon explores their fascinating role in Victorian life and fiction.

Dynasties

134 Everyman Theatre 10–11am £6Readers of Evelyn Waugh’s BridesheadRevisited have always been fascinated by the fact that the Flytes were inspired by a real family, the Lygons of Madresfield Court. Jane Mulvagh gives a fascinating insight into the history of this family and their home, the real Brideshead. She is joined by Rosalind, Lady Morrison,the present occupant of Madresfield and granddaughter of the seventh Earl Beauchamp on whom the character of Lord Marchmain was based.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight135 Everyman Theatre 12–1pm £6Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the finest surviving examples of Middle English poetry. Poet and novelist Simon Armitage performs his own powerful translation of this mysteriously anonymous tale of chivalry, magic and seduction for a modern audience.

Family Fictions

136 Town Hall 12–1pm £6Sadie Jones’ riveting debut novel The Outcast was shortlisted for the Orange Prize; she joins bestselling author Fay Weldon, who reverses the classic image of the wicked stepmother in her new The Stepmother’s Diary. They discuss their work and how they portray family relationships.

Thorsten Opper137 Town Hall 12–1pm £7Hadrian’s Wall is one of Britain’s great landmarks, but who really was Emperor Hadrian, and why does his legacy remain so relevant today? Marking the British Museum’s latest blockbuster exhibition, curator Thorsten Opperreveals the contradictions of the Emperor’s character, the challenges he faced, and his remarkable artistic and architectural legacy in this illustrated talk.

The John Moore Lecture

The Brother Gardeners138 Everyman Theatre 2–3pm £6How did we become a nation of gardeners? Set against the backdrop of the emerging empire in 18th century Britain, from Tahiti and Botany Bay to Kew Gardens, Andrea Wulf,co-author of This Other Eden, gives a beautifully illustrated talk exploring the riveting human tale of the interwoven friendships, rivalries and obsessions of the six remarkable plant collectors who led a horticultural revolution.

The 4th Estate Debate

139 Town Hall 2–3pm £6As anxiety levels and food prices rise, what challenges face food producers and consumers? We’re urged to shop locally, sustainably and responsibly, but how do we square this with the realities of modern life? Join food writer RosePrince, Joanna Blythman, author of Bad Food Britain, and chef Richard Corrigan for a timely discussion.

Dynasties

Helen Rappaport140 Town Hall 2–3pm £790 years have passed since the Romanovs were executed in the small town ofEkaterinburg, but the fascination and mystery surrounding their story continues. Drawing on new sources and using powerful images, Helen Rappaportexplores the dynamic of the Imperial family and their captors in a vivid summary of the last fourteen days of their lives.

Crosscurrents

Richard Askwith, Craig Taylor & Vanessa Whitburn141 Town Hall 4–5pm £6How has the countryside changed over the last ten years? Does the familiar notion of idyllic countryside living still reflect reality? Richard Askwith, author of The Lost Village,and Craig Taylor, author of Return to Akenfield, are joined by Vanessa Whitburn,Editor of The Archers, to discuss the media portrayal and future of rural communities.

The Folio Society Event

Castaway’s Choice142 Town Hall 4–5pm £9If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to read? Join DanCruickshank, Fay Weldon, Jonathan Dimbleby and Simon Armitage as they reveal the books they can’t live without.

143 Town Hall 4–5pm £6In this beautifully illustrated talk Charles Morgan celebrates the centenary year of the illustrious Morgan Motor Car Company and explores 100 years of manufacturing iconic hand-made British Cars.

Box Office 0844 576 7979 25

Mike Atherton Andrew Graham-Dixon Jonathan Dimbleby Jeremy Hardy Dan Cruickshank Byron Vincent

144 Town Hall 4–5.30pm FreeThe winner of our schools’ debating competition will go through to the next round of the Institute of Ideas & Pfizer Debating Matters Competition, which is supported by a Wellcome Trust Engaging Science Society Award.

Martin Harrison145 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £6Francis Bacon was one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, whose unsettling art developed from an array of influences, yet remained deeply individual and always cutting edge. To mark a major new Tate exhibition this autumn, Bacon expert Martin Harrison gives a wonderfully illustrated talk discussing the paintings and revealing the artist’s working methods and source materials.

Poetry Café

146 Café Theatre 5.30–6.15pm FreeAward-winning author and poet Simon Armitage’s collection Out of the Bluecontains poems written in response to the anniversaries of 9/11, VE Day and the rise of the Khmer Rouge. He joins fellow poet Glyn Maxwell who reads from Hide Now,his most direct and personal collection yet.

The Sistine Chapel147 Everyman Theatre 6–7pm £7One of the most magnificent masterpieces in art history, the fresco for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel took Michelangelo four years to complete. In this illustrated talk leading art critic and broadcaster Andrew Graham-Dixon reveals the fascinating story behind this artistic wonder and analyses its many layers of meaning.

Tom Holland148 Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm £6In the year 900, Western Europe seemed impoverished and backward compared to the glittering empires of Byzantium or Islam. Bestselling author of Persian Fire Tom Holland unfolds a stunning illustrated account of the two centuries, encompassing the apocalyptic first Millennium and explores how Europe’s distinctive culture was forged.

Russian Journey149 Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm £8Russia is a country of paradoxes, from the heaving metropolis of Moscow to the endless vastness of Siberia, a resurgent superpower due to its energy-rich economy, yet still a nation of dramatic contrasts. Following his acclaimed BBC2 series, Jonathan Dimbleby, leading broadcaster and chair of Any Questions?, presents an illuminating portrait of modern Russia, exploring the land and its people.

Writers & Remedies

150 Town Hall 7.30–8.30pm £5Focusing especially on Proust, who suffered from asthma, Mark Jackson’s critically-acclaimed book Allergies gives a remarkable insight into the medical conditions that shaped Proust’s life and work. He is joined by leading critic and novelist D J Taylor, biographer of authors ranging from Thackeray to Orwell, and 19th century French fiction specialist Alison Finch to explore Proust, the medical history of allergies, and how illness shapes writers’ lives and work.

Adventures in Architecture151 Everyman Theatre 8.45–10pm £8Presenter of the BBC2 series Adventures in Architecture, Dan Cruickshank tells the story of architecture in all its diversity, exploring the buildings that have astonished us, delighted us or changed our view of the world. From St Petersburg’s Catherine Palace to Bavaria’s magical Neuschwanstein Castle, he explores how function, material and purpose come together to create truly great buildings, in an enjoyable illustrated talk.

Hit for Six: Great Cricketing Moments152 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £12What are the great cricketing moments which have defined the sport? Which are the matches that have shaped an era and who are the players who have become sporting legends? Join The Times’ Chief Cricket Correspondent and former England captain Mike Atherton, Middlesex captainEd Smith and former England batsman Marcus Trescothick, author of memoirComing Back To Me, to discuss some of cricket’s magic moments.

BBC Radio 4

153 Town Hall 8.45–10pmFree – Advance Booking RequiredSandi Toksvig presents an edition of the finest topical comedy panel show around with Jeremy Hardy and Fred MacAulayamong the guests. The programme will be broadcast the following day, Friday 17 October at 6.30pm on BBC Radio 4.

154 Book It! Tent 8.30–9.30pm £5A must for all those who get lost down the information highway. Join self-confessed Luddites Nathan Filer and Byron Vincent as they journey to the perilous frontiers of cyberspace, sharing darkly comic tales along the way of cherry-popping cybersex, the stalking of Bob Holness and how Hitler’s pet kitten is actually a metaphor for love...


A C Grayling Jenny Pitman Rachel Barnes & Simon Barnes Gloria Hunniford Frieda Hughes Monty Don

155 Everyman Theatre 10–11am £6Duty or Pleasure? Such was The Choice of Hercules, which philosopher A C Grayling uses as a starting point to show how much more people can understand about themselves and their world by reflecting on today’s moral challenges. Arguing that pleasure may well be intrinsic to living a good life, rather than an unnecessary luxury, he addresses the everyday ethical choices which confront us all.

156 Town Hall 10–11am £5The new collection Medina offers a range of fascinating visions of the Middle East, revealing the richness of the literary cultures of the region. Don’t miss this rare chance to hear editor and poet Joumana Haddad, novelist Yousef Al-Mohaimeed and poet and filmmaker Hassan Blasim as they discuss Middle Eastern identity and read some of the specially-commissioned short stories.

157 Town Hall 12–1pm £6The unique bond between horses and humans is brought to life in this beautifully illustrated talk. From the Parthenon Frieze to Stubbs, Degas and Damien Hirst, art historian and critic Rachel Barnes and The Times’ Simon Barnes trace the horse in Western art and explore the animal’s role as the subject of myth and legend.

158 Town Hall 12–1pm £6Leading us into the confines of a sultan’s harem, Katie Hickman’s The Aviary Gate is a lush tale of treacherous secrets and forbidden love, set in the 16th century Ottoman Empire. She joins Geraldine Brooks, author of March,whose acclaimed novel People of the Book ushers us into an atmospheric past, transcending the usual boundaries of historical fiction. Chaired by Ariane Koek.

Crosscurrents

159 Everyman Theatre 12–1pm £7Chief of Staff throughout Tony Blair’s premiership, Jonathan Powell was at the heart of an often controversial government. Offering a unique perspective and sharing first hand experiences of key foreign policy events, including the Northern Ireland Peace Process, he discusses his new book Great Hatred Little Room.

Family Matters

160 Town Hall 12–1pm £7Television and radio presenter Gloria Hunniford was consumed by unimaginable grief after the death of her daughter, Caron Keating, yet found huge comfort in countless letters of support. In her new book, Always with You, she talks candidly about her own journey through grief and how crucial the support of others has been during the grieving process.


Café Theatre Age 3–9 months £5 for parent & babyB37 1.30–2pm B38 2.45–3.15pmPlease see page 31 for details.

The European Lecture

161 Everyman Theatre 2–3pm £7How was Allied grand strategy for the Second World War affected by the personalities of its leaders? Drawing from new archival sources, renowned historian Andrew Roberts examines the interaction between Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, George Marshall and Lord Allanbrooke and sheds fresh light on the events of World War II.

162 Imperial Square 2–3pm Free – Advance Booking RequiredLaunching the 2008 Times Festival Book Groups, Alyson Rudd leads a lively discussion of Mary-Ann Tirone Smith’s memoir about an eccentric French-Italian family, Girls of Tender Age, The Times’ July Books Group choice. Come along to enjoy a glass of bubbly and share your views.

Writers & Remedies

Lisa Appignanesi, Michael Neve & Helen Small163 Town Hall 2–3pm £6Women’s mental anguish finds a particular kind of expression in 19th century novels from Jane Eyre to Madame Bovary and beyond. Leading writer Lisa Appignanesi,author of the critically acclaimed Mad, Bad and Sad, joins literary expert Helen Small and medical historian Michael Neve to discuss the 19th and early 20th century’s medical treatment of women’s extreme states of mind and its reflection in the period’s literature.

164 Town Hall 2–3pm £8Comedienne, writer, much-loved chair of BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz, and presenter of Excess Baggage, Sandi Toksvig reveals her favourite books and how they’ve shaped her view of the world, and shares tales of her extraordinary and often hilarious travels around the globe.

165 Town Hall 2–3pm £7Author, poet and painter Frieda Hughestalks about and reads poems from three of her previous collections Wooroloo,Stonepicker and Waxworks, and gives a first public airing to a selection from her forthcoming collection The Book of Mirrors.

Bodies

166 Town Hall 4–5pm £6From Leonardo da Vinci to Gunther von Hagens, the study of anatomy has always provoked public interest and sometimes controversy. Marking the 150th anniversary edition of the anatomist’s bible Gray’s Anatomy, its current editor-in-chief SusanStandring joins medical historian RuthRichardson, author of The Making of Mr. Gray’s Anatomy, and anatomy expert Harold Ellis to explore the medical and cultural history of Gray’s Anatomy.

Book It! Illustration © Polly Dunbar

10 – 19 OctoberBox Office 0844 576 7979cheltenhamfestivals.com


B01 Book It! Tent Age 7–9 10–10.45am £4Join two great authors for some spooky fun. Glimpse the world through the eyes of cats with magical powers in Gwyneth Rees’ latest book, Cosmo and the Secret Spell and hear about a baby that can turn people into slugs in Debi Gliori’s new novel Witch Baby and Me.

B02 Café Theatre Age 3–6 10–10.45am £4It’s an exciting day in Fairyland when the Queen invites all the fairies and their pets to a midnight feast. Join award-winning illustrator Sue Heap for A Fabulous Fairy Feast where all sorts of unexpected magic is unleashed!

St Andrew’s Church Age 4–7 £4B03 10–10.30am B04 11.15–11.45amCome and say “ROARRRRRRRRRR!” with Ian Whybrow, creator of the hugely popular Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs series. This interactive event is sure to provide buckets full of fun for everyone!

Family Event

F1 Cheltenham College Junior SchoolAge 10+ 11.30am–12.30pm £7 (£5)Come and celebrate all things 007 with Charlie Higson, author of the explosive Young Bond series. Find out about the latest heart-stopping adventure, By Royal Command, and the stunning Silverfin graphic novel.

B05 Book It! Tent Age 8–12 11.30am–12.15pm £4How do you throw the most sumptuous of sleepovers? Join midnight feast fanatic Rosalind Peters and her mum, Polly Peters, for some top tips and fab ideas. Awesome activities for all – and a prize for bringing along the best outfit made out of newspaper on a coat hanger!

B06 Garden Theatre Age 5–8 12–1pm £5Julia Donaldson will be acting her stories and singing her songs with the help of husband Malcolm – and you! The show will include the adventures of Tyrannosaurus Dripand Stick Man, and if you’re lucky you might meet The Gruffalo.

B07 St Andrew’s Church Age 7+ 12.45–1.30pm £4The DFC is a brilliant new comic. Join the amazing Etherington Brothers,who created the Monkey Nuts strip, as they show you how they work together and give you tips to create your very own comic strip. All children will get a free copy of the DFC.

B08 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 10–14 1.45–2.30pm £4Join Cathy Cassidy, whose warm and funny fiction, including Dizzy, Scarlett and Lucky Star, has won her an army of dedicated fans, to hear about her brand new novel Ginger Snaps and learn all her best tips for daydreaming (and how to get away with it).

B09 Book It! Tent Age 5+ 2–2.45pm £4Debi Gliori is the bestselling author and illustrator of the hugely successful No Matter What. Her latest picture book, The Trouble with Dragons, is full of fun, rhymes and beautiful pictures with the added bonus of an important message about the environment.So come along and get green!

B10 St Andrew’s Church Age 8–12 2.15–3pm £4Beastly creatures galore! Come and join theBeastly Boys for some monster fun and become a member of The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Beasts. There are beastly goodies for everyone.

Family Event

F2 Book It! Tent Age 12–adult 3.30–4.30pm £4In this launch event, publisher Barry Cunningham, the man who famously discovered J K Rowling, introduces bright new talent Emily Diamand,debut author of Reavers’ Ransom and winner of the first The Times & Chicken House Writing Competition. They join Amanda Craig to determine the magic ingredients that go into making a successful novel for children.

B11 St Andrew’s Church Age 6–9 3.45–4.30pm £4In this African animal workshop Clare Beaton will be showing some of her original and award-winning fabric illustrations. You will have the chance to make your own animal scenes using felt, sequins and buttons, inspired by her new book Hidden Hippo.

B12 Café Theatre Age 4–6 3.45–4.30pm £4Join award-winning author/illustrator Polly Dunbar as she reads from her books with a bit of help from her puppets. Meet everyone in her new Tilly and Friendsseries and learn to dance the Wiggle Wiggle Woo! Whump! Bump! Whoops!

B13 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 11+ 4–4.45pm £4Darren Shan is back and he wants to give you nightmares! In his new Demonata book Wolf Island werewolves are on the loose and they are hungry! If you like to be scared, come along to meet the master of horror himself.

Family Event

F3 Book It! Tent Age 12+ 5.30–6.15pm £4Join Celia Rees, as she talks about Sovay, her thrilling new tale of intrigue set in 18th century Britain. Discover how the story ignited her passion for the French Revolution and how gothic art and literature influenced the shape of the book.

Box Office 0844 576 7979 29

Café Theatre Age 4–6 £4B14 10–10.30am B15 12.30–1pm B16 2.30–3pmIt’s Angelina’s 25th birthday! Bring your ballet shoes along and celebrate with her creator, Katharine Holabird, and a real-life ballerina who will bring Angelina’s tales to life before your very eyes. Don’t forget your tutu!

B17 Book It! Tent Age 5–7 10–10.45am £4Bob is feeling glum. He needs a best friend to help with intergalactic missions and jigsaw puzzles. Can you help him? Join award-winning author/illustrator Simon Bartram for intergalactic fun in Bob’s Best Ever Friend, the fantastic follow-up to Man on the Moon.

Family Event

F4 Everyman Theatre Age 10+ 10–11am £7 (£6)Join hysterically funny and utterly brilliant bestselling author Eoin Colferas he talks about the latest jaw-dropping adventure, Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox. A must for Fowl fans everywhere. Think fairy? Think again!

B18 Queen’s Hotel Age 9–12 10.30–11.15am £4From Ann Bryant’s new boarding school series School Friends to a goddess in training in Amanda Lees’ Kumari trilogy, and from traditional England to New York streets and worlds beyond, discover the secrets, hopes and dreams of these feisty heroines with their creators.

B19 Book It! Tent Age 4–8 11.30am–12.15pm £4Glimpse the chaotic and magical world of a love-lorn frog in search of his own fairytale ending in author/illustrator Emily Gravett’s latest book, Spells. Join her as she talks about her books, her inspiration and her life – all of which has been gloriously illustrated!

Family Event

F5 Everyman Theatre Ages 9+ 12–1pm £7 (£5)One of the leading lights of British poetry for children and adults alike, join Roger McGough in this rare event as he showcases his hilarious new collection of verses, Slapstick!

B20 Book It! Tent Age 10–14 1–1.45pm £4Step into the shoes of a detective, using clues and forensic evidence to solve crimes on Scene of the Crime with Malcolm Rosein this interactive event. Meet the man behind Tunnel Vision, Kiss of Death, and the Traces series, where CSI meets Sci-fi.

B21 Queen’s Hotel Age 4–7 1.30–2.15pm £4Ahoy there you land lubbers! Come and hear about Captain Pugwash and his wise cabin boy Tom aboard the good ship, the Black Pig, for rollicksome adventures. There will be some treasure for the best dressed pirate or sea monster!

Family Event

F6 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 8+ 2–2.45pm £7 (£5)Join one of Britain’s favourite comedians, Harry Hill for plenty of side-splitting hilarity as he showcases his favourite jokes in his Whopping Great Joke Book and hear all about Tim the Tiny Horse’s latest adventures in Tim the Tiny Horse at Large.

Family Event

F7 Book It! Tent Age 12–adult 2.30–3.30pm £4Join three of the UK’s most exciting and innovative Best New Illustrators from The Big Picture campaign for a unique celebration and insight into the world of picture books: Emily Gravett, creator of Wolves, David Lucas, author/illustrator of Halibut Jackson, and creator of the delightful Penguin, Polly Dunbar.

B22 Queen’s Hotel Age 6–8 3–3.45pm £4Introducing the magical world of Oliver Moon, junior wizard, author Sue Mongredien brings Cacklewick’s Magic School, from potion commotions to nipperbat nightmares, to life. Come in wizard fancy dress to this spellbinding session and join in with some crafty activity.

B23 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 8–12 4–5pm £4Join Dr Drake as he meets all the mythical beasts of the world, who have gathered to discuss a new threat to their existence – Dr Drake’s new scientific Monsterology. A must for fans of the phenomenally popular Ology books created by Dugald Steer.

B24 Café Theatre Age 3–6 4–4.45pm £4Little Princess invites you to a fun-filled party! Join in with stories, activities and meet the Little Princess – star of the hit TV show!

Family Event

F8 Book It! Tent Age 10+ 4.15–5pm £6 (£4)A rare chance to meet Anne Fine, one of Britain’s most distinguished children’s writers. Find out all you ever wanted to know from the author of Flour Babies, Bill’s New Frock, Charm School and the hilarious Killer Cat series.

B25 Queen’s Hotel Age 6–9 4.30–5.15pm £4Join Francis Firebrace, the Wirrigan Man, as he combines story, art, dance and philosophy into a powerful performance of the oldest known culture on Earth. He will focus on the ancient Australian aboriginal legends he has illustrated in James V Marshall’s Stories from the Billabong.

Breaking the Rules

B26 Book It! Tent Age 12+ 5.45-6.45pm £4Join Tim Bowler, author of psychological drama Frozen Fire and the Blade series, Sophie McKenzie, author of Richard and Judy Prize-winning Girl Missing and Blood Ties, and Catherine MacPhail, whose new novel Ride of Death concludes her gripping Nemesisseries, as they discuss compelling and original thrillers for teens.


Schools’ Event

S1 Town Hall Key Stage 1–2 10–11am £4S2 Town Hall Key Stage 1–2 12–1pm £4

Breaking the Rules

B27 Book It! Tent Age 12+ 5.30–6.30pm £4Join two cutting edge teen authors for a no-holds barred session with no taboos. Mal Peet’s dramatic new novel Exposure explores themes of football and celebrity culture while Meg Rosoff’s novel What I Was is a haunting novel of friendship and betrayal.

Schools’ Event

S3 Town Hall Key Stage 1–2 10–11am £4

Book It! For Parents

B28 Book It! Tent 10.15–11.15am £3Choosing books for young readers can be a bewildering experience. But help is at hand! Bestselling writer Anne Fineand the editors of The Ultimate Book Guides, Leonie Flynn and Daniel Hahn,offer tips on how to find the perfect read, and discuss old and new favourites.

Schools’ Event

S4 Town Hall Key Stage 2 11.45am–12.45pm £4

Schools’ Event

S5 Town Hall Key Stage 2 1.30–2.30pm £4


Book It! Tent Age 0–3 £3B29 12–12.30pm B30 2–2.30pmJoin the FUNtastic! performance group for an amazing song-and-dance routine based on the award-winning Amazing Baby series of board books. This great show, with all your favourite songs, is guaranteed to get toes tapping and children smiling and singing along.

Fun @ Four

B31 Café Theatre Age 3–6 4–4.30pm £3Author Sally Grindley shares some humorous and witty stories from the Richard & Judy award-winning series about a girl and her dog, Poppy and Max – they don’t always agree, but there’s one thing they know for sure: they are the best of friends!

Schools’ Event

Town Hall Key Stage 2 £4S13 9.45–10.45amS14 11.30am–12.30pm

Schools’ Event


Schools’ Event


Schools’ Event


Fun @ Four

B36 Café Theatre Age 3–6 4–4.30pm £3Sarah Garland creates books for children whose families are busy and noisy. Is there any other kind? Sarah will read Going Shopping, Coming to Tea and some of her other favourite stories as well as doing some drawing.

Schools’ Event



Book It! Tent Age 18 months – 4 years £3B32 10–10.45am B33 12–12.45pmJoin Marie Thom and Elizabeth Walton,authors of the Little Fingers craft books. In the first session they bring well-known nursery rhymes come to life and kids get to make their own nursery rhyme craft picture. In the second session there will be action poems and kids can make their very own transport craft picture.

Schools’ Event


Schools’ Event

S8 Town Hall Key Stage 2–3 1.30–2.30pm £4

Fun @ Four

B34 Café Theatre Age 3–6 4–4.30pm £3Join illustrator Charlotte Middletonin a workshop sure to make you squeal with delight. Find out how she creates her wobbly toothed, wind swept characters before your very eyes and don’t forget to put your colouring cap on and sharpen your pencils!

Schools’ Event


Schools’ Event

S10 Town Hall Key Stage 1–2 11.45am–12.45pm £4

Schools’ Event


Fun @ Four

B35 Café Theatre Age 3–6 4–4.30pm £3Ha Ha Ha! Hee Hee Hee! Come and play with Chimp and Zee! Join authors, Catherine and Laurence Anholtto hear stories about the cheekiest, most mischievous, most lovable twins in the whole of Jungletown! You can join in with games, too!

For more information on Schools’ Events, please visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/education

B43 Queen’s Hotel Age 8–12 11am–1pm £10David Lucas’s new book The Lying Carpet is as much about pictures as words. Find out how he creates characters – from ghosts and tigers, to talking statues and flying carpets and draw your own fantastic pictures. What can your imagination come up with?

B44 Queen’s Hotel Age 12–16 2–4pm £10How can you turn a thrilling story into a must-see screenplay? Join Catherine MacPhail, author of Another Me, Underworld, Roxy’s Baby and the Nemesis series, to discover how to create page-turning cliffhangers. Join her to create a screenplay or short thriller of your own.

B47 Queen’s Hotel Age 6–9 11am–1pm £10Join acclaimed author and illustrator, Clara Vulliamy and the ten tinies from her new series, The Lucky Wish Mouse, for a fun-filled creative workshop. Take home your very own mouse-magic handiwork!

B48 Queen’s Hotel Age 12–16 2–4pm £10Do you have an urge to write? Are you always thinking of ideas but don’t know how to set them down on paper? Here is an opportunity for budding writers to work alongside experienced writer Helena Pielichaty, author of Accidental Friends, who will give you tips, ideas and constructive criticism in this session.

Box Office 0844 576 7979 31

Schools’ Event


Schools’ Event

S18 Town Hall Key Stage 2 10–11am £4

Schools’ Event



Café Theatre Age 3–9 months £5 for parent & babyB37 1.30–2pm B38 2.45–3.15pmEver wondered when to introduce your baby to a book? The answer is probably sooner than you think! The youngest of babies can enjoy exploring texture, shape and sound in this interactive workshop from Ladybird. It is a perfect session for parents and babies to enjoy together.

Fun @ Four

B39 Café Theatre Age 3–7 4–4.30pm £3Ladybird’s The Great Big Book of Minis contains a selection of fantastic miniature stories taken from the brand new Ladybird Minis range. Giveaways for everyone! Perfect for little ones who love story time.

Breaking the Rules

B40 Book It! Tent Age 13+ 5.30–6.30pm £4Come and meet bestselling teen author Louise Rennison as she shares hilarious anecdotes from her fabulous Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series including her latest book, Stop in the Name of Pants.

B41 St Andrew’s Church Age 6–9 11am–1pm £10Enjoy a monstrous workshop and produce your own dinosaur pop-up with Paul Stickland, creator of Dinosaur Roar. He will take you through the mechanics of paper engineering and design and help you to create your very own dinosaur pop-up to take away with you.

B42 St Andrew’s Church Age 8–12 2–4pm £10Award-winning animator Leigh Hodgkinson talks about her debut picture book, Colin and the Snoozebox and its follow-up, Colin and the Wrong Shadow. Watch Colin the cat come to life and create your own animated character in this exclusive animation workshop.

B45 St Andrew’s Church Age 8–12 11am–1pm £10Author Vivian French uses traditional tales as a starting point for her particular style of gothic humour. Here she invites you to experiment with twisting tradition, developing characters, and – most importantly – talking about how to cope with beginnings, middles and ends.

B46 St Andrew’s Church Age 12–16 2–4pm £ 10Got something to say? Get blogging! Join Andy Briggs, author of the Hero.com and Villain.net series, who has 5,000 fans on MySpace alone and knows how to get his message out there. Come and hear the inside story on blogging, shooting video diaries and reaching a worldwide internet audience.

Write On! Workshops sponsored by


B49 Book It! Tent Age 5–8 10–10.45am £4Jake is a very special dog. He’s not just good at football, but he’s the best friend you could ever have! Come and hear all about him in this special event with creators Nick and Annette Butterworth.

B50 Café Theatre Age 3–5 10–10.45am £4Where’s Spot? Have you seen him? Come along and join in the fun with this storytelling session featuring games, dancing, plus a chance to meet the world’s most lovable puppy!

Family Event

F9 Garden Theatre Age 8+ 10–11am £7 (£5)Much-loved illustrator Michael Foreman and award-winning authorMichael Morpurgo have collaborated on many books including Kensuke’s Kingdom, The Mozart Question and The Best Christmas Present. Here, the two colleagues and friends talk about their latest book Kaspar: Prince of Cats.

B51 St Andrew’s Church Age 6–8 11.30am–12.15pm £4Are you a little monster? Can you think of the five best ways to scare a sheep? Are you tough enough to have something warm and furry on your toast for breakfast? Come dressed as your favourite monster for plenty of gnashing, growling, roaring and stomping with Guy Bass,author of Gormy Ruckles, Monster Boy!

B52 Book It! Tent Age 9+ 11.30am–12.15pm £4You have the vote: Will you cry Hooray for Heroes or go Victory for Villains? Mark Walden, author of the action-packed HIVEseries, will be tempting you to the dark side with the villains, while Joe Craig,author of the dynamic Jimmy Coates series, will be fighting for the good with heroes.

B53 Garden Theatre Age 3–6 11.45am–12.30pm £5Come and join storyteller Liz Fost and Greendale’s favourite postman himself as they tell you all about the adventures of Pat and Jess. There will be a great Postman Pat goody bag for all children who attend!

Family Event

F10 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 8+ 12–1pm £7 (£5)Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen is one of our best loved poets for children, and his infectious poems brilliantly capture both the funny and sad moments of family life. Join him for a celebration of some of his favourite poems.

B54 Book It! Tent Age 7–131–1.45pm £4Celebrate the launch of the brand new Top Gear children’s books! Don’t miss this high-octane, Scalextrics racing event, suitable for all mini petrol heads. There’ll be top Top Gear prizes to be won and there’ll even be an appearance by The Stig (albeit in cardboard form).

B55 St Andrew’s Church Age 5–81.30–2.15pm £4Traction Man and Scrubbing Brush are back with a new sidekick on the scene – Turbo Dog! Join author/illustrator Mini Grey as she talks about and reads from her work, including Traction Man and Turbo Dog with props, animation and even real-life versions of her characters!

Family Event

F11 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 11+ 2–3pm £7 (£5)Don’t miss this rare chance to hear two of our finest writers. David Almond’s new novel Jackdaw Summer explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and goodness while Jamila Gavin’s mystery The Robber Baron’s Daughter links the Bulgarian underworld to the splendour of London’s most privileged quarters.

B56 Book It! Tent Age 7–12 2.30–3.15pm £4Join Tony de Saulles – the incredible illustrator of the sensational Horrible Science series – as he reveals the secret to drawing bulging brains, deadly diseases and everything in between. This fiendishly fun workshop proves that science has never been more horrible … or squishy!

B57 Café Theatre Age 4–7 2.45–3.30pm £5Hop along to this charming interactive puppet show where The Tale of Peter Rabbit is brought to life! Help Peter escape from Mr McGregor’s garden, and don’t miss a special appearance from Jemima Puddle-Duck who celebrates her centenary this year!

B58 St Andrew’s Church Age 8–12 3–3.45pm £4Professor Georgie Blink, author of My First Pet Dragon, is holding a special clinic for young dragon owners, and would-be dragon owners. Accompanied by her own pet dragon, Picton, she will give tips on dragon care and training, and answer all your questions.

B59 Book It! Tent Age 5–8 4–4.45pm £4Boys and girls prepare to join the Princes and Princesses of The Tiara Club with master storyteller Vivian French. Then be whisked away with the Draglins on their exciting adventures as illustrator Chris Fisher brings the mini-dragons in these tales to life.

Family Event

F12 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 10+ 4–4.45pm £7 (£5)Author of the enthralling Wholly Irresponsible Experiments and Wholly Irresponsible Exploits, Sean Connollyreveals the inspiration behind his popular titles and demonstrates some of the experiments that you can find in the secret lab hidden in your store cupboard or fridge.

Breaking the Rules

B60 Book It! Tent Age 11+ 5.30–6.30pm £4 Meet two masters of the macabre. Marcus Sedgwick explores his latest novel, The Kiss of Death, about vampires, Venice and all things gothic, while Justin Richards talks about how he creates his terrifying worlds of the imagination in The Parliament of Blood. Not for the faint-hearted!

Box Office 0844 576 7979 33

B61 Main Hall Age 8+ 10-10.45am £5Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to hear Jacqueline Wilson, one of the most popular authors of all time as she talks about her life as a writer, introduces her brand new book, Cookie, as well as discusses some of her best-loved titles.

Café Theatre Age 3-6 £4B62 10-10.30am B63 2-2.30pmCome and have some fun to celebrate Kipper’s birthday! Join Kipper for story time, games and activities with children’s entertainer Liz Fost.The excitement won’t end after the party because you get to take home a Kipper goody bag too!

B64 Book It! Tent Age 7+ 10-10.45am £4Find out exactly how Beano illustrator Barrie Appleby creates those roguish characters in this workshop. Watch Dennis the Menace, Minnie the Minx and many more come to life, right before your eyes! You might even meet the King of Mischief himself!

B65 Book It! Tent Age 6-9 11.30am-12.15pm £4If you’d like to become an honorary fairy and find out all about the best fairy school around, come along and meet Titania Woods. Come dressed in your best fairy outfit and be prepared to get creative. There will be storytelling, competitions and lots more!

B66 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 7-12 11.30am-12.15pm £4Get to grips with amazing art – Horrible Histories style! Turn your dreadful doodles into magnificent masterpieces with Martin Brown, illustrator of the hugely popular Horrible Historiesand new Gory Stories series written by Terry Deary. It’s illustration – with all the nasty bits left in!

B67 Queen’s Hotel Age 3–6 11.30am–12.15pm £4Come and join Sally Crabtree for a session full of stories, songs and poems - all picked from her magical Poetree where the fruits are the most strange and wonderful imaginable and featuring her latest children’s book, Ten Chuckling Ducklings.

B68 Queen’s Hotel Age 4-6 1–1.45pm £4Discover Liz Pichon’s world, where Penguins say “FISH!” for the camera and pigs are nasty in The Three Horrid Pigs and the Big Friendly Wolf. She shows you how these loveable characters are created and will help you make one of your own to take home.

B69 Book It! Tent Age 9+ 1–1.45pm £4What was life like for people 100, 1,000 or even 5,000 years ago? Join archaeology detective Simon Adamsin this exciting hands-on exploration of the detective work, problem-solving and sheer luck involved in our understanding and uncovering of the great civilizations of the past.

Family Event

F13 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 5–8 1.15–2pm £8 (£5)Calling all sugar plum fairies! This is a rare chance to meet Prima Ballerina Darcey Bussell and discover the brand new Magic Ballerina series. Aspiring young ballerinas should come dressed in tutus and fairy wings as there will be a real-life dancer on hand to demonstrate ballet steps from the world of Enchantia.

B70 Book It! Tent Age 7–10 2.30–3.15pm £4There’s Something Wickedly Weirdhappening in the land of the Goblins! Join Goblins creator David Mellingand Chris Mould of Something Wickedly Weird fame, to learn more about their unusual characters and the worlds in which they live. Watch them illustrate their own creations!

B71 Queen’s Hotel Age 6–10 2.30–3.15pm £4Transform your trash into treasure and get creative with activity expert Jane Bull as she shows you how to recycle your household waste and turn it into something amazing. Rifle through your bin and come prepared with some reusable materials - be it paper, plastic, metal or fabric.

Family Event

F14 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 7+ 3.30-4.30pm £7 (£5)One of today’s best known illustrators, Shirley Hughes, author of the beloved Dogger and Alfie stories, always knew her daughter, Clara Vulliamy, would be an illustrator too. In this illustrated event they talk about their new books Jonadaband Rita and The Lucky Wish Mouse.

B72 Queen’s Hotel Age 8–12 4.15–5pm £4Join Dr Frankenstein for a blood-boiling, stomach-churning, eye-popping experience as he takes you on a fascinating tour of the human body. You’ll get to create your very own Frankenstein’s monster by discovering what goes where, and how our body systems fit together.

B73 Book It! Tent Age 11+ 5.30–6.30pm £4Fantasy, reality, myth and history collide in the works of these two top fantasy writers. Stuart Hill’s Icemarktrilogy concludes with Last Battle of the Icemark, while Beth Webb’s Star Dancer series continues with Fire Dreamer. Join them to find out how they create such vividly imagined worlds.


Box Office 0844 576 7979By phone Mon – Fri 10am – 8pm Sat 9.30am – 5.30pm Sun 11am – 3pm

Onlinecheltenhamfestivals.comNo concessions are available online

Email [email protected] 01242 573902Using the booking form, include £1 to cover postage

In person/by post Festival Box OfficeTown Hall Imperial Square Cheltenham GL50 1QA

Opening hours

Before the FestivalMon – Sat 9.30am – 5.30pm

During the FestivalDaily 9.30am – 10pm

By post Please use the booking form opposite, including an SAE (minimum DL) or £1 to cover postage.

All faxes, emails and booking forms should reach us at least 48 hours prior to the event you wish to book.

Credit/Debit Cards

Visa, Mastercard, Solo and Maestro accepted. Please provide a card number, issue number, expiry date, name and address of the card holder.

Cheques

Make payable to Cheltenham Borough Council.

Young Children

Please adhere to the age range specified for Book It! events, including Fun@Four and Write On! Young children must be accompanied at all times and prices are kept low to allow for this. Cheltenham Festivals maintains a Child Protection Policy, but we cannot act in loco parentis or take responsibility for unsupervised children.

For all events except Write On! workshops and events B37 and B38 a ticket must be purchased for each adult and child attending.

This year’s writing project is a follow-up to the highly successful Creative Minds Science Festival project, led by artist and scientist Dr Lizzie Burns. She worked with schools and community groups to explore the themes of sleeping, dreaming and the brain, encouraging each participant to decorate a simple mask as a personal response. Now, local writer and poet Brenda Read-Brown will revisit each group to produce a unique set of written pieces. This written work will be displayed at the Festival alongside the masks themselves.

This year, a special writing workshop for gifted and talented school-children from local primaries will be held at the Festival. Hosted by Cheltenham College Junior School, here is a wonderful opportunity for these children to spend a day with author Vivian French (Baby, Baby, The Robe of Skulls etc.) and immerse themselves in the creative writing process.

Pittville School Wed 15 October 10am–12pmShakespeare goes to school! Now in its third year, this successful Shakespeare project goes from strength to strength. This year participating children tackle Hamlet, with its dark and complex themes of madness, revenge and loss. Under the able tutelage of our Shakespeare practitioner Fiona Ross, each school will produce a short piece of drama exploring an aspect of this great tragedy to be performed on stage.For more information, phone Nicola Tuxworthon 01242 775822.

144 Town Hall Thurs 16 October 4–5.30pm FreeTeams of sixth-form students from across the region will debate their way through qualifying heats (at 1-2pm and 2.30-3.30pm) during the afternoon. Encompassing current affairs, culture and science, this will be a hard-fought day of opposing points of view.

Following its successful inception last year, this project offers prisoners in HMP Gloucester the chance to participate in innovative and thought-provoking book group sessions led once again by master wordsmith Marcus Moore.

Supported by

Box Office 0844 576 7979 35

Jeffrey Sachs Ian Kelly A L Kennedy Sandi Toksvig Dave Gorman Baba Brinkman

176 Town Hall 8.30–10.30pm (inc. interval) £12Festival favourite Sandi Toksvigpresents her new one-woman show,Available, in this specially extended event. From her early stand up roots at the Comedy Store to Who’s Line Is It Anyway? and Call My Bluff, she relives an outrageously varied career and lets us in on a few secrets along the way.

177 Town Hall 8.45–10pm £8One man, one car, no chainstores, and one hell of a coast-to-coast adventure. Join author and comedian Dave Gormanas he recounts his epic journey acrossAmerica Unchained. Featured in his recent award-winning documentary expect drama, despair and ultimately humour as he shares the experiences of his struggle to survive without faceless US chains.

Crosscurrents

178 Everyman Theatre 8.45–10pm £8Described by the New York Times as ‘probably the most famous foreign correspondent in Britain’, Robert Fisk discusses his work, his experiences in the Middle East as a foreign correspondent and his new collection of writing The Age of The Warrior.

179 Café Theatre 8.30–10pm (inc. interval) £5Baba Brinkman, Canadian hip-hop artist, actor, poet and medieval scholar, brings you a laugh-out-loud adaptation of Chaucer’s masterpiece! Celebrating rap as a form of lyrical storytelling, the tales of the Miller, the Pardoner and the Wife of Bath literally come alive through brilliant wordplay and physical theatre. Six hundred years can’t keep a good pilgrim down!

172 Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm £7Director of the Earth Institute, Special Adviser to the UN and admired by Bono for ‘his punk-rock instinct to question the status-quo’, Jeffrey Sachs considers how truly sustainable development can be achieved. Appealing to head and heart, his Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet explores ways to avert global disaster, and create a fairer and safer world.

Racing Across The Page173 Town Hall 7–8pm £6How do writers capture the thrill of racing? How is the telepathy between jockey and mount expressed on the page? We welcome The Spectator’s The Turf columnist and author of Valley of the Racehorse RobinOakley, former trainer Jenny Pitman and fellow author Felix Francis to consider the challenges of writing about racing.

174 Town Hall 7.15–8.15pm £5After years of overlooked violence at the hands of his father, Mark Johnson descended to the depths of addiction and criminality, which he survived against all the odds. He joins Marcus Moore to discuss Wasted, the compelling account of his inspiring struggle to save himself and to help save others in the process.

175 Town Hall 7.30–8.30pm £6A L Kennedy is one of the most acclaimed novelists and short story writers working today. Here she discusses her compelling and perceptive work, including recent novel Day, winner of the Costa Book of the Year Award.

167 Town Hall 4–5pm £8Having travelled Around the World in 80 Gardens in his recent BBC2 series, Monty Don considers the horticultural wonders of our planet. Sharing the secrets of his green-fingered success, he discusses the making of great gardens and the importance of taking inspiration from the most unlikely places.

Ian Kelly168 Town Hall 4–5pm £6Casanova: food writer, kaballist, polymath and sensualist. This controversial figure is given a radically revised appraisal in actor and historian Ian Kelly’s richly illustrated talk about his new biography Casanova.Includes some adult material.

169 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £7In his book The Truth That Sticks, journalist and former MP Martin Bell argues that New Labour surged to power on the promise to be whiter than white but that their record in office has proved a bitter disappointment to millions. He discusses his belief in democracy’s disrepair and his new book in which he asks ‘where did it all go wrong?’

Poetry Café

170 Café Theatre 5–5.45pm Free Next Generation poet Leontia Flynn reads from her second collection Drives, a book of restless journeys – real and imaginary – interspersed with sonnets portraying iconic writers. She joins Adam Foulds whose verse novella The Broken Word conjures up 1950s Kenya, creating an emotionally powerful portrayal of an era’s violence and terror.

171 Everyman Theatre 6.30–7.30pm £6From his alternative gospel The Book of Dave to his new novel The Butts, Will Selfconstantly pushes the limits of imagination, language and form. He discusses his writing and considers whether there any taboos left for contemporary writers to break.

Programmed by Ian Rankin

Working in Partnership


Michael Morpurgo Elizabeth Jane Howard Gyles Brandreth Neil Oliver

Crosscurrents

The Cold War180 Everyman Theatre 10–11am £7From the Cuban missile crisis to Checkpoint Charlie, tensions ran high for the 45 years of the Cold War. Leading historian Peter Hennessy joins Jeremy Isaacs and Taylor Downing, producers of the classic 1998 Cold War TV series, to explore changing perceptions of the Cold War since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, and the period’s enduring fascination for writers, artists and historians.

Family Event

F9 Garden Theatre Age 8+ 10–11am £7 (£5)Please see page 32 for details.

181 Main Hall 10–11am £8Mere mention of Gerald Scarfe and Simon Hoggart is enough to send a shiver down the spine of any politician. In a hugely enjoyable event, one of the country’s top political cartoonists and one of our sharpest and funniest political sketchwriters come together to discuss life in the Westminster trenches and to share some hilarious anecdotes.

182 Drawing Room 11–12pm £6Former Festival Director and acclaimed author Elizabeth Jane Howard revisits the 60s in her moving and elegiac novel Love All, a beautifully-crafted tale of intertwining relationships set against the backdrop of a West Country arts festival. She returns to Cheltenham to discuss her life and writing.

183 Main Hall 12–1pm £81968 was a year of political turmoil and public unrest but how has popular protest and dissent developed since then and why was ’68 such an extraordinary year? Former MP Tony Benn and writer and campaigner Tariq Ali join Ian Rankin to explore the lingering reverberations of 1968 and the modern face of political protest.


184 Everyman Theatre 12–1pm £7Author, broadcaster, actor and former MP Gyles Brandreth joins us to discuss Oscar Wilde and the Ring of Death, the second witty instalment in his grippingly authentic Victorian murder mystery series featuring the playwright, poet and raconteur Wilde in the role of detective, supported by his partner-in-crime, Arthur Conan Doyle.

Family Event

F10 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 8+ 12–1pm £7 (£5)Please see page 32 for details.

The Friends’ Literary Lunch

185 The Daffodil 1–3pm £26 (£22) including two-course set menu, glass of wine and coffeeEngland was Going Dutch in the 17th century, in one of the most fascinating and dynamic periods in the country’s history. Acclaimed historian Lisa Jardinevividly brings to life some of the big ideas and remarkable individuals of the time, and considers the fascinating relationship between England and Holland as William of Orange claimed the English throne.

Anne de Courcy186 Drawing Room 1–2pm £7The engagement of Princess Margaret in 1960 to a motorbike-riding freelance photographer was a bombshell, and friends rightly predicted disaster. Biographer Anne de Courcy unfolds the extraordinary life of the Earl of Snowdon, whose divorce and involvement in numerous scandals often overshadows his success as a photographer and his charity work.

Guest Director1968 is one of my favourite years. I was only eight at the time, but I appreciate the music, film, and literature that came out of that period of social and cultural turmoil. Forty years on, my weekend of curating at Cheltenham will see some of my favourite authors, performers, thinkers and doers look back to notions of censorship, sex, and the taboo, as well as looking forward at the future of the written word and the so-called ‘creative industries’. There will be art, crime, dissent and even perhaps a helping of controversy. It should be fun.

Box Office 0844 576 7979 37

Sue Perkins Giles Coren Martin Bell Michael Frayn Charley Boorman Hardeep Singh Kohli

187 Garden Theatre 1.30–2.30pm £7The Battle of Trafalgar, Scott of the Antarctic, Apollo 13 and Shackleton’s journey are stories of courage and adventure, sacrifice and selfless deeds which can still excite and inspire us. Join Neil Oliver, presenter of the BBC’s Coast series, as he brings these and other dramatic tales to life in a hugely enjoyable event.

The Oldham Foundation

Supersizers Go...188 Everyman Theatre 2–3pm £8They ate their way through 6 epochs, several sheep’s heads, many a suspicious pie and the odd live maggot, accompanied by numerous bottles of claret. Supersizers Giles Coren and Sue Perkins consider the lessons their often hilarious escapades and culinary time travel have taught them – principally that drinking water is a ‘modern urban vanity’!

189 Main Hall 2–3pm £8Can politicians ever be whiter than white? Are governments always doomed to disappoint the voters? Former journalist and MP Martin Bell critically examines New Labour’s record in The Truth That Sticks. He is joined by SimonHoggart and Newsnight’s Political Editor Michael Crick to discuss whether governments have lost our trust and whether they can ever regain it.

190 Imperial Square 2–3pm Free – Advance Booking RequiredIf you liked Adam Williams’ The Dragon’s Tail,join The Times Book Group leader Alyson Rudd to enjoy a glass of bubbly and discuss this compelling spy novel set in Cold War China. The book will also feature as TimesBooks Group choice on Saturday 23 August.

191 Drawing Room 3–4pm £6Ideas of home and family provide fertile ground for fiction. Rose Tremain won this year’s Orange Prize with The Road Home,a powerfully moving story of migration, identity and the search for home, whileGillian Slovo’s Black Orchids is a gripping and poignant novel about the search to feel at home in your own skin, set in Ceylon and Britain of the 1950s. They discuss their award-winning work.

192 Garden Theatre 3.15–4.15pm £7One of our pre-eminent novelists and playwrights, Michael Frayn is the celebrated author of Spies, and plays including Noises Off, Copenhagenand Democracy. Here he discusses his work, as well as his new collection of writings on theatre, Stage Directions.

The Folio Society Event

Eyewitness to History193 Main Hall 4–5pm £8Foreign correspondents see history as it’s being made, but how reliable can eyewitness reports be as a source for the historian? Leading foreign correspondents Robert Fisk and Robert Fox join historians Peter Hennessy and Lisa Jardine to discuss the thorny issues of history at first hand.

194 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £8There’s no resting for Charley Boorman.Following his Long Way Round andLong Way Down adventures with Ewan McGregor he now sets out on his most challenging trip yet – travellingBy Any Means from Ireland to Sydney. Join him to hear his amazing tales of using wildly diverse transportation, including elephants, dugout canoes, tuk-tuks and his beloved motorbike.

195 Drawing Room 5–6pm £6Comedian and Celebrity Masterchef finalist, Hardeep Singh Kohli took British meals to Delhi for a very special Indian Takeaway.Inspirational cook Anjum Anand offered Indian Food Made Easy and her next BBC series New Indian explores authentic regional dishes. Join them to consider the pleasures of cooking, and the importance of cuisine in celebrating your roots.

The Curry Corner

The Cheltenham Lecture

196 Garden Theatre 5–6pm £7From astronomer William Herschel to chemist Humphry Davy, 18th century Britain was a ferment of scientific and intellectual discovery. In an illustrated talk prize-winning biographer Richard Holmesproposes a radical vision of science before Darwin and explores how the thrilling scientific discoveries of The Age of Wonder had a profound impact on great writers and poets such as Shelley, Wordsworth, Byron and Keats.

The Keats-Shelley Memorial Association

197 Main Hall 6–7pm £91968 was supposed to kickstart the sexual revolution; 40 years on, how have the ways we read and write about sex and permissiveness changed? Join bestselling novelist Jilly Cooper and Ian Rankin as they explore sex on the page from the sixties to the noughties.


198 Everyman Theatre 6–7pm £7Few journalists have been more assiduous than Jon Ronson, exposing the eccentricity and outright lunacy of some of the world’s most powerful people in his hugely popular Channel 4 series The Secret Rulers of the World. He joins Sue Perkins to talk about his hilarious new book What I Do: More Tales of Everyday Craziness, a new collection of surreal and perturbing stories which reveal both his personal paranoia and the insanity at play in the wider world.


Ben Haggarty Stuart Maconie Minette Walters Alan Carr Erica WagnerThe Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre

Storytelling

Wondertales199 Drawing Room 7–8.15pm £7Ben Haggarty is one of the country’s most gifted storytellers, with the wonderful rare skill of creating ‘a flickering cave of wonder’ (The Times) with his spellbinding performances. Join him on journey through an intense trio of utterly magical yet deeply disturbing ‘fairy tales for grown ups’.

Pies and Prejudice200 Garden Theatre 7–8pm £6Bestselling broadcaster, author and northerner-in-exile Stuart Maconie sets off on a hilarious journey in search of the real North, attempting to discover where the cliches end and the truth begins. He travels from Wigan Pier to Blackpool Tower to find his own Northern Soul, encountering along the way an exotic cast of pie-eating woollybacks, mad-for-it Mancs and Yorkshire nationalists and brothers in southern exile.

201 Everyman Theatre 8.30–10.30pm (inc. interval) £8The audience has the vote – which 1948 novel deserves to win our very own Booker? A C Grayling, Hardeep Singh Kohli, Sue Perkins and Erica Wagnerjoin Ion Trewin to debate the merits ofGraham Greene’s The Heart of the Matter,Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead,Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country,and The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh. Introduced by John Coldstream.

Alan Coren: A Celebration202 Book It! Tent 8.45-9.45pm £6 One of the wittiest writers of his generation, much-loved Times columnist Alan Coren found the comedy of life all around him. Marking the first anniversary of his death, his children, journalists Giles Coren and Victoria Coren celebrate the life and work of the ‘Sage of Cricklewood’.

Bodies

The Body in the Library203 Garden Theatre 8.45-9.45pm £6How important is it for leading crime writers such as Ian Rankin and Minette Walters to keep up with the latest developments in forensic pathology – and how do they portray the realities of the science in their work? They join pathologists Stephen Leadbeatterand Anthony Busuttil to discuss the relationship between forensic science and its portrayal in fiction.

204 Main Hall 8.45–10pm £12With his unique twist of natural, observational humour, much loved comedian and co-host of Channel 4’sSunday Night Project Alan Carr tells his ordinary life story in glorious technicolour. Join him as he discusses his new autobiography Look Who It Is and explores his journey from awkward schoolboy to household name.

205 Café Theatre 12.30–12.45pm FreeFancy writing a themed poem or mini-saga in a weekend to perform tomorrow at event 231? Then find out what inimitable author and performer Sally Crabtree sets as the subject for this year’s Challenge, compose up to 40 lines of verse or a piece of flash fiction in 150 words and add your voice to voices off.

10am–5pm FreePick a fruit from the magical crop on Sally Crabtree’s copper Poetree, sit back and let her serenade you with the song or story your choice inspires. Lovely!

Catch street dancers CoadyCrewperforming their own style of moves and grooves!

Emergency Poet On Call Marcus Mooreis out and about delivering free verse. Look for his trademark top hat and tails!

Put your best foot forward with Thomas Trilby, the madcap character on stilts!

Kazzum brings you street theatre by express delivery with their new commissioned show Paper People.Based around a mobile newspaper stand, the ‘vendors’ use their papers to tell the smaller tales within the BIG story. Watch the characters emerge in 3D from the pages, before the Paper People wheel off to sell their papers, and tell their stories, elsewhere...

voices off Stage The Promenade Free11am Sally Crabtree12am Elvis McGonagall1pm Gareth Jay2pm A F Harrold3pm Emma Purshouse4pm Open MicSign up at the stage on the day!

206 Café Theatre doors 7.30pm, event 8pm FreeIt’s everything but the kitchen sink tonight! A literary striptease with EmmaPurshouse, spoken word from the UK All Stars Poetry Slam Champion, escapology with cling film guy Gareth Jay, comedy from YouTube stars The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre and red-hot rhythms from DJ Dart’s discount box-sets. Cool!

Warning: this event contains socks and violence.

Box Office 0844 576 7979 39

John Coldstream Richard Madeley William Leith Antony Sher Bernard Cornwell Richard Holmes

John Coldstream207 Everyman Theatre 10–11am £7Dirk Bogarde, the star of more than sixty films and the author of fifteen bestselling volumes of memoirs and fiction, was also a brilliant correspondent. In an illustrated talk, his official biographer, John Coldstream, presentsEver, Dirk – The Bogarde Letters.

Dynasties

Jane Wellesley208 Garden Theatre 10–11am £6Hero of Waterloo and most celebrated of British generals, the Duke of Wellington was also a family man. In this illustrated event, Jane Wellesley explores the public face, private life and personal legacy of her famous ancestor and considers the Duke from a uniquely personal perspective.

Bodies

Ian Campbell, Susan Jebb, William Leith & Vivienne Parry209 Drawing Room 11am-12pm £6Tackling obesity has become crucial in our so-called binge culture. Author of The Hungry Years William Leith joins Susan Jebb, a nutrition scientist specialising in obesity, weight management expert Ian Campbell and science writer and broadcaster Vivienne Parry to discuss the relationship between current medical thinking and the wider social context, and the personal realities of food addiction.

Family Matters

Fathers and Sons210 Garden Theatre 12–1pm £6TV presenter Richard Madeley explores how being a father has changed over the last four generations in his uniquely honest and touching book Fathers and Sons. He joins expert and author Frank Furedi to discuss the speed of change in family life and the challenges facing fathers today.

The Shakespeare Lecture

211 Main Hall 12–1pm £10Leading actor Antony Sher uses his own theatrical journey through Shakespeare and his contemporaries to explore the uniqueness of Shakespeare’s language and characterisations. Illustrated by speeches from the plays and revealing stories of his own experiences on stage, he traces the fascinating development of Shakespeare’s art from early plays like Richard III to late masterpieces such as The Winter’s Tale.

Agincourt212 Everyman Theatre 12–1pm £6Immortalised by Shakespeare in Henry V,Agincourt is one of the most famous battles in history. Military historian and author of Shots from the Front,Richard Holmes, and medieval expertIan Mortimer join leading historicalnovelist Bernard Cornwell, whose new novel Azincourt recreates the battle, to consider the role of iconic battles such as Agincourt and The Somme in shaping our ideas of what it means to be British.

213 Drawing Room 1–2pm £6Can fiction ever truly capture the experience of music? And how do contemporary writers translate their own musical passions to the page? Singer-songwriter and author of The Ossians Doug Johnstoneand novelist and band member Toby Litt join Ian Rankin to consider the relationship between words and music.


Family Event

F13 Cheltenham College Junior School Age 5–8 1.15–2pm £8 (£5)Please see page 33 for details.

A Lust for Window Sills214 Garden Theatre 2–3pm £6Writer and journalist Harry Mount takes us on an illustrated tour of the nation’s architecture, exploring the tiny details that make our buildings unique. From Moghul palaces in Gloucestershire to Egyptian sphinxes in Islington, he presents A Lust for Window Sills,a lively and affectionate portrait of the Britain we live in today and our architecture which is unrivalled in beauty, scale and variety.

215 Main Hall 2–3pm £12Joining us from the USA, we’re delighted to welcome Tony Curtis, star of over 100 films, including classics such as Spartacus and Some Like it Hot. This is a rare opportunity to meet a Hollywood legend as he discusses his life and career on screen and presents his autobiography, American Prince.


Tony Curtis Thomas Keneally Patrick Stewart Jane Wellesley Dawn FrenchJack Vettriano

Storytelling

Tales from a Family Tea Table222 Drawing Room 5–6pm £6Inspired by the traditions of the Jewish family, storyteller Pamela Marre performs her delightful Tales from a Family Tea Table fusing history, folklore and myth with real-life stories that paint vivid and humorous portraits of Eastern European Jewish immigrant culture.

223 Garden Theatre 5.45–6.45pm £8Razor-sharp comedian and political activist Mark Thomas has a unique take on a fast-changing global society. Join him as he sets out to uncover the truth behind one of the world’s biggest brands - Coca-Cola - and discusses his new book, Belching out the Devil.

224 Everyman Theatre 6–7pm £8From starring on screen in the acclaimed Aristocrats and Monarch of the Glen, to writing the Oscar-winning screenplay of Gosford Park and the bestselling novel Snobs, Julian Fellowesdiscusses his wide-ranging career and captivating new novel Past Imperfect.

Lord Berners219 Garden Theatre 3.45–4.45pm £8Often labelled a great British eccentric, Lord Berners, whose friends includedthe Mitfords, the Sitwells, Stravinsky, Diaghilev, Gertrude Stein and Salvador Dali, was first an avant-garde composer, then a successful novelist and painter. Author Alan Hollinghurst joins composer, writer and pianist Peter Dickinson to discuss Berners’ life and work, with extracts from Berners’ autobiography and novels read by acclaimed actor Timothy West.

The Berners Trust

220 Main Hall 4–5pm £15From establishing one of the most successful partnerships in British comedy with Jennifer Saunders to starring in the hugely popular Vicar of Dibley, Dawn French is one of Britain’s best-loved comedy actresses. Join her as she discusses her autobiography Dear Fatty.

221 Everyman Theatre 4–5pm £9One of the most popular artists working today, Jack Vettriano creates remarkable images that have captured the public imagination. In a rare Festival appearance he joins Ian Rankin for a discussion about his Studio Life, contemplating his work, its influences and how it has come to influence popular culture in turn.


216 Everyman Theatre 2–3pm £7Do writers find their subject, or does the subject find them? Man Booker Prize winner Thomas Keneally reveals his personal journey and discusses Searching for Schindler, a memoir of writing Schindler’s Ark, a true modern classic, adapted into the Oscar-winning film starring Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes.

217 Imperial Square 2–3pmFree – Advance Booking Required Join Alyson Rudd in our final Festival Book Group to discuss Evelyn Waugh’s classic Brideshead Revisited and enjoy a glass of wine. This year’s Festival Big Read will feature in The Times on Saturday 18 October.

James Fleming & Hamish Milne218 Drawing Room 3–4pm £6Amaryllis Fleming was the daughter of Augustus John, and half sister of Ian Fleming: she was England’s leading solo cellist and one of the most colourful and much-loved figures of the 50s and 60s. Join us to hear a rare recording of her work, as we welcome the Royal Academy of Music’s Hamish Milne and author James Fleming to discuss her life and legacy.

Family Event

F14 Cheltenham College Junior SchoolAge 7+ 3.30–4.30pm £7 (£5)Please see page 33 for details.

Box Office 0844 576 7979 41

Harry MountMark Thomas Timothy West Toby Litt Alexei Sayle Sally Crabtree


Writing for Specific Actors230 Book It Tent 8.30-9.45pm £6What difference does it make to a dramatist when they write with a specific cast in mind? Playwright Adriano Shaplin and director Elizabeth Freestone explore the practicalities of writing and directing a script written for particular actors. Adriano’s work includes over a decade with New York-based collective The Riot Group and his latest play, The Tragedy of Thomas Hobbesis being developed with an ensemble of RSC actors. This promises to be an exclusive insight into the writing process.

231 Pillar Room 2–3pm FreeIt’s time for writers who responded to the theme set by Sally Crabtree in event 205 to let us hear how they fared. An informal showcase of poetry and prose, penned and performed by the public for the public in true voices off style!

Crime Scene Investigation228 Garden Theatre 7.30–8.30pm £6Do you like your crime writing hard or soft-boiled? The British crime scene is a rich mix of styles and influences, from hard-hitting, often brutal realism to character-driven psychological investigations. Crime writers Frances Fyfield, Russell James and Ian Rankininvestigate the British crime fiction scene and ask where it might be heading next.


229 Main Hall 8–9pm £7Following his successful roles in The Young Ones and comedy sketch show Stuff, Alexei Sayle turned his talent to writing and is the bestselling author of The Weeping Women Hotel and Barcelona Plates. Here he discusses the darker side of comic writing and new novel Mister Roberts.

J B Priestley225 Main Hall 6-7pm £9Author of An Inspector Calls, J B Priestley was one of Britain’s best-loved writers and an influential peace campaigner after witnessing the horrors of World War I. Renowned actors Patrick Stewart and Timothy West join the writer’s son, Tom Priestley, to explore Priestley’s life and perform selections from his previously unpublished letters from the Front and previously unheard Postscripts.

226 Book It! Tent 7–8pm £6Does growing older make you a grown up? Hovering on the threshold of a midlife crisis, acclaimed author William Leithfeels that Bits of Me Are Falling Apart,comedian Mark Steel can only wonder What’s Going On? and comedian and Sunday Times columnist Andrew Clovergrapples with family life in Dad Rules.They talk about the highs and lows and the pains and pleasures of growing up.


The Director’s Cut227 Drawing Room 7-8pm £7Reinventing Shakespeare for modern audiences is at the heart of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s work. Director Nancy Meckler, who is well known for her cutting edge work with Shared Experience and directed The Comedy of Errors for the RSC in 2005 and Romeo and Juliet in 2006, joins Jonathan Bate to consider the challenges facing directors in staging new performances of the Bard’s work.


Ewan Morrison Tiffany Murray

Andrew TaylorW01 Monday 13 October 10am–1pm £20This workshop provides unbeatablefirst-hand knowledge from AndrewTaylor, celebrated author of The AmericanBoy and the successfully televisedyFallen Angel, on setting the scene.l

Ewan MorrisonW02 Monday 13 October 2–5pm £20Wondering how to write that all-important opening passage? Author of the much-applauded debut novelSwung and follow-up Distance, Ewan Morrison gives guidance and practical advice on how to set the scene and leave your readers desperate for more.

Tiffany MurrayW03 Tuesday 14 October 10am–1pm £20Bringing her experience of writingconvincing dialogue to this engaging workshop, Tiffany Murray, creative writing lecturer and celebrated authorof Happy Accidents, skilfully guides you through a fascinating subject.

Kate ClanchyW04 Tuesday 14 October 2–5pm £20Great dialogue writing is all about allowing the characters to speak with their ownunique voice. Here Kate Clanchy, author of the What Is She Doing Here? and creative ?writing teacher, brings her experience of writing and teaching to this workshop.

Tahmima Anam & Joe TreasureW05 Wednesday 15 October 10am–1pm £20A well structured plot is always vital, whatever your level of experience.Author of the celebrated A Golden Age,Tahmima Anam, and Joe Treasure,author of The Male Gaze, offer hands-on advice and exercises on theelusive skill of writing a good plot.

Lucy EnglishW06 Wednesday 15 October 2–5pm £20Structuring your work and finding that elusive successful plot is what this workshop is all about as Lucy English, creative writing tutor andcritically acclaimed author of Childrenof Light and t Our Dancing Days, providesunbeatable insider knowledge.

Glyn MaxwellW07 Thursday 16 October10am–1pm £20Experienced writing tutor, celebratedpoet and author of The Girl Who WasGoing to Die, Glyn Maxwell offers insider knowledge and practical exercises on the skill of bringing convincing charactersto life on the page in this workshop.

Adam FouldsW08 Thursday 16 October 2–5pm £20Lean how to overcome the clichés andcreate convincing characters essentialto all writing with poet and novelistAdam Foulds, author of The TruthAbout These Strange Times and TheBroken Word, who offers some inside knowledge and practical exercises.

Jo HerbertW09 Friday 17 October10am–1pm £20Providing unbeatable inside knowledge,Jo Herbert, editor of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, discusses the bestopportunities for writers to see their work in print, with hands-on exercisesand invaluable practical advice.

Alison BaverstockW10 Friday 17 October2–5pm £20Alison Baverstock, celebrated workshop leader and author of Is There a Book in fYou? and? Marketing your Book, an Author’s Guide, will give writers making a first publication approach invaluable adviceon how to get published. As a formerpublisher and now writer, her advice is practical, realistic and first hand.

Tiffany MurrayW11 Sat 18 October & Sun 19 October 1 hour tutorials £10These one hour one-to-one sessions with Tiffany Murray, experiencedcreative writing teacher and authorof Happy Accidents, will allow you tohave your work discussed intricately and intimately. She will examinecharacter, plot, setting, beginnings-middles-ends, and provide exercisesthat can help you beyond the surgery.

Our programme of creative writingworkshops is a core element of the Festival and recognisednationwide for the quality of its tutors. Write Away offers a widevariety of courses in terms of both content and length and workshopsare aimed at all levels of ability.

The Festival offers a modular course onall aspects of writing fiction. Studentscan chose from individual workshopsor book a combination of five (one workshop from each weekday) fora comprehensive five-day courseon fiction. All courses are capped at a maximum of thirty people.

All workshops take place at St Andrew’s Church.

Price per workshop £20

Price for course of five £80

Box Office 0844 576 7979 43

Stella Duffy Alison Baverstock Toby Litt

W12 Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 October 11am–5pm daily (with an hour for lunch) £75Join experienced tutor Stella Duffy,author of The Room of Lost Things and State of Happiness, in a workshop for those students who have some experience of writing fiction and who wish to polish their skills, obtain critical guidance, and gain the confidence to develop their work. With practical exercises, this is an insightful practitioner’s guide to the craft of writing.

W13 Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 October10am–4pm daily (with an hour for lunch) £75You may think writing the book is the hard part – but you have only just started! If you have a strong writing idea, here is some practical advice on how to get others to take interest: how to present, how to follow up and how to keep going. Invaluable advice from Alison Baverstock, the author of Marketing Your Book, an Author’s Guide.

Bronwen MaddoxW14 Saturday 11 October10am–1pm £20Acclaimed Chief Foreign Commentator of The Times, Bronwen Maddox brings her extensive knowledge and experience of writing journalism to this workshop, supported by practical advice and exercises on how to write features.

Nick BarrattW15 Saturday 11 October 2–5pm £20If you are thinking of delving into your family history or maybe are already doing so, Nick Barratt, genealogy expert behind the successful Who Do You Think You Are?series, offers some practical advice on how to explore your roots and write about them.

Carla LaneW16 Sunday 12 October10am–1pm £20Teaching this informative workshop on writing for the screen, we welcome Carla Lane, one of the most respected writers for television, whose scripts include Bread and Butterflies. Supported by practical advice and exercises, this will be an inspiring session.

Carole Angier W17 Sunday 12 October 2–5pm £20Author Carole Angier gained great critical acclaim for her biographies of Primo Levi and Jean Rhys. She teaches this practical workshop on how to use examples from your own life and the people around you to help develop your writing, whether fact or fiction.

Gillian SlovoW18 Saturday 18 October10am–1pm £20Using examples from her own novels and practical exercises, novelist Gillian Slovo,author of Black Orchids, Red Dust and Ice Road, leads this inspirational workshop on writing fiction set in the past.

Toby LittW19 Saturday 18 October 2–5pm £20If you want to write but don’t know how to start, join Toby Litt, experienced workshop leader and acclaimed author of Adventures in Capitalism and I play the drums in a band called okay, as he guides you through the first creative writing steps with the help of practical exercises and discussion.

Nigel McLoughlinW20 Sunday 19 October 10am–1pm £20Local poet and experienced creative writing tutor, Nigel McLoughlin’s collections include the acclaimed Dissonances and Blood. He offers practical advice and exercises in this inspiring and enjoyable workshop.

Mark BillinghamW21 Sunday 19 October 2–5pm £20Bestselling crime writer Mark Billingham,creator of DI Tom Thorne, as featured in Sleepyhead, Death Message and Buried,teaches this thrilling workshop on how to put crime on the page, spread clues throughout the story and find that all important mystery-solving ending.

As in previous years, we continue to offer our popular two-day workshops, capped at a maximum of twenty people and suitable for all levels of ability.

All workshops take place at the University of Gloucestershire, Park Campus, Room TC013.

These are excellent stand-alone workshops or supplements to one of our other sessions. Courses are capped at a maximum of thirty people.

All workshops take place at the University of Gloucestershire, Park Campus, Room TC015.


Jane Adams 12

Poppy Adams 23

Simon Adams 33

Kate Adie 11, 13, 14, 15, 16

Patience Agbabi 19

Tariq Ali 36

Yousef Al-Mohaimeed 26

David Almond 32

Moniza Alvi 23

Tahmima Anam 23, 42

Anjum Anand 37

Carole Angier 43

Catherine Anholt 30

Laurence Anholt 30

Annamation 13, 19

Lisa Appignanesi 26

Barrie Appleby 33

Sara-Jane Arbury 13

Simon Armitage 24, 25

Max Arthur 20

Michael Ashcroft 20

Bernard Ashley 30

Richard Askwith 24

Nadeem Aslam 20

Clive Aslet 8

Mike Atherton 25

Richard Attenborough 15

Philip Ball 22

John Banville 8

Rachel Barnes 26

Simon Barnes 26

Richard Barnett 17

Nick Barratt 13, 43

John Barrowman 16

Simon Bartram 29

Guy Bass 32

Jonathan Bate 41

Camila Batmanghelidjh 22

Alison Baverstock 42, 43

The Beastly Boys 28

Clare Beaton 28

Martin Bell 35, 37

Tony Benn 36

Mark Billingham 43

Matt Black 11, 13

Raymond Blanc 20

Hassan Blasim 26

Georgie Blink 32

David Blunkett 12

Joanna Blythman 24

Charley Boorman 37

Mark Borkowski 12

Mark Bostridge 8

Tim Bowler 29

Tony Bradman 30

Ruth Brandon 24

Gyles Brandreth 36

Theresa Breslin 30

Andy Briggs 31

Baba Brinkman 13, 35

Geraldine Brooks 26

Martin Brown 33

Ann Bryant 29

Maura Buchanan 8

Jane Bull 33

Darcey Bussell 33, 39

Anthony Busuttil 38

Annette Butterworth 32

Nick Butterworth 31, 32

James Caan 19

Carmen Callil 9

Ian Campbell 39

Menzies Campbell 21

David Canter 20

Alan Carr 38

Cathy Cassidy 28

Kate Clanchy 42

Clare Clark 22

Alex Clarke 18

Andrew Clover 41

CoadyCrew 11, 38

Nick Cohen 15

John Coldstream 38, 39

Steve Cole 30

Eoin Colfer 14, 29

Jonnie Connelly 23

Sean Connolly 32

Susan Cooke Kittredge 21

Jilly Cooper 37

Giles Coren 37, 38

Victoria Coren 38

Bernard Cornwell 39

Richard Corrigan 24

Sally Crabtree 33, 38, 41

Amanda Craig 28

Joe Craig 32

Michael Crick 37

Dan Cruickshank 24, 25

Barry Cunningham 28

Richard Curtis 9

Tony Curtis 39

Mark Damazer 11, 12

Russell T Davies 16

Sara Davies 8, 12

Louis de Bernières 21

Edward de Bono 22

Anne de Courcy 36

Tony de Saulles 32

Emily Diamand 28

Peter Dickinson 40

Clarissa Dickson Wright 16

Jonathan Dimbleby 24, 25

DJ Dart 38

Monty Don 35

Julia Donaldson 28, 30

Maura Dooley 23

Taylor Downing 36

Dreadlockalien 23

Deborah, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire 11

Stella Duffy 43

Noma Dumezweni 15

Polly Dunbar 28, 29

Tom Dyckhoff 9

Jenny Éclair 19

Curtis Eller 23

Harold Ellis 26

Lucy English 23, 42

Gavin Esler 12

The Etherington Brothers 28

Julian Fellowes 40

Jonathan Fenby 18

Nathan Filer 13, 25

Alison Finch 25

Anne Fine 16, 29, 30

Francis Firebrace 29

Chris Fisher 32

Robert Fisk 35, 37

James Fleming 40

Leonie Flynn 30

Leontia Flynn 35

Isabel Fonseca 14

Michael Foreman 32, 36

Richard Fortey 20

Liz Fost 32, 33

Adam Foulds 35, 42

Robert Fox 37

Angela France 23

Felix Francis 35

Michael Frayn 37

Elizabeth Freestone 41

Dawn French 40

Patrick French 19

Sammy French 19

Vivian French 31, 32, 34

Mariella Frostrup 12

FUNtastic! 30

Box Office 0844 576 7979 45

Frank Furedi 39

Frances Fyfield 41

Sarah Garland 30

Jamila Gavin 32

John Gittings 18

Misha Glenny 8, 13

Debi Gliori 28

Dave Gorman 35

Michael Gove 13

Andrew Graham-Dixon 25

Linda Grant 23

Tony Grant 13

Emily Gravett 29

John Gray 8

A C Grayling 26, 38

Susan Greenfield 19

Mini Grey 32

Sally Grindley 30

Mike Grocott 20

David Guterson 15

Joumana Haddad 26

Ben Haggarty 38

Ffion Hague 23

Daniel Hahn 30

Yasmin Hai 19

Christine Hallett 8

Sheila Hancock 14

Mohammed Hanif 23

Jeremy Hardy 25

Claire Harman 12

Martin Harrison 25

A F Harrold 38

Selina Hastings 15

Roy Hattersley 13

Sue Heap 28

Paul Heiney 14

John Hemming 18

Peter Hennessy 36, 37

Michael Henry 21

Jo Herbert 42

Duncan Hewitt 18

Katie Hickman 26

Nick Higham 8

Charlie Higson 10, 28

Harry Hill 15, 29

Rosemary Hill 20

Stuart Hill 33

Leigh Hodgkinson 31

Michael Hofmann 18

Simon Hoggart 36, 37

Katherine Holabird 29

Judith Holder 19

Tom Holland 25

Alan Hollinghurst 40

Leo Hollis 22

Richard Holmes 37

Richard Holmes 39

Michael Holroyd 22

Michael Horovitz 19

Elizabeth Jane Howard 36

Frieda Hughes 26

Shirley Hughes 33, 40

Gloria Hunniford 26

Iain Hutchinson 18

Jeremy Isaacs 36

Mark Jackson 25

Clive James 9

Oliver James 22

Russell James 41

Lisa Jardine 36, 37

Gareth Jay 38

Mike Jay 17

Susan Jebb 39

Alan Jenkins 9

Mark Johnson 35

Doug Johnstone 39

Dylan Jones 20

Sadie Jones 24

Terry Jones 13, 15

Jonathan Kaplan 16

Kazzum 38

Ian Kelly 35

James Kelman 13

Bridget Kendall 8, 9

Thomas Keneally 40

A L Kennedy 35

Jill Kennington 16

Robin Kinross 22

Ariane Koek 26

Josh Lacey 30

Christina Lamb 19

Andrew Lambert 20

Roy Lancaster 21

Carla Lane 43

Steve Larkin 23

Caroline Lawrence 30

Mark Lawson 3, 9

Stephen Leadbeatter 38

Amanda Lees 29

William Leith 39, 41

Fiona Lindsay 14, 15

Maureen Lipman 15, 16

Toby Litt 39, 43

Penelope Lively 9, 11, 12

Ken Livingstone 20

John Lloyd 9, 13

David Lodge 22

David Loyn 19

David Lucas 29, 31

Joanna Lumley 15

Hugh Lupton 21

Amin Maalouf 20

Fred MacAulay 25

Sue MacGregor 14, 16

Ben Macintyre 14

Stuart Maconie 38

Catherine MacPhail 29, 31

Bronwen Maddox 9, 43

Richard Madeley 39

Michelle Magorian 31

Emily Maitlis 23

Mark Mardell 13

Andrew Marr 11, 13

Pamela Marre 40

Henry Marsh 16

Glyn Maxwell 25, 42

Alexander McCall Smith 9, 11

Elvis McGonagall 38

Roger McGough 14, 15, 29

Alistair McGowan 15

Sophie McKenzie 29

Nigel McLoughlin 19, 43

Ray Mears 12

Nancy Meckler 41

David Melling 33

Charlotte Middleton 30

Hamish Milne 40

John Mitchinson 13

Sue Mongredien 29

Hugh Montgomery 20

Marcus Moore 11, 13, 34, 35, 38

Roger Moore 13

Caitlin Moran 16

Charles Morgan 24

Michael Morpurgo 31, 32, 36

Ewan Morrison 14, 42

Rosalind, Lady Morrison 24

Toni Morrison 3

Ian Mortimer 39

John Mortimer 15

Charlotte Mosley 11

Andrew Motion 10

Chris Mould 33

Harry Mount 39

Kate Muir 14

Jane Mulvagh 24


Clare Murphy 19

Jenni Murray 10

Tiffany Murray 42

Julia Neuberger 22

Michael Neve 26

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 21

Adam Nicolson 18

Jenny Nimmo 30

John Julius Norwich 8, 11

Robin Oakley 35

Andrew O’Hagan 9

Ben Okri 9, 12

Neil Oliver 37

Thorsten Opper 24

Catrin Osborne 11, 13

Frances Osborne 10

Elaine Paige 23

Michael Parkinson 21

Bruce Parry 11

Vivienne Parry 39

James Partridge 18

Chris Patten 21

Tom Paulin 21

Mal Peet 9, 30

Michael Pennington 17

Sue Perkins 37, 38

Robert Peston 10

Polly Peters 28

Rosalind Peters 28

Liz Pichon 33

Helena Pielichaty 31

D B C Pierre 12, 17

Tim Piggott-Smith 14

Jenny Pitman 35

Jonathan Powell 26

John Prescott 23

Tom Priestley 41

Rose Prince 24

Emma Purshouse 38

Libby Purves 12, 13, 14

Ian Rankin 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41

Nicholas Rankin 22

Esther Rantzen 22

Helen Rappaport 24

Brenda Read-Brown 11, 13, 21, 34

Celia Rees 12, 28

Gwyneth Rees 28

Ruth Rendell 21

Louise Rennison 31

Justin Richards 32

Ruth Richardson 26

Andrew Roberts 26

Ritchie Robertson 18

Tony Robinson 9

Jon Ronson 37

Malcolm Rose 29

Michael Rosen 32, 36

Meg Rosoff 9, 30

Fiona Ross 34

Tony Ross 30

Alyson Rudd 26, 37, 40

Thomas Ruetten 18

Ken Russell 12

Jeffrey Sachs 35

Philippe Sands 12

Sathnam Sanghera 19

C J Sansom 22

Alexei Sayle 41

Gerald Scarfe 36

Simon Schama 9

Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre 38

Marcus Sedgwick 32

Åsne Seierstad 23

Will Self 35

Carole Seymour-Jones 18

Darren Shan 28

Adriano Shaplin 41

Antony Sher 39

Anita Shreve 9

Lionel Shriver 9

Hardeep Singh Kohli 37, 38

Frank Skinner 9

Gillian Slovo 37, 43

Helen Small 26

Ed Smith 25

Christopher Somerville 18

Julia Somerville 18

Susan Standring 26

David Starkey 23

Mark Steel 41

Dugald Steer 29

Rick Stein 19

Roger Stevens 30

Patrick Stewart 41

Paul Stickland 31

Francine Stock 11

Edward Stourton 14

Janet Street-Porter 22

Mike Stroud 20

Deyan Sudjic 9

Kate Summerscale 8

Janet Suzman 15

Graham Swift 8

TADS 21

Nassim Nicholas Taleb 10

Frank Tallis 20

Andrew Taylor 42

Craig Taylor 24

D J Taylor 25

Thom the World Poet 11, 13

Marie Thom 30

Mark Thomas 40

Janet Todd 12

Sandi Toksvig 25, 26, 35

Joe Treasure 42

Rose Tremain 37

Marcus Trescothick 25

Ion Trewin 38

Thomas Trilby 38

Jenny Uglow 23

Stephen Venables 20

Jack Vettriano 40

Byron Vincent 25

Barbara Vine 21

Sarah Vine 16

Clara Vulliamy 31, 33, 40

Erica Wagner 38

Terry Waite 19

Mark Walden 32

Harriet Walter 15, 16

Julie Walters 10

Minette Walters 38

Elizabeth Walton 30

Alexander Waugh 15, 18

Beth Webb 33

Fay Weldon 24

Jane Wellesley 39

Francis Wells 16

Timothy West 40, 41

Simon Weston 18

Andrew Wheatcroft 18

Vanessa Whitburn 24

Katharine Whitehorn 18

Ian Whybrow 28

Ann Widdecombe 12, 13

Marcia Williams 30

A N Wilson 22

Jacqueline Wilson 33

Chris Wood 21

Titania Woods 33

Kit Wright 21

Andrea Wulf 24

Box Office 0844 576 7979

DEDICATED TO BOOKS EVERY SATURDAYEvery Saturday, read Books – an entire section

of The Times devoted to literature. With reviews, interviews and lively debate, plus regular columns from Jeanette Winterson and David Baddiel.

Box Office 0844 576 7979

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...here in Cheltenham

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54

Cheltenham Festivals

PresidentDame Judi Dench CH

Vice-PresidentsEleanor BudgeCharles Fisher Edward Gillespie Graham Lockwood Sir John Manduell CBESir Peter Marychurch KCMGIon Trewin

Chair, Board of DirectorsSir Michael McWilliam

Chief ExecutiveDonna Renney

HR & Office ManagerHelena Bibby

Finance ManagerKeith Woodman

Executive AssistantCarol Malcolmson

Development Office Sarah RawlingsKathryn HoneywillClaire ColemanFiona Longsdon

Legacy OfficerRose Wood

Press & MarketingIan George Amy Hulyer Laura Parker Pete Riley Rory Tufano

EducationPhilippa Claridge Nicola Tuxworth

Box Office ManagerSue Davis

Brand & Festival DesignTijuana 0117 971 6962

Brand ConsultantHoward Milton

Company SecretaryMargaret Austen

Honorary TreasurerDr David Wood

AuditorsHazelwoods

Registered Office28 Imperial SquareCheltenham GL50 1RH Registered No. 456573 Charity No. 251765VAT Registration No. 274184644

Main Switchboard Number01242 774400

Cheltenham Literature Festival

Artistic DirectorSarah Smyth

Executive DirectorClair Greenaway

Book It! DirectorJane Churchill

voices off Director Sara-Jane Arbury

Festival Guest Directors Kate AdieIan Rankin

Festival Development ManagerSusannah SheppardNell Douglas Miller

Festival OrganiserChristin Stein

Festival AssistantPhilip WoodsJudith Lüdenbach

Literature FestivalAdvisory CommitteeJames Heneage (Chair)Pamela ArmstrongJane BaileyChristine ChambersHereward CorbettMarianne HintonGerald IsaamanPenelope LomaxCharmaine MurphyLavinia Sidgwick

Production ManagerAdrian Hensley

Sound DesignClement Rawling, MAC Sound

PR ConsultantColman Getty PR 0207 631 2666

The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival is presented by Cheltenham Festivals, a company limited by guarantee.

The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival is a member of the British Arts Festivals Association www.artsfestivals.co.uk

The Festival would like to thank the following for their support:

The Festival volunteers and event managers, the managers and staff of all Festival venues and all Festival hotels, James Harding and everyoneat The Times, Gerry Johnson and everyone at Waterstone’s, The Friends of Cheltenham Literature Festival, Mobenn Marquees, USS, Peak, Audio Visual Services, Universal Events, Cool Energy, MRG Systems Ltd, John Coldstream, Helen Owen, Gloucestershire Libraries, Louisa Symington, Fiona Lindsay, Ariane Koek, Su Lycett, Ben Haggarty, Jon Andriessen, Simon Connelly, Mothercare, Cavendish House, Tewkesbury Artsand Drama Society

The Festival would like to thank all those who have provided advice, collaboration and support:

4th Estate, Anova Books, BBC Books, Bloodaxe Books, Bloomsbury, British Museum Press, Canongate, Comma Press, Continuum Books, Ebury, Faber, FMCM, The Folio Society, Granta, Great Northern Books, HarperCollins, HarperCollins Non-Fiction, HarperFiction, HarperPerennial, Headline, Hodder & Stoughton, Icon Books, John Murray, JR Books, Little Brown, Michael O’Mara Books, Midas PR, Octopus, PanMacmillan, Penguin, PenguinPress, Picador, Polygon, Profile, Oberon Books, Orion, OUP, Quadrille, Quercus, Random House – CCV, Random House – CHA, Sceptre, Simon & Schuster, Southbank Publishing, Tate Publishing, Thames & Hudson, Transworld, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Verso, Virgin Books.

A & C Black, Andersen Press, Barefoot Books, BBC Books, Bloomsbury, Catnip, Chicken House, David Fickling Books, Dorling Kindersley, Egmont, Faber, Frances Lincoln, Gullane, Hachette Children’s Books, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Icon Books, Little Tiger Press, Macmillan, Meadowside Books, Orion, OUP Children’s Books, Piccadilly Press, Puffin, Ragged Bears, Random House Children’s Books, Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, Scholastic, Templar, Walker Books, Warne, Usborne.

Photo Credits

The Adelaide Advertiser (Susan Greenfield), Robert Banks (Clive James), Douglas Banville (John Banville), Cristian Barnett (Clarissa Dickson Wright), Jerry Bauer (Michael Holroyd, Toby Litt, Ben Macintyre), BBC Photo Library (Jenni Murray), Simon Buck (Louis de Bernières), Stephen Bulley (Sara-Jane Arbury), Ben Cavanna (Sara-Jane Arbury), Graham Clark (Alexander McCall Smith), Barney Cokeliss (Tom Paulin), Alan Davidson (Robert Peston), Nick Davies (Libby Purves), Peter Devlin (Toni Morrison), Jonathan Dockar-Drysdale (Fay Weldon), Marion Ettli (Isabel Fonseca), Karen Felix-Dexter (Sara-Jane Arbury, Marcus Moore), Caroline Forbes (Richard Holmes), Liane Harris (Ken Livingstone), David Henderson (Monty Don), Erica Hill Salspot Ltd 2008 (Spot), Naomi Hudson (Thom the World Poet), Sophie Laslett (Frieda Hughes), Ken Lennox (Kate Adie), Geraint Lewis (Stella Duffy), Steve Lyne (Moniza Alvi), Murdo MacLeod (James Kelman), Eamonn McCabe (Graham Swift, Michael Frayn), Niall McDiarmid (Ray Mears), Margherita Mirabella (Simon Schama), Richard Moran (Simon Armitage), Fatimah Namdar (Gyles Brandreth), Antonio Olmos (Andrew Motion), Oxford Film & Television Ltd (Terry Jones), Clare Park (Patrick Stewart, Harriet Walter), Judah Passow (Linda Grant), Alan Peebles (Joanna Blythman), Rankin (Ian Rankin), Dave Remes (Annamation), Pete Riley (Literature Festival Team Photo), Duncan Soar (Mark Thomas), David Trainer (Michael Horovitz), Jane Wildgoose (Ruth Richardson).

Imperial Square, CheltenhamImperial Square is the hub of the Festival, with the Main Hall, Drawing Room and Pillar Room located in the Town Hall, and the Garden Theatre, Book It! Tent and Café Theatrein Imperial Gardens. Our Festival Book Tent will be open every day from 9.30am to the end of the last event, and there are café facilities on site. On both Saturdays of the Festival the Gardens will come to life with free activity for families to enjoy.

Festival VenuesFestival events continue to take place in a range of venues around Cheltenham. Visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.com and follow the links to the Literature Festival homepage for detailed directions and a comprehensive map of Festival venues.

Local TransportThe Festival Information Point in the Town Hall Box Office will be able to provide details about local transport, including trains, taxis and buses. Most venues are within easy walking distance and town centre car parking is marked on the Festival Map. If you prefer to use Cheltenham’s Park & Ride these are located at Arle Court (near M5 Junction 11) and Cheltenham Racecourse (GL50 4SH). Please note that times vary on Sundays.

Food and DrinkThis year we’re delighted to be working with new caterers, Fosters, who have devised brand new menus for our Town Hall venues. The Festival Café in the Pillar Room will be open from 9.30am for snacks, meals and drinks and you can sample our new range of coffees, pastries and cakes every day in the Festival Book Tent.

Café Everyman is open from 10am–4pm and 6pm to the start of the last event on weekdays and 10am-7.30pm at the weekend. The menu ranges from home-made soup, cake and filled rolls to full main meals freshly made on the premises. The County Bar is open until late, serving a range of wine, beer and soft drinks – ideal for an interval refresher.

If you’re visiting The Centaur this year, you’ll find a range of bars and café outlets to tempt you between events, offering sandwiches and snacks, coffee, cake, wine, beer and soft drinks.

And of course Cheltenham boasts a wide range of cafés, restaurants, bars and hotels. If you would like more information about food and drink in the local area please visit the Festival Information Point in the Town Hall Box Office.

Box Office 0844 576 7979 55

To The Centaur: The D bus departs every 10 minutes Monday-Saturday from Clarence Street to Cheltenham Racecourse, where The Centaur is located. On Sundays the service operates every half hour, and stops 2 minutes walk from the Park & Ride.

Free Shuttle Buses: We will be offering free shuttle buses to The Centaur on Friday 10, Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October. If you would like to take advantage of this complimentary service please register your interest with the Box Office. Places are limited, and need to be reserved in advance.

To The University: The 10 service runs from the Promenade to Park Campus every 20 minutes Monday-Saturday and every half hour on Sundays.

Why not take your enjoyment and involvement to another level and become a Friend of Cheltenham Literature Festival? The Friends organisation was established in 1987, so this year is our 21st birthday, which we will be celebrating throughout the Festival. The Friends offer valuable support for the Festival which includes financial sponsorship of an event each day of the Festival - look for the logo attached to each daily event. Our exclusive Friends’ merchandise will be on sale throughout the Festival at our contact point in the Town Hall.

Membership benefits include early booking information, concessions on Festival tickets, a periodic newsletter and a programme of visits and events during the year.

For more information please contact Christine Chambers (T 01242 529460). To join just add your membership subscription on to the Booking Form or instruct the Box Office when purchasing your tickets.

MembershipIndividual £10 (£15 outside Europe)Joint £15 (£20 outside Europe)

GARDENTHEATRE

FESTIVAL BOOK TENTWITH CAFÉ THEATRE

BOOK IT! TENT

TOWN HALL

MAIN HALL

BOX OFFICE

DRAWING ROOM PILLAR ROOM


Tickets on sale from 10am Monday 4 August 2008

Box Office 0844 5767979By phoneMon–Fri 10am–8pm Sat 9.30am–5.30pm Sun 11am–3pm

Onlinecheltenhamfestivals.comNo concessions are available online

Email [email protected] 01242 573902Using the booking form, include £1 to cover postage

In person/by post Festival Box OfficeTown Hall Imperial Square Cheltenham GL50 1QA

Opening hoursBefore the Festival Mon–Sat 9.30am–5.30pmDuring the Festival Daily 9.30am–10pm

By post Please use the booking form opposite, including an SAE (minimum DL) or £1 to cover postage.

All faxes, emails and booking forms should reach us at least 48 hours prior to the event you wish to book.

Friends ConcessionsFriends of the Cheltenham Literature Festival are entitled to £1 off every Festival event (excluding Book It! events), and £4 off Event 185, The Literary Lunch. Friends are entitled to book one ticket per member per event.

ConcessionsYoung people under 25, full-time students, registered unemployed and registered disabled patrons are entitled to half-price tickets for Festival events.

Group BookingThe Festival offers one free ticket per ten seats booked, for one event in one transaction.

Double TicketsBuy tickets for two events offering a Double Ticket rate and get £2 off the total cost.

Only one concession may apply per ticket.

Concessionary rates do not apply to the following events:Book It! events, Write Away workshops, Family events,Schools’ events, Double Tickets, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9, C10, 13, 26, 30, 34, 49, 51, 57, 63, 83, 103, 107, 142, 152, 164, 167, 176, 178, 181, 183, 185, 188, 193, 194, 197, 204, 211, 215, 219, 220, 221, 224, 225.

Ticket PricesTicket prices are shown next to each event, with an under 18s rate shown in brackets for Family Events. Please be prepared to show proof of eligibility for concessions at the Box Office and upon admission to events.

RefundsPlease check your tickets as soon as you receive them. The Festival cannot refund money or exchange tickets, except in the case of a cancelled event.

Credit/Debit CardsVisa, Mastercard, Solo and Maestro accepted. Please provide a card number, issue number, expiry date, name and address of the card holder.

ChequesMake payable to Cheltenham Borough Council.

Disabled AccessTickets are offered at the concessionary price to disabled patrons. Support workers and/or personal assistants to disabled patrons are admitted free, but please let Box Office know when you book. Provision is made at the Town Hall, Everyman Theatre and The Centaur for wheelchair access (including toilets) and admitting guide dogs. If you are hearing impaired we will try to seat you in an appropriate location; an induction loop is in operation in the majority of venues. Please discuss your requirements with Box Office when you make your booking.

Young ChildrenPlease adhere to the age range specified for Book It! events, including Fun @ Four and Write On. Young children must be accompanied at all times and prices are kept low to allow for this. Cheltenham Festivals maintains a Child Protection Policy, but we cannot act in loco parentisor take responsibility for unsupervised children.

Let Us KnowWe take pride in presenting a quality programme and are always keen to hear your ideas about how we can improve the Festival.

ContactIf you have any specific comments about any aspect of the Festival, please write to: Clair GreenawayLiterature Festival Executive Director109 Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7LS [email protected]

We undertake to respond to any correspondence within ten working days.

If you require a copy of this brochure in large print format, please call 01242 775823.

Cheltenham Festivals is a registered charity and you can help us keep the Literature Festival thriving with a donation.

Unlike many festivals and commercial events we do not charge a booking fee for off-line ticket sales. Instead, we are asking you – our customers – to add a voluntary donation of just £2 to your ticket booking. Please just tick the box on the booking form or let the Box Office know when booking tickets.

Event No Date Time No of tickets Conc code Book It! Adult Book It! Child Price Total

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

£ £

Friends of Cheltenham Literature Festival No of members Mship code Total

I/We would like to join the Friends of Cheltenham Literature Festival £

Subtotal £

£2 £

Add £1 postage or enclose an SAE

Total £

Box Office 0844 576 7979 57

Concession codesF Friend of Cheltenham Literature FestivalU Under 25ST Full time StudentR Registered UnemployedD Registered DisabledSW Support Worker/Personal AssistantG Group BookingDT Double Ticket

Please return to Cheltenham Literature Festival Box Office, Town Hall Imperial Square Cheltenham GL50 1QA

Fax 01242 573902

I would like to receive a brochure for:

Cheltenham Jazz Festival

Cheltenham Science Festival

Cheltenham Music Festival

Please provide us with your name, address and email address in order to facilitate your request.

I do not wish to receive further information about Cheltenham Festivals. (You will still receive communications confirming and servicing any bookings you make with us. If you are a Member, Patron or Sponsor, we will continue to keep you informed about your associated benefits and entitlements.)

For further details on our Privacy Policy please visit cheltenhamfestivals.com

Surname

Initials Title

Address (registered cardholder)

Postcode

Tel Day Tel Eve

Email

I prefer to receive correspondence via email

I enclose a cheque for a sum not exceeding £

Cheques made payable to Cheltenham Borough Council

Or please debit my card Visa Mastercard Solo Maestro

Card no.

Expiry date / Valid from /

Issue no (Maestro only)

Cardholder’s signature

Make a further donation or tick box for the suggested donation


Our patrons support all four festivals and are essential to maintaining Cheltenham Festivals as a world-class organisation.

For more information about becoming a patron, please contactFiona Longsdon 01242 775857 [email protected]

Life PatronCharles FisherGraham and Eileen Lockwood

Corporate PatronHSBCWillans

Platinum PatronPeter and Anne BondMr and Mrs Michael CronkMarianne HintonHoward and Jay Milton

Gold PatronDavid and Clare AstorErica AustinJack and Dora BlackEleanor BudgeClive Coates and Ann MurrayMichael and Felicia CrystalWallace and Morag DobbinMr and Mrs P J ElliottLord and Lady HoffmannElizabeth JacobsPenelope LomaxSir Peter and Lady MarychurchSir Michael and Lady McWilliamMary and Timothy MitchellThe Helena Oldacre TrustEsther and Peter SmedvigMeredithe Stuart-SmithFiona and David SymondsonJanet WedgeSteve and Eugenia WinwoodPeter and Alison Yiangou

Festival PatronMark and Maria BentleyStephen and Victoria BondJonathan and Daphne CarrRobert Cawthorneand Catherine WhiteChristopher DreyfusViscount EsherJames FlemingKate FlemingHuw and Nicki Gwynn-JonesStephen HodgeAnthony Hoffmanand Dr Christine Facer HoffmanRichard and Peta HoyleSimon and Emma KeswickMark McKergow and Jenny ClarkeProfessor Angela NewingAndrew and Sheila NorthRobert PadgettJonathon Porritt Sue Ratcliffe and Callum WardlePatricia Routledge CBELavinia SidgwickJonathan and Gail TaylorBen and Fiona WhiteProfessor Lord WinstonAnne WoodMichael and Jacqueline Woof

Planning astopover?

–

Use our FREE accommodation booking serviceeither online at www.VisitCheltenham.info

or give us a call – or come in to the Tourist Information Centre when you arrive.

VisitCheltenham, 77 Promenade, CheltenhamMon to Sat: 9.30am–5.15pm

Weds: 10am–5.15pm

Tel: 01242 522878www.VisitCheltenham.infoEmail: [email protected]

Box Office 0844 576 7979 59

Aesthetica MagazineThe DaffodilGlide Media MarketingGrantaMRG SystemsRed PepperSigncraftTaylor BrothersTijuanaThe Times Literary SupplementWriters’ NewsWriters’ ForumWriting MagazineYoung Writer

The Keats-Shelley Memorial AssociationWriters’ and Artists’ Yearbook

The Curry CornerThe Greenway HotelLower Slaughter ManorThe Lypiatt House HotelMercure Queen’s HotelWashbourne Court

Associate Sponsors

Individual Event Sponsors In-Kind Sponsors Corporate Membership

www.naturalgrocery.co.uk

Imperial Sq.

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Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com

Map sponsored by

Mercure Queen’s HotelThe PromenadeCheltenhamGL50 1NN01242 [email protected]

Venues

1 Town Hall (Main Hall, Drawing Room, Pillar Room)GL50 1QA

2 Festival Tents (Garden Theatre, Book It! Tent, Café Theatre, Festival Book Tent)GL50 1QA

3 Everyman TheatreGL50 1HQ

4 Cheltenham College Junior SchoolGL53 7AB

5 St Andrew’s ChurchGL50 1SP

6 Queen’s HotelGL50 1NN

7 The DaffodilGL50 2AE

8 Thirty Two, Imperial SquareGL50 1QZ

9 voices off StageGL50 1HP

10 SlakGL50 1QA

A The CentaurGL50 4SH

B University of GloucestershirePark CampusGL50 2RH

C Pittville SchoolGL52 3JD

CHELTENHAM

Prestbury

Charlton Kings

Leckhampton

Uckington

A40

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A4019

A43

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Official Car

cheltenham literature festival brochure 2008

Documents