Charles Dance

by Daniel Williams

I was asked to link to this.

You can read HERE what I'd like to think Charles Dance is doing instead of coming to DeMontfort.

Lemn Sissay

by Sossij

Today I went to see Lemn Sissay's talk for Cultural Exchanges. It was really a fascinating experience and I look forward to the rest of the feastival. I want to thank Lemn for sharing his work and his insights.

Lemn Sissay is very cool. Cooler than a cucumber in an icebox. In the Arctic. In a polar bear's fridge/freezer. Alongside the mammoth task of being cool he is also a strikingly unique poet. I have not encountered any work like his before, in particular his poem about music. I wanted to buy his new book but due to my current money crisis I was tragically unable to. However, I will be borrowing my two friends' copies of Listener for as long as I am able, or as long as I manage to scrape together the funds to purchase a copy for myself, as well as copies of his previous works.

Sissay's talk overran by around twenty minutes, but I could have listened to him speak for hours longer. A small talk, and as such incredibly intimate, this is arguably the best way to experience performance poetry. I am so glad I went to see this talk because it has really opened me up to an artist I had not encountered before. I want to see a longer talk from him, and I think I will get that by heading to the Edinburgh festival.

It made me completely forget that Charles Dance wasn't going to attend. And I was really looking forward to seeing Charles Dance.

Gambler's luck

by kb

I was over-enthusiastic when booking seats. Monday's looking good. I reckon it should be possible to run from Pam Thompson's poetry launch in the Clephan Building to Will Kaufman's Woody Guthrie performance in PACE, though life would be easier with a zip wire from the third floor of Clephan to the first floor of PACE. Did no-one think of this or was it vetoed on Health and Safety grounds?

But when I booked my Wednesday tickets, I didn't notice that the interview with Charles Dance continued half an hour after my next event had started. I wasn't sure that leaving early would be polite, but I really want to hear what Professor Keith Laybourn has to say about working-class gambling in Britain in the first half of the twentieth century.

Gambling is a common theme in working-class literature. I've come to think that although it offers little hope for people with low incomes and no chance of a well-paid job or a lucky break, that little hope is better than no hope at all. For many people, gambling is often the only hope there is, though today the gamble may involve auditioning to appear on reality TV rather than queuing at the bookie's or doing the football pools. The movie-going public seem to agree - Slumdog Millionaire is a fairy tale about a young man who clutches at the frailest wisp of impossible luck.

My gambling v. Charles Dance dilemma has been resolved. Mr Dance's fans may be upset but I was slightly relieved at the news that he has cancelled. I won't be the annoying person who tries to creep out of an audience without attracting attention. Instead I can focus on a subject that interests me - and learn from someone else's research.

Gambling, here I come!

Culture

by Sossij

Next week promises to be an interesting venture. De Montfort University hosts a variety of broadcasters, writers, actors and musicians in the Cultural Exchanges festival. I am particularly looking forward to Charles Dance in conversation as I am a big fan of his work. I am also tempted by Andrew Davies and Lemn Sissay. As an aspiring writer and aspiring actor, I think these will be best suited to me.

I wouldn't say no to Trevor Nelson though. He has gained a lot of respect from his peers.

Give it a go...what's the worst that could happen?

By Thurms



What is the image of cultural exchanges? To some it is a week off where they can spend the week at home and relax because lectures and workshops are cancelled for one whole week. To others it is an opportunity to see some of the most inspirational people (that were available and could be bothered to talk to a load of university students) in Britain. Until about a week ago i was definitely one of the stay at homies, having a week relaxing...that was until i looked at some of the speakers. (And when i was told i had to see at least three performances)



Once i was told i had to see at least three performances, i decided to get behind the idea as there is no point in dreading something and expecting it to be awful because (even if you are 99.9% sure it will be) it will probably live up...or down to your expectations. So after re-looking through the Festival guide i have seen a number of performances and speeches that look very interesting and ones that i would like to go and see. These include Lemn Sissay, Charles Dance, Billy Bragg and Chris Cowey to name but a few.



Why am i telling you about my sudden, albeit forced, change of opinion about the week? Well there are two reasons: first i have been told to write a blog about cultural exchanges but secondly (and this is definitely the most important reason behind telling you) it is because it actually looks like it will be a very interesting week. If you are one of those stay at home people who is planning to go home or just stay in bed all of next week then i urge, nay i implore you to change your mind. To stay at DMU for the next week, go to cultural exchanges, save the world in the process...OK I'll admit it is getting very preacher like now...basically i think you should take a look at the Festival guide at the very least. If you don't know many of the performers then use it as an opportunity to learn something new.



Well isn't that what you are supposed to do at university?