Big names start to emerge for Charleston Festival 2025

The initial line-up includes actor Richard E Grant, celebrated for his iconic roles in Withnail & I and Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Spokeswoman Leah Dennison said: “Known for his warmth, humour and candid reflections, both on and off screen, Grant offers heartfelt insights on love and connection, providing hope in an increasingly fractured world.”

She added: “Newly announced for the 2025 festival is a new commission by Travis Alabanza for the Festival’s flagship event, The Charleston Monologue. Alabanza, the award-winning writer and performer whose work explores gender, trans identity and race will debut I thought this would feel good, a new 30-minute piece written in the weeks leading up to the festival. “Previous authors of The Charleston Monologue have included award-winning playwright Benedict Lombe, critically acclaimed performance artist Bryony Kimmings and internationally renowned writer and curator Inua Ellams.”

Other highlights of the diverse programme include:

• Shirley Collins, English folk singer and a pivotal figure in the revival of traditional music.

• Roxane Gay, best-selling author, cultural commentator and voice in feminist thought.

• Abdulrazak Gurnah, Nobel Prize-winning author whose works, including Paradise and Afterlives, explore themes of migration, colonialism and the complexities of identity.

• Deborah Levy, author of Hot Milk and The Man Who Saw Everything, whose work delves into memory, intimacy and the female experience.

“Over two weeks, Charleston Festival will bring together bold voices and brilliant minds to share stories, spark ideas and explore contemporary issues. The festival’s rich programme features over 50 talks and performances with more than 100 speakers, all set within the idyllic grounds of Charleston in the Sussex South Downs. Inspired by the progressive spirit of the Bloomsbury Group, the festival continues to address today’s most pressing cultural and societal questions.”

Melissa Perkins, head of programme and events, said: “You won’t find anything quite like Charleston Festival. Our 2025 line-up brings together some of the most daring, original and celebrated voices of our time – from Nobel laureates to cultural trailblazers. Over two weeks, expect big ideas, bold conversations and a few surprises that will challenge convention and spark conversation.

“Writer, performer and theatre maker Travis Alabanza is a bold and blazing talent, whose work blends personal narrative with social commentary. Audiences flocked to past shows Burgerz and Overflow, with sell-out runs at the South Bank Centre and the Royal Court. Their award-winning debut book, None of the Above: Reflections on Life Beyond the Binary, was listed in TIME’s 100 books of 2023.

“Shirley Collins has earned a reputation as one of the most beloved and influential figures in British folk music, with a legacy that spans generations. From her song-collecting trips in the American South to her pivotal role in the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s, and her triumphant return with Lodestar after 30 years of silence, Collins is celebrated for bringing the raw beauty of English folk songs to life.

“Roxane Gay is a trailblazing US writer and cultural critic and one of the most influential voices of our time, redefining feminism for a new generation. In works such as Bad Feminist, Hunger and Difficult Women, she blends sharp analysis with humour and vulnerability, offering a powerful perspective on modern life.”