For those who may be suffering from withdrawal symptoms now that the Rye festival season is over, fear not, for not far away the Canterbury Festival has begun.
With a joyous enthusiasm that is at once infectious and intoxicating, Rosie Turner, now in her 16th year as festival director, declares “The festival is here to surprise and delight the broadest possible audience. We have something for every taste, and every budget”.
The oldest arts and cultural festival in the UK, the Canterbury Festival can trace a history back to the 1920s when the Friends of the Cathedral Society produced an annual play. A hiatus created by the second world war lasted longer than anyone expected and it was not until 1984 that the festival returned to life, in much the shape and form it enjoys today.
With an eclectic blend of local and international artists there exists an extraordinary balance between high art and popular entertainment. The “beating heart” of this year’s festival is the Spiegeltent, an original 1920s dance hall from Holland where Australian contemporary circus company, Casus, will headline for three days (October 24, 25, 26) with their internationally acclaimed show ‘Knee Deep’.
The cathedral knave hosts the world premiere of ‘The Keys of Canterbury’, a composition by John Harle commissioned by the Canterbury Festival (October 26), an exciting international collaboration between the multi award-winning saxophonist Jess Gillam and the Frisian Symphonic Wind Orchestra. One of the brightest stars in music today, soloist Jess Gillam is an ambassador for music education, patron for Awards for Young Musicians and was recently appointed as BBC Radio 3’s youngest ever presenter. “This is a quintessential festival event” says Rosie Turner. “An international orchestra (from Holland) with over 60 players, a mixture of professional and amateur musicians, and a young star from the UK showcasing it all – it’s the perfect festival event”.
Breaking new ground is part of the role of the festival and this year Le Gateau Chocolat and Jonny Woo, dubbed the ‘Ebony and Ivory of Drag’ by the Australian press, are set to build upon the success enjoyed at last year’s festival. The first LGBT act to appear at the festival, they present an alternative take on ‘A Night At The Musicals’ (October 25).
One of Ireland’s most successful young musicians, pianist Finghin Collins, made a festival debut and his Mozart and Schubert sonatas accompanied pieces from ‘The Ros Tapestry Suite’, an ambitious project for solo piano, delivering a musical response to 15 panels of tapestry, tracing the history of the Norman invasion of Ireland.
‘Made In Kent’ is the festival framework for supporting children, young people and early-career stage performers based in Kent. Poetry, comedy, dance and theatre performances will feature throughout the two weeks of the festival while local schools will be performing lunchtime concerts providing many youngsters with their first taste of a professional platform.
“It’s our job to provide quality for the festival” says Rosie. “And quality fun. Part of that is providing acts that will stretch the comfort zone of the audience”. In the first year without core funding from the Arts Council, and with headliners such as Laura Mvula, Jack Savoretti and Ward Thomas, it’s a remarkable jigsaw to have completed.
More information, bookings and complete list of festival events can be found at: www.canterburyfestival.co.uk
Box office: Telephone 01227 457568
Festival House, 8 Orange Street, Canterbury, CT1 2JA
Image Credits: Chris Lawson , courtesy Canterbury Festival .