Latitude festival - Arts Additions - 30th March 2010

30th March 2010

ARTS ADDITIONS

FILM & MUSIC ARENA
~ BAFTA: Q&A with Paul Greengrass ~

~ Mark Lamarr presents God’s Jukebox: The Skatroniks, Noel McKoy and The Mummers ~
~ TAQWACORE: THE BIRTH OF PUNK ISLAM plus Panel Discussion: ‘DON'T PANIC, WE'RE ISLAMIC!’ ~
~ Aldeburgh Music’s Faster Than Sound featuring:
Mira Calix, Larry Goves, Simon Fisher Turner and the London Contemporary Orchestra ~

LITERARY ARENA
~ Sebastian Faulks ~ Peter Hook ~ Howard Jacobson ~

LITERARY SALON
~ Raindance Film Festival Workshops ~

COMEDY at LATITUDE
~ Mark Watson ~ David O’Doherty ~
~ Josie Long ~ Angelos Epithemiou ~ Jimmy McGhie ~ Chris Ramsey ~
~ The Al Pitcher Picture Show ~ Colin Hoult: Carnival Of Monsters ~
~ Tom Basden ~ Deborah Frances-White ~
~Pros From Dover ~ Richard Dedomenici ~

CABARET ARENA
~ Showstopper! ‘The Improvised Musical’ ~

THEATRE AT LATITUDE
~ Lyric presents: Midsummer Night’s Dream ~
~ Lyric presents: The Island by The London Snorkelling Team ~
~ The Factory ~ Theatre503 ~ Forest Fringe ~

THE WATERFRONT STAGE
~ Sadler’s Wells ~
~ Derevo – Wolves’ Tango ~

POETRY ARENA
~ Angry Sam ~ Brigitte Aphrodite ~ Byron Vincent ~ Chris Hicks ~ Clare Pollard ~
~ Dean Parkin ~ Hannah Walker ~ Helen Mort ~ Inua Ellams ~
~ Jay Bernard ~ Joe Dunthorne ~ John Osborne ~ Kate Tempest ~ Richard Tyrone Jones ~~ Kriss Foster ~ Martin Figura ~ Molly Naylor ~ Musa Okwonga ~ Niall O Sullivan ~
~ Paul Lyalls ~ The Dead Poets ~ El Crisis ~ Joel Stickley ~ Josh Idehen ~ Matt Harvey ~
~ Ross Sutherland ~ Steve Larkin ~ Tim Clare ~ Tim Turnbull ~

Latitude Festival returns for an incredible 5th Edition on 15th-18th July 2010 set in the beautiful countryside of Henham Park Estate on Suffolk’s Sunrise Coast.

Latitude is dedicated to bringing the very best from the worlds of music, theatre, comedy, literature, film, poetry, dance, art, fashion and cabaret together for one glorious weekend and once again, it has created a line-up like no other.

Spread throughout the site, just waiting to be discovered, expect the highest calibre of art with over 700 performers to be announced over the coming months. Building on its reputation as one of the most respected and highly anticipated events of the season, 2010 promises to be an inspirational and entertaining, sophisticated and scintillating weekend; another spectacular slice of unadulterated cultural fun and adventure.

~ FILM & MUSIC ARENA ~

A heady mix of visual and aural pleasure, the Film & Music Arena is home to some of the festival’s most mesmerising performances. Bringing together the worlds of alternative cinema and music, the arena will showcase a jam-packed programme of award-winning films, documentaries and shorts with Q&A sessions and discussions alongside musical treats and thrilling visuals.

BAFTA is will be bringing another excellent programme of Q&As and discussions helping audiences access industry expertise and celebrate quality in film and television. First to be announced is pioneering British film director and screenwriter Paul Greengrass. Famed for his signature use of hand-held cameras, Greengrass is a leading and award-winning film maker specialising in dramatisations of real-life events. He has covered topics such as SAS actions in the Gulf War with his TV film ‘The One That Got Away’, institutional racism in the police force with ‘The Murder Of Stephen Lawrence’ and the 1972 shootings in Northern Ireland in his documentary styled ‘Bloody Sunday’. Greengrass won the BAFTA award for Best Director at the 60th British Academy Film Awards and received an Oscar nomination for Achievement in Directing at the 79th Academy Awards, as well as earning the Writers Guild of America Award and BAFTA nominations for Best Original Screenplay for his for quasi-documentary-styled film ‘United 93’, a film based on the September 11th hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93.

Greengrass has also enjoyed Hollywood success with the 2002 sequel ‘The Bourne Identity’ and its follow-up ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac who realises he was once a top CIA assassin who is now being pursued by his former employers. Most recently, Greengrass returned to directing duties with Matt Damon in Green Zone – in which a U.S Army officer discovers covert and faulty intelligence causes him to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region.

The Film & Music Arena will also be home to some of the best retro music around courtesy of radio DJ, presenter and all-round music aficionado Mark Lamarr. Presenting his renowned Saturday night Radio 2 show - God’s Jukebox - Lamarr will be DJ-ing a mix of his top tunes from soul, ska, reggae, country, gospel and rap as well as introducing five specially selected bands and performers to the Film & Music Arena. Having already announced legendary American R&B singer Geno Washington and big beat rock ‘n’ rollers The Jim Jones Revue, Lamarr is excited to announce that The Skatroniks, Noel McKoy and The Mummers are joining in the fun.


Rising from the ashes of the acclaimed Jazz Jamaica Allstars big band (Radio
3's "Best Band of 2002") come The Skatroniks featuring ASWAD's Clifton Bigga Morrison. The rhythm section is a blend of reggae, jazz, ska, mentoe and electronica, mixing technology with live instruments including a full horn section. With a broad repertoire, drawn from the five Jazz Jamaica albums as well as new Skatroniks material, the extended line up and guest musicians and DJ’s are set to bring hours of pure ska and reggae to Suffolk this summer. The Skatroniks blend the old and the new of Jamaican and Caribbean dance music, with quality jazz improvisation – get your dancing shoes ready!

As the frontman of 80’s acid-jazz pioneers James Taylor Quartet, and with a career at the front line of the British soul scene dueting with Mica Paris, Juliet Roberts, Beverley Knight and Vanessa Simon, Noel McKoy is the genuine godfather of British soul. Now an acclaimed singer-songwriter with a voice like honey he has recently released his debut album ‘Brighter Day’ to rave reviews. On it, McKoy draws on a host of influences from Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder to Chaka Khan and The Beatles as he weaves an impressive collection of soul, gospel, funk and northern soul into a cohesive masterpiece.

The Mummers, a.k.a Raissa Khan-Panni from Brighton create orchestral pop perfection with extraordinary, quirky and romantic vocals. Her debut album ‘Tale to Tell’ which came out last year was full of exquisitely otherworldly songs centred on fairytales, escapism and atmospheric pop. Her Björk-esque style has gained her an increasing fan base and with her second album due out later this year, her performance in the Film & Music Arena will be unmissable.

TAQWACORE: The Birth Of Punk Islam will be screened in the Film & Music Arena at Latitude this year followed by a panel discussion chaired by UK filmmaker and Journalist Hammad Khan entitled DON'T PANIC, WE'RE ISLAMIC! following the screening, which will include journalist Kaleem Aftab and more to be confirmed, discussing issues raised in the film.

Boston’s The Kominas belt out an anthem for a new generation of young Muslims in a basement of a decrepit Chicago punkhouse, with a mob of like-minded Islamic misfits sneering along. In the summer of 2007 these Pakistani punkers have arrived at the last stop of their U.S. tour and are celebrating with tourmates and fellow bands: Vote Hezbollah featuring an Iranian kid from San Antonio; the all-girl Secret Trial Five featuring a Pakistani lesbian from Vancouver; Al-Thawra who pound heavy metal beats into Arabic drones, plus East London’s own Riz MC who gives his Taqwacore support. At the centre, pumping his fists in the air and shouting, is a white American convert named Michael Muhammad Knight; the Islamic punk music scene would never have existed if it weren’t for his 2003 novel, The Taqwacores, in which Michael imagined a community of Muslim radicals such as Mohawked Sufis, riot grrrls in burqas, and skinhead Shi’as. Although the book and its characters were entirely fictional, the movement they inspired is very real. The film follows Michael and his real-life kindred spirits on their first U.S. tour, where they incite a riot of young hijabi girls at the largest Muslim gathering in North America, then travels with them to Pakistan where The Kominas, bring punk to the streets of Lahore.

Aldeburgh Music’s Faster Than Sound featuring Mira Calix, Larry Goves, Simon Fisher Turner and the London Contemporary Orchestra.

Faster Than Sound continues a long tradition at Aldeburgh of giving artists the space and opportunity to experiment and work in new ways. It explores possibilities for forging innovative collaborations between the worlds of classical and electronic music, players and composers and new technologies. For Latitude we have put together a unique showcase with some of the most exciting talent in contemporary classical and electronic music. London Contemporary Orchestra will collaborate with Simon Fisher Turner, a self-confessed ‘extreme sound freak’ and acclaimed composer. We will also premiere two Faster Than Sound co-commissioned works written in collaboration by composers Mira Calix and Larry Goves as part of their “exchange and return” project performed by players from LCO. A unique score-based programme including John Woolrich, Claude Vivier and John Adams performed by the LCO conducted by Hugh Brunt will form the centerpiece of this performance. The groundbreaking 2008 commissioned AV piece “Natures” by Quayola and Mira Calix will be screened throughout the event. Faster Than Sound is generously supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation. www.fasterthansound.com

Also taking place in the Film & Music at Latitude this year are performances by MC legend Riz MC, concert pianist James Rhodes, Adam Buxton’s hilarious homage to music videos: BUG, Popcorn Comedy and the truly offensive but side-splittingly funny Modern Toss.

~ LITERARY ARENA ~

The best literary event of the summer, Latitude’s Literary Arena celebrates the written word in all its fabulous glory. Stories are told, books are dissected, discussions are had and debates fought over; these are book readings with a difference so sit back and enjoy Latitude’s fun-filled library by the sea.

Bestselling author Sebastian Faulks joins the literary luminaries at Latitude this year. His latest novel ‘A Week In December’ is a major Sunday Times bestseller, selling more than 120,000 copies already and currently being adapted for a four-part serial to be shown on Channel 4 in 2011. One of Britain's most popular novelists, Faulks effortlessly blends modern history of England, France, and America with elements of romance for his novels with his strong background in national newspaper journalism also showing through in his narrative fluency and his ability to convincingly fictionalise aspects of recent history within his works.

In the summer of 2006, Sebastian Faulks was approached by the family of the late Ian Fleming and asked if he would write a one-off James Bond novel to mark the centenary of Fleming’s birth. Entitled ‘Devil May Care’ (2008) it went straight to number one in the UK bestseller lists and is the fastest selling hardback in Penguin’s history.

Now added to the line up is renowned Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook. Back in 1982, Peter ‘Hooky’ Hook along with the rest of New Order and Factory Records owner Tony Wilson opened the infamous nightclub the Haçienda, the birthplace of the acid house and Madchester scenes, as well as countless gigs and parties that are now the stuff of legend. However, with the free party spirit came the gangs, the drugs, the violence and the police; the club slipped into a long a painfully expensive decline, it constantly lost money and finally came to an unceremonious end in 1997. In his frank and hilarious book ‘How Not To Run A Club’, ‘Hooky’ recounts the successes, the fun, the history, the parties as well as the bad management, the stupid deals and eventual bankruptcy that have shaped this glorious story of what not to do.

Celebrated and award winning Jewish novelist Howard Jacobson comes to Latitude this year. With his discursive and humorous style Jacobson has become a prominent author winning the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for comic writing for his 1999 book ‘The Mighty Walzer’. With that and for both his 2002 ‘Who’s Sorry Now’ and 2006 ‘Kalooki Nights’ he was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and with his most recent offering ‘The Act Of Love’ (2008) being another fantastic slice of ebullient wit; his appearance in the Literary Arena will surely be a highlight of the weekend.

Catch these new additions along with those already confirmed; Bret Easton Ellis, Adam Foulds, Natasha Walter, Jon Ronson and of course Robin Ince who will be hosting his now legendary Book Club with specially created shows featuring incredible guests.

~ LITERARY SALON ~

New to last year’s festival, the Literary Salon is the noisy little sister of the Literary Arena that encourages you to get involved. A hub of interactive workshops, open discussions and wide-ranging debates all ready to get stuck into – it is a place to air your opinions, learn a brand new skill, discover new and exciting things and explore your inner most interests.

For budding filmmakers, directors, writers, producers and anyone fascinated with the workings of the film industry, the Literary Salon will play host to the Raindance Film Festival who will be presenting a series of their famous workshops for Latitude goers this year. Aiming to give individuals the tools to get out there and start shooting, Raindance combine the best film-making traditions with new digital technology to give a great insight into the world of film. Learn from a team of experts dedicated to fostering any new talent itching to break through and help continue the growing independent film industry in the UK.

~ COMEDY AT LATITUDE ~

Latitude has earned a fierce reputation for presenting the searingly sharp edge of comedy and this year Latitude will not disappoint with an incredible wealth of talent throughout the bill. One of the festival’s most enduring and prestigious fixtures, the Comedy Arena, sees a huge and varied bill of comic splendour.

A former Cambridge Footlighter, Mark Watson first made an impact on the comedy circuit in 2002 when he won the Daily Telegraph Open Mic competition and was a runner-up in So You Think You're Funny? Known for his Edinburgh shows 2005's ‘50 Years Before Death’ and ’The Awful Prospect Of Eternity’ (which was nominated for the Perrier) his comedic stamina has meant some of his shows have lasted more than a gruelling 24 hours. Watson also won the Chortle Award for innovation in 2005 and was nominated for Best Breakthrough Act and Best Compere in 2007.

David O’Doherty is the multi-talented Irish stand-up comic, author, musician, actor and playwright. Winning many awards including Channel 4’s So You Think You're Funny? and the if.com Award for best show with his stand up show ‘Let’s Comedy’; O'Doherty is well-known for combining his comedic performance with tunes played on his miniature electronic keyboard. He delivers both his sung and spoken jokes with an extremely dry sarcasm. Most of his songs focus on unusual topics such as angry mathematicians, finding love and advice on how to dislodge a badger from one leg.

Josie Long is a British comic with an apparent love of appliqué and the V&A. Live Boggle contests sometimes form a part of her shows too. Although still young (she won BBC New Comedy Award at the tender age of just 17), Josie's act is unnaturally far from girlie adolescence. Her intense surreal rants occasionally subside to politely allow the audience to catch up, before she launches off excitedly on another tangent. In 2006, she also scooped Best Newcomer in the if.comeddies Awards for her solo Edinburgh debut, ‘Kindness and Exuberance’.

Angelos Epithemiou is an award-winning burger van owner who doesn't like to tell anyone where his burger van is because, as he puts it, "I don't want no joyriders coming round trying to nick my generator like they done with my tyres." The alter ego of British actor and writer Dan Renton Skinner, Angelos delivers a side-splittingly silly routine of impressions, dance, observations, audience interaction and a smattering of gags. Appearing in numerous TV comedies, he has most recently been seen the latest series Shooting Stars as a permanent panellist.

Jimmy McGhie is one of the fastest rising young comics on the comedy circuit today. After only ten gigs, he reached the final of the prestigious ‘So You Think You're Funny’, the semi finals of the BBC New Talent competition and the final of the Amused Moose Star Search (2005). As an assured storyteller with a distinct turn of phrase and no small amount of agitation in his soul, he has "one to watch" practically stamped on his forehead. (Compering in the Cabaret Arena)

When Chris Ramsey strides onto the stage you immediately know you are in safe hands; his high-energy delivery, hugely engaging manner and off-the-cuff style have made him one of the most exciting new acts to hit the circuit in recent years. Upbeat and lightning fast, he commands the stage with the tenacity of a comic with twice his experience. As well as performing in comedy clubs, Chris has supported the likes of Russell Kane, Ben Amos and Al Murray. (Compering in the Cabaret Arena)

Al Pitcher views a lot of ordinary things in an extraordinary way. His mission is to show people his way of seeing the world, inviting them to escape the monotony of their everyday lives under the banner ‘The Al Pitcher Picture Show’. Usually before the day of his show Al will venture into the city he is performing armed with a digital camera to capture the world as he sees it. Posing the question, what hilarities will he bring to Latitude’s Cabaret Arena? (Cabaret Arena)

Writers' Guild Award winner Colin Hoult invites you to a truly original tragi-comic character show that will shock, tickle and appal. Playing with environment, atmosphere and storytelling, the Carnival Of Monsters is an experience unlike any other you’ll find over the weekend; a macabre freak show that provides a through-line for Hoult’s collection of comedy sketches and theatrical vignettes. The comedy actor will introduce audiences to such characters as a hoody-wearing crow on a tricycle, an East Midlands Transformers addict turned karate devotee and a grande dame of the theatre. (Cabaret Arena)

British actor, comedy writer and member of sketch group Cowards, Tom Basden will be making his way to the Cabaret Arena. His ‘Tom Basden Won't Say Anything’ won the if.comedy Award for Best Newcomer in 2007 and you can expect his one man show to make some serious waves at this year’s Latitude festival. (Cabaret Arena).

British comic, writer and personal skills expert Deborah Frances-White with her brand new show ‘How Almost Anyone Can Become An Overnight Celebrity’. Over the last couple of years Deborah changed the dating lives of her audience forever with her sell out show ‘How to Get Almost Anyone to Want to Sleep With You’. She now turns her attention to the cult of celebrity and how with the right coaching, anyone could enjoy the glitz and glamour, the limelight and adoration, the pitfalls and paparazzi. With the birth of reality TV, celebrity has become a lottery. Are you holding a winning ticket without realising it? Deborah has been gathering the secrets of celebrity and now she can show you how. (Cabaret Arena)

The Pros From Dover's surreal sketch show encompasses diverse scenarios where brilliance sometimes teeters off the edge of offence. We will witness the downward spiral of several characters in carefully crafted pieces masterfully delivered in a humorous manner. A clever sketch show giving the performers a great vehicle for their talents. (Cabaret Arena)

Richard Dedomenici delivers an entertaining and educational illustrated talk about the problem of intellectual copyright theft in the creative industries. He 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. (Cabaret Arena)

They join such comic turns as the fantastic Emo Philips, Ardal O’Hanlon, Rich Hall, Tommy Tiernan, Marcus Brigstocke: The Early Edition with Andre Vincent and Guests, and Arthur Smith as well as many, many more in what is once again a huge and varied bill of comic splendour.

~ CABARET ARENA ~

Latitude’s veritable den of mischief and mayhem, the Cabaret Arena is sumptuously tantalising, seductively tempting and always exceedingly teasing. We are very excited to announce the following acts:

Showstopper! ‘The Improvised Musical’ does exactly what it says on the tin! The group of actors perform an extemporised musical which will bring the very best elements of Latitude festival (music and the arts) together in the Cabaret Arena. Never afraid of a challenge and with a constantly revolving cast this will prove to be a performance not to be missed.

Confirmed already for the arena is comedian Rich Fulcher presenting his hilarious ‘An Evening with Eleanor: The Tour Whore’ show; London pop and performance peddlars Duckie: ‘The Crack’ - an explosive show of stand-up, variety and side-splitting comic performances presented by Mick Perrin for Just for Laughs Live and Miss Behave and 2010 winners of the Best Sketch or Character Act at the Chortle awards – Idiots of Ants.

~ THEATRE AT LATITUDE ~

Showcasing performances from the nation’s leading theatre houses, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera House, Bush Theatre and Lyric as well as work from the most significant companies of the future like nabokov and Paines Plough, Latitude brings contemporary, physical, classical and performance theatre to a brand new audience. Gaining an unrivalled reputation for its breadth and quality of programming, the calibre of theatre on offer this year is unrivalled and with more to be announced over the coming months, there will be unique and exciting work just waiting to be discovered.

Resonant with the diverse output of Latitude Festival and sure to astound with special and unique pieces work adhering to their values of evocative and esoteric performances, the Lyric are bringing two truly inspiring and exciting performances to Latitude this year:

In a world premiere created exclusively for Latitude, Sean Holmes (Artistic Director, Lyric) and Filter Theatre Company present a new version of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ condensed into one magical hour. Well-known for their unique take on classic texts, with previous works including Three Sisters, Twelfth Night and Caucasian Chalk Circle, these former collaborators will be joined by the visionary band The London Snorkelling Team to create Shakespeare as you’ve never seen it before.

As well as showing ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ inside the Theatre Arena, Lyric will use Latitude’s natural beauty and enchanted forests for the production set in the woodland and in the realm of fairlyland. Don’t miss this truly spellbinding performance with a twist on the inside show brought to the Outdoor Theatre.

Lyric will also be presenting The London Snorkelling team's show ‘The Island’, based on their new record entitled ‘Audio Recording and Map’. This release consists of a CD with 16 tracks and a Map of a fictional coast line on a fictional island created by animators Tom and Mark Perrett who also join the band live to create short animations using a classroom overhead projector. The musicians and animators are joined by performers Will Adamsdale and Ed Gaughan live. Ed is an unreliable scientist and amateur radio broadcaster - Dr. Inshiquin who lives on the island and is a sort of MC for proceedings. Will Adamsdale is an aristocratic magician - "The Great Braeburn Valmont" whose magic is also less than reliable. As the hour or so unfolds, the audience is let into the world of the island and all its quirks, culminating in a magic trick of epic proportions. The show uses music, comedy, theatre and cartoon to tell its story so make sure you get there early to save your seat.

Unique and very special Outdoor Theatre performances can be found throughout the Latitude site, on the banks of the lake and deep within the forest. Taking inspiration from the beautiful countryside in which it is set, performances vary from beat-boxing to classical orchestra and from musicals to Shakespeare. As previously said, the Lyric will be using Latitude’s outside spaces for their second production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and the lively and spontaneous theatre house The Factory will also be using the site as its muse.

Dubbed “the super cool company” by The Independent, The Factory is bringing ‘Round 2’ to Latitude, a growing collection of daring short plays written to an almost impossibly challenging brief. The Factory continues to explore its thirst for spontaneity, danger and revelation by pitching its actors against each other to tackle pieces that reveal more about themselves with each showing. All the plays are multiply cast, allowing the actors to play different roles each time. Both actors and audience renew relationships and meaning at each showing. To this end, the actors have been Factory trained, but not rehearsed, so that they have to thrash out their virgin choices before an audience. ‘Round 2’ is like no other new writing event.

Joining the programme is Theatre503. The home of fearless, irreverent, brave and provocative new plays will be presenting two works onsite: PLAYlist and The Epic. Working with many of the foremost artists of their generation, they push the boundaries of what theatre can be and pose the unanswerable questions of our time.

Taking "pop theatre" to its logical conclusion, PLAYlist will be a Festival edition of our semi-regular sell-out event at Theatre503. Up to ten sizzling writers are invited to create a play inspired by a piece of music. The only rule is that the play must be as long as the piece of music that inspired it. The writers will take their inspiration from the back catalogue of the artists performing at Latitude. And with such diverse artists, the scope is massive. The Epic is a surprising new play exploding the unexplored, the unexplained and the unknown. Under wraps, under canvas and under the night sky it will be all the more surprising for the fact that Theatre503 are keeping the details a closely guarded secret. "All I'll say is that it's going to be something you wouldn't expect to see at a festival" Theatre503's joint artistic director Tim Roseman explains, "and very different from what we are usually able to programme at Theatre503, but with our trademark approach to creating fearless work with the best new writing talent around". This year you can expect something truly unique and vital from this leading new writing theatre company.

The miniature festival within a festival, Forest Fringe is coming to Latitude’s Theatre Arena bringing both ‘Travelling Sounds Library’ and ‘Motor Vehicle Sundown’. The unique library was born out of a desire to celebrate audio experiences created by artists, bringing together a diverse array of independent audio shows into a satisfyingly rich and exciting collection. The library exists as a series of hollowed-out hard back books, each containing an mp3 player and a little programme detailing the work available to listen to. A librarian is on hand to recommend specific pieces meaning you simply pick up a book and immediately find yourself in a world of beguiling audio encounters. Already a number of artists have contributed to the library, including Stan’s Café, Blast Theory, Unlimited Theatre and SHUNT’s Mischa Twitchin. The library will continue to grow and new pieces are currently being created by Duncan Speakman, Coney and Chris Thorpe.

‘Motor Vehicle Sundown’ by Forest Fringe is a self-contained audio installation for two people at a time in a parked car. The two audience members decide who will be driver and who will be passenger and then take their seats. The car is littered with coke cans and cigarette packets. A miniature street corner sits on the dashboard. A crackling radio plays an old song. A recorded voice tells them that they are sitting in the last car left in the world and that this is their chance to experience what it must have really been like to drive a car. Through breathless descriptions from this hidden narrator they are transported to quiet suburban driveways and long empty highways; to drive-ins and teenage romance. They take the steering wheel. They play their part. Quickly though things begin to fall apart. It becomes clear that a crash is coming. This experience is an attempt to explore the relationship between America and the car. How the history of the two is so intertwined. And how much longing we have for those dreams of wide open spaces and roaring engines. For a world that is coming to a crashing end, if it ever really existed.

~ THE WATERFRONT STAGE ~

Latitude’s stunning floating platform will once again stage some staggering dance productions over the weekend.

Continuing with their dedication to bringing the most exciting and thrilling dance to Latitude Festival, leading dance theatre Sadler's Wells return to the picturesque Waterfront Stage with a special double bill of work for both Saturday and Sunday. Previously, Sadler's Wells have brought us an all female show by Hofesh Shechter, a ballet excerpt from Swan Lake and freestyle hip hop from Psycho Stylez as well as running a dance club to help any budding dancers learn a few steps. Once again the UK’s number one venue for dance, will dazzle and delight with a diverse range of performances many of which have involved exciting cross-artform collaborations and have broadened our perception of what dance can truly be.

The breathtaking ‘Wolves‘ Tango’ by Derevo will also feature atop the floating stage on the lake. Inspired by Butoh by using the diverse range of techniques, movements and activities for dance performance; multi award-winning, Russian-German 21 strong dance collective, Derevo will be bringing their anarchistic refreshing well-calculated physical dance production, together with their visually awe-inspiring set to Latitude. Expect atmospheric lights, fire and passion from this truly remarkable group who have performed throughout Europe, Russia and the UK and at festivals in the USA, Japan, Brazil and South Korea.

~ POETRY ARENA ~

Over the past four years, the Poetry Arena at Latitude has grown into one of Europe’s leading poetry events in its own right, boasting the hottest slam poets, spoken word, storytelling, comedy sketches, rappers and much, much more. Laugh, cry and become enlightened with the following poets just confirmed for the weekend:.

Performance poet Angry Sam more than lives up to his stage name with his intellectual rants and raves delivered in fiercely acerbic verse. As the London Area Co-ordinator of Spoken Word and Slam event, Hammer and Tongue, "the best poetry gig in Europe, hands-down", he’s no stranger to commanding the stage and his audience. Witness this rising poetry star in action at Latitude this summer.

Treading the line between genius and madness perfectly is the quirky, glittery, fun Brigitte Aphrodite. Her one woman show combining music comedy and poetry entitled ‘Brigitte Aphrodite in Suburban Hell’ is a fantastical biographical view of her life so far,. Her utterly bizarre thoughts and experiences are woven together to form a heart warming yet explosive firework of a show. This David-Bowie-meets-Tinkerbell hybrid with a unique and sensational voice has audiences wrapped round her glittery finger.

With poems such as ‘Kevin’s an 'Erbert’ and ‘Never Buy Drugs At A Festival’ amongst his repertoire, Byron Vincent’s subversive brand of barking doggerel has taken the UK poetry scene by storm. His poetry veers between humorous and moving confessional tales to passionate observational studies of contemporary counterculture. It’s a winning formula that makes him a highlight of the Poetry Arena line-up.

Member of the poetry collective Aisle16, Chris Hicks has the finest legal mind in poetry. His sharp, analytical ability shapes his political caustic slam poetry and makes for intellectual, clever and witty performance poetry. As explosive performing solo as he is with his Aisle16 crew, Hicks is one of the finest performance poets around and his set at Latitude is not to be missed.

Leading female poet and recipient of an Eric Gregory Award in 2000 Clare Pollard comes to Latitude. Her brand of intellectual yet youthful and edgy poetry has been published in three collections - 'The Heavy-Petting Zoo', 'Bedtime' and her latest, 'Look, Clare, Look!' which is about backpacking around the world. She has also written a play, 'The Weather' about a shopaholic, the end of the world and a poltergeist - which was staged by the Royal Court.

Experienced poet Dean Parkin must be the first poet to appear on television reading a poem on the loo as well as have a piece of work featuring pubic hair, nestling nicely between Ruth Padel and Tom Paulin in the Forward Anthology. Winner of an Escalator Live Literature Award in 2009/10 to develop a one man show called ‘Ducks, Trains & Other Tracks’; he has given readings at festivals, colleges, pubs and has run workshops in prisons, schools and on a NATO base in Germany. More recently he has been working in collaboration with London Sinfonietta on the Surf N Turf Project in two schools in Suffolk, generating words and poems to be set to music.

Longlisted for the Bridport prize in 2006 Hannah Walker has an acerbic, cerebral style to her poetry which has been published in New Writer, Fuselit, Lota, The Ugly Tree and Nth Position. Hosting a range of literary events in Newcastle and Norwich she is currently working towards her first collection called ‘You Interrupt My Brain Sweetheart’ excerpts of which will be presented at Latitude’s Poetry Arena.

Winner of Foyle’s Young Poet of the Year Award on five occasions between 1997 and 2004, Helen Mort is an emerging poet. Her pamphlet, ‘The Shape of Every Box’ published in 2007 showcases her tender and intriguing work that’s filled with subtle yet memorable images. She received an Eric Gregory Award in 2007 and won the Manchester Young Writer Prize in 2008. Her latest pamphlet ‘A Pint for the Ghost’ has been selected as Poetry Book Society pamphlet choice for Spring 2010.

Inua Ellams is an acclaimed performance poet who will be bringing his new show ‘The 14th Tale’ to Latitude this year. ‘The 14th Tale’ shares stories of his upbringing, his schools, friends and family and of his move to Europe following a childhood in Nigeria as he awaits news in a hospital waiting room. Combining comic dialogue with poetry and prose, the autobiographical account encapsulates the trials of adolescence and depicts Ellams' life as a young, black male in London today.


Having been the recipient of a Foyle’s Young Poet of the Year Award Jay Bernard is a rising talent. Her first collection of poems entitled ‘Your Sign Is Cuckoo, Girl’ was selected as the Poetry Book Society‘s pamphlet choice for summer 2008 and she has read her work on various radio and television shows including ‘The Verb’ and ‘The Culture Show’. Don’t miss this poet on the rise.

Literary heavyweight Joe Dunthorne is no stranger to Latitude’s Poetry Arena and his hilarious comic prose has won him critical and commercial acclaim over the past few years. His debut novel, ‘Submarine’ won the Curtis Brown Prize and was shortlisted for the Bollinger Wodehouse Prize for comic fiction. His poetry has been published in various magazines, including Poetry Review, New Welsh Review and Magma, and he has written for The Independent and the Guardian.

John Osborne’s every day musings on life’s highs and lows make his poems funny and articulate. Influenced by Simon Armitage and Jon Hegley, he is a member of Aisle 16, the UK's most sought after poetry collective. Osborne has recently had his first book published - 'Radio Head', which is about British radio in the 21st century and includes interviews with Mark Radcliffe, Stuart Maconie and Nicholas Parsons.

Kate Tempest is a rapper, poet and playwright and has performed consistently and comprehensively since she began competing in battles at 16. Since then she has continued to develop her skills as a writer and a performer, and has made a name for herself in the UK hip hop, spoken word and live music scenes. Renowned for her passionate delivery and intelligent content, her work is influenced equally by a love of hip hop and a love of great literature; her heroes include William Blake and Gza from the Wu-Tang Clan. She has played with her band Sound of Rum all over London, from the Jazz Café to Brixton’s Jamm, as well as gigs in Bristol, Brighton and Liverpool.

A wide-ranging and versatile poet, writer, host, workshop leader and literary event organiser, Richard Tyrone Jones’ material ranges from the downright daft, through to the witheringly self-deprecating to the poignant and formal, always cut through by a strong vein of sardonic humour, a strident voice and a deft touch. He recently staged his own funeral, inviting friends and family to attend and present eulogies, organising a bamboo coffin, picking the music and being carried off to his own wake. Expect more bold leaps of imagination from this madcap poet.

Kriss Foster is a performer from Lancaster armed with an acoustic guitar and a leopard suit. His catalogue of catchy comedy songs has left audiences bemused, intrigued and consistently hysterical. Whether it's feral children, train stations, hammer attacks or fizzy Vimto, Kriss Foster has sung about it, he even has a song about Dale Winton.
He’s performed with Bear Suit, Misty's Big Adventure, Nizlopi and Arthur Smith.

A scouser who reached the rank of Major in the army before sacking it all off to become a photographer and poet, Martin Figura is an acclaimed master of words and visuals. He has had three collections of poetry published, ‘The Little Book of Harm’ (2000), ‘Ahem’ (2005) and ‘Whistle’ (2009) and is a member of the poetry group The Joy Of Six who have performed at festivals and happenings all over the world from New York to Norfolk.

Molly Naylor is a poet, puppeteer, scriptwriter and educator. Her poems have been featured on BBC Radio and she has performed at a variety of festivals and events in the UK and internationally. She is taking her new solo spoken word show ‘Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think Of You’ on a nationwide tour which, luckily for us, also includes the Poetry Arena at Latitude Festival.

Oxford graduate, lawyer, poet and football fanatic Musa Okwonga is an emerging literary genius who has won the Junior Bridport Prize for fiction in 1994, for poetry in 1995 and the WH Smith Young Writers competition in 1996. His recent book ‘A Cultured Left Foot’ is an insightful and amusing study into the finer points of the world’s favourite game. With testimony from across the world of football, from players to managers, pundits to some of the Greats themselves, Musa Okwonga isolates and discusses the key virtues that, when combined, create the perfect player.

Irish born poet, writer and promoter Niall O’Sullivan, with his original voice and a keen eye for comic irony, has become a 20th Century poetry bestseller with his collections ‘You’re Not Singing Anymore’ and ‘Ventriloquism for Monkeys’. Niall is probably best known to many Londoners as the current host of Poetry Unplugged, London’s biggest weekly open mic at Covent Garden’s Poetry Cafe.

Paul Lyalls is a funny, fast-moving, hip, accessible, rhythmic and clever poet who has performed at the new Wembley Stadium. He has run hundreds of workshops in primary and secondary schools, youth projects and prisons as well as having performed at 10 Edinburgh Festivals and many other prestigious venues in cities such as New York to Belfast.

The Dead Poets Poetry Band breathes new life into the words of dead poets through original, melodic composition, often sung in three-part harmony, always performed with an ear toward exposing something in the poetry that you may not have heard before. And if you've never heard The Dead Poets in performance, you're in for a treat. They’ve done Wordsworth's ‘Daffodils’ as a doo-wop a cappella; Plath's ‘Mirro’r as a polka, Wilcox's ‘Solitude’ as a bossa nova, and Longfellow's ‘Snow-Flakes’ as a haunting ballad. Poetry as you’ve never experienced before – this is a must see.

El Crisis’ style of poetry and performance is truly unique. He combines an hypnotic mixture of rap, spoken word, song and chant, speaking from a height, the knowledge of an ancient wisdom and a spiritual connection with his ancestors that can be felt among his audiences. Rapping, singing, chanting and reciting spoken word poetry Crisis relates to his experiences and stories with a street style philosophy of the world and society today. Combined with an angelic voice of staggering range and depth, Crisis’ performances are enlightening, extraordinary and unforgettable.

A regular on the poetry circuit, Joel Stickley is an acclaimed writer and performer. He has appeared all over UK radio and television as well as at a clutch of festivals and is the co-author of the book ‘Who Writes This Crap?’ with Luke Wright which the Guardian described as “an inspired piece of parody.” He blogs at How To Write Badly Well (”A must-read” – Metro.co.uk) and teaches the Advanced Creative Writing course at the Open University.

Joshua Idehen is a lively and mercurial poet, founder of the highly acclaimed poetry group A Poem Between People and leader of ‘fro-funk band Benin City - a new project inspired by a wide range of folk artists such as Grizzly Bear, Jono McCleery and My Brightest Diamond. With a more intimate sound and subject matter, think Rufus Wainwright meets Roots Manuva and you’re on the right track. He has performed his spoken word at many prestigious events such as Onetaste, Poetry N Motion, The Cellar, Shortfuse and the John Betjeman Festival in Cornwall, to name a few, and will this year add Latitude to that list.

Poet, performer, enemy of all that’s difficult and upsetting, Matt Harvey is a veteran of the poetry circuit performing his hilarious yet tender and truthful poetry up and down the country at festivals, cabarets, conferences and colleges. A regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live he has also written the Desktop Poetry slot in the Guardian for the past two years. He is also the creator of Empath Man – a contemporary superhero with advanced listening skills and the ability to stay open and vulnerable in a tight situation – and who recently had a mini-series on Radio 4. “Very funny, very satirical” The Times.

Aisle16 co-founder Ross Sutherland will be bringing his quick-wit and free-wheeling lyricism to the Poetry Arena. Included in The Times' list of Top Ten Literary Stars in 2008, Ross has co-written eight live literature productions, including the critically acclaimed Poetry Boyband (Time Out Critic’s Choice of the Year 2005). Last year he had four productions touring throughout the year: ‘Found in Translation’, ‘Infinite Lives’, ‘The Dead That Never Lived’ and ‘The Shallowing Shovel’. He also found time to publish his debut solo collection, ‘Things To Do Before You Leave Town’ to critical acclaim.

Steve Larkin is a rare talent. He is best described as a poet though he is invariably described as a comedian or a rapper. A lively and energetic performer who has to be experienced live to fully appreciate his extraordinary ability of expressing political and philosophical concepts or opinions, whilst being hugely entertaining. He has been described as: “Leeds’ hybrid answer to Spike Millighan and Eminem…” by Vanguard-Online and as “a poet-philosopher disguised as club entertainer. Lacing profundity with profanities, deep tracks with cheap gags." Jim Thomas (The Ecologist)

Fellow Aisle16 member, Tim Clare is a writer, stand-up poet and musician. His filthy hyperkinetic doggerel continues to baffle and appal audiences all over the UK. His autobiographical book about thwarted ambition and growing up, ‘We Can’t All Be Astronauts’, came out last year to much acclaim with The Bookseller rating him as "A fantastic writer—his prose contains both the bumbling charm of Jon Ronson and the splenetic bile of Charlie Brooker."

Ex-lumberjack turned poetic genius Tim Turnbull has wowed audiences around the country. Turnbull has received critical praise with the release of his collection called ‘Caligula on Ice and other poems’ - a unique theatrical experience that blends sublimely crafted poetry, caustic comedy, a ghost story, a skewed take on the folk song, a raucous music hall turn, parody, pastiche and bitingly accurate satire. He also released the fantastic Extended Play Pop Compact Disc, “A-side, B-side, Seaside” with Scarborough absurdists Mormonhead.

This extensive list of poets that are already confirmed to read in the Poetry Arena are Wendy Cope, John Cooper Clarke, Blake Morrison, Luke Wright, Spoken Word All Stars, WordTheatre with David Soul and Amber Tamblyn and Jacob Polley.

Elsewhere throughout the weekend, over Latitude’s four dedicated music arenas festival goers can enjoy Florence + The Machine, Belle and Sebastian and Vampire Weekend headlining the Obelisk Arena, as well as performances by Empire Of The Sun, The National, The xx, Grizzly Bear, The Maccabees, Rodrigo y Gabriela, James, Richard Hawley, The Horrors and Jónsi. The Sunrise Arena will showcase a wealth of musical talent from both emerging and established bands such as Archie Bronson Outfit and Darwin Deez with many more acts still to be announced, Latitude will provide the perfect soundtrack to the summer.

A place like no other; Latitude Festival is an intimate world away from reality that encourages you to be all that you’ve ever wanted to be whilst indulging in the spirit of exploration and discovery.

~ TICKET INFORMATION ~

Weekend tickets £155 including VAT, subject to booking fee
Day tickets Fri, Sat, Sun £65 including VAT, subject to booking fee
Weekend ticket prices include car parking and camping
Day tickets include car parking only
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