Latitude Festival 2009

16th – 19th July 2009
Henham Park Estate, Southwold, Suffolk

The pioneering, award-winning Latitude Festival returns to England’s Sunrise Coast for another spectacular year. Taking place on 16th – 19th July, near Suffolk’s stunning sea-side town of Southwold, organisers Festival Republic are promising Latitude will be the perfect British summer destination.

Now in its fourth edition Latitude continues to inspire and innovate offering the very best from the worlds of music, film, comedy, theatre, cabaret, dance, poetry, literature and art. With stunning individual performance spaces dedicated to each of the arts, the arenas are treasure troves of talent, with open doors and inviting atmospheres. Sit back and be entertained by over 700 performers or participate and learn a new skill in the many workshops on offer, there are new experiences round every corner. Latitude encourages you to open your mind, embrace the unknown and try everything; a fun-filled, cultural adventure by the sea; the ideal weekend away.

It is this ethos that has set Latitude apart from its contemporaries and helped win many awards over the past three years. In October last year, Latitude Festival was delighted to win The Stage Award for Special Achievement in Regional Theatre at the coveted TMA Awards (Theatrical Management Association). The Stage Newspaper, main sponsor of the ceremony and of the award Latitude won, praised the festival's efforts to take theatre to new audiences. This is a massive achievement that places the theatre programme at Latitude, up there with the great and the good of the performing arts world.

This year’s line-up is already boasting a wealth of exciting acts across all arenas, and with so much more to be announced over the next five months this year’s event will no doubt shape up to be yet another glorious slice of cultural heaven. So why not book the time off now and rest assured that you’ll have the time of your life, being entertained on the Sunrise Coast at Latitude Festival 2009.

Festival Republic Managing Director, Melvin Benn says:
“Latitude Festival really is a focal point of the summer calendar now, and it’s only in its fourth edition! The level of success is fantastic and it never fails to please me that people have embraced it as much as they have. Being able to bring together all the different aspects of the music and arts worlds is a fabulous achievement and it’s that commitment that sets Latitude apart from the other festivals around. This year we are excited to announce the involvement of some truly incredible performers and companies that inspire, innovate and entertain.
I, for one, cannot wait.”

~ MUSIC ARENAS ~

Latitude Festival boasts four principle music arenas all dedicated to the very best from the music world catering for all tastes and moods. Throughout the whole weekend the Obelisk, Uncut, and Sunrise Arenas and The Lake Stage will showcase eclectic line-ups consisting of some of the nation’s most cherished performers alongside the cream of emerging new acts. Enjoy musical styles ranging from electro to rock, dance to indie, classical to reggae, and from world to jazz; witness breathtaking headlining appearances and all in picture-perfect surroundings.

Jon Dunn ~ Music Arenas Booker, says:
“The perfection and spectacle of Sigur Rós, the chaos in the tent for Crystal Castles, the moment Blondie took to the stage, the rush of Foals at the Obelisk Arena, the arrival of Elbow as a band breaking through to the big league, the sonic power of The Mars Volta, the emergence of White Lies for the first time, Seasick Steve and his three string guitar and bottle of whisky ,the diminutive figure of Joanna Newsom wooing 15,000 people at midday on the Sunday…
…My own highlights from 2008.

I’m excited for this year’s event more than ever, our three headliners Pet Shop Boys, Grace Jones and Nick Cave epitomise where Latitude is at, challenging, iconic and visually stunning.

Over the next three months we'll be announcing over 100 more artists for this year’s event, an event that has grown every year, and one that I feel will be our strongest musically yet.”

OBELISK ARENA

~ Grace Jones ~ Pet Shop Boys ~ Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ~

The open-air Obelisk Arena has been the stage of some epic performances over the past three years and Latitude 2009 will be no different. Lay out your picnic blanket, bask in the sunshine and get down to some of the best music around.

The iconic, hard-hitting, disco icon Grace Jones is currently enjoying a revival in popularity and mainstream success, her recent album ‘Hurricane’, (her first in nearly 20 years) has positioned her on the frontline of popular culture once again. Recently named Q Idol at the 2008 Awards, Jones is a model, actress, performer, entertainer, singer, producer, writer and enigma - a superstar that exudes style and talent. Her music career, spanning 30 years, incorporates late 70’s disco, early 80’s new wave, dub reggae and present day jagged pop. Carving out her own niche is her most exciting attribute, and her live shows that often descend into mayhem and anarchic performances are the essence of her appeal. Expect the unexpected!

Electronic dance pioneers Pet Shop Boys will be bringing their astounding live show to Latitude’s Obelisk Arena. Fresh from winning a BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe come armed with tracks from their brand new album ‘Yes’ and a back catalogue that includes 22 Top 10 hits and four number ones. They have sold a staggering 30 million records worldwide; giving us such classics as ‘It’s A Sin’, ‘Heart’, ‘West End Girls’ and ‘Always On My Mind’ to name just a few. Their influence can be heard in tracks from Madonna to The Killers, and they are as relevant and important today as they were 20 years ago. Masters of incredible visual displays while pumping out fantastic club anthems – this will be a headline set to remember. Be sure to wear your dancing shoes!

After a fantastically frenetic show last year with Grinderman, the phenomenal figure of Nick Cave returns with his band The Bad Seeds. Recent album and masterpiece ‘Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!’ which was voted Album Of The Year by Mojo sees Cave at his snarling, darkly humorous, and decadent best. Lyrically unparalleled, musically stunning, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have produced 14 incredible albums to date in a career spanning three decades. Lovingly remastered and repackaged, the first four classic albums are being re-released in March 2009 highlighting the prolific and infectious songs from one of Australia’s musical legends.

UNCUT ARENA

The impressive structure of the tented Uncut Arena houses an eclectic line-up of alternative, leftfield music; a hotbed of genre-spanning artists all offering something unique. Last year, the arena presented: reggae, jazz and blues from African duo Amadou And Mariam, progressive and experimental rock from The Mars Volta, and orchestral rock from cult band Tindersticks, plus the legendary disco/punk of Blondie amongst many others. This year will once again host a myriad of musical musts from the fields of folk, world, experimental, electronica, rock, indie and any other musical style you can think of. It’s all on offer at the Uncut Arena.

SUNRISE ARENA

Take a stroll through Latitude’s fairytale woods with art exhibited within the trees and dappled sunlight shining through the leaves and you will stumble across the most exquisite space of all; the Sunrise Arena, home to tomorrow’s biggest stars. Showcasing the very best in up-and-coming music, the Sunrise Arena gives the perfect platform for new bands and artists to play to larger audiences. Last year saw performances from Crystal Castles, Metronomy, Black Kids and Lykke Li to name a few, who are now enjoying mainstream successes. With a full schedule to be announced shortly this cosy and cherished arena is the place to find the most exciting new talent. Discover the next big thing at Latitude’s stunning Sunrise Arena.

THE LAKE STAGE PRESENTS
curated by Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens

With the shimmering lake as a stunning backdrop The Lake Stage is an open air hub of rising stars handpicked by Radio 1 DJ and new music aficionado, Huw Stephens. A place for discovery and recognition The Lake Stage brings you the freshest new acts before they even register on the radar of the music press. A chance for budding young bands such as last year’s headliners Errors, Cheeky Cheeky & The Nosebleeds and The Wave Pictures to springboard from their early beginnings to great success. It is a place for up-and-coming creativity from across the musical spectrum to be unearthed and given a chance to shine. Come witness the next generation emerge at Latitude’s wonderful Lake Stage.

ARTS ARENAS

Latitude’s vast appeal is in its dedication to diversity; continuously offering wonderful line-ups from the world of the creative arts. Across seven separate arenas, as well as making use of the stunning woods and lake, the most gifted and exciting comics, film-makers, visual artists, poets, authors, actors, directors and dancers around will be coming to Latitude. The Comedy, Poetry, Literary, Theatre, Music & Film, Dance and Cabaret Arenas are hotbeds of cultural experiences and fun waiting to stimulate all of your senses.

Tania Harrison ~ Programmer of the Arts Arenas, had this to say:
“Last year's festival surpassed all my expectations - it was truly a spectacular weekend. Latitude's success is in its breadth and variety of attractions and I think the audiences are really starting to get into the swing of it now - trying out new things, watching performances they'd never normally see and letting go of their inhibitions. It's fantastic to watch and last year’s conga line led by Ross Noble and the Royal Shakespeare Company zombies emerging from the woods were my two of my highlights. But equally I could have spent hours in the Film and Literary arenas and Sadler’s Wells just blew me away with their beautiful programme of dance. I could only ever dream of making some of those shapes with my body!

It's an enormous privilege to work with the some of the best arts organisations that the UK has to offer, with The Bush, Paines Plough, nabokov and The Pleasance bringing stunning plays and writers to the festival and this year I’m absolutely delighted to welcome The Royal Opera House who will be presenting some world class dance and music to Latitude's repertoire.
I'm extremely excited about Latitude 2009 - the summer cannot come quick enough."

THEATRE ARENA

~ Royal Shakespeare Company ~ National Theatre ~
~ The Bush Theatre ~ Paines Plough
~ Lyric Hammersmith ~ English Touring Theatre ~ nabokov ~
~ Picks Of The Pleasance ~ Tristan Bates Theatre ~
~ Fuel Theatre ~ Ben Moor ~ 1927 ~ Third Eye Theatre ~
~ DryWrite ~ OSIP Theatre ~ The Rebel Cell ~
~ National Student Drama Festival ~

With the involvement of the country’s leading theatre companies, Latitude has established itself as one of the best theatre festivals in Europe. An auditorium has been specially designed to perfectly present a full schedule of contemporary, physical, classical, performance and local productions bespoke to the festival. Not to be contained within the confines of the stage, theatre can be found around every corner at Latitude, emerging from the woods, performed on the banks of the lake as well as the Theatre Arena, drawing inspiration from the surroundings. There’s something for everyone so take a chance on an unknown play or watch a critic’s choice at Latitude 2009.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's band of strolling players once again visits Latitude with a specially commissioned event. Join them in creating a portrait of William Shakespeare using daisies, dandelions and buttercups, and witness the Bard coming to life before your very eyes. A group of minstrels will accompany some firm-thighed actors as they recite sonnets for you while you work. The completed 30 metre portrait will be gently picked up and floated on the lake on Saturday afternoon.

National Theatre is one of this country’s leading theatres. In its three theatres on the South Bank in London, the National presents an eclectic mix of new plays and classics, with seven or eight productions in repertory at any one time. It re-energises the great traditions of the British stage and expands the horizons of audiences and artists alike, reflecting in its repertoire the diversity of the nation's culture. For Latitude, The National will be bringing thought-provoking, innovative and inspiring work, presenting the very best in performing arts in the shape of The Eternal Not, a new comedy by Lucinda Coxon, directed by Anthony Banks. "Is it too much to ask of a tiny baby, to hold two grown-ups together?" A young married couple await the arrival of their first child. He wants to disappear forever, she has a gift for patience – it’s little wonder the baby's taking its time. This darkly comic, desperate pursuit of eternal bliss, is the latest play by Lucinda Coxon ‘Who's Happy Now?’ was a sell-out smash hit at the National last year and whose new movie 'Wild Target' hits cinemas this summer.

The Bush Theatre presents: Sudden Loss Of Dignity. Working together to create a bespoke piece of theatre especially for Latitude Festival, The Bush Theatre will be shining a light on the general public’s most embarrassing moments and creating five individual plays based on real experiences. For all those who have unwittingly tucked your skirt in your knickers, pestered your ex with drink-and-dial or decided that your sister's wedding was the ideal time to try your hand at break-dancing, submitting your cringe-worthy stories to www.suddenlossofdignity.com is the ideal collective therapy. The Bush Theatre has commissioned five of London's hottest new playwrights to use your stories as inspiration for the next audience generated summer theatrical romp.

Following recent Latitude successes with plays by Robin French, Dennis Kelly, Mark Ravenhill, and Enda Walsh, Paines Plough returns with a new production – ‘Traces’. This unique collaboration launches six of the most brilliant young playwrights of their generation, working alongside choreographer Georgina Lamb (Frantic Assembly, Headlong Theatre) and director Tessa Walker (Young Vic, Paines Plough). Paines Plough is one of the UK’s most important companies presenting new plays and new writers.

The Lyric Hammersmith will be bringing something very special to Latitude Festival this year. Renowned for offering a wide range of performances with and for young, modern and ever-changing people that move beyond the traditional concept of theatre, The Lyric Hammersmith’s specialty is to combine artists of different artistic disciplines, writers, directors, musicians, actors, dancers, puppeteers, circus, video and visual artists, to tell unique stories that will touch the audience.

The Young Vic and English Touring Theatre are joining forces to bring to Latitude a new musical, Latitude’s first, by famed playwright Che Walker. Been So Long is a sad comedy about love, sex, romance and revenge, played out in the loneliest of bars in London. Under the directorship of Rachel Tackley at ETT, Che Walker's neon-soaked musical comedy is rocking. Yvonne and Simone are cruising for action. Raymond stole Gil’s girl and now Gil wants to slice him up, while Barney just wants a quiet life. When all five collide, in a seedy London bar, their desires ignite in a guttural blast of cusses, laughs and unexpected romance. Love looks set to finally conquer the two people who swore they could live without it. But how will they know it’s for real…..? Smarten yourself up, brush yourself down and experience the soul/funk landscape of ‘Been So Long’.

nabokov theatre company presents brand new work from the UK’s most exciting playwriting talent Joel Horwood. ‘Is Everyone Okay?’ is an hour long joyride for the lost and bewildered, centred on three people trying to work out if they’re doing okay or if everything has gone to shit. A brand new theatrical experience for anyone who has ever hit 30 and asked themselves what they’re doing with their life; ‘Is Everyone Okay?’ defines a generation’s anger, fear and frustrations in a brutally honest combination of explosive stand-up comedy and stand-up tragedy. A fantastic collaboration between Fringe First winning playwright Joel Horwood and internationally acclaimed new writing company nabokov, who will also be bringing specially commissioned shorts. nabokov is a new writing theatre company dedicated to commissioning, developing and producing backlash theatre - new work for the stage that offers an antagonistic response to contemporary agendas, trends and events.

Pleasance has presented three ‘Picks’ for Latitude, and has become one of the must-see attractions for those wanting a sample of excellent theatrical and comedy treats. Finishing touches are being put to this year’s offering, but so far confirmed are Edinburgh Festival Fringe favourites Hoipolloi who invite us into The Wonderful World of Hugh Hughes. Hugh, whose previous hits include ‘Floating’ and ‘Story of a Rabbit’, will take us on a journey back to the Welsh valleys he grew up in. Billed as stand up comedy, Hoipolloi enter a new phase in their plans for Hugh ~ join him as he looks back on his life and enjoy the ride. Other shows currently being considered include BAC artists Daffyd James with his one-woman show Sue and exceptional young company Dancing Brick, with their show ‘6.0: How Heap and Pebble Took on the World and Won’.

Tristan Bates Theatre brings the excellent ‘Midnight Matinee’ to Latitude Festival.
Get high on the night. Test the limits of the stage. Live on lager and a lust for electric theatre as late nights at Latitude just got even crazier. Tristan Bates Theatre is ground for new work and exciting experiences. The theatre is home for groundbreaking, intense and trailblazing plays and it also serves to springboard work generated through The Actor’s Centre; a place created by actors for developing their craft collectively.

Renowned comedy writer and actor Ben Moor will be treating audiences to another of his fabulous one-man performances. Winner of a Herald Angel Award ‘Coelacanth’ introduces us to a couple in love. She’s a rising star in the sport of competitive tree climbing, he’s a quiet nonentity. How they fall in love isn’t the story. Staying together when their world is filled with imaginary flatmates, underground Compliment Clubs and Satanic jazz bands – that’s the story. From the imagination of one of the Fringe’s most lauded comedy talents comes an extraordinary tale of love, loneliness, tree climbing and a deeply oblivious fish. The performance is accompanied by live music played by members of Suns of the Tundra.

Enter the macabre world of up and coming theatre company 1927 and their fascinating cabaret, music hall style production. Delivering 10 short sketches, real actors Suzanne Andrade and Esme Appleton interact with pre-recorded footage which is shot in the crackly style of early silent movies. Add eerie piano pieces and stark monochrome animation to the gothic dancing and comically creepy narratives and the result is a sinister ride on the dark side of life. ‘Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea’ garnered fantastic reviews and 1927 will be bringing new work to Latitude.

MUTINY! is a major feature film project currently being developed by the recently founded Third Eye Theatre Company with Emmy award winning producer Jim Reeve (Foyle’s War, Beyond the Sea, Crocodile Dundee etc.) and IFFA nominated producer George Pavlou (Little Devils, Underworld, Nutcracker etc). This dramatisation of the new screenplay will be an incredible fusion of cinema and theatre, bringing to life the untold story of the last surviving mutineers from the HMS Bounty after 1789 and their wretched and brief existence on Pitcairn Island. Expect a tale of lust and greed, drunkenness and cruelty, madness and murder, love and redemption. Feedback from the audience after this preview will be used to enhance the final screenplay.

FUEL presents an Uninvited Guests production - 'Love Letters Straight From Your Heart'. A moving participatory event that is collaboratively authored with its audience, who become a temporary community of close friends. An intimate performance, this is an exploration of the many highs and lows of being in love placed somewhere between a wedding reception, a wake and a radio dedication show. The audience, together with Uninvited Guests, share their own and other's experiences and choose the songs to soundtrack the memory. Deep, passionate, ambivalent or unrequited - a group therapy love-in at its very best.

The new writing collective DryWrite, usually found at The George Tavern in East London, will be bringing an ultimate showdown to Latitude. Six hot writers. Six brand new pieces. Six big fights. Place your bets – as a blistering examination of violence on the stage will unfold. DryWrite is a theatre company inspired by the power of anonymity. They strongly encourage writers to step out of their comfort zones: to create something new, to experiment and to play with subject, form and space.

OSIP Theatre presents ‘A Stab In The Dark’ at Latitude; a funny and insightful glance into the experiences of popping that elusive cherry. Last year, a variety of people were interviewed about their experience of losing their virginity. Within this fairly universal experience a plethora of differences emerged. Situations varied, but interpretations varied even more. Was having sex with a stranger in an unknown place an unmitigated disaster, or was it the time of your life? Was it comedy or tragedy? Was it a celebration, an exploration, a betrayal? What colour were the curtains? A climax? An anticlimax? These plays are based on true stories and will also include the experiences of Latitude Festival goers. Will the next story be yours?

A satirical glimpse into England’s future told in mind-bending rap verse; The Rebel Cell is an exciting addition to the Theatre Arena. The Rebel Cell is a new Hip-Hop style political comedy written and performed by Dizraeli (2007 BBC National Slam Champion) and Baba Brinkman (“Awe inspiring” The Scotsman). The Year is 2013. England has become a totalitarian state, hysterical about terrorism. The BBC has merged with the BNP. Glastonbury is now a prison camp, England’s Guantanamo. The leader of the revolution is on trial, but before sentencing he has a chance to tell his story in an exclusive interview. Will he follow Nelson Mandela? Or Che Guevara? Enter the Rebel Cell… The Stage admired the show, saying "A rare and inventive experiment...ingenious rhymes and brilliantly subtle delivery."

The National Student Drama Festival arrives at Latitude with a new play ‘Touched’ written by Chris Thorpe, directed by Lu Kemp and performed by the most exceptional emerging artists NSDF has seen in the last 12 months. The NSDF gives ambitious students, writers, directors and actors a chance to produce their own work and take part at the festival based in Scarborough. Showcasing theatre, live performance, discussions and special events, NSDF unearths the country’s budding new stars.

THE WATERFRONT STAGE

~ Sadler’s Wells ~ Royal Opera House ~
~ Britten Sinfonia ~
~ The Irrepressibles ~

At last year’s festival, Latitude unveiled the beautiful stage on the lake. People crammed onto the banks to sit and witness fantastic dance and performances throughout the weekend as gondolas rode by and the lake sparkled in the sun. Renamed The Waterfront, this year the stage will once again showcase contemporary, modern dance from the world’s leading companies and choreographers.

Sadler's Wells will be presenting some truly exciting works at Latitude this year. Hofesh Shechter will be bringing his brand new piece ‘The Art of Not Looking Back’; inspired by, and made for, the seven world-class female dancers of the Hofesh Shechter Company; Eulalia Ayguade Farro, Winifred Burnet-Smith, Victoria Hoyland, Yen Ching Lin, Sita Ostheimer, Ino Riga and Jenny White. Physical, complex and unrelenting, Shechter’s favoured theme of ‘man against the world’ is presented in a different and entrancing light.

Sadler's Wells will also be providing an outlet for budding dancers everywhere to try some moves out for themselves in Dance Club. Let your inner dancer out with specially created workshops on Bollywood, Samba, Flamenco and Hip Hop. Whatever your ability, get your groove on at Latitude.

Sadler’s Wells is a dynamic dance theatre venue showcasing the very best in dance from cutting-edge performance to mainstream contemporary pieces, tango to tap and flamenco to family shows, the joy of movement and celebration of dance are always at the heart of Sadler's Wells. It is the epicentre for dance in the UK, bringing the widest forms of world-class international and UK dance to London and now to Latitude audiences.

For Latitude, the Royal Opera House will be showcasing productions from their ROH2 stable. ROH2 is the name for a range of new and innovative activities that run alongside the heritage and tradition of the Royal Opera House that provide diversity and opportunities for performers and audiences to experiment and collaborate in vibrant, creative ways. Latitude is excited to announce the following schedule of performances throughout the weekend.

On Friday, singer and composer Helen Chadwick will present ‘Dalston Songs’ a unique and powerful piece of music theatre. The gossip of neighbours, domestic affairs, life stories – these are just some of the elements bought to life in Dalston Songs. This theatrical song cycle is based on interviews with Helen’s neighbours in Dalston, East London and incorporates lyrics taken from interviewees born in the UK and across the world, alongside poetry. Sometimes funny, sometimes heart-rending, with unaccompanied harmony singing and movement, Dalston Songs is a unique and powerful piece of music theatre. The Times declared “What emerges on stage … is not so much a narrative as a meditation. As Chadwick's a cappella songs and ruminative lyrics flow among the ensemble we are simply asked to listen and reflect, not to be disturbed or provoked.”

Saturday’s performances will put the spotlight on works developed through the ROH choreographic development programmes with recent works from ROH choreographic Associates Laila Diallo, Sarah Dowling and Freddie Opoku-Addaie, three of the most distinctive and vibrant emerging choreographic talents in the UK, alongside new work from Ballet Black choreographed by Will Tuckett, Guest Artist with the Royal Ballet and Creative Associate for ROH2. Together their pieces demonstrate the rich and diverse range of choreography being developed at the Royal Opera House.

Ballet Black is an up and coming classical ballet company with eight critically acclaimed sell out seasons to its credit. Inspirational and innovative, it strives to honour the traditions of classical ballet while breaking new ground with cutting edge choreography.

This year Latitude Festival presents The Human Music Box, four site specific performances by The Irrepressibles. Fusing the rich history of fairground attractions and a futuristic commercial aesthetic, The Irrepressibles will premiere their re-interpretation of Baroque fantasy and sound, The Human Music Box, with a performance at the V&A's Baroque Baroque event on 19th June, followed by three performances at Latitude Festival in July. For each site specific performance, The Irrepressibles will be enclosed within a six- by-six metre box, silent and unknown to the audience. A Baroque fantasy will ensue. The box will progress through moments of iconic theatricality, emotional intensity and playful abandon as The Irrepressibles present their spectacular performances.

Britten Sinfonia play Latitude – July 2009
First orchestra to appear at the Festival

Britten Sinfonia, one of Europe’s most dynamic orchestras, takes to the stage at Latitude this summer, the first orchestra to ever perform at the outdoor festival. Playing a range of music, from Bach to Argentinian tango-master Piazzolla, the orchestra performs on the Lake Stage during this year’s festival.

The award-winning Britten Sinfonia has a blossoming international reputation, acclaimed for its adventurous approach to programming, outstanding musicianship and for dynamic associations with classical artists such as pianists Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Joanna MacGregor and Imogen Cooper. The orchestra commissioned the first orchestral work by Nitin Sawhney and has performed with an enviable range of artists across the artistic spectrum, including cult oud player/vocalist Dhafer Youssef, Danish music collective Efterklang, choreographer Michael Clark and director Katie Mitchell.

David Butcher, Chief Executive of Britten Sinfonia comments:

“We are delighted to be performing at Latitude, a festival with a fresh, free-thinking attitude in the spirit of Britten Sinfonia. We’ve developed a growing following for our programming and performances in recent years, and I hope that the vast crowds that come to this unique Festival, perhaps some new to orchestras, will enjoy the music, and the way in which we perform it. Last time we performed outdoors, at the World Conference for Climate Change in Poznan in November, it was two degrees centigrade, so we’re looking forward to turning up the heat, both on and off the stage, at Latitude.”

Britten Sinfonia is that rare beast: an orchestra that chooses not to be led by a music director or principal conductor in the traditional sense, but rather focuses on extending the skills of its acclaimed musicians by collaborating with guest artists who specialise in different musical genres. Britten Sinfonia has performed in many of Europe’s finest concert halls and Festivals and is a regular at the BBC Proms. It has residencies in Cambridge, Norwich, Birmingham and Krakow, with a concert series at London’s Southbank Centre and the Wigmore Hall.

The ensemble enjoys a blossoming international profile, a recent highlight being an acclaimed tour of South America, and is frequently heard on disc, BBC Radio 3 and commercial radio. The orchestra has received awards including a Gramophone Award and in 2007 won the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Ensemble Award in recognition of its work.

The orchestra is funded by Arts Council England, East, who have also helped with funding for this performance at Latitude.

For further press information on Britten Sinfonia, please contact:
Sophie Cohen on 020 7428 9850 07711 551 787 sophiecohen@blueyonder.co.uk

www.brittensinfonia.com

OUTDOOR THEATRE

~ Shlomo & The Vocal Orchestra ~
~ SharpWire ~ Faulty Optic ~
~ Cambridge Touring Theatre ~

After performing with Björk, Jarvis Cocker and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. amongst others, the UK’s famous beatboxer Shlomo is bringing his ‘vocal orchestra’ to Latitude Festival. The current resident artist at the Southbank Centre together with other seven incredible musicians form the fabulous Shlomo & The Vocal Orchestra, the world’s only Beatbox Choir, a jaw-dropping show that will leave you stunned by the abilities of human voice.

The union of the cellist/singer/theatre performer Matthew Sharp, writer/composer Pete M Wyer and executive producer Fiona O'Mahony forms SharpWire. Having worked with the BBC, the National Theatre and the Young Vic amongst others, SharpWire create startlingly original, spellbinding excursions into unchartered music theatre territory that have been acclaimed around the world. Expect ravishing music, engaging and entrancing narrative, sonic and visual wizardry and virtuoso performance. It was quoted as “An intoxicating and intimate passion play of sound, song, movement, and video” by The Guardia.

SharpWire will be presenting two performances for Latitude 2009. ‘Johnny’s Midnight Goggles’ is a one-man operatic thriller written and composed by Pete M. Wyer and performed by Matthew Sharp. The central character Johnny has been kidnapped; the Black Camel of Takrilakastan has shown up and a mysterious pair of goggles has opened a portal to another world. Midnight is fast approaching and the chase is on to rescue Johnny. A mind and genre-melting explosion of story-telling.

The sequel ‘Finkelstein’s Castle’ is yet another one-man operatic romp; an epic, tongue-in-cheek, Sherlock Holmes ‘whodunnit’, that takes us from deserted castles in Scotland to sinister hydro-demolition operations in New York via the half-submerged town of Gallumphing-on-Twee. What dastardly plans for world domination has Johnny stumbled upon this time? And will a pair of wellington boots be enough to save him from the castle where people enter but no-one EVER returns? The Telegraph hailed SharpWire and Matthew Sharp as an “extraordinary cellist, virile bass-baritone, compelling actor - Sharp has astonishingly comprehensive versatility.”

World renowned for its haunting tales, visual theatre, strange animated figures and dark humour, Faulty Optic presents the eccentric, droll and compassionate new production, FISH CLAY PERSPEX ~ Incidences of a Quirky Kind. In this simple, small-scale, low technology piece, Faulty Optic manipulates puppets, miniature and armless pointy-footed figures made of clay, lagging, pens and plastic. A series of short character studies and incidences based upon chance, futility, expectation, doubt and the turmoil caused by the flailings and failings of the human mind. Highlights include falling beasts, battered clay, bendy legs, bad drawing, frantic scribbling and the comic scrabbling of a guileless duo. Escape normality, suspend your disbelief and enter the magical world of visual and surreal adult puppetry.

Used to performing in beautiful settings, the Cambridge Touring Theatre brings a funny, clean show for the whole family. Through audience participation the company’s songs and dances come alive forming an exciting performance everyone will enjoy. Eastern Daily Press declared it “rip-roaring and bursting with fun – this company charge the air with comic invention.”

LITERARY ARENA

~ The School Of Life ~ Robin Ince’s Book Club ~
~ Blake Morrison ~ Geoff Dyer ~ Julie Myerson ~ Tibor Fischer ~
~ Afternoon Tea with Stuart Maconie plus special guests ~
~ Mark Billingham ~ Richard Milward ~ Tobias Hill ~
~ Laura Dockrill ~ Luke Haines ~ Emma Kennedy ~ Shappi Khorsandi ~
~ William Fiennes ~

Latitude celebrates the art of the written word and all its many splendid facets at Suffolk’s now legendary library by the sea. Like all good books, the Literary Arena will transport you to the far reaches of your imagination guided by the storytelling talents of the very best authors and special guests scheduled for the weekend. Discussions, Q&As, stories and comic genius are the order of the day for these book readings with a difference. Immerse yourself in Latitude’s literary world and learn, explore, laugh and discover at the best literary event of the summer.

Latitude welcomes The School Of Life to the Sunrise Coast; bringing specially selected workshops to the Literary Salon, designed to help you live life to the full. The workshops will include ‘How To Talk To Strangers’ and ‘How To Be A Good Lover’. The School of Live will also be offering Bilbliotherapy sessions which can be booked on site. The School of Life is a new social enterprise providing good ideas for everyday living. Based in a small shop in Central London, they offer a variety of programmes and services concerned with how to live wisely and well. The School of Life is a place to step back and think intelligently about everyday questions and concerns. You will be directed towards a variety of ideas - from philosophy to literature, psychology to the visual arts – that tickle, exercise and expand your mind. A haven for the curious, sociable and open-minded, The School Of Life is an emporium of emotions, a bazaar of bibliotherapy, a convenience store of concepts, a trading post of triumphant philosophies. Fellow Literary Arena performer Geoff Dyer declared “At a stroke the phrase ‘too cool for school’ has been rendered obsolete.”

Would Latitude be the same without the utterly brilliant Robin Ince’s Book Club? The magnificent mayhem of Robin Ince and his unique literary comic genius brings both good and bad books to life. The legendary ‘Book Club’ of comics writers and performers will tell stories and bring you readings accompanied appropriately by saccharine and sublime soundtracks; a fantastic concept in wisecracking wit and literary lunacy.

Joining Robin Ince for Latitude this year are: comedy genius Stewart Lee; craft-loving, if.comedy award-winner Josie Long; Guardian’s ‘Bad Science’ columnist and funny man Ben Goldacre; master of comedy characters Jo Neary; stand-up and improv legend Michael Legge, Dublin writer and stand-up performer Johnny Candon; multi-award winner Peter Buckley Hill; the young quick-witted Luke Roberts; film and comic book buff Rich Sandling and cult singer-songwriter and guitarist, Robyn Hitchcock. Former member of 70's psychedelic punks The Soft Boys, Hitchcock's surreal and comedic songs characterising English eccentrics and melancholy are a fantastic addition to Ince's Book Club.

Celebrated writer of fiction, poetry, journalism, critique and adaptation, literary genius Blake Morrison will be coming to Latitude armed with a wealth of work to perform readings and discussions from. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and former Chair of the Poetry Book Society and Vice-Chair of PEN, Blake Morrison’s best-known works include his two memoirs, ‘Things My Mother Never Told Me.’(2002), ‘And When Did You Last See Your Father?’ (1993) - which won Esquire/Volvo/Waterstones’ Non-Fiction Book Award and the J.R Ackerley Prize – and his most recent novel ‘South Of The River’ (2007) which has been made into a TV series.

Award-winning writer Geoff Dyer joins the literary line-up with readings from his latest book: ‘Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi’ out this year. Some of Dyer’s best work includes the non-fiction book about jazz entitled ‘But Beautiful’ (1991), winner of a Somerset Maugham Award; and his novels: ‘The Search’ (1993), a complex narrative about a woman's search for her missing husband, and ‘Yoga For People Who Can't Be Bothered To Do It’ (2003) – a hilarious account of Dyer’s worldwide travels. He is one of the most original and talented writers of a generation and an exciting addition to the arena.

Controversy is shrouding Julie Myerson’s latest book ‘The Lost Child’ – an autobiographical tale of Myerson's decision to lock her 17-year-old son Jake out of the family home over his use of skunk cannabis. Her narrative puts forward the many questions and moral dilemmas that face an ever increasing number of families who are dealing with drug abuse and addiction and her reading at Latitude will no doubt bring many of these issues and debates to some lively discussions. Her other novels have received wide acclaim, such as ‘Something Might Happen’ – a story of murder in a Suffolk seaside town – which was shortlisted for the WH Smith Literary Award.

With a truly original voice, renowned novelist and short story writer Tibor Fischer brings his fantastically surreal story ‘Good To Be God’ to life with readings from this, his latest book. Fischer gained attention with his incredible debut novel ‘Under The Frog’ which was shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize, won the Betty Trask Prize and helped earn him the accolade of one of the 20 'Best of Young British Novelists 2' by Granta magazine in 1993.

Radio DJ, television presenter, writer, journalist, critic and champion of pop music and popular culture Stuart Maconie joins the Latitude Literary line-up. Come and enjoy Afternoon Tea with Maconie and a few of his friends as he ponders, mulls, discusses and debates the themes of his current book ‘Adventures On The High Teas In Search Of Middle England’. The quest for what is quintessentially Middle England took Maconie on a tour of maypole dancing, fine ale drinking and quirky tradition alongside binge drinking, flooded market towns and rundown concrete sprawls including such gems as Tamworth and Slough. Join in his expedition and discover just what it is that lurks at the centre of this great nation.

Stand-up comic and celebrated crime writer, Mark Billingham brings his latest gripping thriller to Latitude. Billingham has created a best-selling series of intense crime novels featuring London-based detective Tom Thorne. The second novel in the series, ‘Scaredy Cat’ (2002) won the Sherlock Award for ‘Best Detective Novel Created by a UK Author’, and was also nominated for the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger for ‘Best Crime Novel of the Year’; and the fifth, ‘Lifeless’ (2005) was nominated for BCA ‘Crime Thriller of the Year’ Award in 2006. His standalone novel ‘In The Dark’ - another edge-of-your-seat, spine-tingling blockbuster - came out last year and he is also completing work on the next chapter of the Tom Thorne series called ‘Blood Line’.

At Latitude this year Richard Milward will be reading from his latest novel, Ten Storey Love Song (Faber&Faber), a story of sex, death and sweets in a North-East block of flats. Richard’s debut novel, ‘Apples’, was published to great acclaim in 2007, receiving accolades from such folk as Irvine Welsh and Lauren Laverne. Join Richard – a recent Fine Art graduate from Byam Shaw School of Art, London – as he adorns a specially-painted cardboard tower block on his bonce, and invites you to meet the intoxicated inhabitants of Peach House.

Famed poet and novelist Tobias Hill brings his fantastic imagination to Latitude. As well as winning many awards for his fabulous collections of poems, Hill’s novels also receive worldwide recognition. His acclaimed novel ‘The Love of Stones’ (2001), which spans six centuries, is the tale of a long-lost jewel once owned by Elizabeth I, and is currently being developed into a film by Granada Films. His most recent work is ‘The Hidden’ (2009), a story of secrets, loyalties and friendships is set on an excavation site in Greece. He is also the author of an acclaimed collection of short stories, ‘Skin’ (1997) which won the PEN/Macmillan Silver Pen Award.

Celebrated for her spoken-word wizardry, Laura Dockrill will be story-telling and reading from her second book ‘Ugly Shy girl’ that was released in June. A dark tale of a girl who always says and does the wrong thing and dipicts the struggle of growing up in a place where you don't belong, surrounded by people you hate... and delicious revenge. Laura was voted one of the Top Ten literary talents of 2008 and has gone on to feature in Vogue, Elle, Time Out and the Independent on Sunday. Laura has appeared on The Verb, Bespoken Word and Radio 1’s Poetry surgery and is scheduled to appear on Women’s Hour later in the year. Quirky, playful and unique, Dockrill’s stream of consciousness is witty, wise and entertaining.

Songwriter and musician Luke Haines brings his warts’n’all autobiography to Latitude. Famed for forming The Auteurs and later Black Box Recorder, Luke Haines was a prominent figure in the Britpop era of the early/mid nineties and is often quoted as believing The Auteurs debut was responsible for starting the Britpop movement. In his book: ‘Bad Vibes: Britpop and My Part In Its Downfall’ Haines dispels any myths and pretensions with an acerbic and hilarious tell-all account of this celebrated era of British music.
Multi award winning actress, comedian, author and scriptwriter Emma Kennedy, will be coming to Latitude to share her comic insight to life. Kennedy won the Comedy Lounge Best Actress Award and the British Television Advertising Craft Award for Best Actress, as well as the Sony Awards for her Radio shows the Sunday Format and The Now Show. Kennedy will be performing readings from her recent book, 'The Tent, Bucket and Me' - a hilarious Seventies childhood memoir of wet, windy and utterly disastrous family camping trips. On Kennedy’s book, Jo Brand enthused “I love camping! Relive the experience with Emma et al - you can almost taste the smell of the damp canvas."
"Britain’s best young female comic by any yardstick" (Guardian) Shappi Khorsandi is bringing to Latitude readings from her latest book 'A Beginner's Guide To Acting English', a funny and heartwarming memoir about an Iranian girl growing up in 80's Britain. Khorsandi is a leading comic appearing on countless radio and television programmes including Just a Minute, The News Quiz, The Now Show, Mock The Week, Live at the Apollo, Question Time and Newsnight Review.

William Fiennes is currently Writer-in-Residence at The American School in London. His first book, ‘The Snow Geese’, was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, and won the Somerset Maugham Award and the Hawthornden Prize. Named Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year in 2003 he has contributed to many publications, including The London Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, Granta, The Observer and The Daily Telegraph. For Latitude, Fiennes will read from his second book, ‘The Music Room’, which is set to be serialised for Radio4 and a number of broadsheets. A sensuous tribute to place, memory and the permanence of love. Eleven years older than Fiennes, his epileptic brother Richard, is a magnetic presence. His energy influences the rhythms of the family and the house's internal life, and his story inspires a journey, interwoven with loving recollection, towards an understanding of the mind.

POETRY ARENA

~ Andrew Motion ~ Brian Patten ~ Jackie Kay ~ Simon Armitage ~
~ Patience Agbabi ~ Luke Wright ~ Aisle16 ~ Paul Farley
~ Luke Kennard ~ Polar Bear ~ Charlie Dark ~
~ Mik Artistik ~ Joel Stickley ~ Kathryn Simmonds ~
~ Dizraeli ~ Elvis McGonagall ~ Ross Sutherland ~ Tim Clare ~ Dockers MC ~

Positioned enticingly by the banks of the lake at the entrance to the main festival arena, Latitude’s perfectly placed Poetry Arena is a wonderful den of distraction. Curious passers-by are pulled inside by barrels of raucous laughter, pensive silences and fascinated faces, all transfixed by the raconteurs on stage. People find themselves camped out there all day, relaxing in the shade and enjoying a continuous line-up of the very best in comedy sketches, slam poets, spoken word, storytelling, rappers and much, much more. With a full schedule running throughout the whole weekend, Latitude welcomes the following funny, satirical, hard-hitting, absurd, bizarre and witty poets to the largest poetry event in Europe:

Current Poet Laureate, Professor, novelist, biographer and Andrew Motion makes a fantastic addition to the Poetry Arena with readings from his recent collection ‘The Cinder Path’ and a collection of essays ‘Ways Of Life: On Places, Painters and Poets’. Motion’s wealth of work has won many awards including: the Newdigate Prize at Oxford for his poem 'Inland'; The Mail on Sunday/John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for ‘Dangerous Play: Poems 1974-1984’; the Dylan Thomas Award for ‘Natural Causes’ (1987); as well as winning the Whitbread Biography Award for his biographical novel ‘Philip Larkin: A Writer's Life’ (1993). The Guardian were quoted as saying “Motion is a beautiful lyricist unpretentiously and precisely describing those things worth having even as he casts unsettling shadows across them.”

Brian Patten made his name in the 1960s as one of the Liverpool Poets, alongside Adrian Henri and Roger McGough. Poetry that’s immediate and accessible; their joint anthology, ‘The Mersey Sound’ (1967), is often credited as the most significant anthology of the twentieth century for its success in bringing poetry to new audiences. Patten's ability to write and perform a powerful mix of serious and humorous work has made him one the country’s leading poets; his work includes ‘Vanishing Trick’ (1976) and ‘Love Poems’ (1981), which deal with the trials and tribulations of love; ‘Storm Damage’ (1988); and ‘Armada’ (1996), which include some of his most striking poems, focusing on the death of his mother and his memories of childhood. Patten’s ‘Selected Poems’ and ‘The Collected Love Poems’ were published in 2007 garnering the following quote from The Times “A magic ability to turn radiant imagination loose.”

Famed poet and novelist Jackie Kay will be bringing her ground-breaking poetry to Latitude Festival. Her award-winning work is most notable for her themes of cultural identity – drawing on her own life experiences. Her first collection of poems, ‘The Adoption Papers’ won a Scottish Arts Council Book Award, the Saltire Society Scottish First Book of The Year Award and a commendation by the Forward Poetry Prize judges in 1992. Since then she has delved into the complexities of language and identity with her collections of poems ‘Other Lovers’ (1993) – which earned her a Somerset Maugham Award; explored themes of sickness, health and disease (‘Off Colour’ 1998) and has written extensively for children. Her most recent collection ‘Darling, New And Selected Poems’ was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation.

Legendary poet, author and playwright Simon Armitage will be offering extracts from his prolific volume of work and selecting work from other poets, alive and dead. Armitage has written fifteen collections of poems earning him a wealth of awards including the Sunday Times Young Author of the Year, one of the first Forward Prizes and a Lannan Award. His recent collection, ‘Out Of The Blue’, published in 2008 consists of poems written in response to three anniversaries. They relate to three separate conflicts, including the poem/film ‘Out Of The Blue’ told from the point of view of a worker in the North Tower on 9/11, which also won a Royal Television Society Documentary Award in 2006. Armitage’s talents extend to writing for film, television, plays, song-writing and novels.

The ground-breaking Patience Agbabi is a leading female performance poet dealing with issues of race, gender, and sexual identity. Her debut collection ‘R.A.W’ won the 1997 Excelle Literary Award and she has since gone on to write and perform extensively both solo and collaborating with others. Her work is influenced by rap rhythms and wordplay and Agbabi was a member of Atomic Lip, "poetry's first pop group". Her book, ‘Transformatrix’, was published in 2000 and is a commentary on contemporary Britain which draws inspiration from popular music forms. In 2004 she was named as one of the Poetry Society's 'Next Generation' poets and is currently working on a third collection, ‘Bloodshot Monochrome’.

The true alternative laureate, 4Talent award winner and Aisle16 founder Luke Wright will be bringing his trademark tour de force performance poetry to Latitude Festival. He has been called “the best young performance poet around” by the Observer and “visceral, poignant and riotously funny” by the Scotsman. Wright brings poetry and satirical comedy together to shine a light on society’s idiocies and complexities; tackling themes of growing up (‘’Poet & Man’), love (TV film ‘Seven Ages Of Love’) and more recently the endless bad writing which bombards everyday life in his book ‘Who Writes This Crap’ co-written with Joel Stickely. Verbal and visual gags collide with an acerbic verse; Wright is one of the UK’s poetry heavyweights and he co-programmes the poetry bill and hosts it all at the festival!

The Sunday Times praised Aisle16 with “Highlights of the spoken word scene” and they have since become one of the most sought after poetry acts in the UK. The collective, including Luke Wright, Ross Sutherland, Joel Stickley and Chris Hicks (who all perform solo as well as in Aisle16) started from humble beginnings running a poetry club above a communist themed pub. Together the four have created some of the most dynamic and ground-breaking poetry shows in the UK. ‘Powerpoint’ won a Time Out Critics’ Choice award in early 2005. Follow-up ‘Poetry Boyband’ enjoyed sold out shows in Edinburgh before being awarded Time Out Critics’ Choice of the Year the same year. ‘Services To Poetry’, which saw them visit England’s motorway service stations looking for poetic moments, toured the UK in 2007, finishing with a three night run at Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre. Aisle16 has now grown to accommodate Tim Clare, Joe Dunthorne and John Osborne.

Multi- award winning English poet Paul Farley is widely considered to be one of our most engaging writers. His culturally wide-ranging poems making references to film, television, and pop music have been awarded many accolades including the Forward Poetry Prize, Somerset Maugham Award, the Geoffrey Dearmer Award (for his first collection ‘The Boy From The Chemist Is Here To See You’) the Whitbread Poetry Award for his second collection (‘The Ice Age’) and the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. In 2004, Paul Farley was named as one of the Poetry Book Society's Next Generation poets. His latest collection ‘Tramp in Flames’, published in 2006 included the ‘Liverpool Disappears for a Billionth Of A Second’, which was awarded the Forward Prize for Best Individual Poem.

British poet and playwright Luke Kennard shot to fame with his first prose-poems collection ‘The Solex Brothers’ which was awarded an Eric Gregory Award in 2005. His second book ‘The Harbour Beyond The Movie’ (2007) was shortlisted for the 2007 Forward Poetry Prize (Best Collection), which at the tender age of 26 made him the youngest nominee ever in the history of the Forward Poetry Prizes. His highly anticipated third collection ‘The Migraine Hotel’ will be released this year.

Birmingham born slam-poetry champion Polar Bear will be bringing his rapid-speed word play to the Poetry Arena. A favourite of the festivals, Polar Bear’s rap social commentary has earned him a legion of fans. He’s recently been touring his show ‘If I Cover My Nose You Can’t See Me’ and his brand new work ‘Return’ will be unveiled this summer.

Music and poetry combine with writer, producer and DJ Charlie Dark who has made a dynamic impact on the UK poetry and performance scene. His vocal gymnastics and creative output makes Dark an important musical visionary. His recent show ‘Have Box Will Travel’ tells the semi-autobiographical story of a boy growing up in pursuit of a dream combining storytelling and music to great effect. Charlie Dark is also co-founder of Blacktronica - a loose collective of poets, painters, musicians, film makers and other creatives which has become one London’s best club nights.

Enter the weird and wonderful world of Mik Artistik and his Ego Trip; a delightfully surreal performance poet, stand-up comedian and painter. Having endured careers in insurance, oil and construction Mik Artistik emerged with his ‘Ego Trip’ in 2004 and has since played with Faust, Chumbawamba and at Glastonbury bringing an unpredictable and unnerving show.

A regular fixture on the stand-up poetry circuit, Joel Stickley is a renowned solo performer as well as a member of the Aisle16 poetry collective. His work has been featured across the airwaves and at a whole clutch of literary events across the country. He is also co-author of the book ‘Who Writes This Crap?’ with Luke Wright which the Guardian described as “an inspired piece of parody.” and The Stage followed with “His use of language, his ability to twist the narrative and turn the obscure into the profound is outstanding.”

Quirky, witty and moving Kathryn Simmonds is a fast-rising talent wowing critics and audiences alike. Gaining early recognition with her pamphlet ‘Snug’, (2004) as well as having many of her poems published in magazines, she was the winner of the 2006 Poetry London Competition and the 2007 Wigtown Poetry Competition. More recently her first collection of poems ‘Sunday At The Skin Laundrette’ won the prestigious Forward Prize for Best First Collection and was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award 2008.

Rapper, writer, poet and singer with the band Bad Science, Dizraeli is a hip hop tour de force. Taking in politics, love, rain, supermarkets, grief, drug culture and masculinity with a sense of humour and directness that can make you wince, Diz is also a member of the Brighton-based CommUNITY Collective, the 2006/7 Farrago UK Slam Poetry Champion and also the Radio 4 Poetry Slam winner.

Stand-up poet, armchair revolutionary and recumbent rocker, Elvis McGonagall is coming to Latitude. Boredom, desperation and the fear of putting on a bright orange apron and working in B&Q drove this entertainer into the twilight world of stand-up poetry. Now he scribbles verse whilst drinking malt whisky and listening to Johnny Cash at his residence at The Graceland Caravan Park somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Elvis is the 2006 World Slam Champion, the compere of the notorious Blue Suede Sporran Club and is one of the poets occasionally in residence on BBC Radio 4’s 'Saturday Live'.

Aisle16 co-founder Ross Sutherland will be performing solo at Latitude. His quick-wit, free-wheeling lyricism and surreal, twisted outlook has wowed audiences across the country and he was included in The Times' list of Top Ten Literary Stars on 2008. Ross has co-written eight live literature productions, including the critically acclaimed Poetry Boyband (Time Out Critic’s Choice of the Year 2005). His debut solo collection 'Things To Do Before You Leave Town' is out now.

Fellow Aisle16 member, writer, stand-up poet and musician Tim Clare is a welcomed addition to the Poetry Arena. His filthy hyperkinetic doggerel continues to baffle and appal audiences all over the UK. He has written for the Guardian and the Times and his autobiographical book about thwarted ambition and growing up, 'We Can’t All Be Astronauts' is out this year. The Bookseller rated him as "A fantastic writer—his prose contains both the bumbling charm of Jon Ronson and the splenetic bile of Charlie Brooker."

South London’s spoken word performance poet, artist and illustrator Dockers MC boasts a witty and contemporary talent and whose poetry is a treasury of words. Creating characters with perfectly formed monologues she is a fast rising star, selected by The Times newspaper as one the Top 10 Literary talents for 2008. Her most recent book ‘Ugly Shy Girl’ is due out this summer and features story telling, poetry and music.

MUSIC & FILM ARENA

~ LateNightTales presents: Turin Brakes Live Acoustic Set, Chris Geddes & Belle and Sebastian DJ and B-MUSIC - Cross Continental Prog Pop Pilgrimage

~ Mark Lamarr presents God’s Jukebox ~
~ Jon Ronson ~ Richard DeDomenici ~

Uniting alternative worlds of cinematic wonder, musical splendour and visual brilliance, the Music & Film Arena is an exhilarating and intoxicating centre of creativity. Over the festival weekend the Arena will play host to screenings of award winning films, documentaries and shorts with Q&A sessions plus discussions with acclaimed directors and writers. These will be interspersed with musical treats and stunning, transfixing visuals combining together to create a seductive, sensory playground for all ages.

The LateNightTales series was established in 2000 with the idea of letting music stars delve deep into their own private collections to create the ultimate late night mix tape. In the past, Groove Armada, The Flaming Lips, Four Tet, Air and many more have stepped up to produce their own individual take on the concept. Submerse yourself in the musical passions of some of the world’s best artists with the phenomenal LateNightTales which at this year’s Latitude Festival presents:

Turin Brakes who will perform a live acoustic set as well as showcasing the diverse music that has influenced their own musical careers including their two gold-selling albums.

Chris Geddes of Belle & Sebastian will be DJ-ing, spinning tracks that have influenced their eclectic sounds of pure pop, sixties psyche, seventies rock, west coast harmonies, folk balladeering and bossa nova. Their collection is largely considered to be one of the best in the series - a treasure trove of musical nuggets – so expect a DJ set quite unlike any other.

The B-Music collective will be showcasing their Cross Continental Prog Pop Pilgrimage – a fun-drenched party of drum-heavy 'second-class-psychedelia' from the four corners of the planet. Working in some mind-boggling visuals to accompany the musical obscurities from far flung pockets of the world such as Hungary, Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia. This fuzz-fuelled freak-fest will take you around the world through the powers of sight and sound.

Radio DJ, presenter and all-round music connoisseur Mark Lamarr will be presenting his legendary God’s Jukebox. In accordance with his Saturday late night show on Radio 2 - God’s Jukebox will present the best soul, ska, reggae, country, gospel and rap you never knew you loved. As well as DJ-ing, Lamarr has especially selected five incredible bands to play the Music & Film Arena one of which is rumoured to hot new band The Asteroid Galaxy Tour.

Writer and documentary film-maker, Jon Ronson will be showing film clips and hosting a Q & A on Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Boxes’ and ‘The Men Who Stare At Goats’. ‘The Men Who Stare At Goats’ has topped the international best seller books around the world and is currently being filmed as a major motion picture starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges. Ronson currently writes and presents the twice Sony nominated BBC Radio 4 series, Jon Ronson On....and wrote the popular "Human Zoo" and "Out of the Ordinary" columns for The Guardian, where he still contributes features.

An entertaining and educational new illustrated talk about the problem of intellectual copyright theft in the creative industries. Case studies include Richard DeDomenici's recent and ongoing disputes with corporations including News International and the BBC. Richard will launch Plagiarismo! in 2009, unless someone else copies the idea first! Richard cites a rich and eclectic variety of case studies from the music, entertainment and art worlds, encompassing The Pussycat Dolls, Apple Computers and Damien Hirst, as well as countless regrettable examples from his own artistic practice.

COMEDY ARENA

~ Jack Whitehall hosts: Latitude New Act Of The Year ~
~ Guilty Pleasures ~

Welcome to the biggest and best comedy festival in Britain positioned on the hill overlooking the luscious landscape of the Latitude site. The Comedy Arena is one of the biggest draws of the weekend; bursting at the seams with people as they sit back and enjoy the stellar stand up performances from the cream of the comedy circuit. A programme of the biggest names and the newest rising talent will ensure continuous laughter throughout the weekend.

This year Latitude is unveiling an incredible opportunity for any budding stand-up comic: Latitude New Act Of The Year hosted by the phenomenal new talent Jack Whitehall. Celebrating the next generation of comic entertainers, six of the nation’s most promising stars will be short-listed to take part in this prestigious prize. On Saturday morning at the festival, Whitehall will present each finalist who will then perform before the Latitude crowd and it will be down to the audience to choose the winner. Latitude’s New Act Of The Year will give the winner fantastic opportunities whilst unearthing and showcasing the very best of the up and coming talent in a thriving comedy scene.

At just twenty years old, Jack Whitehall has made a remarkable impact upon the comedy world. With a host of awards and an array of live appearances under his belt, this so-called ‘newcomer’ has hosted Celebrity Big Brother’s Big Mouth and appeared on The Sunday Night Project, 8 Out of 10 Cats, The World Stands Up and Ruddy Hell! It’s Harry and Paul. He was also crowned the youngest ever Winner of The Amused Moose New Act of the Year in 2007.

After dark, the fun and laughter continues late into the night with the ultimate feel-good pop-tastic party Guilty Pleasures. Forget your worries, shake off those inhibitions and throw back your head as you dance the hours away to the music you’ve never been so proud to admit you love. Old favourites, forgotten classics, cheesy anthems and pure pop gold are all lovingly embraced and adored. Dancers in animal outfits, cheerleaders, mascots and camp dance troupes in silver and purple lycra add to an infectious carnival atmosphere, the perfect escapism from normal life. Chicago, ELO, Queen and Dolly Parton; guitar solos, power ballads and even the conga; your guilty pleasures never sounded so good.

CABARET ARENA

If you want to experience something entirely different then seek out Latitude’s quirky den of mischief and mayhem; the Cabaret Arena. Inside you will witness comedy sketch shows, burlesque, freak shows, drag queens, sing-a-longs, illusionists and much, much more.

With Vaudeville fun, sharp, incisive wit, camp entertainment and a good ol’ fashioned knees up, the Cabaret Arena positively encourages you to leave your inhibitions at the door and be game for anything and everything.

This surreal bordello of surprises and spectacular stage shows is visually rich, beautiful and bizarre and will tempt and titillate in equal measure.

IN THE WOODS

The enchanted woods of Henham Park also have something to offer as art decorates the trees and fairy lights hang from the branches. Exploring the lush foliage and following where curiosity takes you, you will chance upon new experiences, little surprises and terrific treats at every turn.

The small and hidden stage will host surreal and intimate performances during the day and music to dance the night away after dark – it’s almost a woodland festival of its own.

Every evening, a whole host of DJ’s will take over. Billed as 'The high priests of misery' by The Times, get down to all your favourite anthems of glumness with Feeling Gloomy on Thursday and then get ready for something a little different when Beef Warehouse take to the decks ~ the DJ duo love rock, electronica and showtunes in equal measure, join them Friday night for music and mayhem.

Club legend and ex-jailbird Fat Tony returns to Latitude for Saturday night with Club De Fromage after a riotous set last year, to bring you the ultimate night for lovers of classic (and not so classic) tunes. Finally, the closing party In The Woods will be hosted by Damian and Jamie of Dirt Disco with their Electronic Bass busting beats, made up from only the best in Electronica, House and Disco with a dash of Rock. Dancing 'til Monday morning - it's what Sunday nights were made for!

CHILDREN’S ARENA

This dedicated Children’s Arena is as diverse as the rest of the festival, where kids can enjoy books, art, music, theatre, heaps of participation and fun with the added opportunity to take something away, from circus skills to handmade crafts to an appreciation of the woodland setting and the nature within it. Local children’s organisations provide activities like hula-hooping, face-painting, story-telling, nature trails and wildlife walks as well as putting on plays, puppet shows and even a parade. The whole place is a giant playground for kids and parents alike not found anywhere else. With so much on offer for all the family, Latitude is the place for all generations.

Sharon Reuben ~ Children’s Arena Booker, says:
“Surrounded by woodland, the colourful sheep and lake-skimming dragonflies, the children’s arena is as diverse as the rest of the festival, offering art and music, books and theatre, participation, adventure and fun. Local children's organisations are at the heart of the area, while our FAB's! - Family Assistance Bods - will be on hand for all things child related. The family campsite will feature activities for early risers while the children's arena guarantees to wear out the toughest of infants! Warning to parents: it's not just the little ones that love the children's area...you'll wish you were seven again!”

Budding Wildlife Explorers will be kept busy on our lake pontoon, in the woods and on guided night-time hunts, while the inner artist in every child can enjoy dozens of daily art & craft workshops. Six different theatre groups will offer themed drama workshops, traditional puppet shows, circus skills, Alice In Wonderland adventures through to making pizza with the Utensils Puppet Show! Veteran storyteller John Row has travelled from Lapland to Texas, and will be enchanting us with folk tales from around the world. And if that whets the appetite for tall tales, young bookworms will find a library tent, books to borrow and take home, lots of storytelling sessions and even a baby book at bedtime after a warm bath!

Baby bath time is just one feature of the Baby and Toddler chill out tent which also includes a soft play area, free sunscreen, baby changing and food warming facilities and more. African drumming with Stomp-ish choreography are a big draw for energetic teens, who can also expect a full programme of events to keep them stimulated and entertained. As energy levels run low, our mobile solar powered Mad Hatters Tea Party will be on hand. And after the grand children's Parade on Sunday afternoon, The Pixie Post Office is the perfect place for children to send a postcard home about their Latitude adventures.


TICKET INFORMATION

Weekend tickets £150 plus booking fees • Day tickets Fri, Sat, Sun £60 plus booking fee. Weekend tickets prices include car parking and camping • Days include car parking only.

Credit Card line: 0871 231 0821
Or online at: www.festivalrepublic.com • www.seetickets.com • www.latitudefestival.co.uk

For a full list of national and regional outlets please visit www.latitudefestival.co.uk


Julie’s Bicycle combines research with practical support to help creative companies build climate responsible businesses. Latitude 2009 is piloting an Industry Green Standard for festivals as represented by the IG mark. This demonstrates their commitment to climate responsibility. To achieve the standard they will be providing information about their environmental performance in 2008 and their strategy for emissions reductions in 2009. Post the event they will need to give evidence of their achieved reductions, and share this information with staff and their audience.

Julie’s Bicycle has developed a set of Industry Green Standards contained within a single framework, as an accessible and inclusive approach to emissions reduction and environmental planning for the creative industries. This flexible framework recognises existing standards and develops new ones where they are needed. Standards provide an accurate analysis of environmental impacts and actions to help address them.

The first Industry Green standard, in CD packaging, debuted on the BRITs compilation album 2009. The standards are based on international standards and determined by overarching guidance provided by PAS 2050 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

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UNCUT

Uncut magazine has been involved with Latitude since the festival began, and we've been thrilled to see how it has developed into the most eclectic and pleasurable event of the British summer. Once again, we're proud to be putting our name to Latitude's second music stage, the Uncut Arena. But as ever, it's the whole festival which we find so alluring. Last year, it wasn't just the likes of Grinderman and Joanna Newsom that knocked us out. It was the spectacle of Ross Noble crowdsurfing from a burger van; the zombies loose in the Theatre Arena; Just A Minute in a tent; the bug hunts in the Children's Area; the raves in the woods; the punts on the lake. Latitude is a relaxed and compelling celebration of all the culture that Uncut holds dear, but it's also a place where there's the opportunity to discover something new, to be surprised and amazed, at any time of the day or night. We couldn't ask for anything more from a festival.

BBC RADIO 4

BBC Radio 4 is delighted to be returning to the sunshine coast for the fourth year running. They will bring some of the best of their comedy and speech programmes including Loose Ends, The Now Show and a special stand up show, to their very own sparkling tent in the woods. Last year BBC Radio 4 brought magic and delight to the late night festival crowds with its watery film show over the lake.

6 MUSIC

6 Music will be broadcasting live shows from the site to reflect the best of the festival over the weekend.

BBC RADIO 2

For the first time, BBC Radio 2 will be bringing some of their big name presenters to the festival. Radcliffe and Maconie will present their unique mix of chatter, music and guest pundits live from the site on Thursday between 20.00 and 22.00. Claudia Winkleman will be airing her creative thoughts amid the 13 arenas on Friday night between 22.00 - 00.00 as she previews and reviews a select choice of new theatre, television, film and music in her arts show.

GAYMERS

Gaymers cider, the official cider of Latitude, is proud to be bringing the Gaymers Cider Garden to festival fans in Suffolk, with over 150,000 pints of Gaymers cider expected to be enjoyed over the course of this incredible weekend.

As well as being a great space to soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy a refreshing Gaymers original and Gaymers pear cider, the Gaymers Cider Garden will give festival goers the chance to have a go and be part of a live music experience. Gaymers Cider Garden will be hosting Rockaoke, the ultimate live band version of karaoke, and Vinyl Corner - where festival goers can choose from a host of records and have the DJ play their favourite tunes.