WHILE it has established itself as one of the best events of its kind nationwide, local matters are very much at the heart of the Henley Literary Festival — typified by two special events bookending this year’s proceedings.
Two much-honoured figures intrinsically associated with the area, Sir Steve Redgrave and the late Sir John Mortimer, are the subjects of events aimed to kick the festival off with a bang and end this year’s fun on a high note.
Ahead of memorial events at London’s Royal Court Theatre and Southwark Cathedral, the town is paying its own tribute to Mortimer, who died earlier this year at the age of 85. The performance will take place at the Kenton Theatre on Thursday, October 1 at 7.45pm. An early and fervent supporter of the festival, Mortimer’s talk here in 2008 was his last ever stage appearance.
No-one can do the Mortimer anecdotes as well as Sir John, so it will be his own words, delivered by an all-star cast headed by Edward Fox, Joss Ackland, Joanna David, Lily Bevan and student theatre commitments allowing, the young Fred Fox. Produced with support from the author and playwright’s family, Mortimer Country: Turville and Tuscany, Champagne and Chianti has been collated from his work by Giles Cole, with Rumpole radio director Marilyn Imrie at the helm, and music provided by acclaimed singer Sam Brown.
Britain’s greatest ever Olympian, five-times gold medal winner Sir Steve Redgrave will be bringing this year’s festival to a close with the official launch of his new book Inspired: The Greatest Stories in Sport. Citing examples from Brian Clough to Jonny Wilkinson, Redgrave relates some of the sporting tales that spurred him on over a two-decade career which included winning nine rowing World Championships and three Commonwealth Championships.
His Monday evening date at the town hall, hosted by respected commentator Nigel Starmer-Smith, follows the appearnce of his Sydney Olympics teammate James Cracknell alongside Ben Fogle on the Friday.
Strong themes this year are fiction and history. One of our finest, and most controversial novelists, Fay Weldon heads a list of award- winning novelists. Her provocative new novel Chalcot Crescent, is set in 2013 when the debt crisis has come home to roost.
Fans of historical fiction will discover the secret of living in the past when Sarah Dunant and Gaynor Arnold, share the platform on Friday. The third of Sarah Dunant’s Italian Renaissance novels, Sacred Hearts, has been dramatised for Radio 4 while Gaynor Arnold’s Girl in a Blue Dress, based on the life of Charles Dickens’ neglected wife Catherine, was long-listed for the Booker Prize.
Tim Lott shares the stage with Blake Morrison, author of the compelling memoir And When Did You Last See Your Father (for which Jim Broadbent won an Oscar). For those looking to discover a new writer, Jonathan Tulloch makes a special appearance on Sunday. Winner of the Betty Trask Prize, he has been rated one of the UK’s top 20 young writers by the TLS.
A male view of relationships is given by best-selling novelist Tony Parsons, celebrated for his novels on modern marriage. He talks about the stand-off between men and women and will read from his latest book, Starting Over.
In contrast, Lionel Shriver writes from the female perspective — she changed her name from Margaret in her teens. Best known for her astounding tour de force about a school shooting, We Need to Talk about Kevin, which won the Orange Prize, Shriver talks about her journey to fame. One reviewer has said she would happily read a shopping list written by Lionel Shriver and it will be fascinating to hear how she has grown as a novelist.
Husband and wife authors Sean French and Nicci Gerrard, better known as crime writer Nicci French, will discuss the psychology of murder, the secrets of survival, and how two minds can plot better than one.
Romantic comedy is represented by GMTV newsreader Penny Smith, who draws on the reality tv world she knows so well for her latest novel, After the Break. She appears with Anna Pasternak, creator of the disaster-prone Daisy Dooley, at 4.30pm on Saturday.
Former Romantic Novelist of the Year Jojo Moyes kicks off Sunday in Henley’s very own version of Loose Women, joining Times columnist India Knight to discuss why women’s real passion is shops, shoes, horses and cake. Later the same day, novelists Lucy Cavendish and Miranda Glover join forces to debate the fraught topic of privacy. Should authors raid their lives — and their families’ — for material? And if so, where should they draw the line?
Among the historians are Max Hastings, Dan Snow, Tristram Hunt,and Alistair Horne. There is also a lunchtime encounter with film director and bon viveur Michael Winner, a wry look at the Seventies with the News Quiz’s Francis Wheen, a preview of the latest adventures of Charley Boorman and a chance to hear the memoirs of Stanley Johnson, the father of our much loved former MP Boris.
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Published on 07 September 2009
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