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19

Graham
McCallion
PHOTOGRAPHIC
STUDIO

WEDDINGS
PORTRAITS
COMMERCIA

THE LINK ARINES bULUE TO WHAT'S ON IN AND AROUND SWINDON
-
The Barn, 116 High Street
Margaret and Mo and many more Blunsdon. Swindon

Literature festival attracts top names to town
Following last May's phenomenally successful eighth festival, plans are now well underway for the ninth
Swindon Festival of Literature, recently hailed one of the leading cultural events in the West, which this year
Friends & rev ^,:
runs from 1 - 11 May, writes director Matt Holland.
As in previous years, the Festi- Jones; comic writer broadcasters Poetry in public
val will start high on a ridge in Lawn Arthur Smith and Jenny Eclair; tel- Partners
Woods at 5.30am on 1 May with evision art critic Matthew Collings; Are you up to reading poems in FOR NEW RELATIONSHIPS
the ever-popular Dawn Chorus, and many more! front of an audience, either your
where festival followers gather for This year's Festival of Literature own, or one of your choice? Now under new management
an early-morning carnival of po- also includes the fourth Clive Brain West Swindon based poetry in Swindon
etry, song, storytelling and dance, Memorial Lecture, the now nation- magazine Pulsar holds afree Live
The local Introduction Agency
plus a good deal of mayday morn- ally-famous Swindon Performance Poetry Evening on 12 February,
that cares about people.
ing mischief. Poetry Slam competition, the ever- from 8pm to late at the Suffolk
popular Children's Arms, Brinkworth. A range of services at
Day, a topical Inter- You don't have to get on stage. sensible prices
-- national Day, an Go along and soak up the atmos-
Call (01793) 871342 for
maybe even a fas- phere and do something different
?11 jords "i " cinating new Poetry to watching the box. free brochure
Gallery! For details and directions, call or email:
^ fl As ever, there will David Pike on 875941. [email protected]
£ ^v,u be a wide range of
literary talks, per-
formances, discus- Starring Clive Webb
sions, and readings & Danny Adams
at arts venues, li-
braries, schools The UKs favourite
P
A 3C Of3^ pubs, parks, and clown, Cousin Tmoni
r '^r^F
"C fll;v even in woodlands Stars of the Romanian
in and around Swin- State Circus
don
It is wonderful to Sunday 17th February,
However, so popular is the Swin- see the festival's profile grow each 2pm & 6pm
don festival with leading authors, year as it plays host to bigger r^ Tickets: £7. Child £6
„
that speakers' slots during its names and attracts a larger follow-
eleven days were quickly taken up ing. At every level, it has become a
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by key names in the literary world, fantastic celebration for Swindon L1LLLi11^ ^ ' `
I
before negotiations with one Lady of things well written and things J /.ilymJ3 !::JJJ :Jiij _VA JJ iI
M Thatcher. with her latest book well said. Something between a 11LL L I I I L L ►'
Statecraft, were complete. When cultural communion and a literary L, L ,ci ' ►'
f I
the latter finally accepted our invi- frolic. People have a great time, lalLLll '
tation, it meant that the festival's get together, meet authors, join in
biggest signing had to be fitted into good talk, and make discoveries. It
a special slot on 29 April, a couple is very exciting!
of days before official proceedings The 2002 Festival has been
begin. Butwhata pre-festival taster made possible by financial assist-
Margaret Thatcher should prove to ance from Dominic Winter Book
be Auctions; the University of Bath in
Other authors and speakers Swindon; and Southern Arts; and
booked to appear include Mo support in kind from The Link,
Mowlem on the publication date of Lower Shaw Farm, and numerous
her first book Momentum: contro- other local organisations and indi- 6th
versial columnists and novelists viduals. It is heartening that so
Will Self and Howard Jacobson; many people see the value of a
best-selling fantasy writer Terry literary festival for Swindon.
Pratchett; writer and BBC broad- The full festival programme will `VYVERN THEATRE
caster John Humphrys; academi- be published on 21 March. To go
cally funny novelist David Lodge; on the mailing list, telephone THEATRE SQUARE, SWINDON --wronon
actress and writer Sarah Miles; 771080 or e-mail us at
Box OFFICE: (01793) 524481 _2V. CLEARCHANNEL
brain theory supremo Dr Steve [email protected]