Lennoxlove House
Scottish literary festival: A dramatic opening
It opened with drama; the pipes and drums of Loretto School and a magnificent firework display. More dazzle followed when we showed an exclusive extract from War Horse, the new Steven Spielberg film based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel, and the author spoke about the business of adaptation. Then Alistair Darling gave a brilliant exposition of the financial crash, the crash and burn of the banks- and from a vantage point in the middle of the pyrotechnics.
Loretto School Pipe Band
Book festival weekend highlights
And the weekend was off! Excellent session followed excellent session, but perhaps a highlight was the re-staging of John Byrne’s brilliant play, Writer’s Cramp, 35 years after its premiere on the Edinburgh Fringe in 1977. After two of the original cast of three had dropped out through illness, Isla Blair and John Sessions took their parts alongside Bill Paterson and brought the house down. It was magical.
2011 cast of Writer's Cramp
Feedback
And so was Lennoxlove, a magical festival, full of atmosphere, full of warmth and light. The literary editor of The Herald said: ‘I can’t think of a better setting for a book festival, or a more appreciative audience.’ Isla Blair and Julian Glover said: ‘we are still glowing from that wonderful weekend… fantastic, so well organised yet really warm and friendly.’ And Mrs Sandra Crace, attending her very first book festival, said ‘it made one proud to be Scottish’.
Thanks to all those who came and made the festival what it was. We would very much appreciate your feedback: if you didn’t fill in a questionnaire at the festival, please fill in our online Audience Survey and you will be entered into a prize draw for £75 worth of book tokens.
A glorious weekend
Lennoxlove Book Festival 2012
And for those wanting to take advantage of early booking next year, please don’t forget our Friends scheme: you can join online.
Until next year!
Alistair Moffat, Festival Director
