Latitude Festival 2017 – Day 1

Taking place in the stunning grounds of Henham Park, Suffolk from Thursday 13th to Sunday 16th July 2017, the 12th edition of LATITUDE FESTIVAL once again sets the bar high for summer festivals, with a host of names announced across the stages including the BBC Music Introducing Stage, The SpeakEasy, Music and Film, Solas and many more.

Melvin Benn, founder and creator of Latitude Festival commented: “Following the incredible success of our eleventh edition last year, we had set the bar high for this year’s festival. Latitude 2017 is already simply unmissable.”

Lucy Woods, music talent booker for the Latitude Festival music stages said: “We have phenomenal headliners, but in addition to this there are hundreds of acts to stumble upon at Latitude Festival. The festival’s legacy of championing undiscovered music is stronger than ever, and in what’s been my first year, I couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come.”

There’s loads going on – don’t forget to check out the events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

 

The Speakeasy

This year Latitude Festival brings all the debate, discussion, literary and poetry events under one roof, in The SpeakEasy. From established wordsmiths to emergent talents, literary legends to radical insurgents, The SpeakEasy will host author sessions with award-winning writers, poetry performance from the brightest voices and lively discussion until late into the night.

On Thursday, smash hit comedy podcast, MY DAD WROTE A PORNO will see James Morton, joined by James Cooper and Radio 1 DJ Alice Levine, read out chapters from the erotic books his 60 year old dad has written at the LITERARY AND POETRY ARENA.

Latitude Festival favourite MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE will make a return to the LITERARY AND POETRY ARENA in an exciting performance of PRINCEFEST, which sees him paying tribute to his eponymous musical hero, Prince.

He’ll be joined by actor, writer, unconventional comedian and spellbinding performance poet, TIM KEY.

JOHN OSBORNE, creator of John Peel’s Shed and Sky 1’s After Hours, will also present Circled in the Radio Times a new storytelling show exploring the changing nature of how we all watch television.

BANG SAID THE GUN, the team who put on poetry nights for people who think they don’t like poetry, will host guests DEANNA RODGERS, the youngest UK Poetry Slam Champion and voice to watch, and KRISS FOSTER who has won plaudits for his stories about Vimto, trains and the seaside.

 

THEATRE

On Thursday, National Theatre Live will broadcast the Old Vic’s hugely acclaimed production of ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD which stars Daniel Radcliffe and Joshua McGuire as the eponymous duo.

 

WATERFRONT STAGE

TANIA HARRISON, Latitude’s Arts Curator says: “Latitude celebrates the very best artists, both emergent and established, across myriad art forms, and this ethos is embodied in the fullness and diversity of the Dance bill for this summer. We’re incredibly proud to offer audiences not only the chance to see the very best ballet, hip-hop and contemporary dance from around the globe, but also the opportunity to learn from these companies through practice.”

On Thursday, THE GET-DOWN, featuring BOY BLUE ENTERTAINMENT, is a specially curated event which will showcase the very best movers and shakers in the world of hip-hop theatre complete with performances and demonstrations set to a live DJ soundtrack. THE GET-DOWN features BOY BLUE ENTERTAINMENT, whose compelling contemporary dance strives to reflect the world in flux.

 

FARAWAY FOREST

OPERA NORTH are committed to challenging conventional perceptions of opera. At Latitude 2017, they will transform Latitude’s woodlands into a magical immersive soundscape as Opera North Projects bring ‘Underworld’ to The Faraway Forest; a Greek mythology experience formed through words, music and light. Find a path through the Forest and listen out for Orpheus: His voice is in the trees and under the ground; it’s coming.

Elsewhere in the FARAWAY FOREST, audiences will encounter sheds, talks and installations from artists and companies including the V&A, who will preview images and an immersive chorus audio experience from their forthcoming OPERA: PASSION, POWER AND POLITICS exhibition in collaboration with ROYAL OPERA HOUSE. This immersive exhibition spans 400 years, through the lens of seven premieres in seven cities, and explores the seminal forces that drive so many stories.

Our unseen artists in the Faraway Forest include METRO IMAGING, who support the GALLERY, and JANE LENNARD, who will transform the Forest’s iconic Tree of Life into a mass of yellow roses.  Audience should also keep an eye out for AMY WINEHOUSE FOUNDATION and MEDICINS SANS FRONTIERES, THE HYPERCOLLIDER, and the ARTS COUNCIL.

On Thursday, How I Hacked My Way Into Space will be presented by UNLIMITED THEATRE at their Space Shed, which will also host talks on the body and medicine in space from LIBBY JACKSON and BETH HEALEY, the doctor who spent a year in Antarctica in the name of space exploration.

 

SOLAS STAGE

SOLAS returns to Henham Park, bringing its signature mix of transcendental experience for the Latitude audience. Whether it’s rejuvenating treatments, yoga, moments of relaxation or artistic inspiration, SOLAS has carved out an enclave of creativity, openness and excitement at Latitude.

In tandem with art and healing, the SOLAS STAGE is an intimate venue which plays host to some of the best emerging UK and Irish talent from across the musical spectrum; from folk-tinged acoustic troubadours to ambient electro, from dark pop to the spacier end of electronic music.

On Thursday, this year sees a line-up on the Solas Stage that includes experimental pop trio WHITE KITE, and dancefloor stomper ANDREW KEARNEY. Irish sensualists SHIPS also join the Solas bill.

 

PANDORA’S PLAYGROUND

In Pandora’s Playground, there’ll be DYLAN’S MOBILE BOOKSTORE where the audience can immerse themselves in the poetry of Dylan Thomas, Swansea’s most famous son. Then late night Latitude Festival favourites DISCO SHEDwill return to PANDORA’S PLAYGROUND with their 8 x 6 ft garden shed, keeping the party going every night with the best soul, funk, house and techno. 

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.