Maggie Cobbett

And now for something completely different!

Today has been very full. James Moran followed his talk last night with a two part course on screenwriting and deftly fielded all the questions a very appreciative audience could come up with.

My next course, to be delivered in four parts, was with the inimitable Steve Hartley. Well remembered by Swanwickers for his talk last year, particularly the challenge to fit as many people as possible into the enormous pair of pants he had brought along with him, I knew that this would be fun and today’s session certainly was! Steve’s approach to humour for younger children doesn’t always go down well with adults, in particular those opposed to robust language with regard to bodily functions, but  his Danny Baker Record Breaker series is a sure fire winner with the 7+ age group. Tomorrow, Steve will be talking about the importance of keeping the adult voice out of children’s stories.

Our evening speaker was Syd Moore, who held a packed Main Conference Hall spellbound – definitely the most appropriate word – with an account of her research into the persecution of witches and subsequent weaving of facts into fiction. I’d be very surprised if no nightmares ensued from Syd’s unflinching description of the horrors inflicted on innocent women in the 17th century by Matthew Hopkins, the infamous Witchfinder General. The extracts she read from The Drowning Pool were frightening enough but having the lights switched off at the climax of her reading from Witch Hunt was a masterly way to end the talk.

Later on, the Swanwick buskers had their chance to shine. Mark Iveson, seen above with Julia, Andy, Katie and Graham, did a magnificent job of organising the whole event.  John, Zana, Marguerite, Daniela, Roy and Fliss are also to be congratulated on their performances. And so to bed.

11 August, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story