By Ray Duff
The Folkestone Book Festival 2011 has celebrated yet another successful event, with several of the speakers enjoying near full houses.

Although I am writing about the events I attended I've also included a few others which I have been told about.

Friday 4th November

Launch Party

A gathering of around 50 people chatted about the forthcoming events; along with just catching up with old friends; and celebrated the opening of the festival accompanied by excellent music from Djangles.

Nicholas Parsons

A near full auditorium greeted a performance from a seasoned and sparkling raconteur who regaled the attendees with tales from his long life in show business and especially comedy.

He recounted his early life before WW2; in the North East in engineering; and then after the war began to be involved in theatre, much against his mothers wishes, and on to radio shows and finally TV.

He acted alongside Arthur Haynes for many years, before appearing in other programmes and films. He is best known for Radio 4's 'Just a Minute' comedy show which continues to this day and he recounted many other performers from Kenneth Williams to Paul Merton and Sue Perkins who have been stalwarts of the show.

His long association with TV's 'Sale of the Century' was tinged with some regret about the effect it had on his further acting career, but he said he was glad to have presented it.

Saturday 5th November

I understand that the film version of Tale of Two Cities, starring Dirk Bogarde, was well attended and introduced by the chair of Folkestone Classic film club, John Swift. The film launched local Dickens celebrations.

Following this I was told that Sir Ian Kershaw's talk about his book was very well received starting a small series of WW2 related talks.

Barry Cryer: Butterfly Brain

A capacity crowd was completely enthralled by this consummate joker, writer, and performer. Accompanied by Colin Sell at the piano; from the radio show and much else, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, Barry Cryer based the event on a run through the alphabet using hilarious takes on wordplay, memories of comedians from Arthur Askey through Tommy Cooper to Eddie Izzard; and even a song or three.

It concluded with a hugely funny skit on American evangelists called 'Cheesus', again based on how words and their meanings can be used, or 'misplaced' to comic effect.

Sunday 6th November

Googies- Book Swop:

A small number of people enoyed a chat and a cup of tea over their favourite books and brought some along to swop with others.

Keith Parfitt. Two Years digging at East Cliff Roman Villa site.

The seating had to be extended for another capacity crowd who listened to Keith Parfitt give his very latest interpretation of the almost momentous findings at East Cliff.

He outlined the project and updated everyone about how the site has been clarified to show that the two villas are of Roman era origin, but that before them far more than was ever thought was there in pre-Roman times running from the Mesolithic (mid stone age, 5000BC, to the Late Iron Age (AD 43).

Indeed in a small area there is tantalising, but very clear evidence of a major settlement, perhaps comparable to a nearby site at Ashford. It might need 40 years to uncover it all if that ever becomes possible.

Tristram Hunt. The English Civil War.

A moderately sized audience enjoyed a thoroughly engrossing, and engaging, talk about issues surrounding the 17th Century Civil War and the debates which raged for hundreds of years after, particularly in 19th Century Victorian Britain up to the present day. He opined that he felt that modern politicians like Margaret Thatcher and Gordon Brown would have been 'Roundheads' but David Cameron  would have been a 'Cavalier'.

Sir Max Hastings; All Hell Broke Loose

A packed auditorium heard Sir Max give a very harrowing talk about WW2 from the point of view of the 'little people'; rather than those at the top; who suffered and struggled through it.

Including quotes by the likes of 17 year old seaman Crawford who wrote to his mother asking if she could influence anyone to transfer him ashore made more poignant when we learnt he was aboard HMS Hood.

There was another by young Swedish Jew who wrote in her diary that the suffering of all should be remembered not just her own peoples. This was just before she was sent to Auschwitz. S

ir Max pointed also to the now near forgotten plight of the Bengal Famine in 1943 killing millions; the siege of Leningrad in 1942 which resulted in locals descending to cannibalism; and the millions who died in China because of Japanese and Nationalist fighting.

He told of the Vichy French fighting the British in Syria and Egyptians backing the axis powers.

Here is a book which needs to be read in small doses perhaps, but one that serves to remind everyone of the human cost of war especially to ordinary people.

Monday 7th November

Andy Kershaw: No Off Switch

A smallish audience perhaps, but they thoroughly enjoyed a lively and engaging talk with Andy Kershaw in conversation with Reg Gutteridge.

This eclectic broadcaster who began by relating his early years in Rochdale; followed by his attempts to become a TT motorcyle rider, and finally after University went into radio and music for the BBC.

He recounted his exploits in early Radio broadcasts alongside John Peel and John Walters, his run-ins with Bob Geldof, involvement with many a music festival, and later his journey to Rwanda to see and record the awful war and genocide.

Black Umfalosi 5:

A fantastic evening with the five a cappella singers and dancers giving everyone a lift.

With songs and dances which reflected both social issues and just general joie de vie, particularly the 'Gum Boot' dance which encompassed both. This is a troupe which should be seen by all next time they are in Britain.

Tuesday 8th November.

Nicholas Reed: My Father, The Man Who Never Was.

Another full audience heard Nicholas tell the amazing story of his father, Ronnie Reed, who began as a BBC engineer in the 1930s and went on the join MI5.

He recounted how his father finally revealed his part in the famous deception of the Nazi's in 1943 which allowed the Allies an easier invasion of Sicily than was expected.

Further revelations were about double agent Eddie Chapman and his exploits during and after the war. Ronnie, was also involved in spying on left wing groups in the 1960s.

A fascinating account to read in Nicholas's book.

Morality, Art & Literature: Seminar

Karen Wilson gave an engaging talk about Dickens' Tale of Two Cities and was joined by many members of the audience in discussions about its many themes.

Wednesday 9th November

Dr Lesley Hardy: Samuel Winbolt- East Cliff Villas Excavations.

Dr Hardy gave a packed room an account of the antiquarians in this area; along with several pictures in the lead up to the discovery of Folkestone's Roman Villas on East Cliff.

She pointed out how Mr Winbolt was careful to involve a wide range of local people in archaeology , including schools and unemployed, and backing the expansion of libraries and museums as well.

Dr Francis Pryor: The Birth of Industrial Britain.

Dr Pryor regaled the audience with his wide knowledge of archaeology, especially his work on the prehistory of the Fens and his series of books on the history of Britain.

His last book in this series points to his view that industrial Britain started elsewhere than where it's usually regarded-Ironbridge etc- and that his 'heroes' are engineers like Thomas Telford and David Dale rather than others.

He ventured into political views saying that he felt that historians had a better long term view of things and should perhaps be advising governments of the mid and long-term consequences of their policies.

He also gave a staunch defence of Time Team, which he has had a long association.

Thursday 10th November

Christopher Lloyd. In Search of a Masterpiece

Prof Lloyd gave a fascinating talk about the famous painting masterpieces that are housed in many of the art galleries around Britain and encouraged people to see them.

Personally I believe this is something our local politicians should be looking into given the Masters Collection we have which sadly remains largely in storage.

Monkey Poet: Welcome to Afghanistan

A great evening with a solo show by the poet.

He had memorised letters and other writings from the British Afghan campaigns of the 1840s especially the letters from Lord Auckland to Lord Wellington. These showed clearly the bungling and carelessness of attitudes towards ordinary soldiers and local peoples, as well as the playing off of one group against another to British advantage.

Friday 11th November

Ed Stafford: Walking the Amazon.

I unfortunately  could not make this talk, but I am informed that he gave a hilarious and enthralling talk of his travels down the river, the tribes he encountered, and some of the hair-raising escapes he managed.

Francine Stock: A Century of Film.

A thoroughly entertaining run through the history of film beginning in Europe and Britain and later the ascendency of Hollywood. Ms Stock also showed illustrative clips from films of all periods.

Saturday 12th November.

Prof Michael Slater: Dickens 'Picturesque Story'.

Prof Slater gave a details and engrossing talk about Dicken's best loved novel. Having finished Little Dorrit; partly written in Folkestone incidentally; he felt burnt out. However, he began to gather evidence during his recuperation on this novel.

A Wilkie Collins play with the theme similar to Tale of Two Cities and evidence from Thos Carlyle's magisterial history of the French Revolution in 1830 formed the backdrops to it.

Published in weekly, rather than the more usual monthly parts; this novel quickly became a favourite. Prof Slater has a long and thorough knowledge of Dickens and is planning further books on his hero.

Closing Event: 4Poofs and a Piano

A boys gave an thrilled audience a lively evening of song, dance and humour. A barnstorming finale to this years Festival.

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©