Sandi Toksvig, Cerys Matthews, Carl Ikeme and more: Top acts at Wolverhampton Literature Festival
Wolverhampton Literature Festival returns to Wolverhampton next week with a host of live performances, workshops and talks.
Headline acts include the likes of Sandi Toksvig, Cerys Matthes and Sohan Kailey alongside an extensive programme of events.
This popular event, funded by Arts Council England, is now entering its fourth year.
The Wolverhampton Literature Festival takes place the first weekend in February and showcases the very best of writers, speakers, performers, thinkers, activists and artists from across the UK.
Take a look at the top events coming to the city here:
Sandi Toksvig
When? Monday, January 27
Where? Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Sandi Toksvig is touring her new, one-woman comedy show.
Sandi realises some people harbour an ambition to be a National Treasure but following a misunderstanding with a friend has decided instead to become a National Trevor – half misprint, half Danish comedian, novelist, actor and broadcaster.
There will also be a quick fire quiz and a question and answer session during the show.
For more information, click here.
Cerys Matthews
When? Friday, January 31
Where? The Slade Rooms
Join musician and BBC broadcaster Cerys Matthews, as she takes attendees around the world, celebrating her love of food, poetry, and music.
To mark the recent publication of her new book, Where the Wild Cooks Go, she is bringing her culinary learnings and curious aspects of history from around the globe to the Wolverhampton Literature Festival.
Expect some food demonstrations, a sprinkling of poetry and a song or two from her new folk cook-book.
For more information, click here.
Invisible Voices: The Art of South Asian Activists
When? Friday, January 31
Where? Wolverhampton Art Gallery
Join a lively panel discussion hosted by multi award-winning artist and producer Dawinder Bansal featuring Raj Kaur Khaira, founder of the global Pink Ladoo project and author of Stories for South Asian Supergirls.
Shareefa Energy is a young British Muslim spoken word poet, writer and workshop facilitator.
Shareefa’s poetry has been featured on BBC One Show, Channel 4 and ITV and is the author of her debut poetry collection Galaxy Walk. Sarvjit Sra is a male artist who will exhibit his latest photographic and thought-provoking exhibition called Girl Child.
For more information, click here.
The Antipoet and Nick Lovell
When? Friday, January 31
Where? Wolverhampton Art Gallery
Come along to the headline poetry event for the festival, with The Antipoet and Nick Lovell.
The Antipoet perform with a wry blend of anarchocynicism and comic observation.
Nick Lovell describes himself as a 'part time commentator, full time optimist, half-arsed anarchist and occasional poet'.
For more information, click here.
Sohan Kailey
When? Saturday, February 1
Where? Warstones Library, Bilston Library and Wolverhampton Central Library
Headline act Sohan Kailey will bring Let's Naach to the city to talk attendees on a dance journey around the world.
The Wolverhampton artist, dancer, singer and actor has performed alongside stars from CBeebies, CBBC, CITV, Milkshake TV and lots more.
With more than 20 years’ experience within the Bhangra music and dance fraternity, he has created his own style of Bhangra fusing the traditional with a modern street edge.
For more information, click here.
Carl Ikeme
When? Saturday, February 1
Where? Waterstones Wolverhampton
Wolves own Carl Ikeme will be at Waterstones Wolverhampton during the Literature Festival to sign copies of his bestselling book Why Not Me?
Written in conjunction with former journalist and former Head of Media at Wolves, Paul Berry, Why Not Me looks at every aspect of the most important ‘save’ Ikeme has ever made and delivers a healthy sense of perspective to our everyday lives.
For more information, click here.
Roald Dahl Storytelling
When? Saturday, February 1
Where? Spring Vale Library and Wolverhampton Central Library
Storyteller John Kirk presents Roald Dahl's classic story for families with children ages six and over.
The story is devised and presented with permission of the Roald Dahl Story Company Ltd.
The Twits - Mr and Mrs Twit are disgusting people who enjoy playing nasty tricks on each other but when the Roly Poly Bird visits Mugglewump the Monkey, their entire revolting world will be turned upside down.
For more information, click here.
Narinder Dhami
When? Saturday, February 1
Where? Wolverhampton Central Library
Come and meet best-selling author Narinder Dhami and find out more about the New Class at Malory Towers.
Narinder, who was born in Wolverhampton, is the author of many of the multi-million-selling Rainbow Magic titles as well as the novelisation of the hit film Bend it Like Beckham - the book has just been reprinted for the 27th time.
Her other titles include the thriller 13 Hours and the Bindi Babes series, as well as the new Awesomely Austen title Persuasion.
Narinder will reading from her Malory Towers story and talking about her life and career as a writer.
For more information, click here.
Wizardry with Professor Calculus-Black
When? Saturday, February 1
Where? Wolverhampton Central Library
Dress in your best magical outfit and join Professor Calculus-Black on a journey into the wizarding world.
Learn all about magical creatures, wizard school, spells and charms and then grab your wand for duelling class.
For more information, click here.
Alan McGee
When? Saturday, February 1
Where? The Slade Rooms
Scottish business man and music industry executive Alan McGee will be telling stories of his life at Wolverhampton's Slade Rooms.
He has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian.
He is best known for co-founding and running the independent Creation Records label and is the man who discovered and signed Oasis.
For more information, click here.
Common People: Anthology of Working Class Writing
When? Sunday, February 2
Where? Wolverhampton Art Gallery
With the anthology Common People, editor Kit de Waal set out to celebrate diversity of working class lives, pushing beyond the stereotypical portrayals of the underprivileged and dispossessed.
Join City of Wolverhampton Poet Laureate Emma Purshouse and writers featured in the anthology for a panel discussion, including Paul Allen, Lynne Voyce, and Lisa Blower.
For more information, click here.
Emma Purshouse
When? Sunday, February 2
Where? Wolverhampton Art Gallery
Join writers and performance poets Emma Purshouse and Steve Pottinger in a workshop designed to get you creating and writing poetry that makes use of newspaper stories, magazine articles and old books.
Have a go at a series of writing activities including the creation of redacted poems.
For more information, click here.
