Of actors and authors, with a little bit of food, wine, and walking

Two years ago, we attended a Literary Luncheon at the inaugural Scarborough Literature Festival, and really enjoyed it. Last year, we tried to book too late, and it was full, so this year we got our act together early, and decided to make a couple of days of it.

Despite having to work until after lunch, V and I were heading over to Scarborough by mid afternoon, and just had time to book into the hotel before we were joined by J. As most events were just round the corner at the Library, and the lunch was in our hotel, we were pretty centrally placed.

I rather loved the Concert Hall of the Library, mainly, I guess, because it was the site of the very first Theatre in the Round created by Stephen Joseph.

Our first event was called ‘Re:Invention’, and we’d booked it because it was about performance, and developing a character, and run by an actor. We weren’t quite sure what to expect, as the brochure had suggested that it could be a workshop. Sadly, it wasn’t, as the seats were laid out theatre-style. Still, it was very interesting.

We just had time to pop to the Blue Lounge, our new ‘bar of choice’ in Scarborough, for a drink before the second event, ‘Branwell vs the Brontes’. It sounded quite interestingin the blurb. It wasn’t. It was self indulgent, and very amateur. I was nodding by halfway through. They stopped for an interval, much to the surprise of the organisers, and so we took the opportunity and left, deciding that a curry and wine was a considerably more attractive option than staying for part 2. We found a fab little Indian restaurant that we’d been to a few years ago. Still there, still busy, still good, and they gave us free wine at the end.

The next morning, we made a bright and early start, determined to get a walk in before the literary luncheon. It was a glorious morning, and we walked right along the beach to the Spa, and then round the harbour and onto the Marine Drive, coming back over castle hill. We were back in time to get changed, and get a well earned drink in before lunch.

The author at the lunch was Victoria Glendinning. When I’d seen her advertised, I knew the name, and recognised her face, but couldn’t have said what she’d written. She turned out to be fascinating, and was clearly an experienced speaker, as, unlike others, she didn’t do a reading, just talked about her subjects, and also drew out anecdotes about Scarborough. She’s written biographies of Edith Sitwell, and Leonard Woolf amongst others and her latest book is about an affair between author Elizabeth Bowen and diplomat Charles Ritchie.

Afterwards, we had a quick dash to the shops, for where would our Friday’s be without a little shopping, and then headed back to Library for our last event, Kate Atkinson. Now I’ve never read any of her books, but had at least heard of her, and I did once see ‘Behind the Scenes at the Museum’ on stage at the Theatre Royal. It didn’t make me want to read the book though. Listening to her read from her latest novel, that didn’t make me want to read it either. I just knew as she read that it was not a ‘Val’ book.

So all in all, a lovely break away from the grind. Some good events, one excellent one, and one dire. I think we need to focus on the lunch in future - if the talks not up to much, you still get food – and look more carefully into what other sessions are offering. But then, I think the organisers will probably do that as well.