Lucy Worsley, Curator of The Royal Palaces ‘If Walls Could Talk’

May 13th, 2011

Friday May 13th 7.30pm at The Stables, Kenilworth Castle : A Kenilworth Festival Event

… by day, Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity looking after The Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace State Apartments, the Banqueting House in Whitehall, and Kew Palace in Kew Gardens.

… by night, a writer and presenter, most recently author of ‘Courtiers’, ‘The Secret History of Kensington Palace’ and ‘Cavalier’ which was described by the Mail on Sunday as ‘ an astonishing achievement by an immensely talented and innovative historian’.

Lucy gave an entertaining and absorbing talk about her new book ‘If Walls Could Talk’ …………

Why did the flushing toilet take two centuries to catch on? Why did Samuel Pepys never give his mistresses an orgasm? Why did medieval people sleep sitting up? When were the two ‘dirty centuries’? Why did gas lighting cause Victorian ladies to faint? Why, for centuries, did people fear fruit? These were the sort of questions answered in this juicy, smelly and truly intimate history of home life. Lucy Worsley took us through the bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen, covering the architectural history of each room, but concentrating on what people actually did in bed, in the bath, at the table, and at the stove. From sauce-stirring to breast-feeding, teeth-cleaning to masturbation, getting dressed to getting married, Lucy Worsley made us see our homes with new eyes.

We are really grateful to Lucy’s publisher Faber for enabling us to put on this event.

Bach : An Evening With Sir Nicholas Kenyon and The London Baroque

May 13th, 2011

We are absolutely delighted that Sir Nicholas Kenyon has agreed to come to talk about his new book ‘The Faber Pocket Guide to Bach’ on the 13th May. We are even more delighted that this will be a prelude to an evening of Bach and His Circle with the London Baroque which has been organised by Richard Phillips, Director of The Leamington Music Festival.

Sir Nicholas Kenyon became Managing Director of the Barbican Centre in October 2007. He was Director of the BBC Proms from 1996 to 2007.

As a music critic he wrote for The New Yorker, The Times and Observer, and was editor of Early Music 1983-92. He was appointed Controller of BBC Radio 3 in 1992, and was responsible for the award-winning seasons Fairest Isle and Sounding the Century. He then oversaw the BBC’s programming for the millennium and ran the BBC’s Live Events and TV Classical Music departments, which mounted the Queen’s Jubilee concerts of 2002.

He has continued to write and lecture on the arts, publishing books on Mozart, Simon Rattle, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and early music. He is a board member of English National Opera and Sage Gateshead, a Governor of Wellington College, and a Trustee of the Dartington Hall Trust. He was knighted in the 2008 New Year Honours. He is married with four children and lives in London.

Richard Phillips recently received the annual BAFA Award from The British Arts Festivals Association for
‘Outstanding Contribution to British Arts Festivals’. Richard has run since 1983 over fifty mainly musical festivals
in Leamington and Warwick.

The London Baroque was formed over thirty years ago in 1978, and enjoys the position of being one of the most experienced and long-lived baroque chamber groups around and is regarded worldwide as one of the foremost exponents of baroque chamber music.

We are grateful to Faber for helping us with the talk. Tickets available shortly.

‘The Popes : A History’ with John Julius Norwich

May 11th, 2011

Wednesday11th May 7pm at The Stables, Kenilworth Castle John Julius Norwich gave a marvellous talk about his latest book ‘The Popes : A History’. This event was part of Kenilworth Festival.

John Julius gave a thoroughly entertaining and knowledgeable talk about his new book as part of Kenilworth Books ‘Meet The Author’ series for Kenilworth Festival. Everyone was entranced and left knowing a lot more about the Papacy and JJ’s views on it(!) than when they came. It was a real tour de force and we are extremely grateful for his magnificent contribution to the success of the Festival.

Well known for his histories of Norman Sicily, Venice, the Byzantine Empire and the Mediterranean, John Julius Norwich has now turned his attention to the oldest continuing institution in the world, tracing the papal line down the centuries from St Peter himself – traditionally (though by no means historically) the first pope – to the present Benedict XVI. Of the 280-odd holders of the supreme office, some have unquestionably been saints; others have wallowed in unspeakable iniquity. One was said to have been a woman – and an English woman at that – her sex being revealed only when she improvidently gave birth to a baby during a papal procession.Pope Joan never existed (though the Church long believed she did) but many genuine pontiffs were almost as colourful: Formosus, for example, whose murdered corpse was exhumed, clothed in pontifical vestments, propped up on a throne and subjected to trial; or John XII of whom Gibbon wrote: ‘his rapes of virgins and widows deterred female pilgrims from visiting the shrine of St Peter’. Others earned respect, including Leo the Great who protected Rome from the Huns and the Goths, and Gregory the Great who struggled manfully with the emperor for supremacy. After calamitous crusades, and a 70-year exile in Avignon, came the larger-than-life pontiffs of the Renassiance – the Borgias and the Medicis (’God has given us the papacy; let us now enjoy it’).Pius VII had to contend with Napoleon, Pius IX to steer the papacy through the storm of the Risorgimento. John Julius Norwich brings the story up-to-date with lively investigations into the anti-semitism of the controversial Pius XII, the possible murder of John Paul I and the phenomenon of the Polish John Paul II. From here the glories of the Byznatium to the decay of Rome, from the Albigensian Heresy to sexual misbehaviour within the Church today, the pace never slackens.John Julius Norwich, an agnostic with no religious axe to grind, has a thrilling and important tale to tell – and in this rich, authoritative book he does it full justice. We are very grateful to the publisher Vintage for enabling this event to take place.

Kenilworth Festival Children’s Events

May 8th, 2011

CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL CIRCUS THEMED EVENTS

Sponsors: Kenilworth Books/Crazy Kiln/Beading Crafty/Little Clothes Horse/Ken.Youth Centre

N.B. Children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the event.

Booked places on workshops are not confirmed until paid for.

Mon 9 May 4-5pm Tickets £4 each Ages 7- 12 Max 20 children

Build a Big Top – Organised by Kenilworth Books

At Kenilworth Youth Centre, Abbey End Car Park

Book at Kenilworth Books, Talisman Square. Tel: 01926 855784

Tue 10 May 4-5pm Tickets £5 each Ages 8-12 Max 10 children

Mask Making Workshop – Organised by Beading Crafty

At Beading Crafty, 25 The Square

Book at Beading Crafty, Warwick Road Tel: 01926 858442

Wed 11 May 4-5pm Tickets £4 each Ages 8-12 Max 15 children

Manga Drawing Workshop – Organised by Kenilworth Books

At Kenilworth Youth Centre, Abbey End Car Park

Book at Kenilworth Books, Talisman Square Tel: 01926 855784

Thur 12 May 4-5pm Tickets £5 each Ages 5-12 Max 12 children

Decorate a Circus Themed Tile – Organised by Crazy Kiln

At Crazy Kiln, Millar Court, Station Road

Book at Crazy Kiln, Millar Court Tel: 01926 853274

Fri 13 May 4-5pm Tickets £5 each Ages 5-12 Max 8 children

Paint Your Own Sunhat – Organised by Little Clothes Horse

At Little Clothes Horse, Warwick Road

Book at Little Clothes Horse, Warwick Road Tel: 01926 856504

Sat 14 May 3pm Tickets £2 each Pay On Door

Young People’s Film Show

At Kenilworth Youth Centre, Abbey End Car Park

See website for details: midwarks.info/kyandcc Tel: 01926 855205

Sponsored by: Kenilworth Books, the Little clothes Horse,

Crazy Kiln, Beading Crafty

ken

BABIES & TODDLERS EVENTS – (MANY FREE)

N.B. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

The Festival values the contribution of activity organisers, venue operators and sponsors!

Mon 9 May At St John’s Church, Warwick Rd Free Event

Rhythm Time 10.00-10.30am Rhythm Time for Babies – (2-13 months) Max No.15

10.45-11.15am Rhythm Time for Toddlers – (14months –3years) Max No. 15

Baby brothers and sisters are welcome to watch. (e:sandhthomas@callnetuk.com)

To book a place at these events please phone Sue Thomas: Tel: 01926 886995

Tue 10 May Free Event

Story Time with Lady Tabitha

10.45-11.45am Just turn up! At Almanack, Abbey End Max No.15

Tue 10 May Tickets £5 each

Make Handprint and Footprint Tiles

10.30am –3pm Drop In Session for Babies & Toddlers Drop In Sessions

Just turn up! At Crazy Kiln, Millar Court

Wed 11 May Free Event

Story Times with Lady Tabitha

1.30-2pm and 2.15-2.45pm At Kenilworth Children’s Centre, Bertie Rd Max No.15

To book a place at these events please phone. Tel: 01926 853394

Thur 12 May Abbey End Car Park Free Event

Rhythm Time At Youth Centre

1.45-2.15pm Rhythm Time for Toddlers – (14months – 3years) Max No.15

2.30-3.00pm Rhythm Time for Babies – (2-13months) Max No.10

(Sampling an existing Rhythm Time Baby class) (e: sandhthomas@callnetuk.com)

To book a place at these events please phone Sue Thomas: Tel: 01926 886995

Fri 13 May , Abbey End Free Event

Musical abc at Almanack

9.45-10.15 Presto Pre-school – (2½years to 5years) Max No.8

10.30 -11.00 Baby Bass – (Birth to 15months – non walkers) Max No.8

11.15-11.45 Toddler Treble – (15months to 2½years – walkers) Max No.8

Younger brothers and sisters are welcome. (e: anne@musicalabc.net)

To book for these events please phone Anne Hole Tel: 0787 651 8770

Fri 13 May Tickets £5 each

Decorate a Ringmaster’s Hat

At Little Clothes Horse, Warwick Road

10.00-10.30am and 11.00-11.30am – Ages 2-4 Max.5 at time

To book a place on these events please phone Tel: 01926 856504

Plus THE KENILWORTH FESTIVAL BEAR HUNT

Search for Kenny Bear in shops and shop windows in the town centre.

10 Winners to be drawn on Sunday afternoon at Party in the Park

and LOTS MORE CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES AT

PARTY IN THE PARK ON SUNDAY 15 MAY 2011

Peter Baxter on ‘The Best Views from the Boundary’

May 8th, 2011

On Sunday 8th May 4pm at Kenilworth Cricket Club Peter Baxter gave an amusing and very well-received talk to a packed pavilion. This was a Kenilworth Festival Event

Peter Baxter first worked on Test Match Special in 1966, and was the producer of the programme from 1973-2007. He co-ordinated the BBC’s cricket coverage from every one of the Test-playing nations, and has also been part of the commentary team himself. He talked about his new book ‘The Best Views from the Boundary:Test Match Special’s Greatest Interviews’ covering some of the really great moments in Test Match Specialwith interviews with the likes of John Cleese, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Gary Lineker, David Essex, John Major, Peter O’Toole, Brian Johnston, John Paul Getty Jr., Dennis Skinner, Stephen Fry, Nigel Havers, Elton John, Boris Johnson, Piers Morgan, Daniel Radcliffe, David Cameron, Lily Allen, Bill Wyman and more. This was accompanied by sound bites from the archive including inevitably the hilarious Johnners ‘leg over’ laugh-in, but lots of historic clips too.

Tea and cakes were taken and a thoroughly good time had by all! Peter enjoyed himself too ass you can see….

We are very grateful to Icon Books for supporting this event.