Winter Words is ten years old in 2014! Now firmly established as Scotland’s leading festival of the written and spoken word, Winter Words offers “stimulation of the literary kind which always goes well with a visually stunning setting” (The Guardian). This year’s programme features a huge variety of authors, presenters, adventurers, photographers and broadcasters, including Sally Magnusson, Lesley Riddoch, Sir Chris Bonington, Neil Oliver, Robin Lloyd-Jones, Mike McCartney, Tracey Thorn, Lesley McDowell, Jane Yeadon and Andy Hall to name just a few … Over the ten days of the Festival, there are events to entertain, engage and stimulate: from history, fiction, poetry, photography and memoirs, to stories of places and people, of travel and exploration. A number of themes wind their way through the Festival every year – rural life, Scottish history and culture, wilderness, the natural world – through which our host of entertaining writers and raconteurs will be charting very different paths.
Invaders, hiper Youth Theatre’s wackiest adventure yet, there’s something to suit every age. As thousands of happy literature lovers have already discovered, Winter Words provides the perfect antidote to those post-Christmas, midwinter blues. So book your tickets now and get together with great minds this coming February. We look forward to seeing you!
WHERE SCOTLAND’S LITERARY YEAR GETS INTO GEAR
hiper once again brings a great selection of child-friendly and family entertainment to this year’s Festival. From The Tale o’ Peter Kinnen’ (Peter Rabbit in Scots!) to Space
01796 484626
The Scotsman
WAYS TO BOOK
BOOK FAIR!
Phone: 01796 484626 Online: www.PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com In Person: at the Theatre Box Office Email: boxoffice@PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
The Winter Words bookstall is organised by Yeadon’s Booksellers, who will be selling signed books by guest authors throughout the Festival. Yeadons have two shops in Elgin and Banchory, both of which are beautifully decorated and stocked with carefully chosen, eclectic selections of books. Well worth a visit (or three!), their staff are all professional booksellers, dedicated, enthusiastic knowledgeable, who will also be around throughout the Festival to help and advise.
Concessions: • Friends/Supporter Cardholders: 10% off tickets • Groups (10+): 10% off tickets • Disabled Badge Holders: 20% off tickets • Students/U18s : 50% off tickets • Registered Unemployed: 50% off tickets
Order (or reserve) a book today!
Only Friends/Supporter Cardholders concessions apply to Literary Lunches. All ticket prices and concessions are subject to availability.
The unique Pitlochry Station Bookshop will be running a second hand bookstall in the Theatre foyer throughout the Festival. The Station Bookshop sells a wide range of donated books to raise money for many different charities. Bestsellers, children’s classics and interesting antiquary gems are waiting to be enjoyed – and not just by train travellers!
You can now order or reserve any book by a Winter Words author in advance of their event. Simply go to www.yeadons.co.uk and complete an order/reservation form. You can also make a dedication! Books will be charged at full retail price plus postage and packing (10% of retail price UK) and you won’t be charged until dispatch. You can also save on postage by picking up your book at our Bookstall which is open throughout the Festival.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre is a Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in Scotland Number SC029243 at the below address. Scottish Charity Number SC013055 Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Pitlochry, PH16 5DR • Administration: 01796 484600 • Fax: 01796 484616 • Box Office: 01796 484626 • Email: boxoffice@PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com • Website: www.PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
Diary
02
Friday 14th
Sunday 16th
1o.00am
Sara Sheridan Mirabelle Bevan
11.30am
Jane Yeadon Call Me Sister
1.00pm
Literary Lunch with Eddie Small
1.00pm
Literary Lunch with Alan McIntosh Brown
3.00pm
Eddie Small Writing Family History
3.00pm
Julie Summers Jambusters
3.00pm
hiper Youth Theatre
4.30pm
Kari Herbert Heart of the Hero
4.30pm
Jamie Grant Winter in Glen Lyon
6.30pm
Lesley Riddoch Blossom
8.15pm
Fearie Tales
Saturday 15th
Ruth Bailey & Jackie Holt Knit Your Own Scotland
Space Invaders
Jamie Grant
10.00am
New Writing Scotland Selection of new writers
11.30am
Clifton Bain The Caledonian Forest
1.00pm
Literary Lunch with Ken Cox
1.15pm
Poetry Please Free Event
3.00pm
Gregor Ewing Charlie, Meg and Me
4.30pm
10.30am
NOWHERE’S BETTER THAN HERE!
Robin Lloyd-Jones The Sunlit Summit
7.30pm
An Evening With Sir Chris Bonington
9.30pm
Fearie Tales
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A 3 Day Writing Course
Tues 18 to Thur 20 February Sir Chris Bonington
Diary Tracey Thorn
Saturday 22nd
Sally Magnusson
Friday 21st
03
10.00am
Ajay Close & Sue Peebles
10.30am
The Tale o’ Peter Kinnen’ Lynne McGeachie
11.30pm
Dorie Wilkie & Hugh Andrew Great Tapestry of Scotland
1.00pm
Literary Lunch with Lynne McGeachie
10.00am
Andrea Thomas Renaissance in Scotland
1.15pm
War Poets Free Event
11.30am
Andy Hall Scotland’s Still Light
3.00pm
Sally Magnusson Where Memories Go
1.00pm
Literary Lunch with Kenneth Steven
4.30pm
Rob Low Bannockburn
3.00pm
Lesley McDowell Unfashioned Creatures
7.30pm
An Evening With Neil Oliver
4.30pm
Tracey Thorn Bedsit Disco Queen
9.30pm
Fearie Tales
6.30pm
Mike McCartney Sex, Drugs & Rock n Roll...
8.15pm
Fearie Tales
Mike McCartney
BOOK FAIR! From 9.00am - 5.00pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
Neil Oliver
Friday 14th
04
Sara Sheridan
Mirabelle Bevan, crime fighter
Sara Sheridan’s smart and feisty heroine was introduced to us in Brighton Belle, letting us take in the sights and sounds of 1950s Britain. Now she’s off on a new adventure with her friend, Vesta Churchill, and she’s taking us along for the ride.
10.00am to 11.00am
£6.50
The Sunday Herald said that 'Mirabelle has a dogged tenacity to rival Poirot' and Goodreads announced that she was ‘A crime force to be reckoned with’. With a sense of style, a nose for danger and a great line in witty put downs, come and hear Sara talk about her crime fighting heroine and find out where Mirabelle is going next.
Jane Yeadon
Call Me Sister
Call Me Sister recalls Jane's challenging and often hilarious route to realising her own particular dream. It’s the late ‘60s and Jane is nursing in a ward where she's up against a mistrusting, inventory-driven ward sister. She decides to swap this life for the open road and becomes a district nurse. Independent thinking is one thing, but Jane's about to find that being a district nurse can demand instant action and reactions; and without hospital back up, she's usually the one having to provide it. She meets a rich cast of patients on the way before ending up in
01796 484626
11.30am to 12.30pm
£6.50
Edinburgh, where Queen Victoria's Jubilee Institute's nurse training is considered the finest in the district nursing world. Fans of Call the Midwife will love this tale of nursing in the 1960s.
Friday 14th
05
Literary Lunch with
Alan McIntosh Brown
The Old Music
1.00pm to 2.15pm £22.50
includes a 2 course lunch and a glass of wine
its inevitable consequences will be present forever when the old stories come true.
The Old Music is Alan’s first novel and is set in a Perthshire glen in 1947. It reveals the ties that bind the members of a Highland community as it begins to unravel in the face of ‘progress’. The War is over but
Alan McIntosh Brown was born in Dundee but has lived near Aberfeldy for over forty years. He is a full-time entertainer: a singer/songwriter, musician, broadcaster, compere, public speaker and journalist. His play based on the life of Robert Louis Stevenson, The Canary-Bird and King Lear, was directed by the legendary Scots playwright W Gordon Smith at the Commonwealth Arts Festival in Edinburgh and he has had other works performed at various Scottish theatres. He has published articles in Scotland, Ireland, England, the USA and Canada and writes a monthly column, McSter MacSter, for the news magazine Comment. See page 24 for full lunch menu details.
Julie Summers Jambusters The Women's Institute at War 1939 - 1945. The Second World War was the WI's finest hour. A third of a million country women set out to make their lives and the lives of those around them more bearable in what they described as 'a period of insanity'.
3.00pm to 4.00pm
£8.50
Julie Summers reads from her brilliant book and tells the story of this legendary institution.
Jambusters tells the story of everyday life during the Second World War for the 5,546 Women's Institutes and how they helped to improve the lot of millions of their fellow Britons. Stories from the front-line and tales of bravery are well documented; this book focuses on the behind-the-scenes efforts and on the nitty-gritty approach to daily problems presented by the war. It’s here, at the centre of the everyday, where the WI did make a difference. Making jam, making do and mending…
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
Friday 14th
06
Kari Herbert
Heart of the Hero
Kari’s superb book reveals the fascinating untold stories of remarkable women who loved and married polar explorers and became travelling companions, administrators, fundraisers - and sources of inspiration! The polar explorers of the Victorian and Edwardian eras were the superstars of their day. Exploration was a male domain and most women encountered the wilder parts of the world only second-hand. For those intrepid few who joined the men on these extreme frontiers, life was every bit as dangerous, gruelling and thrilling – yet their stories have gone untold.
4.30pm to 5.30pm
£8.50
Kari Herbert has captured and blended many unforgettable accounts of longing, betrayal and hope with moments of breathtaking peril, all the while drawing on her first-hand experience as the daughter of poplar explorer Wally Herbert.
Writing Competition 2014
This unique competition receives more and more submissions every year, both from would-be authors and from more established writers. The format is simple. You write a Fearie Tale and send it to us. We then choose three or four entries to be read aloud in the cosy atmosphere of the Theatre’s Bar on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout Winter Words.
Every Fearie Tale submitted must be an entirely new story, written especially for Winter Words and not previously published in any form. Each entry must be a minimum of 2,250 words in length, up to a maximum length of 3,250 words. Entries must be received at Pitlochry Festival Theatre by 12.00 noon on Friday 31 January, 2014. Full competition details are available on PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
01796 484626
Friday 14th
07
An Evening with
Lesley Riddoch A fascinating new book by acclaimed broadcaster Lesley Riddoch looks at topics such as housing, health, language and culture, how we identify ourselves and how this needs to change – whether the country is independent or strongly devolved.
Blossom 6.30pm
£10.00
There will be a Q&A session at the end of this event.
Arguing that limited access to security and wealth has left Scots feeling like outsiders in their own country, this book tackles fundamental and personal issues of identity that matter to ordinary Scots. Designed to incite discussion and debate, this event will appeal to those who believe larger issues of selfesteem and power lurk beneath the complexities of the independence debate and want to delve deeper.
8.15pm to 9.30pm
Free
Gather together in the cosy, informal atmosphere of the ghoulish tales, but a dram (or two) Theatre Bar, as we once again round off the day’s events should help to keep the chills at bay! with original tales of the strange and the supernatural, Every one of this year’s tales of the read by some familiar faces from the Pitlochry stage. ghostly and the mysterious will be an Hear tales of strange encounters, unnerving entirely new story, created just for co-incidences, unwelcome apparitions and chance Winter Words by writers eager to sightings at remote lochs and desolate moors … or in take part in our annual Fearie Tales dark wynds and deserted tenements … before taking Competition. If you think you’ve got flight into the ‘other’ world of phantoms … wraiths … what it takes to write a Fearie Tale, and things with no name … then why not enter? See opposite page for details. Each evening will feature a selection of different
GO ON. GET WRITING. SCARE US – AND YOURSELF. IF YOU DARE…
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
Saturday 15th
08
New Writing Scotland 10.00am to 11.00am
Lynsey May
£6.50
The Scottish Book Trust's New Writers Award discovers fresh talent and provides a diverse programme of support to a group of writers at pivotal stages in their careers.
Samuel Tongue
Awardees are selected through a rigorous process that rewards poets, novelists, short-story authors and children's writers working in English, Gaelic and Scots.
Pippa Goldschmidt
and discuss their work at this event, providing an introduction to some A selection of new writers such as Pippa Goldschmidt, of the most affecting, exciting and engaging new writing being created Samuel Tongue, Catherine Simpson, Graeme Burnet and Lynsey May from 2013 and 2012 will read across Scotland.
Clifton Bain
The Caledonian Forest
Clifton Bain has over 25 years of experience working in nature conservation. He has an Honours Degree in Zoology from Aberdeen University and enjoyed a long career as a policy officer with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. He has twice toured all 38 of the pinewoods, most recently completing the journey by relying on public transport, walking and cycling.
He is currently living in his home city of Edinburgh and is actively involved in a wide range of national and international conservation activities as Director of the IUCN UK Peatland Programme. Darren Rees is a professional wildlife artist located in Central Scotland. www.darrenrees. com Vanessa Collingridge is a geographer, explorer, broadcaster and author. Professor Aubrey Manning OBE is a distinguished zoologist, author and broadcaster.
Clifton Bain
£24.99
£6.50
Forewords by VANESSA COLLINGRIDGE and AUBREY MANNING
THE
ANCIENT PINEWOODS OF SCOTLAND A TRAVELLER’S GUIDE
01796 484626
Scattered across the Scottish Highlands are the surviving remnants of the ancient Caledonian pinewoods; woods which have naturally seeded and grown since the last ice age. Visiting the ancient pinewoods of Scotland provides an emotional connection to the past through the visible traces of people who lived and worked there over the centuries, and some spectacular individual trees over 350 years old. It also provides the opportunity to look forward, since one of the world’s great conservation success stories means a new future for the woods and their charismatic wildlife. A journey to the ancient pinewoods offers a natural spectacle alongside a rich cultural heritage which is also described in this comprehensive and fully illustrated guide. Details are provided on how to reach each of the sites, some in the farthest mountain glens and others easily accessed by public transport, with well-marked routes and visitor facilities. This book is also a tribute to all who have shared my passionate belief that the pinewoods are special and helped turn around their fate.
CLIFTON BAIN
Clifton Bain talks about the journey of the pinewoods, with colour photographs, maps and drawings by Darren Rees.
11.30am to 12.30pm
THE ANCIENT PINEWOODS OF SCOTLAND
Scattered across the Scottish Highlands are the last remnants of the great Caledonian forest, which have survived, naturally seeding and growing, since the last ice age. Visiting these ancient woods provides a connection to the past, to the people who lived and worked there over the centuries, whilst also giving us a chance to look forward towards a new future for the pinewoods and their spectacular wildlife.
CLIFTON BAIN Drawings by Darren Rees
Saturday 15th
09
Literary Lunch with
Ken Cox
Fruits and Vegetables of Scotland includes a 2 course lunch and a glass of wine
1.00pm to 2.15pm £22.50
Winter Words favourite Ken Cox returns to talk about his book Fruit and Vegetables of Scotland, which won the Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year 2012. Fruit and vegetables have formed a fundamental part of the Scottish diet for thousands of years. This fascinating and practical talk explores the history of fruit, vegetable and herb growing in Scotland and provides us with a contemporary guide to the best techniques for growing produce, whether in a garden, allotment, patio or window box. Packed with general tips, advice on climate and soil conditions, Ken is always a fascinating speaker! See page 24 for full lunch menu details.
Poetry Please 1.15pm to 2.15pm Free Event in Foyer Bar share a much loved poem in this unique event. see page for more details 24
Gregor Ewing For the first time, Bonnie Prince Charlie's arduous escape of 1746 has been recreated in a single journey. Gregor Ewing, along with his faithful border collie Meg, retraces Charles Edward Stuart’s epic 530 mile walk through remote wilderness, hidden glens, modern day roads and uninhabited islands.
!
Charlie, Meg and Me 3.00pm to 4.00pm
Gregor Ewing tells the Prince's story alongside the trials of his own present day journey, whilst reflecting on the plight of the highlanders who, despite everything, loyally protected their rightful prince. The author's love of history and the landscape in which he travels shines through in this modern day adventure.
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
£8.50
Saturday 15th
10
Robin Lloyd-Jones Robin Lloyd-Jones’s biography of Scotland’s most distinguished climber, William Hutchison Murray, is a fascinating book for anyone who has the mountaineering bug – or an interest in history.
The Sunlit Summit 4.30pm to 5.30pm
£8.50
As a prisoner of war in Italy, Murray wrote his first classic book, Mountaineering in Scotland, on rough toilet paper which was confiscated and destroyed by the Gestapo. The rewritten version was published in 1947, followed by the now, equally famous, Undiscovered Scotland. In 1951, he was depute leader to Eric Shipton on the Everest Reconnaissance Expedition. In later years, he became a successful novelist and pioneer conservationist. Come and hear Robin – himself a keen climber and award-winning author – discuss this brilliant and fascinating man.
Robin Lloyd-Jones at
The John Muir Trust’s Wild Space The John Muir Trust’s Wild Space visitor centre opened last year in the heart of Pitlochry. It showcases Scotland’s fantastic wild places and the role of conservation in keeping them wild. WH Murray was a founding trustee of the John Muir Trust from 1984-1986 so it’s a fitting venue for author Robin Lloyd-Jones to talk about his life. Date: Saturday 15th Time: 2.00pm Tickets: £5.00 - available from PFT Box Office Capacity: 20
Discover Wild Space today! © Davey Nelson
Tower House, Station Road, Pitlochry PH16 5AN
01796 484626
Saturday 15th An Evening with
Sir Chris Bonington
11
Introduced by Stuart Brooks, Chief Executive of The John Muir Trust
7.30pm
£18.50
on to lead a successful expedition to make the first ascent of the South West Face of Everest in 1975. He reached the summit of Everest in 1985 with a Norwegian expedition and remains actively climbing with the same enthusiasm and energy he has at the beginning.
Returning to Pitlochry for the 10th anniversary of Winter Words, join the legendary Sir Chris Bonington as he captures the highlights of an epic climbing career which spans the world's greatest ranges. A complete sell-out at his last Winter Words appearance, we expect tickets to sell fast for an evening that promises to fascinate, thrill and inspire in equal measure. Sir Chris - mountaineer, writer, photographer and lecturer - started climbing at the age of 16 in 1951.
He has written 17 books, fronted numerous television programmes and has lectured to the public and corporate audiences all over the world. He received a knighthood in 1996 for services to mountaineering, was president of the Council for National Parks for 8 years, is NonExecutive Chairman of Berghaus and Chancellor of Lancaster University.
Come and hear Sir Chris discuss the highs and lows of his life and career – He made the first British ascent of the North Wall of the the peaks and the challenges, mental Eiger and led the expedition that made the first ascent and physical. A fascinating evening of The South Face of Annapurna, the biggest and most in the company of one of the greats! difficult climb in the Himalaya at the time. He went
9.30pm to 10.30pm
Free
Gather family and friends together for another graveyard shift of spine tingling stories – you might be glad of the company on the way home! A warning: should you meet the local ferryman, don’t accept his invitation to cross the river… it hasn't run for a hundred years!
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
Sunday 16th
12
Ruth Bailey & Jackie Holt Workshop: Knit Your Own Scotland
With its stunning landscape, iconic landmarks, ancient history and friendly people, Scotland is one of the greatest small countries in the world. Now, to celebrate the best of Scotland, you can create miniature woolly versions of your very own!
10.30am to 12.00pm
£12.50
Ruth Bailey and Jackie Holt will work with knitters (participants) to bring National Bard Robert Burns, Braveheart William Wallace, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Scottie dogs, sheep, Nessie, bagpipes and much more to life – all in woollen form… This workshop has limited capacity, so do book quickly. Participants should have at least a little knitting experience.
Space Invaders Following their string of successful annual performances as part of Winter Words, hiper YT is back with a bigger and crazier production than ever!
hiper Youth Theatre 3.00pm to 4.00pm
U-18s £2.50, Adults: £4.50
Space Invaders follows the misadventures of a bunch of Martians who plan to take over the Earth. Led by their megalomaniac Commander, Clika-tak-atak-atak-atak-o, all goes well until the invasion force come across the Tunbridge Wells Ladies Hockey team, one of whom is secretly the head of the Government department responsible for the protection of Earth against alien invasion. Add to that the aliens' misunderstanding of the residents of Happydale old folks home and throw three ‘likely’ lads pondering the mysteries of the Universe into the mix and the stage is set for an epic showdown… Can The Happydalers and Tunbridge Wells Ladies defeat the invading Martian attack force? Will the Chief of the Panic Free Radar Corps ever stop panicking and order the destruction of the UFO? Will Tina agree to go out with Carruthers and will Bob ever find out if there is anyone out there? There’s only one way to find out – come along and watch hiper YT in action in Space Invaders!
01796 484626
Sunday 16th
13
Literary Lunch with
Eddie Small
Mary Lily Walker 1.00pm to 2.15pm
£22.50
includes a 2 course lunch and a glass of wine
Mary Lily Walker is one of Scotland’s forgotten heroines: a social reformer, who founded the first Nursing Mothers' Restaurant and Infant Health Service. She was idealistic and feisty and in a city of strong women – Dundee, her hometown – she stood out as the strongest voice of all. Eddie Small has written her biography, published 100 years after Walker's death, and will take you through the life of one of Scotland’s most fascinating characters and the era that made her who she was. See page 24 for full (delicious!) lunch menu details.
Eddie Small
Workshop: Writing Family History
Eddie Small, biographer and writer, will guide you through the highs and lows of writing about your family: research methods and methodologies or processes, what to do when leads don’t lead you anywhere, searching for answers that don’t exist… and the highs when you make a break-through!
3.00pm to 5.00pm
Whether you’re planning to write about your own family history, or that of total strangers, this workshop will be an invaluable way to get you started or provide a focus to look at your work with fresh eyes. This workshop has limited capacity, so book early!
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
£15.00
14
Sunday 16th
Jamie Grant
Winter in Glen Lyon
Just outside the village of Fortingall in Highland Perthshire, a single-track road leads into one of the most beautiful places in Scotland. It winds into a glen through a mountainous pass above the swirling, black waters of the River Lyon. The road then heads west, gradually climbing for more than twenty miles through fertile pasture, woodland and wild moor. At Loch Lyon, the road ends and the hills, scored with tumbling burns, take complete hold. Scramble to one of the peaks and you can see the Ben Lawers massif, Rannoch Moor, Glen Coe and even the humped cap of Ben Nevis in the far distance. This landscape so fired the imagination of photographer (and author) Jamie Grant that he moved to Glen Lyon in 2001. He has been exploring it - with a camera! - ever since.
4.30pm to 5.30pm
£8.50
The result is a beautiful book, ten years in the making, which recreates an emotional journey of exile and return, reflected in images beyond the physical landscape. This promises to be a captivating, illustrated talk.
Spectacular views combined with fresh local produce and excellent service from our attentive staff ensures dining here will always be a special experience.
© Kacper Cwik
The Festival Restaurant and Café Bar is open seven days a week and provides tasty, fresh and wholesome food as well as daily specials all at a reasonable price.
01796 484626
Tuesday 18th - Thursday 20th
15
NOWHERE’S BETTER THAN HERE! 3 Day Writing Course Tues 18th - Thur 20th (10.30am to 4.30pm) £125.00 (max 12) including lunch & refreshments This three day course with novelist and teacher Zoe Venditozzi is ideal for aspiring novelists who are serious about their writing. The course will include sessions on writing fantastic openings, developing authentic and engaging characters, generating and sustaining plot, and using voice and point of view. These sessions will be interspersed with discussions and writing exercises. Participants will also work on editing and pitching their work to agents and publishers. A one to one tutorial will also be offered with Zoe, where the focus will be on the writer's novel in progress. Participants will be asked to submit one page of their writing in advance of the course. Zoe Venditozzi is the author of Anywhere’s Better Than Here and is working on her second novel. She obtained a Mlitt in Creative Writing from the University of Dundee and has had short stories and poems published in various magazines and books. All workshops will take place in the inspirational setting of PFT’s River Room, which enjoys panoramic views of the stunning Highland Perthshire scenery. There’s no better place than here at Winter Words to engage, inspire and inform!
PLUS: 5 Free Events! Sitting between the two weekends of Winter Words, participants will have the chance to take in the best of the rest of the Festival and attend any 5 daytime events for free (excluding Literary Lunches and evening Headline events) Participants are requested to reserve seats to their 5 free daytime events that they would like to attend at the time of booking this course.
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
Friday 21st
16
Andrea Thomas
Renaissance in Scotland
The Renaissance was a cultural and intellectual movement in Europe that arose between the 14th and the 17th centuries. The Scottish version of Renaissance culture was a hybrid with multiple antecedents, adapted to suit the needs of Scottish patrons. The Stewart monarchs and the Scottish aristocracy were poorer than many other European princes and nobles, but were keen to assert their
Andy Hall
10.00am to 11.00am
£6.50
equality in dignity and status. The buildings, books and artefacts of the period tell the story of a vibrant and cosmopolitan culture that was innovative and confident as well as imitative and aspirational. Andrea Thomas, a lecturer, teacher and writer, comes to Winter Words to discuss one of the most fascinating periods of Scottish history.
Scotland’s Still Light
Andy Hall returns to Winter Words with a stunning display of photography inspired by some of Scotland’s most respected writers: Norman MacCaig, Hugh MacDiarmid, Liz Lochhead and John Burnside. His book, Scotland’s Still Light, is not an attempt to illustrate the texts, but to give a sense of place through the combination of words and images. Sometimes it is a whole piece, sometimes a paragraph or verse, a few lines or occasionally a single line which encapsulates the experience of trying to capture 'the moment' with a camera. All of the photographic images have evolved from a study of the unique quality of light that prevails in the exquisite diversity of Scotland's landscapes and cities.
01796 484626
11.30am to 12.30pm
£6.50
Friday 21st
17
Literary Lunch with
Kenneth Steven 1.00pm to 2.15pm
Glen Lyon £22.50
includes a 2 course lunch and a glass of wine
Winter Words favourite Kenneth Steven returns to PFT, this time with a novel: Glen Lyon. It tackles tough subjects – abuse, violence and the lack of love – but with the clever, literary touch of this distinctive writer, the end result is gripping and sensitive. “What is the real story behind the young man who comes to Glen Lyon and begins building a house with his own hands? He could be an early farmer; he could be a clansman; he could be a survivor of Culloden.” Kenneth will talk about all his writing - his spiritual and uplifting poetry, his radio work and his novel – and entertain in his own, wonderful way. See page 24 for full (delicious!) lunch menu details.
Lesley McDowell Lesley McDowell’s Unfashioned Creatures is a Gothic tale of madness, sexual obsession and murderous desires.
Unfashioned Creatures 3.00pm to 4.00pm
Mary Shelley’s real-life friend Isabella Baxter Booth is seeing ghosts and meeting mysterious strangers. To escape her increasingly violent, deranged husband and her own murderous impulses towards him, she flees London for her childhood home in Broughty Ferry… Come and hear Lesley discuss her book and how (and where) her ideas are born, then listen to two talented actors read extracts that will bring Lesley’s book thrillingly to life! A unique event, not to be missed.
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
£8.50
18
Friday 21st
Tracey Thorn
Bedsit Disco Queen
Tracey Thorn was only 16 when she bought an electric guitar and joined a band. Between 1982 and 2000, she was one half of the group Everything But The Girl, had hit songs and a brilliant career ahead of her. When she left, she produced solo albums and worked with some of the biggest stars in the world of music, combining stardom and motherhood. Then one day, sitting at home, Tracey realised she was no longer happy to be part of the show business feeding frenzy and decided to tell her story. And as a result, one of the finest pop memoirs in recent times, Bedsit Disco Queen, was created. In it, Tracey tells of her
Mike McCartney
4.30pm to 5.30pm
£10.00
time as a famous musician, her life out of the limelight and how writing the book gave her a taste for songwriting once again.
Sex, Drugs & Rock n Roll – I wish!
A nostalgic and hilarious trip in words and photos through the life of Paul's younger brother, from the 1940s to The White House, all recounted with the sharpest of Liverpool wit. Mike tells tales from his working class childhood and school days with his brother, George Harrison and Derek Hatton. Mike was an integral part of the 60’s Merseybeat era, changing his name to McGear as a result of Beatlemania and mixing with Rod Stewart, Joe Brown and Jimi Hendrix – camera always at the ready.
6.30pm to 7.30pm
£12.50
Then from Scaffold member (Lily The Pink, Thank U Very Much) to exhibiting photographer at the National Portrait Gallery and The Smithsonian, right up to cheekily chatting to the US President at The White House and the Queen at The Liverpool Museum, Mike will delight and entertain you with his wonderful tales and images.
8.15pm to 9.30pm
Free
Join us for a third night of Fearie Tales – or as we like to think of them, bedtime stories for the brave! Enter the Theatre Bar after dark and you'll be assailed with stories of demons, disturbances and despair. Scared? You should be! And as your eyes adjust to the gloom, if you should happen to see out of the corner of your eye a cowled figure with sightless eyes gliding past, don’t worry … the blind monk’s here every night …
01796 484626
Saturday 22nd
Ajay Close & Sue Peebles Ajay Close and Sue Peebles are both award-winning novelists - but is that where the similarity between their work ends? No, the connections and echoes between their new novels - Trust and Snake Road - will be examined and discussed at this brilliant event, chaired by Zoe Venditozzi.
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Award-Winning Novelists 10.00am to 11.00am
£6.50
Ajay’s extremely ambitious and accomplished new book, Trust, centres on three women who work in the banking industry, from Thatcher's Britain through to the credit crunch. Sue’s Snake Road is a close look at family relationships and how they ebb and flow: a subtle and tremendous work, from an accomplished local writer.
The Tale o’ Peter Kinnen’
Peter Rabbit in Scots read by Lynne McGeachie Calling children of all ages: come and hear the favourite ‘Tale’ from the much loved books of Beatrix Potter: Peter Rabbit! Told in the Lowland Scots tongue in the heart of Perthshire, a place that Miss Potter herself loved so well and whose hills and rivers were the inspiration for so much of her work.
10.30am to 11.00am
£3.50 for children, adults go free!
Suitable for children and adults 3+
The Beatrix Potter Exhibition & Garden in Birnam (near Dunkeld) tells the story of children’s author, Beatrix Potter, who wrote the Tale of Peter Rabbit. Take a walk around the exhibition area and through the Beatrix Potter Garden to visit Mrs Tiggy-Winkle in her house, see Jeremy fishing and Mr Fox and the shed where he lured silly Jemima Puddle Duck. Entrance is £3 per person and no more than £12 per family. Well worth a visit!
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
20
Saturday 22nd
Dorie Wilkie & Hugh Andrew Great Tapestry of Scotland
The Great Tapestry of Scotland is one of the country’s biggest ever community art projects. For over 2 years, more than 1,000 stitchers have been embroidering the world’s longest tapestry, which depicts the entire story of Scotland’s history. And now it's on public display for the first time.
11.30am to 12.30pm
£6.50
Lead stitcher Dorie Wilkie will be joined in conversation by Hugh Andrews to discuss the work involved and how the 147 metres of tapestry was created by people all over Scotland.
Literary Lunch with
Lynne McGeachie
Beatrix Potter's Scotland - Her Perthshire Inspiration 1.00pm to 2.15pm
£22.50
includes a 2 course lunch and a glass of wine
Beatrix Potter's Scotland provides a rare insight into the life of one of the best-loved writers in Britain. Based upon Potter's own journal, the book goes into detail about the author's upbringing and influences. Largely raised up by nannies and governesses, the young Beatrix was perceived as a highly imaginative and extremely intelligent child, with a talent for drawing and a keen interest in science. This book reveals how she fell in love with the Perthshire countryside, where she spent many summers, and how this helped her to create the characters Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Jeremy Fisher among others. The book also highlights how Sir Walter Scott, who was hugely admired by Potter from a young age, proved to be such an inspiration. Discover the creative, literary genius that was Beatrix Potter! In association with the Beatrix Potter Society (registered charity no. 281198) See page 24 for full lunch menu details.
01796 484626
Saturday 22nd
21
War Poets Poems by Siegfried Sassoon, Rudyard Kipling and Wilfred Owen will be amongst a selection of poems that will be brought to life by a couple of familiar faces from the Pitlochry stage.
1.15pm to 2.00pm
Free
Grab a coffee and cake, sit back and enjoy this free reading. Rudyard Kipling
Wilfred Owen
Sally Magnusson
Where Memories Go: Living With Dementia BBC broadcaster and author Sally Magnusson and her two sisters cared for their mother, Mamie, during her long struggle with dementia until her death in 2012. This moving and honest account of losing a loved one day by day to an insidious disease is both deeply personal and a challenging call to arms. Faced with one of the greatest social, medical, economic and moral challenges of our times, society must urgently reconsider how we look after the most fragile of our citizens.
3.00pm to 4.00pm
“This is simply beautiful, honest, piercingly intelligent, page-turning and written from the heart,” said broadcaster Alistair Moffat. We agree and we can’t wait to hear Sally talk openly and honestly about something that touches so many lives.
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
£8.50
Saturday 22nd
22
Rob Low
Bannockburn, Bruce and the Kingdom Series At the start of this second Year of Homecoming, we are delighted to welcome Rob Low, writer and battle re-enactor, to celebrate the 700th anniversary of Bannockburn, when Scotland’s future was once again turning in a new direction. Rob is the author of the highly successful Oathsworn series of Viking adventures. His latest in the Kingdom trilogy, The Lion Rampant, continues the gritty, true-to-life saga of characters swept up in the rise to power of Robert The Bruce, culminating in one of Scotland’s greatest victories. Rob’s highly entertaining style will reveal the truth behind the myths of Wallace and Bruce – and why Bannockburn is so highly-charged in 2014.
Announcing a new publication by Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust
Excavations at the Black Spout, Pitlochry By David Strachan
The story of an archaeological dig from 2005-2009 which uncovered remarkable broch-like architecture at an Iron Age building near Pitlochry. This full colour book explores the contemporary culture and environment of the region with expert contributions exploring place-names, ancient environments and the array of stone, metal and glass artefacts unearthed. This fantastic new book (A4 size, with 176 pages and over 100 illustrations) is available to buy from the Festival Shop.
01796 484626
4.30pm to 5.30pm
£8.50
Saturday 22nd
23
An Evening with
Neil Oliver We are delighted to welcome back Neil Oliver to this year's Winter Words, following two pervious sellout appearances. Neil’s massive popular appeal as a presenter, both on the small screen and live on stage, stems from his hugely engaging style and his passion for history, which effortlessly communicates his personal sense of wonder at the lives of ancient peoples, revealing the realities and their continuing relevance to the present day. This time, Neil will be sharing his experiences in the making of the recent BBC TV series (and subsequent book): Vikings – A History. Vikings famously took no prisoners, relished cruel retribution, and prided themselves on their blood-thirsty skills as warriors. But their prowess in battle is only a small part of their story, which stretches from their Scandinavian origins to America in the west and as far as Baghdad in the east.
7.30pm
£18.50
Drawing on discoveries that have only recently been made, Neil goes on the trail of the real Vikings. From where did they emerge? How did they really live? And just what drove them to embark on such extraordinary voyages of discovery over 1,000 years ago? Neil Oliver began his career as an archaeologist and made his TV debut with Two Men in a Trench, in which he and colleague Dr Tony Pollard examined battlefields using state of the art archaeological techniques. Neil went on to become the social history and archaeology expert on BBC TV’s magnificent Coast, before turning his attention to the hugely successful A History of Scotland. This will be a fascinating evening in the company of one of country’s most engaging and inspiring broadcasters.
9.30pm to 10.30pm
Free
This is it. The final instalment of Fearie Tales. Enjoy the cosy atmosphere while you can - it won’t be long before the shadows lengthen, a chill descends and a voice pierces the darkness … as the last clutch of this year’s ghastly, ghoulish tales are read aloud for the very first time! Make sure you have a glass or two of something strong at hand - to toast the winners, naturally …
PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com
Literary Lunches
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Literary Lunch Menus
Tasty 2 course lunches served with a glass of wine Alan McIntosh Brown Fri 14th
Ken Cox Sat 15th
Duo of Scottish Smoked & Hot Smoked Salmon with passion fruit & lime dressing on a bed of leaves
Local Scottish Venison Charcuterie with crabapple jelly
Eddie Small Sun 16th
Coffee & Tablet
Poetry Please
Lynne McGeachie Sat 22nd
Mr McGregor’s Broadbean & Pea Haggis Filo Goats Cheese, Risotto Parcel Beetroot & with peashoots with whisky & Raspberry Salad & parmesan marmalade sauce shavings
Pan Roasted East Coast Cod Roasted local on a bed of Salmon, Tomato Lamb Cutlets wilted spinach & Basil Ragu with herb crust, with a medley of with clapshot & roast potatoes & vegetables & a lemon & white fine green beans new potatoes wine sauce
Coffee & Tablet
Kenneth Steven Fri 21st
Glen Lyon Game Casserole with mashed potatoes, braised apple & red cabbage
Confit of Duck Leg With Blackberry Jus with fondant potatoes & local (Peter Rabbit) Broccoli
Coffee & Homemade Shortbread
Coffee & Fudge
Coffee & Tunnocks Teacake
1.15pm to 2.15pm
Free Event in Foyer Bar
Drop a copy of your favourite poem into the Box Office before lunchtime on this Saturday, along with your name and perhaps the reasons why this piece of verse is special to you. Then grab a light snack, sit back and enjoy as your favourite poems are read aloud by our Festival readers!
01796 484626
Spring into Summer
Whatever the Season, here at Scotland's famous Theatre in the Hills there’s always plenty of superb entertainment to enjoy. There are outstanding tribute acts like The Springsteen Sessions (31 January), Real Diamond (7 March) and Buddy Holly (11 April); amazing concerts, including a visit from Mà nran (22 March), who have rocketed to the top of the Scottish music scene in a very short space of time, whilst the wonderful Pasadena Roof Orchestra will be Puttin on the Ritz (5 April); and Ballet West return to perform Swan Lake, twice in one day (Sat 1 March). Pick up our Autumn-Winter Spring brochure to discover full details of these and other concerts and events, as well as our range of awardwinning workshops.
A noteworthy addition to our Spring lineup has been added since going to print: Barbara Dickson and Rab Noakes combine to perform a rare concert on 2 April!
Summer Season 2014 23 MAY - 18 OCTOBER
Whisky Kisses | Perfect Days | The Admirable Crichton The Yellow On The Broom | Passing Places | Mr. Bolfry
Stay six days and see six plays!
Don’t forget to book your Summer Season tickets now and pay less. Offers expire 20 January! Call: 01796 484626, Click: PitlochryFestivalTheatrecom