Tag Archives: Solstice Shorts

Time and Tide- Clydebank- audio

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In the tidying up of the website, it has come to our attention that some of the Time and Tide material from Solstice Shorts 2019 performances never got uploaded – I blame lockdown! Starting to edit the video from this year reminded me to search it out. Result!

Here are the Clydebank performances, in audio. Still looking for where I hid the Maryport recordings.

You can still buy the book (please do, it spent lock down in closed bookshops, and we sold almost none.)

Performers

Beth Frieden
Stefana Margarint
Seonaid Stevenson
Carla Woodburn
Jane Aldous

Arrival by Valerie Bence

Casting A Daughter Adrift by Emma Lee

Church Mary Sounds the Sea by Jenny Mitchell

Clearance by Christine Ritchie

Crossing the Black Water by Reshma Ruia

False Light by John Richardson

Fisherman’s Daughter by Claire Booker

Half A Dozen Oranges by Mandy Macdonald

How Women Came to Tristan Da Cunha by Claire Booker

Points of Interest by Olivia Dawson

Sea Lessons by Ness Owen

The Arctic Diaries Bird Wife by Melissa Davies

The Arctic Diaries Halibut by Melissa Davies

The Watchers by Elizabeth Parker

We dig the pig by Angel Warwick

Stories

The Fisherman’s Wife by Linda McMullen

Listen, Noah’s Wife by Roppotucha Greenberg

Favourite memories of Solstice Shorts

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Solstice Shorts – our annual celebration of original poetry, stories and music for the shortest day – is rapidly approaching. We asked Solstice regular, poet and writer Rob Walton to share some memories of the festival, and accompanying anthologies, from years gone by. This year’s theme is Words from the Brink – writing and music in response to the climate crisis.

Rob Walton: I count myself lucky to have been included in more than one of the Solstice Shorts books, and fortunate indeed to have had my work performed/read by others. It was a great thrill to hear ‘Words on Paper’, a story of which I’m very fond, read aloud in Carlisle. It’s a story that’s close to my heart, and I’m chuffed it was recorded for posterity and also appeared in print.

Ben Brinicombe reads Words on Paper by Rob Walton, BSL translation by Karen Edmondson

I’ve definitely enjoyed seeing some of my more, er interesting pieces reach a range of audiences – I wonder what the crowds (I’m guessing) in Lisbon and Maryport made of ‘The Dowager Duchess of Berwick-upon-Tweed May or May Be Bottling It’? I’ve written micro-fictions shorter than that title!

This year’s offering, ‘Mr King Has Decided to Pursue Other Avenues’, is inspired by a long-standing commitment to environmental change and, possibly, that time I had to leave my primary school class behind on the beach trip when I was stung by a weaver fish. These things stay lodged somewhere and appear, transformed, years later…

Read an extract from ‘Mr King Has Decided to Pursue Other Avenues’:

It was a liberal and progressive school – some would say slack and lackadaisical – and when Mr King said he wanted to stay at the beach at the end of the trip, they wished him well and happily set off without him. It was almost time for the long holiday, and when he wasn’t there to take registration the following morning they arranged temporary cover, and later replaced him with somebody younger with a similar name and the same tattooist. (Mr Prince would be pleased to get the job because Hokusai’s expertly inked The Great Wave off Kanagawa, which covered all of his back, had been very expensive. And quite painful. Also, he knew it would be a star turn on a staff night out.

Words from the Brink is available to pre-order from our online shop.

Buy your tickets for Solstice Shorts 2021 on Eventbrite.

 

Dusk Launch video Calling Them In

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Poet Kelly Davis reads her poem, Calling Them In at the launch 2017 Solstice Shorts Festival anthology DUSK at Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Greenwich.

Feedback from the tour

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I’m just getting to grips with the report for the Arts Council who kindly assisted us with the costs of the last few books and associated book tour, plus Solstice Shorts Festival 2016: Shortest Day, and The Story Sessions, so I’ve been looking back through the feedback – 136 people went to the trouble of giving us written feedback, for which we are VERY grateful! We invited people to describe themselves in 3 words (some used more, but really it doesn’t matter) and tell us what they thought of the event.

Here’s what some of them had to say – these are just my out-and-out favourite comments, there were many more. Eclectic was the favourite adjective!

Foraging/ WITH PAPER FOR FEET launch 2 excellent poets, 2 different styles, and evening of magical words. Long live poems and their publishers! Fairly succinct really
Foraging/ WITH PAPER FOR FEET launch Narrative weave of Jennifer McGowan’s poems, succinct beauty in the smallness of Joy Howard’s Life-swept poet therapist
Foraging/ WITH PAPER FOR FEET launch I delighted in Jennifer’s spirited and evocative readings of her work. She brings new life to words. I’d never heard Chinese spoken while reading the phonetic version before. Middle-aged stressed editor
Foraging/ WITH PAPER FOR FEET launch Stories as poetry, poetry as stories, in a spiritual home of poets (Keats House Library) Necessarily evil author
Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed burley F The informality was initially relaxing, followed by a well-rehearsed & performed reading. Very personal and enjoyable way to spend the evening – like being in a living room full of engaging and inspirational minds Under-worked London writer
Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed burley F Beautifully dark and comedic frivolity Undervalued London actor
HAPPY ENDING NOT GUARANTEED Greenwich Very interesting evening writer/actor great and well-spoken you should continue your good work of bringing up and coming authors together and giving them a voice Maybe upcoming writer
HAPPY ENDING NOT GUARANTEED Greenwich Good variety of style in the stories, actor interpretation was excellent, dynamic energetic author reading Fascinated fiction fan
HAPPY ENDING NOT GUARANTEED Greenwich Makes me think when passing statues in the streets … what if …? Energetic, creative, idealistic
HAPPY ENDING NOT GUARANTEED launch Very well organised enjoyable program with diversified activities. I really appreciated all the marketing material New horizon explorer
Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed launch It’s events like these that make me think that maybe there IS a point to North London Hairy bee enthusiast
Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed launch Nothing’s sacred, great venue, great writer, great narrative Travelled, gypsy, overheated
Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed Lewisham Enjoyably hanging darkly in a cloud of suspense Overthinking underpaid scientist
Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed Lewisham Made me tingly, a bit like the Dr Who theme did when I was a kid. Hide behind my hands, but can’t wait for more Dreaming London lady
Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed Lewisham Not heard of Arachne Press before, but will look out for them from now on. A fascinating assortment of short stories brimming with otherworldliness and simmering spasms of evil blessed with reliving streaks of humour. Full of weird and wonderful reverberations as it should be. Bebop jazz poet
Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed Oxford Intimate, salon-like. As if I’d stumbled into an invitation only séance peopled by the spirits of Victorian huckster and exotic beasts earnest, quotidian, boring

 
Liberty Greenstead The ay the storytellers involved us, brought us into the atmosphere of their narration Quietly persistent
Liberty Greenstead A joyous evening to delight

the listeners on this Burns’ night

with ne’er a haggis no’ dram in sight

a joyous evening to enthrall all right.

 pernickety political poet
Liberty Greenstead Exciting expedition into previously uncharted area of poetry and short story reading ‘poetry to the ears!’ retired bored housefrau
Liberty Housmans 1st time experiencing, so didn’t know what to expect, but enjoyed the live experience of an author reading their own work Lover of Ares
night write such a new and beautiful experience, who would have thought that writing in darkness revealed such gifts Restless London photographer
SHORTEST DAY, LONGEST NIGHT Bath Live, loud & varied, an eclectic mix of poems & prose that veered from tragic to whimsical. Bath writer in need of sleep
SHORTEST DAY, LONGEST NIGHT Bath Bookish whirlwind of tales & poems that provide thought-provoking insight into the writers minds Intensely formidable critic
SHORTEST DAY, LONGEST NIGHT Bath Entertaining varied & imaginative programme ranged from contemporary issues to timeless stories and poems vividly performed, Evoked a warm response from the audience M&M
SHORTEST DAY, LONGEST NIGHT Bath Completely gripping, never thought such a mix could be entertaining. The very high quality of the writing made it so Barmy Bath Bivalve
SHORTEST DAY, LONGEST NIGHT Bath An excellent evening with an inspiring mix of poems & Stories. Poignant, witty, intelligent work supported by the incomparable Cherry Potts who does such crucial work in supporting and developing opportunities for writers. A big shout out for Arachne Press!! Enthusiastic Bathite
SHORTEST DAY, LONGEST NIGHT Lewisham beautiful eclectic mixture of styles completely inspiring if slightly unsettling at times, in a good way Londoner by choice
SHORTEST DAY, LONGEST NIGHT Lewisham A thrilling eclectic mix of humour dark reality and myth Arbitrator/writer
Solstice Shorts Festival Excellent evening of song & Storytelling. Intriguing short stories that made you wonder laugh & Cry Definitely an experience to savour and repeat. Next Summer Maybe? Hopeful mother of twins
Solstice Shorts Festival Huge variety of work, great introduction to an international set of writers. Loved the music and actors great work. Wassailing was such a wonderful touch! Poetry loving librarian
Solstice Shorts Festival Wonderful variety of writing and composition suitably short to match the daylight today. Always a joy to hear new writing performed Broken armed poet
With Paper for Feet Lewisham Quality and humour of stories and poems, engaging performance, erudite, clever, lighthearted, accessible fun, quirky. Thank you! Frantically busy fan
With Paper for Feet Lewisham Witchy, feisty, a brilliant way to celebrate International Women’s Day Inspired every time!
WITH PAPER FOR FEET Oxford Compelling narratives from a poet who gives her work and her audience the respect and pleasure of a lively direct performance. Poetry reading regular
WITH PAPER FOR FEET Oxford Fine writing well-read and artistically presented Reader engineer listener
WITH PAPER FOR FEET Oxford The poet is not only a fantastic poet, but a first class performer of her work. Very worth going out on a rainy night P.S.
WITH PAPER FOR FEET Oxford Visual, curious, mythical, resonant Poetical psychologist
Story Sessions A place to hear good fiction and more, practice with other writers, It’s always good to perform your work to an audience I encourage you to go along and listen, or perform Ever learning writer
Story Sessions Relaxing entertaining and intense in the best way Fox loving optimist

Hunt and Pray

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Here’s a Goddess you really want on your side…

Katy Darby reads Hunt & Pray at Solstice Shorts 2016, interpreted by Paul Michaels

Dizz Tate Time Man and Pepper & Shepherd Build Your Heart Solstice Shorts Video

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Dizz Tate reads her story Time Man, at West Greenwich Library, our early morning venue. Time Man was one of the five stories from the Solstice Shorts Festival writing competition that the judges liked best.

This story is one of 16 read at the festival and featured in the book Solstice Shorts: Sixteen Stories about Time.
Our BSL interpreters wish it to be known that this is not what they consider performance standard signing, they needed a chance to rehearse with the performers for that, but you will be able to follow the story.

The magnificent Pepper & Shepherd play Build Your Heart, inspired by crying over a book, the way you do; later in the day, at The Royal Observatory Greenwich.

http://youtu.be/9VEJiZHhF6g

Robert Shearman ‘Simultaneous’ Solstice Shorts Video

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Something to cheer your Monday morning, a delightful story of options and possibilities for the best possible way to fall out of love…

Robert Shearman reads Simultaneous at the Solstice Shorts Festival. at the Royal Observatory Greenwich

This story is one of 16 read at the festival and featured in the book Solstice Shorts: Sixteen Stories about Time
Our BSL interpreters wish it to be known that this is not what they consider performance standard signing, they needed a chance to rehearse with the performers for that, but you will be able to follow the story.