CHARLESTON FESTIVAL, FIRLE, 2016 by Gillian Southgate

The Charleston Festival takes place at Firle in East Sussex, and this year features the usual galaxy of star-studded names.  I went on Saturday May 20th, to see Joanna Trollope interviewing Juliet Nicholson, Nicolette Jones interviewing both Flora Fraser and Daisy Hay, and Dame Julia Neuberger interviewing Julian Bell, the painter.

Juliet Nicholson spoke movingly of her relationship with her mother, Phillipa, her grandmother Vita, and (at second-hand) her great-grandmother Pepita, a Spanish flamenco dancer, who had seven children by Lionel Sackville West. She also when prompted, spoke of how reliance on alcohol was a feature of all three of these lives, and indeed of her own at one point. She was a charming, vulnerable speaker. She promoted and signed copies of her book ‘A House full of Daughters’ which was recently the book of the week on Radio 4. Joanna Trollope did a sensitive and magisterially-managed interview which the audience much appreciated.

Flora Fraser and Daisy Hay spoke in turns about their subjects, in Flora Fraser’s case the wife of George Washington, whom he married because she was rich. But he became very fond of her. Daisy Hay similarly spoke about Mary Anne, the wife of Disraeli. She and Disraeli sent letters on a regular basis, which seem to indicate their great fondness for each other. Both writers were promoting their books. Flora Fraser is the daughter of Antonia and Sir Hugh Fraser.  Daisy Hay teaches English at Exeter University and is a regular contributor to the Times Literary Supplement. The audience was swelled by a contingent of fans from Charleston, Virginia, during this particular talk.

And Julian Bell has painted the book of Genesis having been struck by the pictorial prose of the King James version, as he read about the Creation, the founding fathers of the Jewish nation, and so on. Julia Neuberger talked about the Jewish faith and some of the stories in the Old Testament Julian had painted – Jacob wrestling with the Angel, The Garden of Eden and others. He exhibits locally at the St. Anne’s Gallery in Lewes. Very interesting, especially to discover that in terms of biblical interpretation, Jews are keen on the letter of the law. A very spirited conversation between these two speakers.

Tickets fly off the shelves for the Festival, so it helps to become a Friend. Otherwise, it’s possible to queue for late tickets or returns or you can book by phone. Most tickets are about £14 each per talk. The environs are lovely, and the atmosphere very relaxed, with the opportunity to buy lunch or to sit at picnic tables and drink champagne, a la Glyndebourne, if the mood takes you.  It makes for the kind of day out Lit.Soc members would very much enjoy.