Big names head to Stratford as 2020 festival goes digital
Dame Hilary Mantel, Andrew Marr and Matthew Parris are among the big names taking part in this year’s Stratford Literary Festival.
And audiences across the country can enjoy their talks, with the event being streamed live from the Warwickshire town.
The long weekend of events features major headliners including twiceBooker prize winner, Dame Hilary Mantel, talking about her acclaimed Cromwell Trilogy and her latest book of essays, Mantel Pieces. Broadcaster and bestselling author Andrew Marr chats to fellow BBC broadcaster Sophie Raworth about what made Britain the country it is today.
Times columnist and Radio 4’s Great Lives presenter Matthew Parris looks at how trauma shapes great leaders and innovators, and LBC presenter and political commentator Iain Dale, discusses what separates a good Prime Minister from a bad one.
The acclaimed modern historian and Reith lecturer Margaret MacMillan, suggests that humans are programmed for war, and colonial history specialist, Michael Taylor, considers how and why the Establishment was vigorously against the abolition of slavery.
On a lighter note, leading impressionist Rory Bremner will explain his craft and coping in lockdown, and audiences will be inspired by two of the country’s leading poets, Roger McGough, and Lemn Sissay, who shares his best-selling memoir.
The much-loved comedian Victoria Wood will be remembered by her biographer Jasper Rees and the actor Duncan Preston, who acted with her in so much of her TV work including Acorn Antiques and Dinnerladies.
Historian Charles Spencer will talk about a shipwreck that changed history, Claire Wilcox, curator of fashion at the V&A will talk about a life in clothes and, in a talk suited to the times we find ourselves in, the entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan will discuss why unpredictability is actually good for us.
New writing, so affected by lockdown and the closure of bookshops, will be celebrated with a You Heard it Here First debut authors event, and writers can learn how to create impact when they submit their work to publishers in a bespoke workshop delivered in partnership with the leading writing school, the Faber Academy.
There’s fun for families too with the Horrible Histories illustrator Martin Brown, a crocodile collaboration between poet Roger McGough and Stratfordbased Bafta-winning illustrator Greg McLeod, plus craft and storytelling workshops with artist Ros Ingrams and Kate Coleman, Stratford’s leading storyteller.
For those who have been busy writing through lockdown, the festival is partnering once again with the acclaimed Faber Academy with two workshops helping authors to fine tune their submissions to publishers. The workshops include oneto-one sessions with tutor Tom Bromley.
The festival runs from November 20 to 22. Visit stratlitfest.co.uk or call 0333 666 3366 for tickets or more information.