TRIBUTE is paid in verse to the late Felix Dennis at this year’s Stratford Literary Festival.
The publishing tycoon, who died in 2014, was an accomplished and best-selling poet, and also an enormous supporter of local arts projects.
To honour his memory, the festival, along with The Week, its media partner which he owned, are putting together a special evening in his memory.
Called Did We Mention The Free Wine? in honour of his famous sell out tours, the evening will feature good wine and canapés alongside memories about the colourful character who lived in Dorsington.
His friend, the best-selling wine writer Hugh Johnson, will recall memories and anecdotes, while actor Robert Lindsay will read some of Felix’s poems. These will include some of the last poems he wrote before he died, from his yet-to-be published last anthology ‘I Just Stepped Out’.
Festival director Annie Ashworth said: “Felix was a very important part of helping the festival to get on it feet by providing us with a marquee venue in our first year.
“His poetry evenings were always hugely popular, and we wanted to recreate that. We are working with his executors who have given us permission to read these very special and at times very poignant poems.”
There will be a collection on the night for Felix’s charity, the Heart of England Forest.
Did We Mention The Free Wine? is on Saturday May 2 at Stratford ArtsHouse, starting at 8pm.
Visit www.stratfordartshouse.co.uk for tickets – priced £14 including wine and canapés – and further details.
Visit www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk for full Stratford Literary Festival programme details.
