A Weekend of Words 2016

A WEEKEND

OF WORDS 21-23 October 2016 Rich Hall

Wendy Cope

Katie Fforde

Brian Patten

Kindly supported by The Rt Hon The Lord Rooker

Information

box office Monday-Saturday, 10am-8pm

ticketing policy

how to book

In Person: Our main entrance is on Mill Street.

Phone: 01584 878141 Online: www.ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk

All prices include a £1 booking fee per ticket.

We regret that refunds are not given and tickets cannot be exchanged.

access Ludlow Assembly Rooms welcomes audience members with additional needs. We admit service dogs and have accessible toilets, nearby disabled parking and a speaking lift. If you have any queries or requests, please contact the Box Office ahead of your visit.

parking Nearby parking is available on street and in Castle Street car park.

This is free after 6pm only.

refreshments Tea, coffee and cake available on site each day from 12.30pm. Festival meals can be pre-ordered at The Blue Boar.

Friday 21 October INHABITING THE TEXT A schools workshop by Rooftop Theatre will be exploring new and varied interpretations and perspectives on a variety of texts. Students will answer questions such as ‘how you feel about the play, plot, character or theme?’

Looking at drama and literature texts in a dramatic and interactive manner, they will discover the emotional connections between the characters with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding and enjoyment.

Time: 12.45pm / Tickets: £2 / Duration: 2hrs

SARAH WARD The Lure of the Deadly Crime fiction author and book reviewer, Sarah Ward, talks about why we love to read crime novels and the inspiration behind her work.

Sarah Ward is the author of In Bitter Chill, which was published in 2015 to critical acclaim. Her second novel, A Deadly Thaw, continues the crime series set in the Derbyshire Peak District. On her blog, Crimepieces (www.crimepieces.com), she reviews the best of current crime fiction published around the world.

Time: 3pm / Tickets: £5 / Duration: 1hr 2 ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk

Friday 21 October THE WORKS OF THOMAS HARDY AND PHILIP LARKIN Poetry reading with Gareth Owen Local poet Gareth Owen will share his passion for the two poets Thomas Hardy and Philip Larkin, in a set of informed readings that will illuminate the qualities of their work.

Gareth, a former presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Poetry Please!, has published several books, with appearances of his work in a hundred anthologies.

Time: 4.15pm / Tickets: £5 / Duration: 45mins

BOOKS & GAMES The Castle Bookshop will have a pop-up shop on level two selling books for each event throughout the weekend. There will also be a selection of games that are free to play on our top foyer.

LORD BERNARD DONOUGHUE Yes Minister, but No Minister A tale from the heart of Westminster Lord Bernard Donoghue has chronicled the workings of government over 40 years in his published diaries, his latest having been published earlier this year. He was the first head of a policy unit in Downing Street, acted as advisor to the TV series Yes Minister and spent two years from 1997 as a government Minister in the House of Lords.

Sit back and listen as Bernard sets the facts from the fiction from both sides of the fence.

He will be introduced by Lord Jeff Rooker, who worked with Bernard as a new Minister in 1997.

Time: 5.30pm / Tickets: £10 / Duration: 1hr

RICH HALL Join Rich Hall and his virtuoso musical mates for a mash-up of music, comedy and gratuitous coloration featuring the very best of comedy and music. Performing will be Rich’s regular band of talented and chronically unemployable urchins.

The floor will reek of liquor and spent dreams.

Rich is most notable for his regular appearances on Very British Problems (Channel 4), ‘Stand Up For The Week’ (Channel 4), ‘QI’ (BBC1/2) and ‘Live At The Apollo’ (BBC1) Time: 8pm / Tickets: £17 / Duration: 1hr 50mins

BOX OFFICE: 01584 878141

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Saturday 22 October

[WORKSHOPS] ADVENTURES IN SHAKESPEARE Come on an exciting adventure into the world of Shakespeare and discover the drama, fun, humour and magic.

Parents and children become players together in a Shakespearean world. What can we learn about Shakespeare from young people – we’re always telling them they must read and appreciate him but do we really listen to what they think about him?

This workshop is for parents/ grand-parents/ guardians and children together (ages 9 to 99) Time: 12 noon & 1pm / Tickets: £5 (adults go free) Duration: 1hr

SIGN LANGUAGE WORKSHOP This hands on workshop is an opportunity to learn the basics of British Sign Language. Leading this workshop will be Zebra Uno – a unique, creative business focused on digital media and communication closely linked to the Deaf Community.

Time: 2.30pm / Tickets: £5 / Duration: 1hr

CAFÉ CORNER Our Café Corner offers a space for you to come and rediscover your love of books in our pop-up library. Or why not use our drop-in Social Media Booth and learn about the internet phenomenon?

Open all weekend until 7.30pm

THE SONGS OF BENJAMIN BRITTEN with Frances Israel and Elizabeth Rossiter Award-winning solo soprano Frances Israel is accompanied by pianist Elizabeth Rossiter in an afternoon’s recital of Benjamin Britten.

Frances has been performing in the UK for the past 15 years.

Her most recent projects include soprano soloist in The Messiah conducted by Mark Deller and Berlioz Les Nuit D’Ete with Harlow Symphony Orchestra.

Joining Frances is London-based pianist Elizabeth Rossiter who has performed as a recitalist at all the UK’s major halls including Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Barbican.

Time: 1:30pm / Tickets: £5 / Duration: 45mins 4 ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk

Saturday 22 October BRIAN PATTEN The Accessible Muse One of the UK’s most distinctive and popular poets, Brian Patten will deliver scrupulously crafted, heartbreakingly honest, funny and uplifting poems.

Brian made his name in the 1960s as one of the Liverpool Poets, alongside Adrian Henri and Roger McGough. He has published over forty books including: Collected Love Poems and Selected Poems.

A master of performance – genuine and generous – his readings are always memorable.

Time: 3pm / Tickets: £10 / Duration: 1hr

REFRESHMENTS Tea, coffee and cake available on site each day from 12.30pm.

Festival meals can be pre-ordered at The Blue Boar.

HELENA ATTLEE How to Research and Write Your Own Book Bestselling author Helena Attlee comes to explore the method of researching and writing your own book.

Helena is the author of The Land Where Lemons Grow, The Story of Italy and its Citrus Fruit, Radio 4 Book of the Week, a TLS Book of the Year and winner of the Guild of Food Writers Food Book of the Year in 2015.

Time: 5pm / Tickets: £10 / Duration: 1hr

WENDY COPE Contemporary English poet Wendy Cope presents her newest collection Family Values, containing many poems about her childhood, several of them rather sad and unhappy… and she wouldn’t want anyone to think she was advocating family values as the politicians do.

These new poems will be read alongside a selection of favourites from her previous bestselling collection Two Cures For Love.

Time: 7.30pm / Tickets: £15 / Duration: 1hr 30mins

BOX OFFICE: 01584 878141

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Sunday 23 October

[WORKSHOPS] SIGN LANGUAGE WORKSHOP Another chance to learn the basics of British Sign Language. Leading this workshop will be Zebra Uno – a unique, creative business focused on digital media and communication closely linked to the Deaf Community.

Time: 1pm / Tickets: £5 / Duration: 1hr

CAMPFIRE STORIES Join us around the campfire to share a tale.

Under imaginary stars, by the glow of the flame, hear the sounds of the dark, weaving words into stories Bring a torch to this event.

Suitable for ages 8+ Time: 2.10pm / Tickets: £2 / Duration: 40mins

WORDS TO MUSIC WORKSHOP An interactive session with local poet, Gareth Owen, probes into the art of song-writing with supported activities to help refine the technique.

Open to musicians and non-musicians alike.

Time: 3pm / Tickets: £5 / Duration: 40 mins

KATIE FFORDE In conversation with Liz Hyder Katie Fforde lives in the beautiful Cotswold countryside with her family, and is a true country girl at heart.

She loves being a writer; to her there isn’t a more satisfying and pleasing thing to do. She particularly enjoys writing love stories, something she wants all her characters to experience.

A regular top five Sunday Times bestseller, Katie has sold 2.5 million books in the UK, including: Living Dangerously, Going Dutch and her most recent release A Summer At Sea. Time: 3pm / Tickets: £5 / Duration: 1hr 6 ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk

Sunday 23 October REBECCA STEPHENS The centennial anniversary of Shackleton Rebecca Stephens MBE, first British woman to climb Everest and the Seven Summits, delves into the legendary story of Sir Ernest Shackleton, widely known as one of the most inspirational leaders of the 20th century.

This year marks the centennial anniversary of Shackleton’s epic, Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914/17, on which he made his name.

Rebecca has sailed and climbed in Antarctica, crossed the island of South Georgia in the footsteps of Shackleton, and twice sailed to Antarctica to visit Shackleton sites.

Time: 4.30pm / Tickets: £10 / Duration: 1hr

CLAPPER BOX The Fetch Theatre presents this unique hands on experience, bringing wonderfully quirky adaptations of your favourite classic movies using puppetry and your imagination! A workshop using Bunraku puppets will also be available – a chance to explore storytelling without words!

FREE All day until 7.30pm

FRANNY MOYLE The Extraordinary Life and Momentous Times of J. M. W. Turner J. M. W. Turner is Britain’s most famous landscape painter. Yet beyond his artistic achievements, little is known of the man himself and the events of his life.

Coming to explore the artist behind the paintings is former BBC Commissioner for Arts and Culture, Franny Moyle – now a freelance executive producer and writer. Her talk will focus on her most recent publication The Extraordinary Life and Momentous Times of J. M. W. Turner.

Time: 6pm / Tickets: £10 / Duration: 1hr

GEORGE MONBIOT AND EWAN MCLENNAN Breaking the Spell of Loneliness Guardian journalist and writer, George Monbiot and musician Ewan McLennan have collaborated together to create the concept album, Breaking the Spell of Loneliness.

A mixture of ballads and anthems, some sad, some stirring, this event will couple the use of spoken word and song, highlighting the broader theme and the politics that underlie the duo’s work.

Time: 7.30pm / Tickets: £15 / Duration: 2hrs BOX OFFICE: 01584 878141

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A WEEKEND OF WORDS 2016 FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER 12:45pm

Inhabiting the Text Workshop Rooftop Theatre

£2

3pm

Sarah Ward

£5

4.15pm

The Works of Thomas Hardy and Philip Larkin

£5

5.30pm

Lord Bernard Donoughue

£10

8pm

Rich Hall

£17

SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER 12 noon 1pm 1.30pm

Adventures in Shakespeare Workshop Rooftop Theatre Adventures in Shakespeare Rooftop Theatre The Songs of Benjamin Britten With Frances Israel and Rebecca Rossiter

£5 £5 £5

2.30pm

Sign Language Workshop

£5

3pm

Brian Patten

£10

5pm

Helena Attlee

£10

7.30pm

Wendy Cope

£15

SUNDAY 23 OCTOBER 1pm

Sign Language Workshop

£5

2.10pm

Campfire Stories Workshop

£2

3pm

Words to Music Workshop

£5

3pm

Katie Fforde

£5

4.30pm

Rebecca Stephens

£10

6pm

Franny Moyle

£10

7.30pm

George Monbiot & Ewan McLennan

£15

All tickets (except for Rich Hall) are unreserved seating.

A Weekend of Words has been kindly supported by The Rt Hon The Lord Rooker