FGLF: Watch out for performances and Sunset Series, says Shyam
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Curator: Shyam Selvadurai
As the countdown to the Fairway Galle Literary Festival next month begins with the opening of the box office this week, FGLF Curator and well-known writer Shyam Selvadurai shared some ideas on what festival-goers might want to take note of.
He really doesn’t have to point festival-goers in the direction of the better known writers such as Philippa Gregory, Colm Tóibín, Katherine Boo, Dame Margaret Drabble, John Gimlette, Sophie Hannah, Christina Lamb, Dinah Jefferies, Sunjeev Sahota or Amish Tripathi but Shyam is particularly excited about two groups of events: Performances and the Sunset Series.
“To me, these events have always been a bit hit-and-miss over the past Festivals, but this year, through a combination of focussed searching and curating, chance, and accident, these events are very strong,” Shyam says.
For performances, some of which are listed as Thinking Out Loud and Mayhem Past Midnight, Shyam describes as ‘incredible’ Luke Wright’s one-man show What I Learned from Johnny Bevan. “It’s no wonder it sold out during its three-week run in London’s West End. Luke is just dynamic onstage, and it really says something about the power of his work that he could do a play that is all spoken word poetry and yet have it sell out.”
Some years ago, Shyam also saw Alison Wearing perform her Confessions of a Fairy’s Daughter to a sold-out audience at the Kingston Writers Festival in Canada receiving a standing ovation at the end. He knew then he must have her at FGLF. “Alison is dynamic, I was captivated throughout. She is a warm and generous person and I also highly recommend her workshops.”
Festival-goers can also look forward to Soul Sounds performing with live animation by the award-winning graphic novelist Reinhard Klesit who has done this live drawing worldwide with diverse musical and theatre groups. It will be a magical experience to watch Kleist’s images come to life, Shyam believes. Other performances that will be a lot of fun are those by Trictiy Vogue and the duo of Jemima Foxtrot and Ramsay (all listed under Mayhem Past Midnight).
Talking of the Sunset Series, Shyam said, “I have always wanted this series to be “boutique” events- by which I mean high-end, high quality intellectual events that engage the audience.” Nayanjot Lahiri on The Emperor Ashoka promises to be a winner, he says. Historian Lahiri recently won an important history prize in the U.S. for her Ashoka biography.
The passion the speaker brings to the subject always reaches the audience. Kristina Taylor’s presentation on Women Gardeners, Sunil Khilnani on Incarnations: India in 50 Lives and Jennifer Murray on her adventure of flying a helicopter solo to the North and South Poles, should be riveting. For sheer fun, there is the charming Brigid Keenan on her adventures in fashion, which is guaranteed to be worth seeing.
Shyam also recommends the Deep Read series which will feature a well-known writer along with a poet in an hour and a half-long session. The poet opens with a 15 minute reading, and the rest of the time is devoted to the author’s work. These sessions combine two things Shyam wanted to see developed at the festival- a more in-depth look at a writer’s work and a bigger audience for poets.
Of course, Shyam has to make special mention of Dame Margaret Drabble, one of his favourite authors. He has two entire shelves devoted to her books in his collection and has read practically all her work. “I just really like her liberal sensibility, her kindness and warmth that shines through in her work. Her women characters feel very authentic and fascinate. And I love how she is constantly innovative with the novel form, constantly trying things.” It has always been one of his dreams to have her at the Festival.
Shyam’s other dream that he will see realised at this year’s Festival, is an entire day of Sinhala programming, featuring some of the country’s best Sinhala writers and critics. Festival-goers can look forward to some strong panel discussions and hopefully a whole new audience mingling with the regular festival-goers in gathering spaces such as the Lit Café. To increase access to the world of Tamil literature, for the first time there will be a translator at the Fairway Tamil Shortlist panel for the benefit of non-Tamil speakers.
To kick off the Festival, Shyam will be moderating two of his favourite Lankan authors- Ashok Ferrey and Nayomi Munaweera in a free event. Four lucky audience members will get a copy of Ferrey or Munaweera’s new novels.