Hugh Bonneville leads Shoreham Wordfest line-up under Making Waves banner
The theme for this year’s Shoreham Wordfest is Making Waves reflecting the changes, challenges and opportunities ahead, plus the important role of literature and the arts in steering us through choppy waters (September 29-October 20).
Tickets and information from: www.shorehamwordfest.com/what-on. Tickets will also be on sale at the Black Flamingo Store, 21 Brunswick Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 5WA. Info on 07515 800957.
Shoreham Wordfest programme director Rosalind Turner said: “There is a great deal to enjoy and celebrate in the festival programme. Luminaries include actor Hugh Bonneville (October 15, already sold out) who will talk about his memoir, Playing Under the Piano – from Downton Abbey to Darkest Peru. Caroline Lucas, former MP and leader of The Green Party, will discuss the ideas set out in her new book, Another England (October 4). Award-winning novelist Kate Mosse is launching her new novel The Map of Bones, the sequel to The Ghost Ship (October 18).
“Fatal Shore Crime Fiction returns (October 19), a whole-day event led by best-selling crime novelists Elly Griffiths and William Shaw, accompanied by 20 crime writers including Peter James who will talk about his writing career and the television series of his DI Grace novels, often filmed in and around Shoreham.
“Shoreham Wordfest includes a new venture this year: Sussex Lost and Found, a whole day of social history talks (October 13) featuring the working lives of ordinary people in Sussex across the centuries from medieval to the start of the twentieth century. Alexandra Harris, author of The Rising Down, will start the day which has speakers from various universities and local history groups and ends with an evening of folk songs.
“Wordfest has its own scoop (October 5) featuring Sam McAlister, author of Scoops which was turned into the successful Netflix film where she was played by Billie Piper and now nominated for a television academy award. Sam, a larger-than-life character, will talk about her career in TV and the many other interviews she secured including Bill Clinton, Benjamin Netanyahu and Julian Assange.
“There are plenty of opportunities for discussion and reflection on topical issues. Two foreign correspondents will focus on Ukraine and the Middle East (October 2) and an Any Questions panel (October 11) featuring social activist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Solomon Curtis, youth adviser to the London Mayor, Anna Boeteng, political adviser to the last government and former rugby and cricket star Alastair Hignell.
“There will be seasonally dramatic Ghostly Tales of Sussex in the ancient Marlipins Museum (October 5 and 6) and two dramas featuring fearless mould-breaking women: Pretty, Witty Nell about the infamous Nell Gwynn (October 9) and Tiptree about a science fiction writer who was not what they seemed (October 12.) Murray Lachlan Young, comic poet and wordsmith, will entertain with a family show followed by an evening of riotous comedy (October 20). Children can also enjoy activities with Joseph Coelho, former Children’s Laureate (October 13).”