Michael Portillo, Stuart Maconie, Nicholas Crane, Bernard MacLaverty and Christopher Rush are just a few of the literary stars and celebrity authors that take to the Pitlochry stage for this year’s Winter Words Festival, 24th-27th January 2008.
A host of different events will take place throughout the Festival, beginning with an audience with one of Britain’s best-known journalists, Martin Bell, on Thursday 24th at 7.30pm. This will be an evening of insights into some of the best known foreign assignments of the last thirty years, not to mention the BBC and Parliament! The next morning we welcome actor, improviser and author Stella Duffy will take a Writing for Theatre Workshop. Later in the Festival, she returns to reveal how she divides her time writing in two distinct voices.
Kathleen Jamie, Mandy Haggith and Margaret Elphinstone team up to discuss how weather has been used as a plot device in Scottish literature, as well reading from their own work. Rosemary Goring will deliver a fantastic account of Scotland’s history composed of eye witness accounts from those who experienced it first hand, whilst Vicky Jack and Anna Magnusson reveal the story of Vicky’s decision to quit her successful career to concentrate on her quest for the Seven Summits.
The ever-popular 1.00pm Literary Lunch slot this year features Christina Lamb, Bernard MacLaverty and Peter Kerr. Gifted authors, great speakers, fantastic minds and mouth watering food: unmissable!
Speaking of which, make sure you get tickets for the former foreign secretary Lord David Owen, the Beeb’s Nicholas Crane, Radio 2 DJ and author Stuart Maconie, Helen Dunmore, Ian R. Mitchell, Jennifer Potter, Raman Mundair and Fiona Benson.
And to round it all off on Sunday evening, we have another Scottish Any Questions, with a glittering panel that will include John Swinney, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance in the new Scottish Government. The Festival also a programme of events for families and younger readers, starting with Gill Arbuthnot, author of Winterbringers at 10.45am on Saturday morning, whilst Monsters & Mayhem take to the stage with Jill Webster at 3.15pm. On Sunday morning (10.45am), join Hamish Bear and Moira Munro. Don’t forget to make sure you meet Perfect Pete at 3.15pm – Scotland’s Superhero, who needs your help! With tickets from only ￡2, it’s great value for superb entertainment.
If you are a budding author of tales of the mysterious, then you will be delighted to hear that The Fearie Tales Writing Competition returns to dare you to submit your best spooky story, with the winning entries read aloud each evening by some familiar faces from the Pitlochry stage. A Book Fair will take over the Foyer every day, with a wide range of both new and second hand books, covering both specialist and general topics.
Tickets, brochures and further information are available from Pitlochry Festival Theatre Box Office on 01796 484626 or online: www.pitlochry.org.uk or via email: boxoffice@pitlochry.org.uk
