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Re: Latitude additions - Stephen Frears, Lightspeed Champion, Glen Wool and more!
Instigate Debate – the counterculture project formed by a collective of musicians including Carl Barat, and Jon “The Reverend” McClure host a unique debate at Latitude Festival to discuss with you tomorrow’s chip paper: Our media. A high profile and diverse panel of media guests including Jon McClure will scream, shout, rant, rave, consider and combine ideas relating to the following title: “Tabloid Culture: Is Our News Media Walking a New Street of Shame?” Topics up for discussion will include; Are the freesheets & the blogosphere killing quality journalism? Will Rupert Murdoch swing his empire behind David Cameron and will it matter? How much is online news worth to you? Is the line between editorial & advertisers still being held and does it matter? Come along to the Literary Arena and bring your tuppence worth on the subjects above. Speed debate with our panel and other guests and win a gig in your house for you and your friends from the likes of Babyshambles, The View, Reverend and the Makers, The Libertines, The La’s and more.
Orwell: A Celebration is an unprecedented theatrical tribute to the work of George Orwell. Directed by Gene David Kirk, it marks the 60th and 70th anniversaries of the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four and Coming up for Air. ‘A Celebration’ which has recently finished a West End run prior to national tour and features the chilling distillation of the ‘Ministry of Love’ interrogation scene from Nineteen Eighty-Four which we will be screening at Latitude. “…The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power… If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - for ever…” The scene from Nineteen Eighty-Four features party apparatchik O'Brien (Alan Cox) and the novel’s lone hero Winston Smith (Ben Porter) and contains some of the most famous lines in 20th century English literature.
Novelist and singer-songwriter Fflur Dafydd is a graduate of UEA’s Creative Writing MA and was selected in 2005 for the Scritture Giovani project for emerging European writers. With even more strings to her bow, Fflur has performed in festivals across Europe as both musician and author, has a PhD on the poetry of R.S. Thomas and currently lectures in Creative Writing at Swansea University . Writing poems and songs in both Welsh and English, and has won numerous awards for her writing, including the prestigious Prose Medal at the National Eisteddfod in 2006. Her first English novel Twenty Thousand Saints (Alcemi, 2008) was recently awarded the Oxfam Hay Emerging Writer of the Year Award and follows two Welsh language novels and two albums as a singer-songwriter.
Beer has been at the heart of British society and culture for over 300 years and our love-affair for it refuses to dwindle or die. In his compelling book ‘Man Walks Into A Pub : A Sociable History Of Beer’ author Pete Brown presents an entertaining look into our favourite brews packed with bar-room bet-winning facts and entertaining digression which every pub-goer will want to dip into. "Like a good drinking companion, Pete Brown tells a remarkable story: a stream of fascinating facts, etymologies, and pub-related urban phenomena." Daily Express Join in on Thursday at Latitude with Talkaoke, a mobile chat-show that invites participants to sit down and air their views around the talkaoke table ('the doughnut of chat'). The host sits in the middle on a swivel chair wielding the microphone and facilitating the flow of discussion between participants. The talkaoke table's internal PA and video projection system broadcasts live from the table into whatever environment it is placed in, and onto the Internet, and remote participants can make their contributions to the debate via email. The tone and content of conversation shifts unpredictably from raucous and irreverent to serious and intimate; anything can happen but there are two rules: no singing and no punch-ups.
Winner of The Stage Award for Acting Excellence in 2005 for The Zoo Story and nominee for The Stage Award for Acting Excellence in 2006 for Talk Radio, Phil Nichol is an acclaimed performer. He was first known as the guitar playing member of top classic musical comedy trio 'Corky and The Juice Pigs' but it’s Phil's solo performances that have earned him huge critical praise and many awards. He is a Tasmanian devil with a guitar, wickedly funny songs and superb improvisational skills. Phil is also a superb character comedian performing greasy fist Joe, Kenny Smiles and his own rendition of Björk as part of the Lenny Beige show.
Performance artist and comedian David Hoyle joins the Cabaret Arena line-up. He first came to fame with his arts TV programme under his stage-name and alter-ego ‘The Divine David’. After killing off this screeching character in 2000 at an Ice Show in Streatham he returned six years later as The David Hoyle a more true to his own self character, less sinister than Divine David, yet still as sharp and controversial in confronting taboo subjects. He has done this no better than with his recent run of shows at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, the pioneering alternative gay venue in South London . Dave's Drop-in Centre was loosely inspired by a psychiatric daycare centre and all the activities that go on, from occupational therapy to hobbies to empowerment, and group catharsis. Collaborating with different performers from the alternative scene including burlesque comedian and fellow Latitude performer Fancy Chance the shows touch on issues such as nationalism, nationality and immigration; the past and childhood. The shows are car-crash, rage-fuelled, issue-based comedy constructed by the King – or Queen – of alternative humour.
Nathan Evans is a puppeteer, performer, writer, director, producer, filmmaker, artist and musician among other things. His films have screened in the Raindance, East End and London Lesbian & Gay Film Festivals, been broadcast on Channel 4, toured nationally with the BFI, and internationally with the British Council. One of them even won an award in the London Short Film Festival a few years ago. He’s performed at venues and festivals including The Royal Court, The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, BAC, Soho Theatre, Bethnal Green, and Glastonbury . You may remember him as the impresario of Vauxhallville, described by the Guardian as ‘a high camp attack on high art’. This year he brings his politically incorrect Punch & Jude show for big kids to Pandora’s Playground. He’ll also be running a puppet workshop. Bring a sock. Unused if possible.
Last year, three musical friends Rachel Dawson, Grace Williamson and Claire Lawrence joined forces to create the wonder that is The La De Dahs. Originally inspired by the music of The Andrews Sisters, they began to re-arrange well loved modern day songs into a 1940s style. Half the fun of their performances is guessing what modern song they’ve transformed (could it be Blur, The Darkness, Steppenwolf or even Radiohead?) The La De Dahs are an a capella, comedic, all-singing girl group who will swing you in ways you’ve never been swung before! There are no gimmicks, no instruments and no recorded sounds… these girls make all of the music with their voices, blended together perfectly with their beautiful harmonies. Sassy, sexy, soulful and smart, The Voguettes will perform one of their classic DJ sets that will set hearts pumping and minds racing. These five blonde women always present something special with equal measures of sunshine and thunder. Last year they spread the love by handing out paper hearts for people to leave messages on for that someone special and offered a kissing booth for all those lusting festival go-ers. Expect something similarly special for this year’s event.
With hot pants that are too tight and enough glitter to just about cover the beer bellies underneath, winners of the World Disco Dancing Competition in 1983 Glitterbanditz will be treating festival-ravers to some killer dance routines. Belting out original tracks influenced by the feel good retro of Wham! and Mark Bolan, Glitterbanditz interpretive dance routines have to be seen to be believed. The boys have supported Blondie at the London Hippodrome and George Michael at Wembley (as the second act ever to perform at the new Wembley stadium) so they certainly know how to work an audience – don’t miss them strutting their stuff at Henham Park . Imagine: a Sphere the size of a small house floats surreally on the Latitude lake, a flautist suspended within its exact centre as radio microphones transmit the flute’s sound to computers on the shore, so that the sound is bounced around the lake from speaker to speaker. As the music moves through various scenes the Sphere weaves a ballet on the water and the computers create a whole orchestra of flutes from the one live instrument. Well that was last year at Latitude – this year there will be a second giant sphere joining the first with an aerial dancer spinning within! Surrounding the audience with a stunning kaleidoscope of aural and visual effects, Simon Desorgher’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ will perform the perfect lake-side spectacle.
Choreographed by Tony Adigun, ‘The Silver Tree’ by Avant Garde Dance sees the company collaborate with Chinese pole artists in an explosive new show. At first glance, Chinese Pole and Hip Hop Dance might appear strange bedfellows, however they share a similar physicality and acrobatic shape throwing. Expect these ingredients to create an original, fresh, contemporary circus dance piece. Avant Garde Dance was established in 2001 by choreographer Tony Adigun. With their unique style of Abstract Streetdance they constantly strive to challenge the norm and be different from others around them. Mixing different styles and shapes together their ethos is to Innovate Never Replicate!!! Avant Garde have previously presented their work at the The Place, Sadler’s Wells Theatre and The South Bank Centre as well as the Lovebox Weekender and the Paradise Gardens Festival (2006-8). The show is commissioned by Paradise Gardens and Stockton International Riverside Festival and produced by Circus Space and Remarkable Productions in association with East London Dance. Famed choreographer and performer Charlotte Eatock brings her stunning production 'Revealing Eve' to Latitude’s stage on the lake as well as performing in the Cabaret Arena. ‘Revealing Eve’ is a short solo about the objectification of women. Motivated by her own insecurities and doubts the piece reveals her link to Eve and the female form as a symbol of strength. Originally performed at Stratford Circus as part of Small Dances it will be accompanied with music by Camper Van Beethoven. Pleasance Theatre are presenting three ‘Picks’ for Latitude this year, including ‘The Gannet’ by Fat Content Theatre. Using Latitude’s stunning woodland area ‘The Gannet’ is a story of siblings fleeing from a city destroyed by a plague. Manoeuvred by a ravenous eye, they venture into a dark forest embarking upon a surreal odyssey. Can they escape taboo breaking animals and sugar coated enemies as strange temptations strain their unusual bond? Enter the weird and wonderful world presented by Fat Content as their unique storytelling comes to life in a promenade-come-cabaret event with mountains of cakes, sweets, dancing animals, an act from contortionist Maxlastic and a live set from DJ J-Lynx. Performing on Latitude’s enchanted woodland stage as well as in the Lavish Lounge; Brixton based Yeah Sparrow will bring their unique blend of folk and rock influences to Latitude’s outside spaces. With edgy storytelling that comes from the seedier side of South London, Yeah Sparrow is a ball of energy fusing the rasping voice and guitar of vocalist Kevin Hadley, with the relentless percussion and vocals of Dave Mackie and the driving bass of Christoph Bauschinger, to invoke a sound that is part art-pop, part anti-folk and part twisted blues, ranging from tense low-fire melancholy moments to tremendous wall of folk.
The hypnotic and hauntingly beautiful Evi Vine will also be performing in the Lavish Lounge & on the In The Woods Stage. Evi is a singer/songwriter emerging from the UK ’s underground music scene, inspired by such diverse artists as Leonard Cohen, the Cocteau Twins, Arvo Part and Nine Inch Nails. Raw and emotive, Evi’s powerful, but minimalist narrative style is very much her own. Her voice is described as haunting and other-worldly; her lyrics telling of isolation, sex, death and alienation. Few performers can consistently deliver such an impassioned, emotional and hypnotic show as her potent and mesmerising live performances draw the audience into compelled silence. “Excellent…absorbing, haunting and sensual…welcome to the darkside of the blues.” (Sunday Times)
Comment Posted on: June 30, 2009, 09:35 PM
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