James Metcalf on the fictionality of the latest archaeological page-turners
Stephen Puddicombe looks at the unusual appeal of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot
Ciaran Rafferty investigates the science of book classification
Latitude
The Poetry Arena hosts poetry and comedy alongside hip hop, slam poets, raconteurs, spoken word, lyricism, storytelling, and rappers, among others. The Faraway Forest uses a mixture of performance and visual arts to, apparently, set free your darkest desires and set free your inhibitions. Sounds dangerous. The Literary Arena uses the skills of many talented storytellers such as Louis de Bernieres, Sarah Dunant, and Mark Billingham, and claims to take you to the far reaches of your imagination. Meanwhile the Literary Salon has a more interactive approach. Finally, if you need a bit more innocent fun which doesn’t involve your darkest desires, the Children’s Arena offers arts and crafts for a gentler few hours.
Glastonbury
Poetry and Words provides spoken word literary entertainment from artists such as John Hegley, Matt Harvey, Sound of Rum, Poeticat, Pete the Temp, Alfred Lord Telecom. Attila the Stockbroker and the relatively ordinarily-named Anna Freeman. Longfella is the Poet in Residence. Croissant Neuf promises ‘ecotainment’ powered 100% by solar energy, as well as organic and fair trade food, al surrounded by various exhibitors. Shangri La’s 'Contemporary Art at Festivals' features artists such as Tim Etchells, Dan Coopey, Tai Shani, Blast Theory and Jim Woodall, and Brian Random. The Art Car Parade has ‘mutant’ cars by Mutoid hanging around the festival. The Unfairground, supposedly a ‘disaster zone’ from Joe Rush and other ‘art hooligans’ is for those who love the smell of burning petrol apparently.
Edinburgh
Don Quixote’s Dance is a sale of ’witty, elegant and touching’ original pen and wash drawings by Theo Matoff which celebrate the 400th anniversary of Miguel Cervantes’ Spanish tale. Continuing the Quixote theme, a group of the same name will perform songs inspired by the poetry of Frederico Garcia Lorca in a show entitled Leave My Balcony Open. Africa Arts is an exhibition of crafted African wood carvings, while Elizabeth Blackadder’s major summer exhibition at the National Gallery in honour of her 80th birthday is sure to be a treat. Blackadder was the first woman artist to be elected to both the Royal Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy. Thomas Houseago’s The Beat of the Show outdoor sculpture exhibition at the Royal Botantic garden features often monumental bronze, wood, iron and steel sculptures which ‘subvert classical and modernist forms’, whatever that means. Alan J Poole and Dan Klein’s A Passion for Glass at the National Museum of Scotland is a large collection of modern glasswear. The Scottish Sale meanwhile provides an opportunity to view a selection of important Scottish paintings and other works of art before they are sold at auction at Bonhams.
So there you go. There's realy no need for music at all.
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