On Saturday I’m going to be visiting the Oxford Literary Festival for the very first time. Ordinarily this would be enough to make me very excited at the prospect of getting to see and hear a whole host of fabulous authors, illustrators and literary types (this year’s line-up features Alan Moore, Axel Scheffler, Christopher Priest, Claire Tomalin, Frank Cottrell Boyce and Josie Long to name just a few!). However, my excitement currently knows no bounds as I’m also going to be appearing at an event myself!
The event is entitled ‘Dickens’ Legacy’ and I’ll be appearing on a panel alongside Philip Pullman, J D Sharpe and Marion Dickens Lloyd to discuss the lasting influence of Charles Dickens’ work, particularly on children’s literature. I feel incredibly honoured to be invited to be part of this event and, I must admit, just a little nervous too! The venue for the event is the rather grand Sheldonian Theatre and looking at the panaromic pictures of this on the internet, I can’t help wishing that I had some of Charles Dickens’ theatrical skills to draw on when I step out on the stage.
So if you’re anywhere near Oxford at 10am on Saturday 24th April, come along to the Sheldonian Theatre to see if I crack and start to enact the death of Little Nell live on stage! Tickets and further details about the event are available at the Festival Website.