The Perth Writers Festival, held in the grounds of the University of Western Australia, features a series of small tents, shade sails, and sprawling trees, marquees and food vans, and more permanent venues - the Octagon and Dolphin Theatres, the University club and the magnificent Winthrop Hall, most of which have some sort of air conditioning, which is a relief at he moment because of the run of days above 35 degrees C. The event is becoming so popular that it could do with a few more places to buy food for those (like me) too disorganised to bring something. There are places to sit - chairs and tables, a few beanbags, benches, the grass... and some round wooden slatted things outside the Octagon that serve as chair, table, sculpture and love seat, all rolled into one. Shaded paths, ovals and tennis courts with the University students keeping fit and playing some interesting-looking games involving pool noodles and boxing gloves (sadly, not in the same game).
At any one time there is a variety of free and ticketed events to choose from and half an hour between events to walk to the next venue, or buy a cup of coffee. The ticketed events are reasonably priced at around $13.50 (or less) and we are being treated to some of the best in the world, in their fields.
Yesterday I hit the ground running, detouring first to pick up my adolescent charges, who were booked in to see two of 'The Game Changers' events, featuring the developers of blockbusters (I gather from my more informed charges, although the only games I play are Solitaire and Brain Trainer). You might recognise Assassins Creed, Far City 2, Chaos Theory, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, Gone Home. And more. You might recognise the names of Jill Murray, Clint Hocking, Guy Gadney, Bajo, Dan Pinchbeck, Steve Gaynor, and Dan Golding. I dropped the boys off, pointed them in the direction of the venue, and hotfooted it to a Fremantle Press breakfast arranged by the tireless and talented people who make that undertaking the great thing that it is. Those of us who had books published in the last year had the opportunity to 'speed date' by each giving a 3 minute pitch to representatives of schools, libraries and other organisations that might like to have us come along to talk with students, other writers, and other readers.
I had thought of seeing Eleanor Catton's session at 11.30. she is the remarkable young new Zealander who is the youngest person to ever win the Man Booker prize. Instead I opted for some bonding time and a steep learning curve and sat in on the second of The Game Changers - 'What the Player Wants'. I'm trying to get my head around the world view of the gamer without actually doing the games, but not sure that this is even possible. The gamers (some pretty smart cookie kids, and some older 'kids') were enthralled, and even an old stick-in-the-mud like me found the session entertaining, although I felt that I needed to do some serious language classes to grasp the subtleties.
I wasn't going to miss Anne Summers and Carmen Lawrence for anything though. They were on at 1pm in Winthrop Hall, and about 500 people attended to hear them discuss The Misogyny Factor. If you want to hear Anne Summers speaking go here, and if you want to see her free on-line articles, go here. The publication is called The looking Glass.
Sunday is the last day of the Writers Festival - though not the Festival of Perth which features music, theatre, visual arts, dance, and so much more (imagine whatever you'd like here). If you are in the area, I would urge you to go along to something. It is all good and it nourishes the soul.
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