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34
SWIrGkr Wide
Swindon words festival described as

A 'better than sex'
Superstition held no fear this year for the thirteenth thirteen-day
Swindon Festival of Literature, writes Matt Holland, festival director.
In fact, thirteen
-1• Ole proved to be a lucky e -
number because. in
terms of quality of
speakers, perform-
ers, and audience
0 year's festival was Ear/ymorning antics from Annamation to launch
response,
this
a great success the festi 'a/high above Swindon on t May
And yet, it all looked so different
MOT TESTING AND at the start. At 3.30am on Bank art, while another art lover re-
minded us that in all wonder there
Holiday Monday 1 May in dark
REPAIRS damp Lawn Woods, the festival is doubt. Then alternative optimist
Satish Kumar implored us not to
crew prepared for Dawn Chorus. act out of fear but out of love. There
The wind blew and the rain came certainly was love, not least a
EXHAUST TYRES AND down: soggy posters would not bridge of love, the Stari Most in
stick to soggy trees, gazebos blew Bosnia, in Claire Williamson's bril-
BATTERIES away and car tyres spun on muddy li antly-presented epic narrative
ground. But the spirit of Swindon poem with film and music. For
kicked in as we tus- many, this event
• VALET SERVICE sled with the elements. proved to be the festi-
And soon, through val highlight.
the trees and the shad- Although hot on its
• CAR HIRE ows, people started heels were Michael
appearing, first twos Norton appearing on
and threes, then in stage at the delight-
greater numbers. By fully decked out Old
DON'T WAIT UNTIL IT'S TOO HOT
the time the first note Railway Museum with
was sounded by our his 365 Ways to
HAVE YOUR AIR CONDITIONING
piper at the gates of Change the World;
CHECKED AND SERVICED SOON dawn, a happy crowd Sara-Jane Arbury at Marina Lewycka with
of more than 250 had the Swindon S/am./ herterrific humourand
gathered on that high telling insights on fam-
Free collection & delivery ridge overlooking Queen's Drive. il y life; a phenomenal and well-
And didn't we have fun, laughing at attended Children and Families
Free loan Annamation the bewigged and Day at Lower Shaw Farm: Nick
animated storytellers, gasping at Hornby on finally forgiving and now
cars (subject the antics of Foobar Theatre, lis- li king Swindon; and the best-ever
to availability) tening to stories, and dancing round Swindon Slam and Quick Quip Quiz
the maypole. finale, with poems that produced
Lift to and By day two, we were well and laughter, tears, and floor-stamp-
truly stuck in to the serious busi- ing.
from work ness of enjoying thought-provok- Numerous festival followers have
ing literature. Juggling American been fulsome in their praise and
Wash and aphorist James Geary reminded suggested that this may have been
vac with all us that `the only difference between the best yet. For example, a nice
a rut and a grave is the depth' and woman with an American accent
servicing that 'no snowflake in an avalanche declared the festival 'fantastic,
ever feels responsible.' making it almost unnecessary for
Next, two dynamic women told it me to go to Hay'; another person
FISH BROTHERS li ke it is. Ann Widdecombe ex- reckoned that it 'illuminates the
plained that since she has gone spirit of Swindon.'
TO BOOK OR FIND OUT MORE PLEASE blonde, men talk to her much more One hardcore fan pronounced it
CONTACT RONI. CHRISTINE OR ANDY ON slowly. And thoroughly modern 'better than sex'. Phew.
01793 645510 woman but on-the-ball ancient his- Thanks everyone. Kind words
torian Bettany Hughes told us at are appreciated. But oh dear. What
least two significant things. In will you expect next year?
FISH BROTHERS Greece, all those years ago. eve- A//photos. Ben Cavanna
ryone's aim was to im-
NISSAN prove their sexual
prowess and beauty
ALL MAKES : J. was not so much about
physical features as it
SERVICING OFFER was about how you
made other people
n NAME feel.
Next, an Oxford pro-
• REG NO fessor came to town
and defined art as any-
Valid until 31 July 2006
thing that you think is