2017
yeovil literary festival 26 - 29 October 2017
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 1
25/08/2017 13:44
Specialist Legal Advice and Solutions for whatever life brings - at home or at work
Proud to be the Main Sponsor of the Yeovil Literary Festival
01935 846000 enquiries@battens.co.uk www.battens.co.uk Offices in:
Yeovil Sherborne Dorchester Weymouth Wareham Bath London @BattensSol
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 2
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
WELCOME Since 2013 the Yeovil Literary Festival has gone from strength to strength and has welcomed even more inspirational artists and events to South Somerset with over 4,700 tickets sold for the 2016 festival. The 2017 festival will once again see an exciting programme of literature and arts events from well-known literary figures, comedians and celebrities as well as new and emerging writers. The festival is a notfor-profit partnership between The Octagon Theatre (part of South Somerset District Council), Waterstones Yeovil, the Yeovil Community Arts Association and Somerset Library Service. We look forward to welcoming you to our venues - The Octagon Theatre, The Manor Hotel, Yeovil Library and Brimsmore Garden Centre - and are grateful to all the artists, volunteers, sponsors and everyone who is contributing to making the Yeovil Literary
Festival a success. We hope you find much here to entertain and inspire you. Our 2017 headline sponsor is Battens Solicitors, with additional sponsorship and support from The Western Gazette, The Manor Hotel, The Gardens Group, Leweston School, Quedam Shopping, Grace Productions and Retreats for You.
Festival Directors (Left to right): Adam Burgan - Arts & Entertainment Manager, The Octagon Theatre | Emma Mercer Yeovil Library | Marcus Bishop - Waterstones, Yeovil | Liz Pike Yeovil Community Arts Association
MEMBERS When buying a ticket to any Yeovil Literary Festival event taking place in The Octagon Auditorium or The Manor Hotel you will be allocated a Discover Event voucher (one voucher per purchased ticket). This voucher can be exchanged for a complimentary ticket to one of our Discover Events which will be clearly marked with the symbol above.
Wherever the term ‘Member’ is listed as a price type, a discounted rate is available for anyone who is a:
PLEASE NOTE: Discover Vouchers are not accepted as entry to festival events. To claim your free Discover Event tickets you will need to exchange your vouchers in person (or by post) via The Octagon Theatre Box Office.
• Footlight Member at The Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue • Yeovil Community Arts Association Member • Waterstones Loyalty Card Holder • Somerset Library Card Holder
Terms and Conditions Discover Event vouchers can only be used for Discover Events and tickets are subject to availability. Discover Event vouchers cannot be used retrospectively.
Terms and Conditions The amendment of pricing to Members rate is not available retrospectively.
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 3
03
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
PRE-FESTIVAL EVENTS
Cressida Cowell The Wizards of Once and How to Train Your Dragon
Cressida Cowell is the author-illustrator of the multi-million bestselling series How to Train Your Dragon (also a film and TV series). She’s here launching her first new project in 18 years, The Wizards of Once - a fantasy, magical adventure that has already been signed up by animation studio DreamWorks. Cressida will talk about her inspiration; give top tips on becoming an author or illustrator, as well as sharing behind-the-scenes details about how the Dragon books became films. The ‘world-conquering’ How to Train Your Dragon has sold 8 million copies in 38 languages worldwide; Cressida has also been an Ambassador for the National Literacy Trust for a decade. Unmissable!
25.09.17 - 1pm & 5pm The Octagon Auditorium Sponsored by:
TICKETS: 1pm School Performance - £3 TICKETS: 5pm Public Performance - £6
Martina Cole
In Conversation with Clare Donoghue Martina Cole’s first novel Dangerous Lady caused a sensation when it was published in 1992, and launched one of the bestselling fiction writers of her generation. Twenty-five years later, Martina has gone on to have more No.1 original fiction bestsellers than any other adult fiction author. She won the British Book Award for Crime Thriller of the Year with The Take, which then went on to be a hit TV series for Sky 1. Her unique, powerful storytelling is acclaimed for its hard-hitting, true-to-life style. There is no-one else who writes like Martina Cole. TICKETS: £10.50 MEMBERS: £8.50
04
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 4
17.10.17 - 7:30pm The Manor Hotel
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings PRE-FESTIVAL EVENTS CONTINUED PLUS...
yeovil literary festival
THURSDAY & FRIDAY
Sarah Raven The Cutting Garden
Sarah is an inspirational, passionate gardener and teacher. Her gardening and cookery books have won many awards including Best Specialist Gardening Book for The Cutting Garden and Cookery Book of the Year for Sarah Raven’s Garden Cookbook. Sarah has presented on BBC Gardeners’ World and the Great British Garden Revival series. Her TV series Bees, Butterflies and Blooms, followed Sarah’s attempts to flower up the nation to increase insect habitat and food supply. TICKETS: £12 MEMBERS: £10 Doors open at 6pm for drinks and canapés.
21.10.17 - 7pm Brimsmore Garden Centre
The YCAA Literary Dinner
With Special Guest Christopher Biggins Known affectionately as ‘Biggins’, this charismatic actor and author will tell us about his colourful life in the theatre, on stage and his roles in television series. His autobiography Biggins: My Story is a joy to read.
26.10.17 - 7pm The Manor Hotel Sponsored by:
TICKETS: £25 Includes a champagne reception with three course meal.
The Yeovil Literary Prize Winners Meet and listen to some of the past Yeovil Literary Prize Winners reading extracts from their work and telling us about their exciting journey into the world of publishing. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 5
27.10.17 - 10am The Johnson Studio
05
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
FRIDAY
Criminal Minds Crime Writing Workshop
Join bestselling crime authors Chris Ewan and Clare Donoghue as they take you on a whistle stop tour of writing crime fiction. This workshop follows on from last year’s hugely popular workshop and includes discussion and exercises to help budding writers finish what they’ve started, edit their work and deal with the dreaded writer’s block. If you are new to crime writing this is the perfect starting place.
27.10.17 - 10am Yeovil Library Sponsored by:
TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
Joanne Harris A Pocketful of Crows
Joanne Harris, the author of many bestselling novels (including the much loved Chocolat), will be talking about her career and her new book, A Pocketful of Crows. A perfect autumn and Christmas read, this combines the harshness of nature with the spookiness of a ghost story and the comfort of a great folk tale, in one beautifully told novella. TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
06
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 6
27.10.17 - 12 noon The Octagon Auditorium
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
FRIDAY
David Young Bestselling and award-winning crime novelist David Young - a former prize winner at Yeovil - gives a fascinating illustrated talk about the real-life stories that inspired Stasi Child and Stasi Wolf. They include world exclusive photos of a little-known escape across the Berlin Wall - with a twist - which inspired a key part of Stasi Child, winner of the Crime Writers Association’s Historical Dagger. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
27.10.17 - 12 noon The Johnson Studio
Michael Portillo Life: A Game of Two Halves
It took Michael Portillo little more than 10 years to get a seat in the Commons and then rise in power and esteem to a point where he was a favoured leader of his party and possible future Prime Minister. A track record like that suggests to many a privileged friend of the rich and famous. Since leaving the house a decade ago Michael has endeared himself to many with his obvious respect for solid workmanship and creative energy, as found in our great Victorian Railways and the daily toil of the working man. A historian at heart, he has used a Victorian railway guide to take millions of viewers on a historical voyage of discovery throughout the UK, Ireland, USA and Europe. Listen to his extraordinary story, told with a light almost “stand up” touch, and then feel free to question him about it. TICKETS: £16 MEMBERS: £15
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 7
27.10.17 - 2pm The Octagon Auditorium
07
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
FRIDAY
Viv Groskop
The Anna Karenina Fix Award-winning comedian Viv Groskop has discovered the meaning of life in Russian literature. As she knows from personal experience, everything that has ever happened in life has already happened in these novels: from not being sure what to do with your life (Anna Karenina) to being in love with someone who doesn’t love you back enough (The Master and Margarita). This is a literary self-help memoir, with examples from the author’s own life that reflect the lessons of literature, only in a much less poetic way than Tolstoy probably intended, and with an emphasis on being excessively paranoid about having an emerging moustache on your upper lip, just like Natasha in War and Peace. TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
27.10.17 - 2pm The Manor Hotel
Christopher Fowler The Book of Forgotten Authors
Absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder. It makes people think you’re dead. So begins Christopher Fowler’s foray into the back catalogues and backstories of 99 authors who, once hugely popular, have all but disappeared from shelves. We are fondly introduced to each potential rediscovery: from lost Victorian voices to the twentieth century writers who could well become the next John Williams, Hans Fallada or Lionel Davidson. Whether male or female, flash-in-the-pan or prolific, megaseller or prize-winner - no author, it seems, can ever be fully immune from the fate of being forgotten. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
08
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 8
27.10.17 - 2pm The Johnson Studio
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
FRIDAY
Mark Billingham
In Conversation with Chris Ewan Mark Billingham has twice won the Theakston’s Old Peculier Award for Crime Novel of the Year, and has also won a Sherlock Award for the Best Detective Created by a British Writer. Each of the novels featuring Detective Inspector Tom Thorne has been a Sunday Times bestseller. He’ll be ‘in conversation’ with crime author Chris Ewan, talking about his latest book Love Like Blood. TICKETS: £8 MEMBERS: £7
27.10.17 - 2pm Yeovil Library
Polly Toynbee
Dismembered: How the Attack on the State Harms Us All Coming from a long line of intellectuals, historians and literary critics, Polly Toynbee won a scholarship to study History at Oxford. Her first job was at The Guardian where she has worked for many years slowly building a reputation for accurate fact finding left of centre journalism. With her partner, journalist David Walker, she wrote two books critically assessing the successes and failures of the Blair New Labour government: Life in Low Pay Britain (2003) and The Verdict: Did Labour Change Britain? (2010). Combining meticulous research with revealing the experiences of ordinary folk. She later wrote Dogma and Disarray (2012) reporting on the Tories’ first two years in government. Polly and fellow author David Walker discuss the slow but steady dismemberment of the Welfare State as the cuts continue to bite, together with other pressing problems such as Brexit and Trump. TICKETS: £15 MEMBERS: £14
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 9
27.10.17 - 4pm The Octagon Auditorium
09
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
FRIDAY
The Slow and Dirty
Somerset and Dorset’s Lost Railway FILM AND DISCUSSION Perhaps the most loved of the railway lines axed by Dr Beeching, The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway closed in 1966. Last year local film maker, David Parker, made a half hour programme for the BBC that told the story of the line that ran through some of the West Country’s most idyllic countryside. David will introduce a screening of the film and talk about how he made the programme and discovered some rare cine films that were made in the final days of the railway. TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
27.10.17 - 4pm The Manor Hotel
Murder in the Library Christopher Fowler is the award-winning author of novels and short story collections, and the creator of London’s most brilliant but unconventional detectives Bryant & May. David Young’s first novel Stasi Child was longlisted for the 2016 Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. His latest novel in the Oberleutnant Karin Muller series is Stasi Wolf. Sarah J Naughton’s debut adult novel Tattletale has received excellent reviews from fellow authors including this from Erin Kelly ‘Gripping, electrifying, heartbreaking’. Join these authors as they discuss their new books and how they write. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4 27.10.17 - 4pm Yeovil Library
10
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 10
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
FRIDAY
Harry Leslie Smith
Don’t Let My Past Be Your Future Don’t Let My Past Be Your Future, Harry Leslie Smith’s follow-up to Harry’s Last Stand, is both a survival guide for today’s generations and a memoir about persevering through difficult times with one’s dignity and optimism intact. Harry is a British stalwart; he is a survivor of the Great Depression, a Second World War RAF veteran and now, aged 94, he is a social activist for the poor and the preservation of social democracy. Following the overwhelming success of his first book, his new memoir is a survival guide for today’s generations who need hope. TICKETS: £12.50 MEMBERS: £10.50
27.10.17 - 6pm The Octagon Auditorium
Paddy Ashdown Game of Spies
After Paris, probably no French city was more affected by the drama of the fall of France and the early months of the German occupation than Bordeaux. In Games of Spies, Paddy tells the never before told story of a lethal spy triangle that formed there in 1942. TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 11
27.10.17 - 6pm The Manor Hotel
11
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
FRIDAY
Tamsin Treverton Jones
Windblown: Landscape, Legacy and Loss Windblown marks the 30th anniversary of the Great Storm of 1987, a fatal autumn storm etched firmly into the nation’s collective memory that struck the British Isles without warning, uprooting over 15 million trees. Not since the tempest of 1703, so vividly documented by Daniel Defoe, had the British Isles suffered a gale of this magnitude. Windblown is a journey across cultures, continents and generations that finds fishermen, farmers, luthiers, lighthouse keepers, sailors, sculptors and refugees inextricably bound by the events of that one extraordinary night. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
27.10.17 - 6pm The Johnson Studio
Joanna Cannon
The Truth About Goats and Sheep Joanna Cannon stormed into the bestseller lists with her debut novel, The Truth About Goats and Sheep. Set during the suffocating heat-wave of 1976, it’s a story of ten-yearold Grace and her best friend Tilly, who become amateur detectives to hunt down their missing neighbour, poor old Mrs Creasy. The seemingly sleepy cul-de-sac starts to give up its long buried secrets. Joanna will also be giving a sneak preview of her exciting new book, Three Things About Elsie - coming in January 2018. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
12
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 12
27.10.17 - 8pm The Johnson Studio
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
Suzi Quatro Suzi Quatro, one of the most prolific rock and roll stars of the last half century will be talking about her life, career and her writing including her stunning poetry book and brilliant new novel, The Hurricane. TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
LIMITED AVAILABILITY
27.10.17 - 8pm The Manor Hotel
Criminal Minds Reading Group To celebrate Stephen Booth’s visit to the festival we will be running a special pop-up festival Criminal Minds Reading Group. Join us to discuss Stephen’s 16th book in the brilliant Ben Cooper and Diane Fry series, Secrets of Death. The group will be led by crime authors Clare Donoghue and Chris Ewan. FREE TICKETED EVENT
28.10.17 - 10am Yeovil Library
Jacqueline Wilson The legend that is Jacqueline Wilson is returning to the Yeovil Literary Festival to talk about her life and her new Hetty Feather book. There will be no book signing after the talk, but printed book plates with Jacqueline’s signature on will be available with books bought from the festival book shop.
28.10.17 - 12 noon The Octagon Auditorium Sponsored by:
TICKETS: £6
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 13
13
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
SATURDAY
Giles Duley Giles Duley, Hon FRPS, worked as a successful fashion and music photographer for ten years. However, having become disillusioned with celebrity culture, he decided to abandon photography and left London to begin work as a full-time carer. It was in this role that he rediscovered his craft and its power to tell the stories of those without a voice. In 2000, he returned to photography, personally funding trips to document the work of NGOs and the stories of those affected by conflict across the world. In 2011, Duley lost both legs and his left arm after stepping on an Improvised Explosive Device in Afghanistan whilst photographing those caught up in the conflict. He was told he would never walk again and that his career was over. However, characteristically stubborn, Duley told his doctors “I’m still a photographer”, and returned to work less than 18 months later.
28.10.17 - 12 noon The Manor Hotel Sponsored by:
TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
Stephen Booth Dead in the Dark
Stephen Booth is an award winning British crime writer. He has won the Dagger in the Library Award and the Barry Award for Best British Crime Novel. His novels are set in the beautiful and atmospheric Peak District and feature detectives Cooper and Fry. A supporter of libraries, we are thrilled to welcome Stephen to Yeovil Library, to talk about his latest book Dead in the Dark. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
14
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 14
28.10.17 - 12 noon Yeovil Library
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
SATURDAY
Rebecca Tantony All the Journeys I Never Took
An immersive spoken word show, for one or two audience members at a time. Told through interactive theatre, text and objects, this immersive journey explores the individual’s connection to the whole, and art as provocation and event. The show takes place in a car and is a 30 minute journey with a crafted walk from the theatre. As an experienced page and performance poet, Rebecca is fascinated with how to present literature through a variety of mediums. This event will contain adult material that some might find offensive. Age Restriction: 16+ TICKETS: £10
28.10.17 - Various Please contact the Box Office for more details on performance times
Miles Jupp Miles Jupp News Quiz presenter, star of Rev, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue and The Thick Of It delves into the mind of his comedy creation Damien Trench - urbane food writer and protagonist of BBC Radio 4’s acclaimed sitcom In and Out of the Kitchen. This event may contain adult material that some might find offensive. TICKETS: £12.50 MEMBERS: £10.50
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 15
28.10.17 - 2pm The Octagon Auditorium
15
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
SATURDAY
Damien Lewis SAS Ghost Patrol
Ghost Patrol is the explosive true story of the day in 1942 when the SAS donned Nazi uniforms to perpetrate the most audacious and daring mission of the war. Beyond top secret, deniable in the extreme (and of course enjoying Churchill’s enthusiastic blessing), this is one of the most remarkable stories of wartime lawlessness, eccentricity and raw courage in the face of impossible odds - a thoroughly British undertaking. Damien Lewis has spent twenty years reporting from war, disaster and conflict zones around the world. He has written a dozen non-fiction and fiction books, topping bestseller lists worldwide, and is published in some thirty languages. Two of his books are being made into feature films. TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
28.10.17 - 2pm The Manor Hotel
Clare Donoghue The Night Stalker
Bestselling author Clare Donoghue will round off our day of crime in the Library by talking about her career and her latest novel The Night Stalker. This is the fourth book in the Bennett & Lockyer series, with this novel set in the Somerset Quantock Hills. Myths, legends and murder! TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
16
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 16
28.10.17 - 2pm Yeovil Library
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
SATURDAY
Jay Rayner
The Ten (Food) Commandments The original Ten Commandments have very little to offer when it comes to the complex business of how and what we eat. Now the award-winning restaurant critic and Masterchef judge Jay Rayner has decided it’s time to act. So join our very own culinary Moses in this audio-visual romp as he attempts to lead us to the edible promised land. He’ll explain why thou shalt always eat with thy hands, why thou should most definitely worship leftovers, and why thou must celebrate the stinkiest of foods. Plus he’ll invite thee to honour thy pig - and so much more besides. Join the chair of BBC Radio 4’s Kitchen Cabinet as he sets out to provide hilarious guidance on the very best way to eat now. TICKETS: £16 MEMBERS: £15 Includes Q&A and book signing.
28.10.17 - 4pm The Octagon Auditorium
Alan Johnson From the condemned slums of Southam Street in West London to the corridors of power in Westminster, Labour MP Alan Johnson’s multiaward-winning autobiography charts an extraordinary journey, almost unimaginable in today’s Britain.
LIMITED AVAILABILITY
TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50 28.10.17 - 4pm The Manor Hotel
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 17
17
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
SATURDAY
Sue Belfrage
Down to the River and Up to the Trees In a stressful busy world, many of us are turning to nature for a sense of serenity and happiness. While the idea of the wild outdoors is enticing, our hectic lives and location can sometimes make us feel detached from our surroundings. Down to the River and Up to the Trees is brimming with practical information, intriguing quotes and brilliant ideas. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
28.10.17 - 4pm The Johnson Studio
Jeremy Vine Having started on Radio 2 in January 2003, Jeremy Vine realised he was soon to take his 25,000th listener call to his lunchtime show. At the same time he was approaching his fiftieth birthday, and with his doctor warning him about ‘sniper’s alley’ - when people get taken out by all kinds of illnesses between the ages of 47 and 52 - he decided to take stock of the wisdom his listeners had imparted over the airwaves. This moment of reflection and self-reflection couldn’t have come at a more pertinent time with world politics, war and Brexit in the fray. Jeremy will be presenting his hilarious memoir of lessons learnt from life, listeners and Len Goodman by way of anecdotes on everything including love, life and poisonous plants.
28.10.17 - 6pm The Octagon Auditorium Sponsored by:
TICKETS: £12.50 MEMBERS: £10.50
18
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 18
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Sarah Millican How to be Champion
Join Sarah Millican who will be chatting about her debut book, How to be Champion, and delving into her super normal life with daft stories, funny tales and proper advice on how to get past life’s blips like being good at school but not good at friends, the excitement of IBS and how to blossom post-divorce. If you’ve ever worn glasses at the age of six, worn an off-the-shoulder gown with no confidence, been contacted by an old school bully, lived in your childhood bedroom in your thirties, been gloriously dumped in a Frankie and Benny’s, cried so much you felt great, been for a romantic walk with a dog, worn leggings two days in a row even though they smelt of wee from a distance, then THIS IS YOUR BOOK. If you haven’t done those things but wish you had, THIS IS YOUR BOOK. If you just want to laugh on a train/sofa/toilet or under your desk at work, THIS IS YOUR BOOK. This event may contain adult material that some might find offensive. TICKETS: £21 Includes a book.
28.10.17 - 8pm The Octagon Auditorium
Eric Monkman and Bobby Seagull The Ultimate Challenge
We’re so excited to welcome two of the most talked about stars of the year, Eric Monkman and Bobby Seagull. The duo hit our TV screens as they battled it out on BBC 2’s University Challenge back in May. Join us for this very special pre-publication launch of their new quiz book, The Ultimate Challenge. It’s also your chance to fire them a challenging question from the audience and get a book signed, let’s see if Yeovil can catch them out! TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 19
‘monkman and seagull show ThaT a loT of knowledge is a wonderful Thing and They do iT wiTh sTyle, charm and endearing gusTo.’ — sTephen fry
‘They are perhaps The brainiesT, quirkiesT and mosT charming of all double acTs.’ — The Guardian
eric monkman & bobby ‘Two of The [...] mosT
seagull
brillianT minds’ — radio
Times
29.10.17 - 12 noon The Manor Hotel
19
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
SUNDAY
Professor Robert Winston: Modifying Humans: Where does Genetics Stop?
History shows that humans are obsessed with their genes. Does the sequencing of the human genome really herald a new opportunity for medicine or is there a darker side that we ignore? Will ethical considerations prevent us from the next step manufacturing stronger, more gifted and very intelligent children? Or will our imperfect knowledge of how our abilities are inherited mean that they there are some major surprises in store? TICKETS: £16 MEMBERS: £15
29.10.17 - 2pm The Octagon Auditorium
Tim Pears Tim Pears is the award-winning author of nine novels, including In the Place of Fallen Leaves, In a Land of Plenty, Landed and, most recently, The Horseman. This is the first book in his West Country trilogy, set in Pre-First World War Devon and Cornwall. He will also give a sneak peek in to volume two, The Wanderer, which is published in January 2018. TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
20
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 20
29.10.17 - 2pm The Manor Hotel
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
SUNDAY
Lauren Child
Children’s Laureate Event Waterstones Children’s Laureate Lauren Child is on a mission to inspire children to realise their own creative potential. Here at The Yeovil Literary Festival, Lauren discusses the many art forms that influence her work, children’s books as a gateway to learning and why she wants children to have the freedom to discover creativity for themselves. She will also introduce her new Charlie and Lola book, A Dog With Nice Ears.
29.10.17 - 4pm The Octagon Auditorium Sponsored by:
Age Recommendation: 8+ TICKETS: £6
George Costigan, Hugh Fraser and Robert Daws Join three of Britain’s best-loved actors, George Costigan (Rita, Sue and Bob Too, Happy Valley and Emmerdale), Hugh Fraser (Captain Hastings in Poirot) and Robert Daws (Poldark, Outside Edge) as they talk about their careers and their new lives as fully fledged authors. TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
29.10.17 - 4pm The Manor Hotel
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 21
21
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
SUNDAY
Caroline Newark The Fair Maid of Kent
It’s 1341 and Joan of Kent, the fourteen-year-old cousin of the King of England, is poised on the brink of marriage with the Earl of Salisbury’s son. Caroline will be talking about her latest historical novel, a story of enduring love, secrets and scandal. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
29.10.17 - 4pm The Johnson Studio
Harry Hill Matt Millz
Come and hear comedy superstar, Harry Hill, talk about his fantastically funny new children’s book, Matt Millz! Matt is desperate to be a stand-up comedian, and he’s pretty funny. But how can you get on the stage of the biggest theatre when you are only twelve? An event not to be missed! Age Recommendation: 8+ TICKETS: £6
22
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 22
29.10.17 - 6pm The Octagon Auditorium
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
listings
yeovil literary festival
SUNDAY
Dame Harriet Walter Harriet Walter is one of the most acclaimed actresses of this generation. In her varied and distinguished career, she has played almost all of Shakespeare’s heroines, but was dismayed at the lack of Shakespearean roles for strong, mature women. Brutus and Other Heroines is the invigorating and timely story of her exploration of playing male characters instead. TICKETS: £10 MEMBERS: £8.50
29.10.17 - 6pm The Manor Hotel
Lesley Pearse
The Woman in the Wood Lesley Pearse is a global No.1 bestselling author with fans across the world and sales of over 10 million copies of her books to date. A true storyteller and master of the gripping storyline, Lesley introduces us to characters that are impossible not to care about or forget. Lesley will be talking about her career and her new book The Woman in the Wood which is her 25th novel. TICKETS: £5 MEMBERS: £4
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 23
29.10.17 - 6pm The Johnson Studio
23
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
listings
SUNDAY
An Evening With Monty Don Down To Earth
Monty Don is a renowned gardening writer and BBC television presenter and the nation’s favourite and most respected gardener. Hear him speak about his life and travels visiting gardens all over the world, what really happens behind the scenes when filming, about how he made his own organic garden from a bare field and how understanding and working with nature enriches and empowers us all. Monty’s TV credits include Gardeners’ World, The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Big Dreams, Small Spaces, Real Gardens, Lost Gardens, Fork to Fork, Growing Out of Trouble, Around The World In 80 Gardens, My Dream Farm and Mastercrafts. And on BBC Radio 4 he presents Shared Planet.
29.10.17 - 8pm The Octagon Auditorium
TICKETS: £19 FOOTLIGHTS: Discount Applies
POST FESTIVAL EVENT
SOLD OUT
- Rescheduled due to filming commitments
Ben Fogle Ben Fogle drives a Land Rover, owns a Labrador, wears a Barbour jacket and Hunter wellies. Is he English, British, European or a man of the world? In his quest to find out more about what it means to be English in a rapidly changing world, Ben takes a revealing look at the quirks, habits and foibles of the English people in his latest exploration of our nation’s character.
14.11.17 - 7:30pm The Octagon Auditorium Sponsored by:
TICKETS & BOOK: £20 TICKETS: £12
24
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 24
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 25
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
information
BOOKING & INFORMATION FESTIVAL BOX OFFICE OPENING HOURS (Festival Dates Only) Fri 27 Oct: 9.30am until the last event of the day. Sat 28 Oct: 9.30am until the last event of the day. Sun 29 Oct: 11am until the last event of the day. FESTIVAL TICKETS CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED VIA: The Octagon Theatre Box Office in person or by phone (01935 422884). Prior to the festival, open from 12 noon - 5pm, Monday - Saturday or until 7.45pm when an evening event is taking place. Westlands Entertainment Venue Box Office in person only. Open from 10am - 8pm, Monday - Saturday. Online at www.octagon-theatre.co.uk or www.yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk PLEASE NOTE: Tickets are not available for purchase at The Manor Hotel, Yeovil Library or Brimsmore Garden Centre. POSTAGE AND PROCESSING We charge £1.50 for the postage and processing of tickets. CREDIT CARDS We accept Mastercard, Visa, Electron, Solo and Maestro. TICKET LEVY A £1 Ticket Levy is included in all stated ticket prices to secure the future development of The Octagon Theatre and arts and entertainment provision in South Somerset. DATA PROTECTION POLICY The Octagon Theatre adheres to the Data Protection Act. When processing your booking, the Box Office will ask for your name, address and telephone number. This is essential for all non-cash bookings. If you choose to join our mailing list, we will keep you informed of forthcoming shows, attractions and news from The Octagon Theatre. However, your information will not be passed on to any other party, and we will ensure that all mailings are relevant to your interests.
26
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 26
s
g
GETTING TO THE FESTIVAL The Octagon Theatre, Hendford, Yeovil, Somerset, BA20 1UX. The Octagon Theatre is situated on the southwest of the town centre, next to the Petters Way car park with The Manor Hotel located just over the road from the theatre. Yeovil Library, King George Street is located in the town centre just a five minute walk from The Octagon Theatre. Brimsmore Garden Centre, Tintinhull Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 3NU. CAR PARKING The main car park is situated opposite the theatre at the Petters Way car park. Additional spaces are available at the Goldenstones leisure facilities at Yeovil Country Park. Parking is currently free after 6.00pm and all day on Sundays. ACCESS FOR ALL Everyone is welcome at the festival and we will do whatever we can to ensure you have an enjoyable visit. Staff are available to help, so please ask us if you need any assistance. To ensure any special requirements you have are met, we ask that all patrons who use a wheelchair or have specific seating or access requests contact the Box Office direct. For this reason wheelchair spaces and disabled concessions are not available through online booking. CONDITIONS OF PURCHASE: •T ickets cannot be cancelled and are non-refundable except in the case of a cancelled performance. •U se of photographic or recording devices is forbidden. For the comfort of all our guests please ensure that any mobile phones or pagers are switched off. Latecomers will not be admitted until a suitable break in the performance. •T he Management reserves the right to make alterations to the advertised cast and programme without prior notice. •T he Management reserves the right to refuse admission. •T he Management reserves the right to provide alternative seats to those purchased.
Su
0
Term Disc
Box Office 01935 422884
25/08/2017 13:44
save 20%
get on board today
Great look and great content. It’s easy. Take out a subscription to the Western Gazette and you’ll save up to 20%.
Subscribe today on
0333 777 8004 Terms and conditions apply. Discount includes delivery charge.
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 27
25/08/2017 13:44
yeovil literary festival
SCHEDULE
SAVE THE DATE YLF 2018 THU 25 - SUN 28 OCT
Box Office 01935 422884 Book Online yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
PRE-FESTIVAL EVENTS Cressida Cowell (Monday 25 September) Martina Cole (Tuesday 17 October) Sarah Raven (Saturday 21 October) THURSDAY 26 OCTOBER YCAA Literary Dinner with Christopher Biggins FRIDAY 27 OCTOBER The Yeovil Literary Prize Winners Criminal Minds - Crime Writing Workshop Joanne Harris David Young Michael Portillo Viv Groskop Christopher Fowler Mark Billingham Polly Toynbee The Slow and Dirty: Somerset & Dorset’s Lost Railway Murder in the Library Harry Leslie Smith Paddy Ashdown Tamsin Treverton Jones Suzi Quatro Joanna Cannon SATURDAY 28 OCTOBER Criminal Minds - Reading Group Jacqueline Wilson Giles Duley Stephen Booth Rebecca Tantony Miles Jupp Damien Lewis Clare Donoghue Jay Rayner Alan Johnson Sue Belfrage Jeremy Vine Sarah Millican SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER Eric Monkman and Bobby Seagull Professor Robert Winston Tim Pears Lauren Child - Children’s Laureate George Costigan, Hugh Fraser and Robert Daws Caroline Newark Harry Hill Dame Harriet Walter Lesley Pearse Monty Don POST-FESTIVAL EVENT Ben Fogle (Tuesday 14 November)
The Yeovil Literary Festival is a partnership between:
YLF Brochure 2017.indd 28
TIME VENUE 1pm & 5pm Octagon Auditorium 7:30pm The Manor Hotel 7pm Brimsmore Garden Centre TIME VENUE 7pm The Manor Hotel TIME VENUE 10am The Johnson Studio 10am Yeovil Library 12 noon The Octagon Auditorium 12 noon The Johnson Studio 2pm The Octagon Auditorium 2pm The Manor Hotel 2pm The Johnson Studio 2pm Yeovil Library 4pm The Octagon Auditorium 4pm The Manor Hotel 4pm Yeovil Library 6pm The Octagon Auditorium 6pm The Manor Hotel 6pm The Johnson Studio 8pm The Manor Hotel 8pm The Johnson Studio TIME VENUE 10am Yeovil Library 12 noon The Octagon Auditorium 12 noon The Manor Hotel 12 noon Yeovil Library Various Contact the Box Office for details 2pm The Octagon Auditorium 2pm The Manor Hotel 2pm Yeovil Library 4pm The Octagon Auditorium 4pm The Manor Hotel 4pm The Johnson Studio 6pm The Octagon Auditorium 8pm The Octagon Auditorium TIME VENUE 12 noon The Manor Hotel 2pm The Octagon Auditorium 2pm The Manor Hotel 4pm The Octagon Auditorium 4pm The Manor Hotel 4pm The Johnson Studio 6pm The Octagon Auditorium 6pm The Manor Hotel 6pm The Johnson Studio 8pm The Octagon Auditorium TIME VENUE 7:30pm The Octagon Auditorium
2017 Headline Sponsor:
25/08/2017 13:44