'Home grown' talents to get story time at Festival of Words

Wednesday 02 August 2017

The third Festival of Words will include a trip down memory lane to the glory days of Jersey's tourism industry in the company of several 'home grown' writers.

The five-day event, which includes Dame Jeni Murray, 'Charlie and Lola' author Lauren Child and scientist Richard Dawkins as some of its headliners, will run from 27 September to 1 October in various locations around town.

It will start off with a musical tribute to Bob Anthony's 1975 album of songs about Jersey, 'Île d'Amour,'which has become an iconic kitsch treasure, evoking "simpler times when hordes of holidaymakers made tourism the No.1 industry." Island-based Plays Rough writers will lead the "affectionate" tribute writing and performing a series of pieces inspired by Bob Anthony's unforgettable lyrics. The event, which has the blessing of the late Mr Anthony’s family, will be staged at the Maritime Museum in association with Jersey Heritage.

The heyday of tourism is also the inspiration for 'Italy’s Other Island: The Italians and the making of Modern Jersey', the new book by another home-grown talent, journalist and broadcaster Hamish Marett-Crosby. His new release tells the story of the men and women who came to work in Jersey hotels and restaurants from the 1950s onwards, becoming the mainstay of the industry for over a quarter of a century and contributing to Jersey’s cosmopolitan community.

That unique character is rooted in the Island’s Norman heritage which will be the subject of a talk by Lord Coutanche Library curator Brownyn Matthews. She has been translating the 16th century Old French history of the Island into English for the first time, ahead of a publication later this year by the Société Jersiaise. Ms Matthews will talk about the challenges of the project, the anonymous Chronicler and some of the ripping yarns he recorded.

Another event will bring back memories from the 1960s with a reading of 'The Mersey Sound' to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its publication. Titled From Mersey to Jersey, the evening will feature extracts from the best-selling anthology which made literary rock stars of Roger McGough, Brian Patten and Adrian Henri as well as the work of local poets. It will also explore the poetry of song lyrics, including those of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, for whom 1967 was also a triumphant artistic year.

Pictured: The Blonde Plotters, novelists Gwyn Garfield-Bennett, Georgina Troy and Kelly Clayton.

Other events will involve Jersey writers during the week, including a Conversation with the 'Blonde Plotters,' novelists Gwyn Garfield-Bennett, Georgina Troy and Kelly Clayton; a reading of 'Reflections of D-Day' with poet Juliette Hart and a talk with Geraint Jennings and Tony Scott Warren titled 'Jèrriais: Coronation Street before TV.'  Thriller writer Glover Wright and Juanita Shield-Laignel will also be presenting their latest books, 'Hard Act' and 'Occupation Reconciliation', a new biography of the late historian Michael Ginns MBE, respectively. Stefan Rousseau from Cinestef will do a talk on the influence of the Valérian and Laureline graphic Science-Fiction serial graphic novel and of other French Bande-Dessinnées on the Star Wars universe. Jersey Evening Post picture editor Peter Mourant will be leading a panel discussion with visiting writers Miranda Doyle and Felicia Yap,to examine fake news, social media and self-curating.

The programme of the festival, which announced a series of high-profile authors earlier this year, will also include workshops on calligraphy and short story writing. Children won't be left aside either with storytelling in French, Portuguese and Polish and a series of guests they should be particularly happy to see. These include, Fleurble Laffalot, super assistant to the Professor of Potter, who will be in attendance, with. all material approved by J.K. Rowling herself to mark the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter book.

The third Festival of Words, which will benefit local charities, will see events staged around town at the Jersey Opera House, Jersey Arts Centre, Jersey Library, Maritime Museum, Bean Around The World, Chordz Coffee Shop, St James Wine Bar as well as Jersey Hospice. The full programme is available on the festival's website.