Hitting the heights: 60 poets lined up for five-day Stanza festival at St Andrews
Stanza, one of the UK’s biggest poetry festivals, begins on Wednesday 1 March. The two themes at Stanza 2017 at St Andrews will be the Heights of Poetry, celebrating hills and mountains, and On the Road, looking at travel and journeys. With a nod to the historic ‘Auld Alliance’ – and perhaps Scotland’s more Europe-friendly outlook - there will also be a special French language focus.
Leading names from the UK and newer voices will be joined by poets from France, Luxembourg, Iceland, South Africa, the US, Cyprus, and Australia, with around 100 readings, performances and discussions, and music and film events, along with workshops and other opportunities to get involved. More than 60 poets will be taking part, including John Agard, Patience Agbabi, Vahni Capildeo, Jim Carruth, Jacques Darras, Sasha Dugdale, Elaine Feinstein, Sarah Howe, Kathleen Jamie, Jackie Kay, Aurélia Lassaque, Joan Margarit, and Alice Oswald. Stanza runs from 1-5 March. More details
PHOTOGRAPH: ALISTAIR KERR
M.C. Newberry
Thu 2nd Mar 2017 15:00
The historical alliance between Scotland and France vies
with the other between Scottish nobility and the Crown,
and even as late as WW2, the activity of Scottish Nationalists seeking a deal with Nazi Germany via the
latter's consul in neutral Dublin, indicates that the
situation is still far from resolved...up to and including
the present mixed messages involving the European Union
with its Franco-German leadership alliance and the wish
via a popular vote to remain a part of the UK. It is
stimulating to wonder how this will feature in the contributions to this particular festival.