The StAnza Poetry Festival kicks off today at St Andrews. Sadly, I can’t be there until Friday, which means I’ll miss the likes of Tim Turnbull, John Burnside, Penelope Shuttle etc. I also can’t be there on the Saturday, so I will miss August Kleinzahler’s intimate “Round Table reading,” the dream-ticket of AB Jackson and Alexander Hutchison, and the excellent Alison Brackenbury and Michael Schmidt combo.
So what do I plan to see on the Friday and Sunday? Well, if there are still tickets left, I’ll try to get to:
Friday:
1. Showcase: Gregory Award Winners
2. Past and Present: Eliot, Lear (little chance of tickets being left for that!)
3. StAnza Lecture: Sarah Maguire
4. Reading: August Kleinzahler and Tess Gallagher
Sunday:
1. Masterclass: Translation
2. Poetry Theatre: Bowen and Lloyd
3. Poetry Film: Wholly Communion
And there are plenty of other things to do – various exhibitions, a pamphlet fair, a bar – I’m sure to find time to check out all these venues as well. I wish I could stay to hear James Fenton and Adrian Mitchell on the Sunday evening, but I’ve got to pick up my daughter from her cousins’ house before it gets too late.
3 comments:
I agree...there is a lot I would like to hear but won't and can't for various reasons. Maybe StAnza are missing a trick - podcasts or webcams or whichever bits of hi-tech it might need and lots more of us could join in with the people who can be there in body. I know it wouldn't be the same...but it would open up the audience no end...
Inspired by your postings on StAnza last year I'm heading up for most of saturday and some of sunday's events this year, will be at the masterclass translation event also, really looking forward to it all!
The Sunday is the only day I can make it this year, so I miss out on a lot, but we're celebrating a first birthday on the Saturday, which I wouldn't miss for the world. I've a ticket for the translation event, so see you there and elsewhere.
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