Something for everyone

The 54th annual Rye Arts Festival once again offers a packed fortnight of around seventy top quality events, with something for everyone.

The festival runs this year from September 11-28, with tickets on sale from Friday, August 1.

The subjects and speakers for the books and talks are wide ranging, with highlights including bestselling author Matt Haig, Iain Dale and Peter Tatchell. We have dug up a national treasure – archaeology presenter and actor Sir Tony Robinson, as well as Emily Maitlis, who did “that” interview with the Duke of York.

Contemporary music offers include the Gambian kora player Jali Bakary Konteh with his four-piece band, the rhythmic Cuban sounds of Indira Roman, and bluesman West Weston brings his red hot Westsonics band back to Rye.

The classical music programme sees the return of Cordelia Williams and Tamsin Waley-Cohen as a duo, as well as, by popular demand, the young Lithuanian pianist Gabriele Sutkute.

Rye film buff, Oliver Brooks, will introduce Charlie Chaplin’s classic The Gold Rush, first released 100 years ago. And 60 years after its release we will show Dr Zhivago where it deserves to be seen – on a big screen at the Kino.

This is just a teaser and more details of all the events can be found in the festival brochure which can be found at shops and venues around Rye as well as at the website www.ryeartsfestival.org.uk where you also can buy tickets.

Look out each week in Rye News for more previews festival events.