Huntly Writers launch their first anthology
Wednesday 21 May 2008
Duff House, Banff [Venue 11]
Duff House at Banff was the beautiful setting for the launch of the Huntly Writers
anthology Spirit of the Deveron. With work ranging from the formal and traditional
to wry, humorous post modern experimentation, this is a collection packed full of
interest and originality. Huntly Writers were mindful of presentation, and incorporated
music, dance and instantaneous video into the launch show, adding multimedia depth
to the authors' vivid, entertaining readings. There is a strong Doric presence in
this anthology from Linda Smith, Phyllis Goodall and Margaret Grant, balanced with
a history from Anne Forbes of the Forbes/Gordon feuds at the time of Mary Queen
of Scots, and the title of Chris Andrews' Hip-Hop Hymns brings us intriguingly
bang up to date. Brian King incorporated Emily White and her trombone into his poem,
and as well as reading his own work, poet Haworth Hodgkinson provided haunting music
to a reading of Messenger by Maureen Ross whose white clothes served as a
living screen for dancer Leán Coetzer's simultaneously danced and videoed
interpretation of the poem. A memorable Wordfringe 2008 evening from Huntly Writers.
Spirit of the Deveron: ISBN 978-0-9555347-1-3
Leán Coetzer, dancer, is supported by Aberdeenshire Arts Development
Emily White, trombonist with Deveron Arts
Sheila Reid
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