Alert! We’ve finally got our hands on the programme for the 2009 Wordfest – the literary festival run by Chris Mann that’s more or less adjunct to the annual National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.
Wordfest kicks off this year on Saturday, 4 July and runs until Friday, 10 July. Highlights include appearances by William Gumede and Mandla Langa; the launch of Thando Mgqolozana’s A Man Who is Not a Man; and talks by Paul Holden and Pregs Govender.
Entry fees range from free to R50; purchase tickets with Computicket or at the door. All events take place in or near the Eden Grove Building, Lucas Avenue, just below Grahamstown’s Botanical Gardens (the Nun’s Chapel is at the east end of St Peter’s Building which is next to Eden Grove) and each lasts for an hour, unless otherwise stated.
Further highlights include:
Wordefest’s literary newspaper, WordStock, carries details of each day’s programme – be sure to pick up a copy upon your arrival in Grahamstown.
Here’s the official programme; it’s busy, so plan ahead:
2009 Worfest programme
Saturday 4 July | ||||||||
| 9:30 | Wordfest Eastern Cape writers. In Red Lecture Theatre till Wed. Audiences welcome. (All day) | Free | Registration | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| 10:00 | Laurence Wright links aspects of Shakespeare’s The Tempest with J M Coetzee’s Disgrace. | R10 | Classic Lecture | Launch Pad | ||||
| 11:00 | Dan Wylie (Elephant) gives an ecologist’s overview of that most marvellous of fellow animals. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Launch Pad | ||||
| 12:00 | Dynamic UK performance-poet Lemn Sissay reads, performs (a bit) and talks about his craft. | R10 | Poetry workshop | Launch Pad | ||||
| 16:00 | Dennis Beckett (Magenta) on South Africa as ‘a haven of stability” & what’s holding us back. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| 17:00 | Chris Marais & Julienne duToit (Karoo Keepsakes) explore the Karoo in stories, pics & music. | R10 | Multimedia literature | Seminar Room | ||||
| 21:00 | First Physical Theatre Company perform Inner Piece, (a) musings on peace & war in haiku-style. | R 50 | Physical Theatre | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
Sunday 5 July | ||||||||
| 10:00 | Pat Grayson (How to Write-Right) gets down to some basics of writing and publishing. (3 hrs) | R30 | Workshop/launch | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 10:30 | Dan Wylie’s research (Myth of Iron) deconstructs the mega-Shaka myth and finds thin air. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Launch Pad | ||||
| 11:30 | William Gumede (The Democracy Gap) on why most African liberation movements failed | R10 | Keynote & launch | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| when in government and how South Africans can learn from and avoid their mistakes. | ||||||||
| 14:30 | Greg Hohmann ( At this Stage) breaks new ground as he surveys post-apartheid SA drama. | R10 | Lecture/launch | Launch Pad | ||||
| 16:00 | Warren Snowball (How Greek is your English?) unveils the ancient Athens in our speech. | R10 | Classic Lecture | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| 2100 | First Physical Theatre Company perform Inner Piece, (a)musings on peace & war in haiku-style. | R50 | Physical Theatre | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| Monday 6 July | ||||||||
| 9:30 | Readers, writers & language activist from top of High Street to Cathedral & back to Eden Grove. | Free | Street parade | Drostdy Arch | ||||
| 10:00 | Jill Ritchie (Papillon Press) on how to write a business plan clearly and concisely. (3hrs) | R30 | Workshop | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 10:30 | Writers place manuscripts on the Isivivane cairn on the south side of Eden Grove. | Free | Isivivane ceremony | Eden Grove | ||||
| 11:30 | Opening ceremony: readings & overflows of gees & kgatlhego & umoya & wat nog al. (90 min) | R10 | Opening ceremony | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| Keynote address by Mandla Langa winner of this year’s Commonwealth Prize for Literature. | Keynote & launch | |||||||
| 14:30 | Andrew Foley on The Imagination of Freedom: Critical Texts and Times in Liberal Literature. | R10 | Classic Lecture | Launch Pad | ||||
| 15:30 | Summon up your literary courage and get up there and read or perform at Open Mike. | R10 | Poetry | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 16:00 | Thando Mgqolozana (A Man who is not a Man) challenges the culture of male circumcision. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| 2100 | First Physical Theatre Company perform Inner Piece, (a)musings on peace & war in haiku-style. | R50 | Physical Theatre | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
Tuesday 7 July | ||||||||
| 10:00 | Jill Ritchie (Papillon Press) on how to figure out a project and write a funding proposal. (3hrs) | R30 | Workshop | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 10:00 | Deborah Seddon on Sol Plaatje’s Cultural Legacy – a founding figure in SA literature. | R10 | Classic Lecture | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| 12:00 | McGlory Speckman (A Biblical Vision for Africa’s Development) on value-driven development. | R10 | Launch/lecture | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| 15:00 | Jane Taylor (Transplant Men) explores issues of personality & medical ethics in superb novel. | R10 | Lecture/launch | Launch Pad | ||||
| 15:30 | Mxolisi Nyezwa reads from his new book New Country followed by Open Mike. | R10 | Poetry | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 16:00 | Thembelani Ngenelwa (The Day I Died): an autobiography with experiences of violent crime. | R10 | Lecture/launch | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| 16:00 | Paul Holden (The Arms Deal in your Pocket) updates the inside stories of a great SA scandal. | R10 | Lecture/launch | Seminar Room | ||||
| 2100 | First Physical Theatre Company perform Inner Piece, (a)musings on peace & war in haiku-style. | R50 | Physical Theatre | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
Wednesday 8 July | ||||||||
| 10:00 | Kundayi Masanzu (ANFASA) on intellectual property rights for authors including fiction writers. | R30 | Workshop | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 10:30 | Ron Hall on Joseph Conrad’s great novel Nostromo – a study of revolution and corruption. | R10 | Classic Lecture | Launch Pad | ||||
| 11:30 | Rhoda Kadalie (In your face) tackles controversial current issues that affect all South Africans. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Launch Pad | ||||
| 14:30 | Shirley Gunn (Knocking on): six pairs of mothers and daughters tell amazing struggle stories. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Launch Pad | ||||
| 15:30 | Chris Marais & Julienne du Toit (Karoo Keepsakes) explore the Karoo in stories, pics & music. | R10 | Multimedia literature | Seminar Room | ||||
| 15:30 | Dianne Ferrus, Vincent Oliphant & Selwyn Milborrow (Drieluik) launch followed by Open Mike. | R10 | Poetry | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 16:00 | Roger Southall (A New Scramble for Africa) on the rapid changes in geopolitics affecting Africa. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Launch Pad | ||||
Thursday 9 July | ||||||||
| 10:00 | Penny Haworth & Vanessa Rouhani unfold the haikus in you – using Japanese fish prints. (3hrs) | R30 | Workshop | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 10:00 | Rosamund Kendal (Karma Suture): young medical doctor’s superb post-apartheid first novel. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Launch Pad | ||||
| 11:30 | Antony Osler (Stoep Zen) explores the zen on a Karoo sheep farm with wit and wisdom. | R10 | Launch/discussion | Launch Pad | ||||
| 15:00 | Pippa Green (The Life and Times of Trevor Manuel) explores a remarkable South African. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Launch Pad | ||||
| 15:30 | Summon up your literary courage and get up there and read or perform at Open Mike. | R10 | Poetry | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 16:00 | After the film The Hours David Bunyan on Virginia Woolf’s real relationship with Mrs Dalloway. | R10 | Classic Lecture | Launch Pad | ||||
| 2100 | First Physical Theatre Company perform Inner Piece, (a) musings on peace & war in haiku-style. | R50 | Physical Theatre | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
Friday 10 July | ||||||||
| 10:00 | Tony Frost (After the Rain) presents lessons from the wild for leaders and organisations. (3hrs) | R30 | Workshop/launch | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 10:00 | Tim Huisamen on the mega-multitudinous magnificence of Cervantes’ Don Quixote. | R10 | Classic Lecture | Launch Pad | ||||
| 11:00 | Andy Petersen just sixteen launches his first book Daniel Fox and the Jester’s Legacy. | R10 | Lecture & launch | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| 12:00 | Comrade Fatso, outspokenly defiant young Zimbabwe poet, lets rip, with music and irony. | R10 | Performance poet | Red Lecture Theatre | ||||
| 15:00 | Pregs Govender (Love and Courage): ex-ANC MP’s autobiography explores true power. | R10 | Lecture/launch | Launch Pad | ||||
| 16:00 | Chris Marais & Julienne du Toit (Karoo Keepsakes) explore the Karoo in stories, pics & music. | R10 | Multimedia literature | Seminar Room | ||||
| 15:30 | Megan Hall reads from Fourth Child her first book followed by Open Mike. | Free | Poetry | Nun’s Chapel | ||||
| 16:002100 | Bruce Murray (Empire & cricket) tracks the extraordinary history of cricket in South Africa. First Physical Theatre Company perform Inner Piece, (a)musings on peace & war in haiku-style. | R10 R50 | Sports/historyPhysical Theatre | Launch PadNun’s Chapel | ||||
**
2009 Wordfest workshops
| Saturday 4 July 12:00 1 hr Sunday 5 July | Dynamic performance-poet from the UK Lemn Sissay discusses and demonstrates his craft. | R10 | Launch Pad | |
| 10:00 | 3hrs | Pat Grayson (How to Write-Right) gets down to some basics of writing and publishing. | R30 | Nun’s Chapel |
| Monday 6 July | ||||
| 10:00 | 3hrs | Jill Ritchie (Papillon Press) on how to write a business plan clearly and concisely. | R30 | Nun’s Chapel |
| Tuesday 7 July | ||||
| 10:00 | 3hrs | Jill Ritchie (Papillon Press) on how to figure out a project and write a funding proposal. | R30 | Nun’s Chapel |
| Wed 8 July | ||||
| 10:00 | 60mins | Kundayi Masanzu (ANFASA) on intellectual property rights for authors including fiction writers. | R30 | Nun’s Chapel |
| Thurs 9 July | ||||
| 10:00 | 3hrs | Penny Haworth & Vanessa Rouhani unfold the haikus within you – using Japanese fish prints. | R30 | Nun’s Chapel |
| Friday 10 July | ||||
| 10:00 | 3hrs | Tony Frost (After the Rain) presents lessons from the wild for leaders and organisations. | R30 | Nun’s Chapel |
**
2009 Wordfest classic lecture series
| Saturday 4 July | ||||
| 10:00 | 60mins | Laurence Wright links aspects of Shakespeare’s The Tempest with J M Coetzee’s Disgrace. | R10 | Launch Pad |
| Sunday 5 July | ||||
| 16:00 | 60mins | Warren Snowball (How Greek is your English?) unveils the ancient Athens in our speech. | R10 | Red Lecture Th. |
| Monday 6 July | ||||
| 14:30 | 60mins | Andrew Foley on The Imagination of Freedom: Critical Texts and Times in Liberal Literature. | R10 | Launch Pad |
| Tuesday 7 July | ||||
| 10:00 | 60mins | Deborah Seddon on Sol Plaatje’s Cultural Legacy – a founding figure in SA literature. | R10 | Red Lecture Th. |
| Wed 8 July | ||||
| 10:30 | 60mins | Ron Hall on Joseph Conrad’s great novel Nostromo – a study of revolution and corruption. | R10 | Launch Pad |
| Thurs 9 July | ||||
| 16:00 | 60mins | After the film The Hours David Bunyan on Virginia Woolf’s real relationship with Mrs Dalloway. | R10 | Launch Pad |
| Friday 10 July | ||||
| 10:00 | 60mins | Tim Huisamen on the mega-multitudinous magnificence of Cervantes’ Don Quixote. | R10 | Launch Pad |
Book details
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