wakefield lit fest brochure 2014 final low res
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Wakefield Lit Fest 2014 brochureTRANSCRIPT
www.wakefieldlitfest.org.uk‘Everyone has a story...’
18th - 30th September 2014
Programmed By
Welcome to the third Wakefield Lit Fest! We’ve grown to 60 plus events this year - with opportunities for everyone, whatever your background or level of experience with books, writing, and reading.
This year our theme remains ‘Everyone Has a Story’, and what a range of stories we’ve got lined up - from Joanne Harris to Roger McGough, from The Orangery to Sandal Castle, and from poetry to jazz to performance to photography and fiction, then back again!
We’re doing a whole ‘festival-in-a-day’ at Ossett, under the spire of Trinity Church and with huge help from local creative people - perhaps the start of spreading Lit Fest into other parts of Wakefield District. We’re in Trinity Walk again, taking the excitement of writing and reading into the streets.
We’re grateful for continued support from existing and new funders - Arts Council England, Wakefield Council ‘Creative Partners’, and Clore Poetry & Literature Awards - and from a range of new and past partners.
It’s fantastic that Simon Armitage has chosen Wakefield Lit Fest for the Northern launch of his new selected poems, ‘Paper Aeroplane’, and great to welcome back Ian McMillan.
Around the starlight of these well-known names and others , Wakefield Lit Fest pursues a range of deep themes and strands - talent and reader development, place-based writing, a cross-artform approach, and young people and communities taking a lead. That’s what the Festival is for – developing in people an ongoing love of words and stories, whatever form they may take.
In a sense we hope that Lit Fest is as much your festival as ‘ours’. On behalf of the Lit Fest team at Beam, and all our partners and volunteers - thanks for supporting the Lit Fest. Now take part, listen, watch, read, write - enjoy!
Robert PowellDirector - Beam
The Beam Lit Fest team are Fran Smith & Sara Unwin.
www.beam.uk.net
Welcome to Wakefield Lit Fest 2014!
New Patron for Lit Fest!I’m delighted to have been asked to be a patron of Wakefield Lit Fest. As a writer and broadcaster I love the breadth and inclusiveness of the festival --- the way it encourages everyone to share their stories. It’s a great addition to the creative life of this historic city and I encourage everyone to support it.
Michael Wood
www.wakefieldlitfest.org.uk 3
Writer in Residence Steve Dearden concludes his residency with Wakefield Lit Fest. Since last year’s festival Steve has been working on ‘Wakelost Wakefound’. Part online novella, part photo essay, www.wakelost.com captures 24hrs in the interwoven lives of a retired intelligence officer, a young Somali girl, an electrician and a librarian, all in the area embracing HMP Wakefield, Angel Lodge, The Orangery, Westgate and Burgage Square. This year Steve’s work will take on an even tighter focus - working with writers and commuters to explore the new Westgate railway station: how it feels to arrive or leave Wakefield, how we might write and tell our stories, in and around the station. Steve writes short stories and his e-collection ‘Single Skin’ is published by Smith Doorstop. www.stevedearden.com.
Meet Steve out and about at many of this year’s festival events.
Writer In Residence
15 September – 11 October 2014 (Gallery open Mon-Fri 10am - 4pm and during festival events)The Orangery / Free EntryClaire McNamee was born in London in 1953 and studied photography at Manchester Metropolitan University’s School of Photography. Since then she has lived and worked in Spain, France and Holland, and is now based in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. Claire
is an independent photographer, but often works collaboratively or in close connection with other artists and arts organisations including the Ted Hughes Arvon Centre at Lumb Bank.
"The ‘Writer Portraits’ exhibition shows some of the writers I have been photographing at Arvon’s writing centre at Lumb Bank. My involvement with Arvon started with a photography project in the 1980’s. I chose to use portraiture as a way to create an intimacy one might experience as when reading the writer’s work. To bring something of the person to the surface..." - Claire McNamee.
Claire McNamee – Writer Portraits
Exhibition
Louise Doughty
4
The Knowledge EmporiumThurs - Sat: 10am - 4pm, Sunday 1pm / Trinity Walk Shopping Centre / Free, drop-inWe all know at least one thing that no-one else knows and this Autumn is your chance to share it as theatre company Slung Low invites you into The Knowledge Emporium to celebrate the knowledge that makes you unique.
The Knowledge Emporium is an old-fashioned sweetshop in a converted 1960’s airstream caravan. The Emporium trades in sweets, the sort you remember as a kid, but it is a sweetshop with one big difference: it doesn’t take money. It trades only in knowledge, your knowledge- your stories, your recipes, anecdotes or facts for sweets.
Thursday to Saturday you’re invited to The Emporium to share your knowledge by entering it in ‘The Big Book of Everything We Know’. In return for your generosity, you can help yourself to some sweets.
At the end of the residency Slung Low will create a reading from the material collected. Join us at Trinity Walk on Sunday 21 September 1pm to find out what Wakefield knows!
Presented in partnership with Trinity Walk.
Thursday 18th - Sunday 21st September
Dr Jonathan Foyle - ‘A Bed of Roses: Henry VII and Elizabeth of York’s Marriage Bed Rediscovered’7:30pm / The Orangery / £10/£7In 2010, an old bed was bought at auction. It proved to be an astonishing discovery. Research showed it to have been made in 1485 and that it was most likely commissioned after Henry VII’s accession to celebrate his marriage to Elizabeth of York and the end of the War of the Roses. Hear the full story of what is surely the nation’s most exceptional example of historic furniture, and a seminal royal artefact with Dr Jonathan Foyle, architectural historian, broadcaster and CEO of the World Monuments Fund Britain.
Presented in partnership with Wakefield Civic Society as part of its 50th Anniversary programme.
Thursday 18th September
www.wakefieldlitfest.org.uk 5
Saturday 20th SeptemberHallam Writers - ‘To do or not to do?’ What a Masters in Creative Writing can lead to 2pm - 3:30pm / The Orangery / FreeBestselling and prizewinning graduates - Jude Brown, Susan Elliot Wright, Marian Iseard, James Russell and Beverley Ward - read their fiction and discuss their individual successes post Sheffield Hallam’s acclaimed MA in Writing. Seed Fund Event
Dylan Thomas Centenary 1914 - 2014Under Milk Wood with St Austin’s PlayersPerformances at 2:30pm & 7:30pm / St Austin’s Community Centre / £5/£3Marking the centenary of the birth of Dylan Thomas, St Austin’s Players will be performing a rehearsed reading of what is probably his most famous work, ‘Under Milk Wood’. Set in the fictional Welsh village of Llareggub it follows the innermost thoughts and feelings of it’s inhabitants. St Austin’s Players are a local theatre company who perform plays, musicals and pantos. www.staustinsplayers.co.uk Seed Fund Event
Jackie Kay with Zaffar Kunial7:30pm - 9:30pm / Westgate Unitarian Chapel £10/£7Festival Launch EventScottish born Poet and Writer Jackie Kay reads from a selection of her most recent works including her collection of poems ‘Fiere’ (Costa Shortlisted) and new collection of
short stories ‘Reality, Reality’, alongside new and unpublished poetry. Jackie’s novel ‘Trumpet’ won the Guardian Fiction Award; she also writes extensively for children, stage and television. Jackie will be joined by Wordsworth Trust Poet in Residence Zaffar Kunial.
Friday 19th September
‘Seed Funded’ events are back for 2014! A series of curated events organised independently by local groups and individuals with a passion for literature, they are denoted by the leaf symbol throughout this year’s programme. An open call for ideas for festival events was made in April, which met with a fantastic response. Selected events have been given financial or other support from the Lit Fest through Arts Council England Grants for the Arts funding.
Wakefield Lit Fest Seed Fund Events
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Far
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for
serv
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th
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ook
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poe
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ke a
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omen
ts b
efor
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catw
alk
- eas
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the
eye
and
smar
t as
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hip.
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min
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m D
ail
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st
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is a
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e po
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him
’ Th
e Ti
mes
In a
ddit
ion
to b
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on
sale
at
the
Thea
tre
Roya
l Box
Off
ice,
so
me
tick
ets
for
this
eve
nt w
ill a
lso
be a
vaila
ble
from
the
Tr
init
y Ce
ntre
, Oss
ett.
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d o
n t
he
Win
g’10
am
/ B
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rel
ease
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kefi
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Cit
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entr
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4p
m /
Per
form
an
ce o
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rin
ity
Ch
urc
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e
Con
nec
tin
g O
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t an
d W
akef
ield
in w
ing
ed w
ord
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he
fest
ival
has
com
mis
sion
ed a
flo
ck o
f p
igeo
ns
to c
reat
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new
poe
m f
or O
sset
t. Th
e ve
rses
wil
l be
crea
ted
by
Oss
ett
sch
oolc
hil
dre
n a
nd
car
ried
on
th
e w
ing
to
the
tow
n. W
e
thin
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n P
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pro
bab
ly a
Wor
ld F
irst
!
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w.w
ake
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8
Sunday 21st SeptemberThe Knowledge Emporium Performance ‘What Wakefield Knows!’1pm - 2pm / Trinity Walk Shopping Centre / Free, drop-inThe Knowledge Emporium is a sweetshop with one big difference: it doesn’t take money. It trades sweets for knowledge - your knowledge, your stories, your recipes or anecdotes or beliefs for sweets. Following 3 days of ‘gathering’ at Trinity Walk join us to find out just ‘What Wakefield Knows!’ Presented in partnership with Trinity Walk.
Poetry Day with Simon Armitage - ‘Poems in a Playful City’ 12pm - 5:30pm / The Orangery / £35/£27A unique chance, open to new and experienced poets alike, to work with Simon Armitage, one of the UK’s leading poets, alongside other poetry workshop leaders. The day features two poetry workshops, one led by Armitage around the theme of flight and imagination, culminating in a poetic exchange, with Armitage offering a signed and aerodynamically folded page from his newly published ‘Paper Aeroplane: 1989-2014’ (Faber) in return for newly work-shopped poems! The day begins with lunch on arrival and also includes a chaired debate on the subject ‘Where is Poetry Now?’.
Entrance to the Northern Launch of ‘Paper Aeroplane’ is included in the ticket price for the full poetry day. Places strictly limited – please book in advance. Suitable for ages 16 and over.
Simon Armitage - The Northern Launch of ‘Paper Aeroplane: Selected Poems 1989-2014’6pm - 7:30pm / Westgate Unitarian Chapel / £10/£7This year celebrates the 25th anniversary of Simon Armitage’s first collection ‘Zoom’, and Faber is marking the occasion by publishing ‘Paper Aeroplane: Poems 1989–2014’, a new selection of his work. Simon Armitage was born in West Yorkshire and has published over a dozen collections of poetry including ‘Seeing Stars’ (2010), his acclaimed translation of ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ (2007) and, more recently, ‘The Death of King Arthur’ (2012). His bestselling memoir ‘Walking Home’ (2012) describes travelling the Pennine Way as a modern troubadour. Armitage was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2004 and awarded the CBE for services to poetry in 2010.
Solved! The Wakefield Wireless Mysteries8pm - 10pm / The Orangery / FreeWakefield’s renowned medieval Mystery Plays presented in modern language. Noah’s Flood: with splashy sound effects. Cain and Abel: the first whodunit. Abraham: an everyday tale of nomadic folk. Fireside chats by God, explaining what on earth he’s doing. Live action, live music and a first chance to order the Wireless Mysteries CD! Seed Fund Event
www.wakefieldlitfest.org.uk 9
Stephen May ‘Wake Up Happy Every Day’7pm - 8pm / Wakefield Library / Free, booking essentialStephen’s first novel ‘Tag’ won the Reader’s Choice Award at the Wales Book of the Year 2009. His second ‘Life! Death! Prizes!’ was shortlisted for Costa Novel of the Year 2012. Stephen will be talking about his third novel ‘Wake Up Happy Every Day’, published by Bloomsbury earlier this year and the broader world of writing and literature. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Libraries.
‘This Sporting Life’ - Film Screening (Rated 12)7:30pm / Theatre Royal Wakefield / £6/£4The film ‘This Sporting Life’ is based on the novel and screenplay by Wakefield-born author David Storey. Directed by Lindsay Anderson, and starring Richard Harris as a rugby league footballer, it is set in and around Wakefield. Featuring glimpses of the city as it was in the early 1960s, it will appeal to rugby fans, local residents and anyone who just likes a good story. Black and white. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Civic Society as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.
Monday 22nd September‘Every Photo Tells a Story’ - Writing Workshop10am - 12pm / Castleford Forum / £5/£3, booking essentialJoin writer John Irving Clarke and Curator John Whitaker to explore how photographs can act as a powerful stimulus in writing. Bring along a photo which is important to you or select one from the archives. Share experiences and support each other to develop written responses to evocations of the past. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Museums Service.
‘Women Talk’ - a Poetry Workshop for Women3pm - 5pm / The Well Women Centre, Trinity Church Gate / Free, booking essential via Alison Rowe 01924 211 114 / [email protected] poetry to explore the realities women face in life, you are invited to share and give voice, through the spoken and written word, to experiences that have shaped you. Participants will be invited to share their work as part of the Art Walk on Wednesday 24th September. This event is part of a programme of workshops, talks and performances exploring how creative writing and the spoken word can empower women. Delivered in partnership with Wakefield Well Women Centre and Wakefield Council. Seed Fund Event
‘Poem Portraits’ - Poetry Workshop with Peter Spafford 5:30pm - 7pm / The Orangery / £5/£3A Poem Portrait is a picture of a person in words. Peter Spafford has written nearly a hundred Poem Portraits over the last eighteen months, both for exhibitions and as private commissions. Come along and learn how to write a Poem Portrait, then take it away as a gift for the subject!
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Watery Wanderings - Guided Walk7pm - 8:15pm / Meet at the main Newmillerdam car park / Free, booking essentialEnjoy diverse local, historical and contemporary water related readings, whilst being guided around the pleasant lake and woodlands at Newmillerdam, including a rare chance to peek inside the Newmillerdam Boathouse, which will be hosting work by Wakefield’s Black Horse Poets. Seed Fund Event
The Liars’ League7:30pm - 9:30pm / The Orangery / £5/£3Writers write; actors read; audience listens; everybody wins. That’s the philosophy behind the Liars’ League, the wildly successful storytelling project that each month sees pro actors bringing to life exciting new short fiction at events in London, Hong Kong, New York City – and now, for one night only, Wakefield! Seed Fund Event
Tuesday 23rd September
Christine McMahon - Storytelling Workshop2pm – 4.30pm / Wakefield Library / Free, booking essential (all ages welcome)Christine McMahon is a vibrant storyteller with an international reputation and a love of traditional folktales, particularly those with a link to her Northern roots. Join Christine to try your skills as a storyteller and storymaker. Christine has a unique talent for improvisational storymaking, guiding audiences of any age to have the confidence to tell and create stories.
‘On Tenterhooks’ - Folktales with the Occasional Sheep 7pm – 8.30pm / Wakefield Library / Free, booking essentialChristine McMahon brings her own special warmth and humour to suspenseful stories from our own backyard. With characteristic northern wit ‘On Tenterhooks’ draws on the industrial history of Yorkshire and Lancashire mill towns with often tenuous links to our textile heritage.
Presented in Partnership with Wakefield Libraries.
Story Time for Under 5’s1:30pm - 2:30pm / Wakefield Library / Free, drop-inJoin Wakefield Library staff for stories and rhymes.
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Speaking Volumes2pm - 4pm / National Trust at Nostell Priory / £12, booking essential (through Nostell on 01924 863 892)Nostell’s historic library contains 7000 books and manuscripts collected over nearly 500 years. Join National Trust Collections Manager, Chris Blackburn, for a private talk to discover how this wonderfully preserved library was used to educate, inspire and entertain generations of one family, followed by a closer look at some of the favourites in the collection. Please note: Gardens and Café will be open, but the remainder of the mansion will be closed.
Black Horse Poets presents: ‘Wakefield Voices’7pm - 9pm / Henry Boons / FreeLive performance? Lively performance! Hear the best in poetry and music asWakefield’s Black Horse Poets introduce their first ever disc. Plus refreshments, good company and a chance to buy the high quality CD for just £4. Plus open mic. Seed Fund Event
Will Self ‘Shark’7:30pm - 9pm / Unity Hall / £10/£7Tickets for this event are available via www.unityworks.co.uk.The biggest shark attack in history – a thrilling new novel based on incredible real events, from one of Britain’s most brilliant novelists. ‘Shark’ turns upon an actual incident in the Second World War when the ship which had delivered the fissile material to the south Pacific to be dropped on Hiroshima was subsequently sunk by a Japanese submarine with the loss of 900 men, including 200 killed in the largest shark attack ever recorded. When Creep, an American resident in the 1970s at the therapeutic community in north London supervised by psychiatrist Zack Busner, starts to tell rambling stories of thrashing about in the water while under attack from sharks, Busner has to decide whether they are schizoid delusions or reflect some sort of reality.
Will Self is the author of many novels and books of non-fiction, including ‘Great Apes’, ‘The Book of Dave’, ‘How the Dead Live’, ‘The Butt’ and ‘Umbrella’, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2012.
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Barriers or Boundaries? 5pm - 9pm / The Well Women Centre at Trinity Church Gate / Free, drop-inWhat is the difference? By using boxes, each side displaying a single word, you are invited to create a Haiku exploring the theme of imprisonment, whilst inside the box lies a poem waiting to be heard. Working with those around you, we will explore the differences between boundaries and barriers and how we can be imprisoned by both. Writing by women from New Hall Prison plays an integral part in this event. This event is part of a programme of workshops, talks and performances exploring how creative writing and the spoken word can empower women. Delivered in partnership with Wakefield Well Women Centre and Wakefield Council. Seed Fund Event
Wednesday 24th September‘Every Photo Tells a Story’ - Writing Workshop10am - 12pm / Wakefield Museum / £5/£3, booking essentialJoin writer John Irving Clarke and Curator John Whitaker to explore how photographs can act as a powerful stimulus in writing. Bring along a photo which is important to you or select one from the archives. Share experiences and support each other to develop written responses to evocations of the past. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Museums Service.
‘A Defence Against the Dark Arts’ - (writer’s block and how to beat it)2pm - 4pm / Wakefield Library / Free, booking essentialWhat stops us from writing? In this practical, hands-on workshop, York novelist N.E.David will help you formulate a strategy to overcome Writers’ Block, that little local difficulty in being able to find the right words... Nick’s debut novel, ‘Birds of the Nile’, is published by Roundfire. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Libraries.
Lit Fest at Wakefield Artwalk, featuring Wakefield Writer’s Fair5pm - 9pm / The Orangery and various city centre venues / Free, drop-inJoin us at The Orangery for a host of activities spanning the worlds of literature and visual art during Wakefield’s bi-monthly Artwalk, including photographer Claire McNamee’s ‘Writer Portraits’ exhibition, a ‘Writers Fair’ where you can meet Wakefield Writers of every genre, hear pitches and buy their books! At 7.30pm there will also be an informal get together for aspiring and established writers to explore the possibility of a regular city centre based creative writing group. All genres, formats and skill levels welcome and feel free to bring along any writing you may wish to share (though not compulsory!).
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Bush Craft Story Writing Around the Campfire for Boys 6pm - 7:30pm / Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Junior School, 158 NorthgateFree, Booking essential via [email protected] back to nature and join us for an outdoors workshop to inspire and engage creative writing in adventurous young boys (suitable for boys in Year 2/ Aged 6 yrs). Maximum one adult to accompany each boy. Hot chocolate and marshmallows served by the camp fire and plenty of fun for all. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Grammar School Foundation.
Scriptophilia 8:30pm - 10pm / The Orangery / £5/£3Join us for the ‘Lit Fest at Artwalk’ after-party with poems and songs about shopping lists, kitchen appliances, and death, plus musical settings of work by famous poets too dead to object. Scriptophilia is a celebration of music, words, and what they can get up to together, it is written and performed by Peter Spafford and multi-instrumentalist Richard Ormrod. ‘Mixes the deadly earnest with the beautiful and absurd’.
Thursday 25th September‘Dead Ink’ - In Conversation6pm - 7:30pm / The Orangery / FreeContemporary fiction publisher Dead Ink invites you to take part in and celebrate the launch of two novels from debut Wakefield-born authors SJ Bradley ‘Brick Mother’ and Richard Smyth ‘Wild Ink’. The event will feature readings, a conversation with their editor Wes Brown and a discussion with the audience. Seed Fund Event
John Sunderland - ‘On My Way to Jorvik’ 7pm - 8:15pm / Wakefield Library / Free, booking essentialWakefield born John Sunderland, author of ‘On My Way to Jorvik’, reveals with great Yorkshire wit how he came to design the original Jorvik Viking Centre. With no museum design experience he turned the museum world on its head while fulfilling a boyhood dream, ‘Why can’t museums be more like films?’
Open daily during the festival from 11amOur licensed cafe offers a wide range of hot and cold drinks. We also serve a selection of light snacks and refreshments and regularly invite street food vendors to serve a changing menu of food at events. The Cafe will be given a special ‘literary’ makeover for Lit Fest so be sure to come down to enjoy a drink or snack before or after Lit Fest events. The Orangery, Back Lane, Wakefield, WF1 2TG www.the-orangery.uk.net
The Orangery Cafe
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Beautiful Sentence: In Conversation with Leah Thorn5pm - 7pm / Wakefield Library / Free, booking essentialCelebrate the power of the spoken word with Leah Thorn, an Artist and Activist who has worked extensively within prison settings. This event will explore the value of expressive writing for the empowerment of incarcerated women and will include discussion and feature performances of works created by residents of New Hall Prison, Wakefield. This event is part of a programme of workshops, talks and performances exploring how creative writing and the spoken word can empower women. Delivered in partnership with Wakefield Well Women Centre and Wakefield Council.
Friday 26th September
Story Time for Under 5’s10am - 11am / Wakefield Library / Free, drop-inJoin Wakefield Library staff for stories and rhymes.
Interactive Story Time and Puppet Show for Pre-School Children9:15am - 11:30am / Mulberry House Nursery, Margaret Street / Free, booking essential via [email protected] and take part in a special interactive story time and puppet show (for children 0-4 years) – where stories come to life and imaginations take off! Refreshments provided and plenty of fun for all. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Grammar School Foundation.
How to Get Published - Writer’s Workshop with Christina James & Jim Bennett2pm - 4pm / Wakefield Library / Free, booking essentialAn afternoon packed with information for anyone interested in writing fiction and getting it published. Led by local crime author Christina James and Jim Bennett, her editor, this event aims to inspire, enthuse and take away the fear! Suitable for both published writers and those who have yet to be published. Topics include: Should you use an agent?; Traditional publishing versus self-publishing; Extending your readership and keeping your readers ‘warm’. The event will conclude with short readings from Christina’s novels, including her latest, ‘Sausage Hall’ and a signing. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Libraries.
Joanne M. Harris - ‘The Gospel of Loki’8pm - 9:30pm / Westgate Unitarian Chapel / £10/£7The first adult epic fantasy novel from multi-million-copy bestselling author Joanne Harris. ‘The Gospel of Loki’ is a brilliant first-person narrative of the rise and fall of the Norse gods - retold from the point of view of the world’s ultimate trickster, Loki. It tells the story of Loki’s recruitment from the underworld of Chaos, his many exploits on behalf of his one-eyed master, Odin, through to his eventual betrayal of the gods and the fall of Asgard itself. Using her life-long passion for the Norse myths, Joanne Harris has created a vibrant and powerful fantasy novel. Joanne is the author of the Whitbread-shortlisted ‘Chocolat’ (made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp) and many other bestselling novels. This event is presented in partnership with Jordans Solicitors.
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‘Holding Your Hand Through Hard Times’ - A Firm of Poets Book Launch6:45pm - 8pm / Chantry Chapel / FreeA Firm Of Poets invites you to join them for the launch of their anthology, ‘Holding Your Hand Through Hard Times’. Published by Ossett Observer Presents, this first collection includes work from John Darwin, Matt Abbott, Matthew Hedley Stoppard, Genevieve Walsh and Ralph Dartford.
"A Firm of Poets provides an evening’s entertainment full of charm, warmth and humour in equal measure - not to be missed."
‘Dark Wood to Heavenly City’: Readings and Commentary on Dante’s Divine Comedy 7:30pm - 9pm / Wakefield Cathedral / FreeProfessor Claire Honess will lead an evening of selected readings and commentary from Dantes’s ‘Divine Comedy’. Claire is Professor of Italian Studies and Head of the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Leeds. Her book, ‘From Florence to the Heavenly City: The Poetry of Citizenship in Dante’, appeared in 2006. Seed Fund Event
Dirty Pigeon Presents...7pm - 8pm / The Orangery / £PayWhatYouDecideDirty Pigeon are a new arts collective debuting at Wakefield Lit Fest. Unapologetically honest, ruthlessly satirical and politically incorrect, Dirty Pigeon explore issues they are passionate about mixed with humour, drama and absurdity. They will be presenting a new piece of theatre looking to unearth some of the ridiculous actions of modern society. For updates follow them @dirty_pigeon_ Seed Fund Event
Sailing to ByzantiumDoors & Food from 7:15pm, Music from 8:30pm / Wakefield Sports Club / £17/ £16 Tickets via 01977 680 542 / [email protected] and enchanting, poetry and music have always been of equal importance to Christine Tobin, Parliamentary Jazz Awards ‘Jazz Singer of the Year’, both as singer and composer. The poems presented here are chosen from Yeats’s early work through to his final collection. Christine works with the poems on a deep intuitive level creating music that draws you into a world of unalloyed soulfulness. Romantic and radical, Christine is a musical free spirit who blurs the lines to create her own unique style that manages to be both earthy and ethereal. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Jazz. www.wakefieldjazz.org
"In this beautiful collection of songs based on the poetry of WB Yeats, vocalist Christine Tobin has created an unqualified masterpiece." - Peter Quinn, Jazzwise (issue 165 - July).
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Forgotten Memory12:30pm - 1:30pm / The Orangery / FreeThrough dance, music, poetry and film we ‘Send up a great lament/for the broken body of our earth’ and a call to ‘Dream a new world into being’. A vibrant, multi-lingual tapestry of languages reflecting the rich and beautiful diversity of the many cultures in our world united. ‘Forgotten Memory’ is by Siobhan Mac Mahon, an Irish Performance Poet and Playwright resident in Leeds. Seed Fund Event
Nostell Open Book Day1pm - 4pm / National Trust at Nostell Priory / Booking not required. Standard admission House & Gardens ticket £10.40 (with gift aid). Free to National Trust members. Nostell’s delicate historic books cannot be exhibited every day, but today we will have our National Trust staff and volunteers on hand to reveal some of the hidden treasures between the bindings. We’ve chosen some of our favourite books to show you, including a handwritten recipe book by Nostell’s cooks, a 230 year old joke book, and gorgeously illustrated Gould’s Book of Birds.
Saturday 27th September
Readers Group Day including Meet the Author: Jo Baker ‘Longbourn’10:30am - 3:30pm / Wakefield Library / Free, booking essentialJoin us at Wakefield Library for a day celebrating reading with Jo Baker author of ‘Longbourn’. Meet other readers, ask questions and introduce your own favourite book characters. After lunch (bring a picnic to enjoy in the Library or visit Create Café) choose a group to discuss ‘Longbourn’ (Jo Baker), ‘Persuasion’ (Jane Austen) ‘A Humble Companion’ (Laurie Graham) or ‘Remarkable Creatures’ (Tracy Chevalier). Contact Wakefield Library to borrow copies of the books or to find out how the library service supports readers groups.
‘Longbourn’ by Jo Baker ‘If Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats,’ Sarah thought, ‘she would be more careful not to tramp through muddy fields.’ There is another story behind ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and it’s the story of the servants who made it all possible. Shortlisted for the Independent Booksellers Book Award 2014 and a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. Presented in partnership with Wakefield Libraries.
Dylan Thomas Centenary 1914-2014‘I Walk for as Long as Forever Is’10am - 11:30am / Meet at The Orangery / FreeJoin poet and Beam Director Robert Powell for an intriguing walk around Wakefield, with some special guests and some very special readings celebrating the life and work of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Practical (as well as poetic) clothing advised.
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Lit Fest at the Red ShedFrom 11:30am / Wakefield Labour Club (the Red Shed) Seed Fund Event11.30am-12.30pm Striking Memories Readings and discussion from the ‘84/’85 strike. What happened then and where it leaves us now // 1.30-2.30pm Roger Millward The Castleford, Hull KR and Great Britain Rugby League legend talks about his incredible career // 3pm Mark Thomas Mark returns to the Red Shed to share insights from his life in comedy and political activism. Mark Thomas has been a performer since 1985, touring the UK and abroad, he works as a comic, activist and writer. Mark studied at Bretton Hall in Yorkshire, did shows in miner’s soup kitchens and fundraisers during the strike and still does an annual benefit show for the National Union of Mineworkers in Wakefield.Tickets for Mark Thomas £7 - to book contact Red Shed on 01924 215626 (proceeds to Orgreave Truth and Justice) . All other events are free.
‘Fabulous Females’ - a Poetry Workshop for Women, with Leah Thorn2pm - 4pm / The Well Women Centre, Trinity Church Gate / £10/£5, booking essential (limited places), via Alison Rowe 01924 211 114 / [email protected] Spoken Word Poet Leah Thorn leads this dynamic and inspiring workshop celebrating women. Using poetry and listening exercises, we will explore our strengths, as well as the challenges of living in a society that does not always treat women well. No experience of writing poetry is necessary, just a willingness to take risks, play with words and ideas - and have some fun. This event is part of a programme of workshops, talks and performances exploring how creative writing and the spoken word can empower women, delivered in partnership with Wakefield Well Women Centre and Wakefield Council.
Steve Dearden & the Westgate Writers3pm - 4:30pm / The Orangery / FreeSince last year’s festival Lit Fest Writer in Residence Steve Dearden has been working on ‘Wakelost Wakefound’. Part online novella, part photo essay, www.wakelost.com captures 24hrs in the interwoven lives of a retired intelligence officer, a young Somali girl, an electrician and a librarian, all in the area embracing HMP Wakefield, Angel Lodge, The Orangery, Westgate and Burgage Square. Join us for the festival showcase of Steve’s commission piece. Steve will also be joined by a newly formed group of writers and commuters who he has been working with to explore the new Westgate railway station in words.
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Sunday 28th SeptemberWakefield Wordwalk 2014 - ‘The Castle of Dreams’Performances at 2pm, 4pm & 6pm / £5/£3, booking essentialYou will be given given details of the city centre meeting point a week prior to the event. A bus will take audience members to the performance and return you to the pick-up spot afterwards, please let us know if you have any access requirements.
Be transported from Wakefield city centre on our special bus to Sandal Castle, where you will encounter epic tales of fantasy, romance, feuds, and maybe some dangers that lurk in the moat. Featuring new writing by local young people aged 4-19 and performed by an intergenerational company of actors, ‘The Castle of Dreams’ promises to be a unique and magical storytelling performance experience in a historic setting. Wrap up for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes! Director: Andrew Loretto; Dramaturg: Richard Hurford, in collaboration with Yew Tree Theatre.
Running time: Approx. 90 minutes (including bus journeys). Funding for The Castle of Dreams has been provided by the Clore Duffield Foundation through its Clore Poetry and Literature Awards. Please be aware that these performances will be recorded - please inform us if you would rather not be filmed.
For Books Sake Presents - The Literary Pub Quiz: ‘Place & Happiness’8pm - 10pm / The Orangery / £5/£3 ‘Do you know your Helen Walsh from your Zoe Pilger? You do! Would Jane Eyre have been happy had she not travelled? She wouldn’t? Great, then this is the quiz for you! Round up a bookish and literate team for an evening of fun trivia focussed on women’s literature. With prizes galore and other tricks in store from the For Books’ Sake team, who return to Wakefield for the third year in 2014, this is not one to miss. Maximum 4 people per team.
Ian McMillan asks ‘Are We Happy?’ Panel Discussion & Reading5pm - 7pm / The Orangery / £10/£7 Join Academy of Urbanism Poet in Residence Ian McMillan, Beam Director Robert Powell and other experts for a panel discussion exploring the connections between happiness and place, wellbeing and playfulness, writing and identity. Ian has been a poet, broadcaster, commentator and programme maker for over 25 years. He’s explored language & communication with students, teachers, policy makers, local authority officers, politicians and business communities. Beam is an arts, architecture and education charity dedicated to the imaginative understanding and improvement of the public realm. A poetry reading from Ian McMillan will follow the panel discussion.
It’s impossible not to like McMillan. If they made him Poet Laureate on Friday, a lot more people would be reading poetry by Monday. - Sue Arnold, The Guardian
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Tuesday 30th SeptemberPoetry Wrap Party7:30pm - 10pm / The Orangery / £4/£2Celebrate the final night of the 2014 Lit Fest by attending the Poetry Wrap co-hosted by the Black Horse Poets and the Red Shed Readings. Prizes to be won in the ‘Recite Your Own Poem’ and the ‘Find Your Poetic Partner’ competition. There’ll also be a spoken word and musical contribution plus a book stall. Make it a night to remember! N.B. Places on the ‘Recite your own Poem’ competition are strictly limited and should be pre-booked by emailing John Irving Clarke on [email protected].
Monday 29th September
Ben Aaronovitch ‘Foxglove Summer’6pm - 7:30pm / The Orangery / £10/£7In the fifth of his bestselling PC Grant series, Ben Aaronovitch takes Peter Grant out of whatever comfort zone he might have found and takes him out of London – to a small village in Herefordshire where the local police are reluctant to admit there might be a supernatural element to the disappearance of some local children.
With over 500,000 copies sold, every title in the PC Grant series has been a Sunday Times bestseller. London-based Ben also used to write for Doctor Who. One for fans of crime fiction and contemporary fantasy.
Stuart Maconie ‘The People’s Songs’ (presented by Lakin McCarthy)8pm - 10pm / Theatre Royal Wakefield / £16, £14, £11 + concessionsSpend an evening in the company of this popular and prolific TV and radio presenter, journalist, columnist and author as he talks about his new book and epic radio series, ‘The People’s Songs’, a social history of modern Britain told through pop singles. It’s a project that Stuart is both proud of and passionate about and tells the story of modern Britain through the records that we listened to and loved during the dramatic and kaleidoscopic period from the Second World War to the present day. Known as co-host of the Radcliffe and Maconie Show on BBC Radio 6 Music, Stuart is also one of the UK’s top selling travel writers, with ‘Adventures on the High Teas’ bringing comparisons to Bill Bryson and The Times calling him a National Treasure. @stuartmaconie. Presented in partnership with Theatre Royal Wakefield
AcknowledgmentsWith special thanks to Mark Bradley, Alison Cassels, John Clarke, Ian Clayton, Murray Edwards, Ian McMillan, Stephen May, Jacqui Wicks and Andy Wright who continue to support the development of Wakefield Lit Fest. The Beam ‘Lit Fest’ Team are Robert Powell, Fran Smith & Sara Unwin.
VenuesThe Orangery, Back Lane, Wakefield, WF1 2TG | Trinity Walk Shopping Centre, Wakefield, WF1 1QS | Westgate Unitarian Chapel, Westgate, Wakefield, WF1 1XR | Ossett Library, Station Road, Ossett, WF5 8AB | Trinity Church, Church St, Ossett, West Yorkshire WF5 9DW | Castleford Forum, Carlton Street, Castleford, WF10 1BB | Wakefield Library & Museum, Wakefield One, Burton Street, WF1 2DD | Well Women Centre, 24 Trinity Church Gate, Wakefield, WF1 1TX | Newmillerdam (Main Car Park), Barnsley Road, Newmillerdam, Wakefield, WF2 6QP | Nostell Priory, Doncaster Road, Nostell, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 1QE | Henry Boons, 130 Westgate, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF2 9SR | Unity Hall, Westgate, Wakefield, WF1 1EP | St Austin’s Community Centre, Wentworth Terrace, Wakefield, WF1 3QN | Wakefield Cathedral, Westmorland Street, Wakefield, WF1 1PJ | Wakefield Labour Club (Red Shed), 18 Vicarage Street, Wakefield, WF1 1QX | Wakefield Jazz Club, Wakefield (College Grove) Sports Club, Eastmoor Road, Wakefield, WF1 3RR (Please use WF1 3RZ for satnavs) | Chantry Chapel, Wakefield Bridge, Calder Vale Road, Wakefield WF1 5DJ | Theatre Royal Wakefield, Drury Lane, Wakefield, WF1 2TE | Mulberry House Nursery, Margaret Street, Wakefield, WF1 2DG | Queen Elizabeth Grammar Junior School, 158 Northgate, Wakefield, WF1 3QY
Ticket BookingAll tickets and reservations to be made through Theatre Royal Wakefield box office unless otherwise stated.
Phone: 01924 211 311 Online: theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk In Person: Theatre Royal Wakefield, Drury Lane, Wakefield, WF1 2TE
Further InformationOnline: wakefieldlitfest.org.uk Follow us: @Wake_Lit_Fest Find us on Facebook: Wakefield Lit Fest Phone: 01924 215 550To enquire about discounted booking rates for groups of ten or more, please email [email protected] or call 01924 215 550.
www.wakefieldlitfest.org.uk
Image credits: Front Cover: Jackie Kay, c.Denise Else (&Pg5); Will Self & Maglorian, c.Chris Close (&Pg11); Simon Armitage, c.Paul
Wolfgang Webster (&Pg8); Ian McMillan, c.Andy Boag (&Pg18), Roger McGough, c.Colin Clarke (&Pg7); Joanne Harris, c. Kyte Photgraphy;
Louise Doughty, c.Claire McNamee (Pg3); ‘Drinks for the People’, c.Steve Dearden (Pg3); ‘The Knowledge Emporium’, c.Slung Low (Pg4);
c. The Print Project (Pg6); c.Jack Hulme (Pg9); c.John Jowett (Pg12); Christine Tobin, c.Brian O’Connor (Pg 15); Sandal Castle, c.Wakefield
Museums (Pg18)
All details are correct at time of going to print. Please note event end times are approximate.