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WANTAGE & GROVE EDITION
Established 1988 Issue No.
1,231
Thursday, September 5 - Wednesday, Septem ber 11,
2013
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Organiser believes this year will top previous two
LITERARY FESTIVAL PROMISES ‘BEST YET’ THE organiser of the upcoming Wantage (Not Just) Betjeman Festival has pledged that it will “be the best year yet”. Jim Mitchell, who conceived the eight-day long festival two years ago and acts as its artistic director, believes this third festival will be even more inclusive and popular than its two predecessors. BBC legend John Lloyd is among the names to make an appearance – the producer is behind hit shows as QI, Blackadder and Not the Nine O’Clock News. Ex-Tory MP Michael Portillo will
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By James Booker
jamesb@taylornewspapers.co.uk
also feature, as will novelist Robert Harris. Previous figures have included P. D. James, Max Hastings, Pam Ayres and Lady Carnarvon. “Everything’s shaping up well – we’ve lots of big names, and a lot of other people showing interest,” said Mr Mitchell. “Hopefully three or four acts are still to be confi rmed.” He added the festival was trying a lot harder to work with the local schools and young people. “We have tried to involve the schools much more,” he said. “There’s a poetry competition for kids, a ‘Will Shakespeare’s greatest hits’ – there is a lot of humour around this year. “I would say it’s more of a celebra-
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tion than an intellectual exercise. “I think we’re getting more people this year than ever before – we seem to have been asked more than normal by people asking about the brochures and the festival – it should be the best year yet.” Mr Mitchell started the festival in 2011, after being surprised there was not a more prominent celebration of Betjeman’s works, given that he lived in Wantage for 20 years. “I found it amazing that someone like John Betjeman had lived here and no-one was celebrating it. It just seemed incredible,” he said. “He’s one of our most popular poets, and although we have a core number of events that reflect him, there are quite a few that don’t – we want to try and include everyone.” The festival runs from October 19-27.
• Organiser Jim Mitchell
• Michael Portillo, appearing this year
‘We want to try and include everyone’ • P. D. James, who has appeared in previous years
• Vale and Downland Museum and Visitor Centre is one of the festival venues
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