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X-WR-CALNAME:Lichfield Festival
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Lichfield Festival
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BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:UTC
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TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:UTC
DTSTART:20250101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260710T203000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260710T222000
DTSTAMP:20260603T140030Z
CREATED:20250402T152139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T140030Z
UID:10000827-1783715400-1783722000@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:SIMON EVANS
DESCRIPTION:This event is now sold out. We think you might like Katie Arnstein – Homebird\, or join the waiting list below for any returned tickets. \n  \nFamiliar from TV and radio\, live tour shows and festival appearances\, Simon Evans is one of the UK’s best loved comedians. \nHis Radio 4 series Simon Evans Goes to Market has now enjoyed six seasons\, he is a regular on The News Quiz\, and co-devised and appears on One Person Found This Helpful\, hosted by Frank Skinner – the popular panel game that delights in the eccentric world of online reviews. \nAt the Edinburgh Festival\, his Genius 2.0 show received a highly coveted  5-star rating from The Scotsman and was described as a ‘masterclass’! \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nJOIN WAITING LIST FOR SIMON EVANS
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/simon-evans/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Comedy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/10F-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260710T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260710T211000
DTSTAMP:20260603T144153Z
CREATED:20250402T152139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T144153Z
UID:10000825-1783711800-1783717800@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:EX CATHEDRA - Rachmaninoff Vespers
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR EX CATHEDRA\n  \nImmerse yourself in the profound beauty of Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil – better known as the Vespers – performed by the internationally acclaimed voices of Ex Cathedra. \nComposed in 1915 at the height of Rachmaninoff’s powers\, this masterpiece of unaccompanied choral writing is a radiant tapestry of ancient Russian chant and lush Romantic harmony. From hushed opening prayer to triumphant final blessing\, the work moves with deep spiritual intensity and overwhelming emotional sweep. \nUnder the direction of long-standing Artistic Director Jeffrey Skidmore\, Ex Cathedra is celebrated for its purity of tone\, warmth of expression\, and exceptional clarity\, bringing rare sensitivity to this deeply moving music. Expect moments of ethereal stillness\, thrilling power\, and a sound world that seems to touch the infinite. \n \nAll Lichfield Festival performances inside Lichfield Cathedral are enhanced with accompanying TV screens at regular intervals throughout the audience\, giving you a close‑up view of the stage. No matter where you’re sitting\, you’ll have an unbeatable view of every expression\, movement\, and note\, specially curated to ensure you don’t miss a thing. \n  \nPrice bands : £38 / £32 / £25 / £16 \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nPhoto: Simon Peter King \nBOOK TICKETS FOR EX CATHEDRA
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/ex-cathedra/
LOCATION:Lichfield Cathedral\, 19A The Close\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 7LD\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Choral,Classical
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Ex-Cathedra-Rachmaninov-Vespers-Lichfield-Cathedral-10th-July-e1774603548285.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260710T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260710T193000
DTSTAMP:20260519T133025Z
CREATED:20250402T152139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T133025Z
UID:10000839-1783706400-1783711800@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:HOLLY CARTER
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR HOLLY CARTER \n  \nAn early evening of Americana and folk to the fore\, as part of our America250 season\, from award-winning songwriter Holly Carter. \nTwice recipient of ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ at the Americana UK awards\, Holly is widely recognised as an exceptional fingerstyle guitarist and is a rare professional UK female pedal steel player. \nDrawing deeply from the well of the folk tradition\, her showstopping approach to guitar follows hot on the heels of Chet Atkins and John Fahey\, with music that weaves joyously catchy melodies with thought-provoking lyrics\, in homage to her musical and personal heroes. \n \n  \nEvent Sponsor: \n \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR HOLLY CARTER
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/holly-carter/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Folk
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Holly-Carter-The-Hub-@-St-Marys-10th-July-scaled-e1774603498538.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260710T163000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260710T173000
DTSTAMP:20260602T144035Z
CREATED:20260331T122802Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T144035Z
UID:10000876-1783701000-1783704600@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:DR MELITA THOMAS - 1000 Tudor People
DESCRIPTION:‘A gold standard in Tudor scholarship‘ Alison Weir \nThe incredible lives and deaths of 1000 Tudor people are explored in this authoritative single volume: royalty\, military and religious leaders\, Lords Chancellor\, Knights of the Garter\, philosophers\, traders\, gardeners\, musicians\, rebels\, witches\, and many more feature in this compendium. \nThe product of years of diligent research by Dr Melita Thomas (editor and co-founder of the Tudor Times)\, this ambitious title is illustrated with historical portraits and a wealth of detail\, including specially designed family trees to chart the links between major Tudor figures. \nAs a special bonus for our Lichfield audience\, Melita will present her event in full Tudor costume. \n  \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR DR MELITA THOMAS
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/dr-melita-thomas/
LOCATION:Wade Street Church\, Wade Street\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 6HL\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/1000-Tudor-People.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260710T140000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260710T151500
DTSTAMP:20260519T132712Z
CREATED:20260331T122830Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T132712Z
UID:10000877-1783692000-1783696500@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:WILL BARNES QUARTET
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR WILL BARNES QUARTET \n  \nOff the back of their critically-acclaimed album Outside the Light (Cambrian Records) and sell-out UK tour\, the Will Barnes Quartet come to Lichfield Festival. Drawing inspiration from local folklore and Celtic mythology\, the album explores themes of light\, seasons and changing landscapes. This second album deepens the group’s exploration of the interplay between jazz improvisation and the evocative landscapes of Mid Wales and the Welsh Marches. \nLed by guitarist and composer Will Barnes\, the quartet features pianist Jack Gonsalez\, bassist Aidan Thorne\, and drummer James Batten; an ensemble recognised for its tight chemistry and compelling live performances. Their sound pays homage to jazz greats such as Wes Montgomery and Pat Metheny\, while forging a distinct voice rooted in contemporary and cinematic jazz. \nThe quartet has performed at major UK venues and festivals\, including Pizza Express Jazz Club (Soho)\, Hay Festival\, Brecon Jazz Festival\, and BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends. Source of the Severn earned praise from critics\, with MOJO highlighting their “springy deftness… cool precision… serious chops\,” and The Jazz Mann describing the album as “evocative\, intelligent… contemporary.” \n \nEvent Sponsor: Helen & Colin Ablitt and Nick Sedgwick & Gillian Love \n  \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR WILL BARNES QUARTET
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/will-barnes-quartet/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Jazz
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/0037439592_10-e1779196757801.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260710T120000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260710T130000
DTSTAMP:20260519T130735Z
CREATED:20260331T122905Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T130735Z
UID:10000878-1783684800-1783688400@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:MAXIM CALVER cello & KUMI MATSUO piano - Young Artist Series
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR MAXIM CALVER \n  \nMaxim first gained recognition as a BBC Young Musician Finalist\, making his concerto debut with the CBSO at Symphony Hall. Since then\, he has appeared in venues across Europe\, including a recent 14-concert tour alongside Nicola Benedetti. He is joined here by pianist Kumi Matsuo for works by Debussy and Schumann. \nDebussy Cello Sonata in D minor \nSchumann Adagio & Allegro\, Op. 70\nBridge Four Pieces for Cello and Piano\nBeethoven Cello Sonata No. 3 in A major\, Op. 69 \n  \n \nEvent sponsor: Nigel O’Mara \n \n  \n  \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nPay just £14 per ticket when booking for 6 or more events in the Young Artist Series (in the same transaction\, discount applied at checkout) \nBOOK TICKETS FOR MAXIM CALVER
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/maxim-calver-kumi-matsuo/
LOCATION:St Michael’s Church\, Church Street\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 6ED\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Classical,Young Artist
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Maxim-Calver-cello-St-Michaels-Church-10th-July-scaled-e1774603355584.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260709T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260709T213000
DTSTAMP:20260603T144038Z
CREATED:20250402T152139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T144038Z
UID:10000824-1783625400-1783632600@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:KATE RUSBY
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR KATE RUSBY \n  \nFolk royalty\, Kate Rusby\, brings her trademark warmth\, wit and wondrous voice back to Lichfield\, with a radiant live show celebrating renewal\, song\, and the simple joy of being together. \nOne of the most captivating voices in folk music\, Kate’s tender and unmistakably Yorkshire tones have enchanted audiences worldwide for over three decades with performances that are a unique blend of intimacy and joy. Joined by her outstanding band\, including husband and producer Damien O’Kane\, Kate reimagines favourites from across her career alongside brand-new songs\, resulting in music that feels both timeless and contemporary. \nStep into the world of Rusby\, with heartfelt ballads\, playful banter\, and her signature magic – and discover why Kate remains the true ‘First Lady of Folk’. \n \nAll Lichfield Festival performances inside Lichfield Cathedral are enhanced with accompanying TV screens at regular intervals throughout the audience\, giving you a close‑up view of the stage. No matter where you’re sitting\, you’ll have an unbeatable view of every expression\, movement\, and note\, specially curated to ensure you don’t miss a thing. \n  \nEvent Sponsor: Marian & Tony Bateman \n  \nPrice bands : £38 / £31 / £24 / £16 \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR KATE RUSBY
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/kate-rusby-2/
LOCATION:Lichfield Cathedral\, 19A The Close\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 7LD\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Folk
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Kate-Rusby-Lichfield-Cathedral-9th-July-scaled-e1774603311746.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260709T191500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260709T211500
DTSTAMP:20260519T122748Z
CREATED:20260331T123202Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T122748Z
UID:10000879-1783624500-1783631700@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:RALPH & URSULA VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: A Love Story in Words & Music - Katie Bray mezzo\, Kieran Rayner baritone & Nigel Foster piano
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR RALPH & URSULA VAUGHAN WILLIAMS \n  \nRalph and Ursula met in 1938 when both were married to their respective spouses. Despite their age gap\, they embarked on a passionate relationship\, and she became his second wife in 1953. Their story is told by Kieran Rayner (Ralph)\, singing some of the composer’s most beautiful songs\, together with words from his letters and writings\, and winner of the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize at the 2019 Cardiff Singer of the World competition\, Kate Bray (Ursula) pictured\, singing settings of Ursula’s poetry\, with extracts from her autobiography and biography of Ralph. They are joined by pianist\, Nigel Foster\, who also devised this superbly-crafted programme. \nIn memory of Norman & Gwen Hargreaves \n  \n \n  \n  \n  \n  \nSupported by the Vaughan Williams Foundation \n  \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR RALPH & URSULA VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/ralph-ursula-vaughan-williams/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Classical,Theatre
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Katie-Bray-The-Hub-@-St-Marys-9th-July-e1774603252650.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260709T141500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260709T155500
DTSTAMP:20260519T122718Z
CREATED:20260331T123231Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T122718Z
UID:10000880-1783606500-1783612500@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:RACHEL DAVIS & DARREN MCMULLEN
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR RACHEL DAVIS & DARREN MCMULLEN\n  \nCanadian folk duo Rachel Davis & Darren McMullen join us for the first time as part of their summer UK tour.  Rachel is a superb fiddler and singer; Darren McMullen is a highly sought-after multi-instrumentalist whose list of instruments includes mandolin\, bouzouki\, tenor banjo\, whistles\, guitar and bass…! \nThey have been recording and touring together since 2012 with their band\, Coig\, and are winners of multiple East Coast Music and Canadian Folk Music Awards. Their debut duo album Home was released last year\, and they supported Scottish band\, GNOSS\, on a recent UK tour. \n \n  \n  \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nPhoto: Ryan MacDonald \nBOOK TICKETS FOR RACHEL DAVIS & DARREN MCMULLEN
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/rachel-davis-darren-mcmullen/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Folk
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Rachel-Davis-Darren-McMullen-The-Hub-@-St-Marys-9th-July-scaled-e1774603199641.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260709T120000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260709T130000
DTSTAMP:20260427T160628Z
CREATED:20260331T123413Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260427T160628Z
UID:10000881-1783598400-1783602000@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:THE PURCELL SCHOOL - Young Artist Series
DESCRIPTION:A talented cohort of students from specialist music school\, The Purcell School\, make Festival debuts to open our 2026 Series\, with pieces for solo piano\, string quartet and piano quintet. Part of our America250 season\, their programme will include works by Prokofiev\, Chopin\, Liszt and extracts from Dvorak’s American Quartet. \nDvorak Excerpts from String Quartet No. 12 in F major\, Op. 96 ‘American’\nProkofiev Sarcasms\, Op. 17\nChopin Etude Op. 25\, No. 5 in E minor \nLiszt Hungarian Rhapsody\, No. 11\nDvorak Excerpt from Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major\, Op. 81\n \n  \nEvent sponsor: Valerie & Chris Cartwright \n  \nLFF Priority Booking Opens: Platinum/Founder/Millennium/Gold – 9th April | Silver/Bronze: 16th April | General Booking Opens: 23rd April \n  \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nPay just £14 per ticket when booking for 6 or more events in the Young Artist Series (in the same transaction\, discount applied at checkout) \nBOOK TICKETS FOR THE PURCELL SCHOOL
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/the-purcell-school/
LOCATION:St Michael’s Church\, Church Street\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 6ED\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Classical,Young Artist
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Purcell-School-St-Michaels-Church-9th-July-scaled-e1774879834731.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260709
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260720
DTSTAMP:20260515T094316Z
CREATED:20260326T112718Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T094316Z
UID:10000883-1783555200-1784505599@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:HIDDEN DEPTHS - Laura Page
DESCRIPTION:Artist Laura Page presents a series of photographic portraits and stories of people from across the UK\, reimagining ageing and defying stereotypes of what it is to be older. Our free-to-attend exhibition\, Hidden Depths\, features over 30 portraits of older people\, illustrating the rich and interesting lives they lead. \nIn sharing these images\, Laura – winner of the Rebecca Vassie Memorial Award\, which supported the making of the work – aims to challenge stereotypes and break down some of the barriers that contribute to age segregation here at home. \nAmong those featured are an 83-year-old fashionista (with a huge Instagram following)\, who is joined by a host of other similarly-inspiring characters\, including a 72-year-old bodybuilder and a prolific artist (still going strong at 97). \nThe exhibition will be open to the public during Cathedral opening hours. Please check these prior to your visit as they may change subject to services and events: Opening Hours | Lichfield Cathedral. Please note that the exhibition will not be open during concerts. \nEntry into the Cathedral by donation \n \nEvent Sponsor:
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/hidden-depths/
LOCATION:Lichfield Cathedral\, 19A The Close\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 7LD\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Free Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Hidden-Depths-Laura-Page-photographic-portraits-Lichfied-Cathedral-9th-19th-July-scaled-e1774556392913.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260708T200000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260708T215000
DTSTAMP:20260519T095945Z
CREATED:20260331T123614Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T095945Z
UID:10000882-1783540800-1783547400@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:LIBERATA COLLECTIVE - Antonia: Beyond the Myth of Marie Antoinette
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR LIBERATA COLLECTIVE\n  \nReturning after their beautiful production of Handel’s opera Orlando in 2024\, baroque movement and music specialists\, the Liberata Collective\, bring us a programme built around the life and times of Marie Antoinette\, wife of the ill-fated King of France\, Louis XVI (as part of our French Icons season). \nBorn an archduchess of Austria\, Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna was the youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I of the Holy Roman Empire. This staged recital – in full period costume and wigs – explores the real woman behind the myth of Queen Marie. \nMusic by Gluck\, Piccinni\, Bologne\, Sacchini and others will be interwoven with the Queen’s own letters\, casting an unflattering eye on French society’s treatment of women in the public eye… \n  \n \nVideo: Learn more about baroque gesture behind the scenes of Liberata Collective’s 2024 production of Handel’s Orlando. \n  \nEvent Sponsor: Close Friends \n  \nWe offer a wide range of discounts\, including concessions for students\, benefits recipients\, carers/essential companions\, and Under 30s\, plus special standby rates for students and under‑25s (ID required). Family pricing applies to selected events. For further details please see Booking Information | Lichfield Festival or ask our Box Office team. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR LIBERATA COLLECTIVE
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/liberata-collective-antonia/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Classical,Theatre
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Liberata-The-Hub-@-St-Marys-8th-July-scaled-e1778075530953.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260707T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260707T203000
DTSTAMP:20260519T092025Z
CREATED:20250402T152139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T092025Z
UID:10000823-1783449000-1783456200@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:OTHELLO - The Lord Chamberlain’s Men
DESCRIPTION:“O\, beware\, my lord\, of jealousy\nIt is the green-eyed monster which doth mock\nThe meat it feeds on.” \nAfter the sparkling comedy of last year’s Twelfth Night\, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men return to the Festival to present Othello for first time in the company’s history. One of the most thrilling and powerful plays ever written\, this stunning and devastatingly poignant work is a story of deception\, jealousy and a man that loved not wisely but too well.​ \nWith a history stretching back to Shakespeare’s original company\, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men bring us this great tragedy as it was first performed – in the open air\, with an all-male cast and period Elizabethan costumes\, music and dance. \nBring a picnic to make a night of it; doors will open at 5:30pm \n  \nA note on weather from The Lord Chamberlain’s Men: \nEvery theatre performance is unique\, but this is especially the case with The Lord Chamberlain’s Men which takes place in the open air where the stage and audience are entirely uncovered. \n\n\n\nSunny and clear or cool and overcast\, each performance and venue can be distinctly different as the weather plays its part; experiencing the performance underneath the same stars and moon as Shakespeare was when he first saw his plays performed. And\, like him\, even we cannot control the elements! \nWe continue in all but the very worst weather. We may\, on occasion\, need to pause and re-start the production due to the weather but rain does NOT stop play with us! \n\n\n\n  \nEvent Sponsor The Leese Family \nPrice bands: £25 (with seat) / £20 (bring your own)  \n  \nBOOK TICKETS FOR OTHELLO
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/othello-the-lord-chamberlains-men/
LOCATION:Lichfield Cathedral\, 19A The Close\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 7LD\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Theatre
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Othello-The-Lord-Chamberlains-Men-Lichfield-Cathedral-7th-July-e1774603076794.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260322T194500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260322T204500
DTSTAMP:20260212T142519Z
CREATED:20260115T152014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T142519Z
UID:10000838-1774208700-1774212300@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:John Crace - The Bonfire of the Insanities: How Does This Government Thing Work Again?
DESCRIPTION:Due to popular demand\, we are delighted to offer a second showing of John Crace’s sell-out talk. Book now to avoid disappointment. \n  \nBOOK TICKETS FOR JOHN CRACE\n  \n‘I lap up everything John Crace writes gratefully: I love his cleverness\, his wit and his heart’ – Nigella Lawson \nAcross 14 years of Tory rule\, John Crace has seen it all: a bucket-load of sleaze and scandals\, myriad questionable policy decisions and an ever-revolving door of impressive* candidates trying to get themselves to the top of a sinking ship. [*terms and conditions apply!] \nWith a bumpy start\, the Labour Party\, led by Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves\, have taken the reins\, while Kemi Badenoch and the Tories slink off to regroup in opposition. Many proclaim that the UK’s political landscape has changed – but are those fabled sunny uplands finally in view? \nSelected from Crace’s much-loved Guardian column\, The Bonfire of the Insanities lights up a new chapter of governmental absurdity with mordant wit and caustic humour. \nJohn Crace is the Guardian‘s parliamentary sketch writer and the author of several books\, including Taking the Lead: A Dog at Number 10\, Depraved New World\, Decline and Fail\, and I\, Maybot. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR JOHN CRACE\n 
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/john-crace/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/John-Crace-The-Bonfire-of-the-Insanities-22nd-March-scaled-e1768828523665.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260322T174500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260322T184500
DTSTAMP:20260212T155913Z
CREATED:20260115T152014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T155913Z
UID:10000801-1774201500-1774205100@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:John Crace - The Bonfire of the Insanities: How Does This Government Thing Work Again?
DESCRIPTION:This event is now sold out\, however due to popular demand we are now able to offer a second showing of John Crace’s talk at 7:45pm. \n  \nBook tickets for 7:45pm Event\n\nJoin Waiting List for 5:45pm Event\n  \n‘I lap up everything John Crace writes gratefully: I love his cleverness\, his wit and his heart’ – Nigella Lawson \nAcross 14 years of Tory rule\, John Crace has seen it all: a bucket-load of sleaze and scandals\, myriad questionable policy decisions and an ever-revolving door of impressive* candidates trying to get themselves to the top of a sinking ship. [*terms and conditions apply!] \nWith a bumpy start\, the Labour Party\, led by Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves\, have taken the reins\, while Kemi Badenoch and the Tories slink off to regroup in opposition. Many proclaim that the UK’s political landscape has changed – but are those fabled sunny uplands finally in view? \nSelected from Crace’s much-loved Guardian column\, The Bonfire of the Insanities lights up a new chapter of governmental absurdity with mordant wit and caustic humour. \nJohn Crace is the Guardian‘s parliamentary sketch writer and the author of several books\, including Taking the Lead: A Dog at Number 10\, Depraved New World\, Decline and Fail\, and I\, Maybot. \n  \n 
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/john-crace-the-bonfire-of-the-insanities-how-does-this-government-thing-work-again/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/John-Crace-The-Bonfire-of-the-Insanities-22nd-March-scaled-e1768828523665.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260322T154500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260322T164500
DTSTAMP:20260211T102314Z
CREATED:20260115T152035Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T102314Z
UID:10000802-1774194300-1774197900@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Vernon Bogdanor & Andy Beckett - Making the Weather / The Searchers
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR VERNON BOGDANOR AND ANDY BECKETT\n  \n‘Bogdanor’s book is revelatory’ – Daily Telegraph  \n‘The Searchers should be studied closely by anyone with a stake in British politics’ – The Times \nIt is not always the most powerful politicians who are the most influential. In our special panel event\, renowned historian Vernon Bogdanor and journalist Andy Beckett discuss the careers of politicians who have had a huge impact on Britain without (yet\, or ever) achieving the highest office. From Nye Bevan founding the NHS\, via Jeremy Corbyn recalibrating the Labour Party\, to Nigel Farage upending our entire political establishment\, politicians who are often seen as outsiders and mavericks have ended up changing our world… \n  \nVernon Bogdanor is Professor of government at the Institute of Contemporary British History at King’s College\, London. A fellow of the British Academy and Royal Historical Society\, he has written a number of books on constitutional and political history\, including Beyond Brexit and The Strange Survival of Liberal Britain. \n  \nAndy Beckett is a historian of Britain since the 1960s and a Guardian columnist\, who has also written for The Economist\, The New York Times magazine\, the London Review of Books and The Independent on Sunday. His books include Promised You A Miracle\, When the Lights Went Out and Pinochet in Piccadilly. \nPhoto credit: Antonio Zazueta Olmos \n  \nBOOK TICKETS FOR VERNON BOGDANOR AND ANDY BECKETT
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/vernon-bogdanor-andy-beckett-making-the-weather-the-searchers/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Vernon-Bogdanor-Andy-Beckett-e1768400674467.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260322T140000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260322T150000
DTSTAMP:20260211T102400Z
CREATED:20260115T152427Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T102400Z
UID:10000803-1774188000-1774191600@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Tim Minshall - Your Life is Manufactured: How the World is Made and How We Can Do It Better
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR TIM MINSHALL\n  \nA Waterstones\, Financial Times and Daily Telegraph Book of the Year \nUnless you are floating naked through space\, you are right now in direct contact with multiple manufactured products\, be it furniture\, technology\, clothing\, and or even food. The processes by which these things appear in our lives are virtually invisible. How often do we stop to think: Where do the things we buy actually come from? Charting byzantine journeys taken by everyday items to reach us\, Your Life is Manufactured reveals the seismic impact manufacturing has had on our lives and the natural world – and explores how it could offer us a path to a truly sustainable\, more equitable future. \nIn doing so\, Minshall grants us the ability to make better choices for ourselves\, our communities and the planet. \nTim Minshall is the inaugural Dr John C. Taylor Professor of Innovation at the University of Cambridge\, the head of the Engineering Department’s Institute for Manufacturing and a fellow of Churchill College. His research\, teaching and outreach are focused on the links between manufacturing and innovation. He lives in Cambridge with his scientist wife\, Nicola. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR TIM MINSHALL
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/tim-minshall-your-life-is-manufactured-how-the-world-is-made-and-how-we-can-do-it-better/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Tim-Minshall-Your-Life-is-Manufactured-22nd-March-e1768398052704.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260322T121500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260322T131500
DTSTAMP:20260309T133325Z
CREATED:20260115T152507Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T133325Z
UID:10000804-1774181700-1774185300@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Katja Hoyer - Beyond the Wall: East Germany\, 1949-1990
DESCRIPTION:This event is now sold out\, please join the waiting list for any returned tickets\, or we think you might like: Tom McTague – Between The Waves. The George Hotel 19 March \n  \nJOIN WAITING LIST FOR KATJA HOYER\n  \n \nThe 2026 Peter Barrett Memorial Lecture \nAn instant Sunday Times bestseller and chosen as a Book of the Year by The Times\, Sunday Times and Daily Telegraph \nFor over forty years\, from the ruin of the Second World War to the cusp of a new millennium\, the GDR presented a radically different German identity to anything that had come before\, and anything that exists today. Socialist solidarity\, secret police\, central planning\, barbed wire: this was a Germany that was forged on the fault lines of ideology and geopolitics. In Beyond the Wall\, historian Katja Hoyer offers a kaleidoscopic new vision of this vanished country\, arguing that amid oppression and frequent hardship\, East Germany was yet home to a rich political\, social and cultural landscape\, a place far more dynamic than the Cold War caricature often painted in the West. \nKatja Hoyer is a German-British historian\, journalist and the author of the widely acclaimed Blood and Iron and Beyond the Wall. A Research Fellow at King’s College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society\, she is a columnist for the Berliner Zeitung\, also contributing regularly to the BBC\, Bloomberg\, The Telegraph\, The Guardian and The Spectator. She was born in Germany but is now based in the UK. Her next book\, Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe\, will be released in May 2026. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR KATJA HOYER
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/katja-hoyer-beyond-the-wall-east-germany-1949-1990/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Katja-Hoyer-Beyond-the-Wall-22nd-March-e1768397690157.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260322T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260322T113000
DTSTAMP:20260216T172415Z
CREATED:20260115T152523Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260216T172415Z
UID:10000805-1774175400-1774179000@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Alison Weir - Queens at War: England's Medieval Queens
DESCRIPTION:This event is now sold out. Please join the waiting list for any returned tickets\, or we think you might like: Tracy Borman – The Stolen Crown \nJOIN WAITING LIST FOR ALISON WEIR\n  \nFestival favourite Alison Weir returns with her latest book and five fascinating Queens… \nThe fifteenth century was a turbulent age and each of the five queens who appear in this book were caught up in wars that changed the courses of their lives: the Hundred Years War between England and France\, and the Wars of the Roses\, between the royal Houses of Lancaster and York. Henry IV\, Henry V and Henry VI all married to seal a peace with France. Edward IV married – scandalously – for love\, Richard III to gain great estates. Of their respective wives\, Joan of Navarre was imprisoned as a witch; Katherine of Valois\, who brought her husband the French crown and became the ancestress of the Tudors; Margaret of Anjou fought a civil war on her weak husband’s behalf; Elizabeth Wydeville lived to see her sons\, the Princes in the Tower\, disappear from history; and Anne Neville died after losing her only child\, forsaken by her husband. Theirs are stirring stories of triumph and tragedy\, love and loss\, murder and malice. \nAlison Weir is the biggest-selling female historian (and fifth best-selling historian) in the UK. She has published 32 titles and sold more than 3 million books – over a million in the UK and 2.2 million in the US. \n 
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/alison-weir-queens-at-war-englands-medieval-queens/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Alison-Weir-Queens-at-War-22nd-March-scaled-e1768397464804.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260321T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260321T203000
DTSTAMP:20260211T103102Z
CREATED:20260115T152556Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T103102Z
UID:10000806-1774121400-1774125000@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Robert Newman - Intelligence
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR ROBERT NEWMAN\n  \nAward-winning author and comedian (Newman & Baddiel; The Mary Whitehouse Experience)\, brings us an unputdownable novel about love\, secrets and wartime espionage… \nOxford\, 1938. Ida and Medora are two brilliant young philosophers at the heart of a group who gather in storied rooms to dance\, drink and debate theories of right and wrong. But as the world spins towards war\, theoretical questions of life and death become all too real. While her friends are called up to do intelligence work\, Ida\, the irrepressible Texan outsider\, seeks academic distraction. Then she stumbles across secret Nazi information that could radically change the direction of the war. Can she and Medora capture the attention of the spymasters and mandarins in London in time to save thousands of lives? Seductive\, witty and page-turning: an unputdownable new novel from one of the UK’s best-loved writers and comedians. \nRobert Newman is an award-winning author\, comedian and broadcaster who made his name in the 1990s as a writer and performer of The Mary Whitehouse Experience and Newman & Baddiel. Intelligence is his seventh book. He has written and starred in many TV and radio shows\, including Robert Newman’s Total Eclipse of Descartes\, History of Oil and No Planet B – or the History of the World Backwards\, and has performed sold-out stand-up shows all over the world. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR ROBERT NEWMAN
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/robert-newman-intelligence/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Robert-Newman-Intelligence-21st-March-scaled-e1768828375614.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260321T173000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260321T183000
DTSTAMP:20260211T103146Z
CREATED:20260115T152539Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T103146Z
UID:10000807-1774114200-1774117800@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Arthur Snell - Elemental: How We Will Live on a Warming Planet
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR ARTHUR SNELL\n  \n‘An extraordinary mastery of geopolitics and a deep ethical concern for the world in the face of catastrophe. A masterpiece’ – Rory Stewart \nWith over 30 years’ experience in conflict zones and fragile states\, Arthur Snell travels from the heat of the Sahel to the Arctic Circle to show how climate change is coinciding with a breakdown in geopolitical order\, increasing conflict and economic crises. Within our lifetimes\, rising temperatures\, sea levels and scarcity will inevitably drive both conflict and mass migration globally. When the rain wrecks India’s ability to grow rice\, the heat makes building impossible in Saudi Arabia\, wildfires rage through America’s most populated regions\, and in Russia huge areas of highly fertile land are exposed by the melting ice\, what will living on a warmer planet actually look like? \n Arthur Snell is an expert on the interaction between geopolitics and climate change with a degree in History from the University of Oxford. He has over 30 years’ experience in conflict zones and fragile states throughout the Middle East and Africa\, and advised governments – including Ukraine during the current conflict – on a range of security- and conflict-related issues. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute\, the world’s oldest think tank\, a former British Ambassador\, and has hosted numerous podcasts which have had millions of downloads. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR ARTHUR SNELL
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/arthur-snell-elemental-how-we-will-live-on-a-warming-planet/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Arthur-Snell-Elemental-21st-March-scaled-e1768396906965.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260321T153000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260321T163000
DTSTAMP:20260211T103227Z
CREATED:20260115T152615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T103227Z
UID:10000808-1774107000-1774110600@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Masud Husain - Our Brains\, Our Selves: What a Neurologist's Patients Taught Him About the Brain
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR MASUD HUSAIN\n  \nWinner of the Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize \nWhat makes us who we are? \nThrough the stories of seven of his patients\, acclaimed Oxford University neurologist Masud Husain shows us how our brains create\, change and can even restore our identity. Husain introduces us to a man who ran out of words\, a woman who lost all inhibitions and another who believed she was having an affair with the man who was really her husband. These compelling human dramas reveal how our identities are created by different functions within the brain. It will ignite new ideas about who we really are – and why we act in the ways we do. \nMasud Husain is Professor of Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and Professorial Fellow at New College\, Oxford. Unusually\, he works across departments of neuroscience\, brain imaging and psychology to understand cognitive functions in both healthy people and patients with brain disorders. Masud is Editor-in-Chief of Brain\, a leading international journal of neurology. First established in 1878\, Brain is widely considered to be one of the most influential publications in the field\, with its monthly editorials being a key source of authoritative perspectives. His book Our Brains\, Our Selves won the Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize 2025. \nPhoto credit: Oliver Mayhall \nBOOK TICKETS FOR MASUD HUSAIN
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/masud-husain-our-brains-our-selves-what-a-neurologists-patients-taught-him-about-the-brain/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Masud-Husain-Our-Brains-Our-Selves-21st-March-e1768396580237.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260321T141500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260321T151500
DTSTAMP:20260211T103309Z
CREATED:20260115T152632Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T103309Z
UID:10000809-1774102500-1774106100@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Tracy Borman - The Stolen Crown: Treachery\, deceit and the death of the Tudor dynasty
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR TRACY BORMAN\n  \nSuccession meets the Tudors in this explosive account of the passing of the crown from Elizabeth I to James Stuart\, from Festival Patron\, Tracy Borman \nIn March 1603\, Elizabeth I lies dying at Richmond Palace. The queen’s ministers cluster round her bedside\, urging her to name her successor – something she has stubbornly resisted throughout her reign. Almost with her last breath she whispers that James VI of Scotland should succeed her. Or so we’ve been led to believe… \nBut\, as enthralling new research shows\, this is not what happened. Elizabeth went to her grave without formally naming an heir. The notion of an approved succession from Tudors to Stuarts is little more than an elaborately constructed fiction – one with devastating consequences\, as the Stuart regime rapidly descended into turbulence\, uncertainty\, conspiracy\, witchcraft and gunpowder. With a combination of rigorous research and brilliant storytelling\, The Stolen Crown takes us behind palace doors to reveal the secret history of the Tudor succession. \nTracy Borman OBE is a best-selling author\, British historian\, broadcaster and Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces\, appearing regularly on Channel 5’s Inside the Tower of London and numerous other documentaries. Amongst her many other roles\, we are very proud to have her as a Lichfield Festival Patron! \nBOOK TICKETS FOR TRACY BORMAN
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/tracy-borman-the-stolen-crown-treachery-deceit-and-the-death-of-the-tudor-dynasty/
LOCATION:Guildhall\, Bore Street\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 6LU\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Tracy-Borman-Stolen-Crown-21st-March-scaled-e1768396073866.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260321T121500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260321T131500
DTSTAMP:20260309T133935Z
CREATED:20260115T152655Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T133935Z
UID:10000810-1774095300-1774098900@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Tracy Borman - The Stolen Crown: Treachery\, deceit and the death of the Tudor dynasty
DESCRIPTION:This event is now sold out\, please join the waiting list for any returned tickets\, or there are limited tickets left for Tracy’s 2:15pm talk\, available to book here. \n  \nJOIN WAITING LIST FOR TRACY BORMAN\n  \nSuccession meets the Tudors in this explosive account of the passing of the crown from Elizabeth I to James Stuart\, from Festival Patron\, Tracy Borman \nIn March 1603\, Elizabeth I lies dying at Richmond Palace. The queen’s ministers cluster round her bedside\, urging her to name her successor – something she has stubbornly resisted throughout her reign. Almost with her last breath she whispers that James VI of Scotland should succeed her. Or so we’ve been led to believe… \nBut\, as enthralling new research shows\, this is not what happened. Elizabeth went to her grave without formally naming an heir. The notion of an approved succession from Tudors to Stuarts is little more than an elaborately constructed fiction – one with devastating consequences\, as the Stuart regime rapidly descended into turbulence\, uncertainty\, conspiracy\, witchcraft and gunpowder. With a combination of rigorous research and brilliant storytelling\, The Stolen Crown takes us behind palace doors to reveal the secret history of the Tudor succession. \nTracy Borman OBE is a best-selling author\, British historian\, broadcaster and Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces\, appearing regularly on Channel 5’s Inside the Tower of London and numerous other documentaries. Amongst her many other roles\, we are very proud to have her as a Lichfield Festival Patron! \nBOOK TICKETS FOR TRACY BORMAN
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/tracy-borman-the-stolen-crown-treachery-deceit-and-the-death-of-the-tudor-dynasty-2/
LOCATION:Guildhall\, Bore Street\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 6LU\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Tracy-Borman-Stolen-Crown-21st-March-scaled-e1768396073866.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260321T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260321T110000
DTSTAMP:20260211T103502Z
CREATED:20260115T152941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T103502Z
UID:10000811-1774087200-1774090800@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:John Suchet - In Search of Beethoven: A Personal Journey
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR JOHN SUCHET\n  \nA Presto ‘Book of the Year’ from star journalist and Classic FM presenter\, John Suchet \nJohn Suchet’s most personal book is dedicated to the life of an extraordinary composer. Part biography\, memoir and travelogue\, it draws on Suchet’s own life and career as a new anchor and foreign correspondent to show how Beethoven’s music has accompanied him through the best and worst of times. It was with him as a music-loving and adventurous teenager\, as a journalist in war-torn Beirut\, and\, as he has continued to explore the old cities of Bonn and Vienna\, in search of the man behind the music. In this compelling book\, we see Beethoven brought vividly – and sometimes painfully – to life. Suchet traces Beethoven’s footsteps from his early years in Bonn to his dying days in Vienna\, taking us on a journey both literal and symbolic\, as he uses his own experience as a Beethoven aficionado to show the life-changing power of great music. \nJohn Suchet OBE is a bestselling author\, journalist\, radio and TV presenter. He was the voice of morning radio on Classic FM for almost a decade and before that\, he was one of the UK’s best-known television journalists and newscasters\, regularly presenting ITN’s flagship News at Ten for nearly 20 years. A recognised authority on Beethoven\, he is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Beethoven: The Man Revealed (2020)\, as well as biographies of Mozart\, Strauss\, Verdi and Tchaikovsky. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR JOHN SUCHET
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/john-suchet-in-search-of-beethoven-a-personal-journey/
LOCATION:Guildhall\, Bore Street\, Lichfield\, Staffordshire\, WS13 6LU\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/John-Suchet-In-Search-of-Beethoven-21st-March-scaled-e1768828221470.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260320T203000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260320T213000
DTSTAMP:20260318T093058Z
CREATED:20260115T153020Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T093058Z
UID:10000812-1774038600-1774042200@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Pierre Novellie - Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things? A Comedian's Guide to Autism
DESCRIPTION:This event is now Sold Out. Join the waiting list below for returned tickets\, or we think you might like: Robert Newman – Intelligence \nJOIN WAITING LIST\n  \n‘Like a Martian’s guide to living on Earth. Funny\, enlightening and gobsmacking’ – Frank Skinner \n Why were the other kids at school obsessed with Britney Spears instead of The Goon Show? Why don’t people ever say what they mean? And… why is everyone chewing so loudly? Comedian Pierre Novellie was on stage when a heckler suggested he was autistic. Usually\, this disruption would be water off a duck’s back but two things made this heckler different: first\, he was himself autistic. Second\, he turned out to be absolutely right. \nThis random encounter led to a diagnosis of autism at the age of 31 that unravelled his world\, explained his struggles and answered questions that had bothered him for his entire life. At once a hilarious and insightful journey through autism and neurodivergence\, an entertaining explainer for the uninitiated and observational comedy for the neurodiverse\, this is the perfect read for anyone who has ever asked themselves: why can’t I just enjoy things? \nPierre Novellie is a stand-up comedian\, writer\, radio host and podcaster. His new Radio 4 show – Why in the name of Pierre Novellie – is currently airing this January\, and he is co-host on both The Frank Skinner Show (Absolute Radio) and the hit Budpod podcast (with Phil Wang). His TV appearances include World’s Most Dangerous Roads (Dave)\, The Mash Report (BBC2)\, and Stand Up Central (Comedy Central). On the radio\, Pierre has performed on The Now Show (Radio 4) and hosted the BBC Sounds podcast series Obsessed With… SAS: Rogue Heroes. As a writer\, Pierre was one of the regular writers on the rebooted Spitting Image (ITV/Britbox) and has also written on shows including Mock the Week (BBC2)\, The News Quiz (Radio 4) and The Mash Report (BBC2). Pierre has performed stand-up around the world\, including sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe\, residencies in Soho and nationwide tours. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR PIERRE NOVELLIE
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/pierre-novellie-why-cant-i-just-enjoy-things-a-comedians-guide-to-autism/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://lichfieldfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/Pierre-Novellie-20th-March-e1768828141459.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260320T184500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260320T194500
DTSTAMP:20260221T212314Z
CREATED:20260115T153042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260221T212314Z
UID:10000813-1774032300-1774035900@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Andrew Lownie - Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York
DESCRIPTION:This event is now sold out\, please join the waiting list for any returned tickets\, or we think you might like: Lucia Osborne-Crowley – The Lasting Harm: Witnessing the Trial of Ghislaine Maxwell \n  \nJOIN WAITING LIST FOR ANDREW LOWNIE\n  \n‘The most devastating royal biography ever written’ – Daily Mail \nPacked with extraordinary revelations\, Entitled is the first joint biography of the now former Duke and Duchess\, revealing how their lives are still deeply entwined. Drawing on four years’ research\, numerous FOI requests and interviews with over 100 people who have never spoken before\, Andrew Lownie traces the lives of the late Queen’s second son and his ex-wife\, through their childhoods\, courtship\, marriage\, divorce\, careers and royal and charitable activities. It reveals new details of how the couple have been able to financially sustain their extravagant lifestyles\, delving into ever-deepening links with Jeffrey Epstein. Chronicling their lives in parallel\, the picture that emerges is of a spoilt prince unable to connect and a duchess pushed by her insecurities into a desperate need to maintain her ‘royal’ status. \nANDREW LOWNIE was educated at Magdalene College\, Cambridge\, where he was President of the Union\, before taking his master’s and doctorate at Edinburgh University. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society\, he later returned to Cambridge as a visiting fellow at Churchill College. He has been a bookseller\, publisher\, journalist writing for The Times\, Telegraph\, Wall Street Journal\, Spectator\, Guardian and since 1988 has run his own literary agency.  He is President of the Biographers Club\, sits on the board of Biographers International Organisation and is a Trustee of the Campaign for Freedom of Information. His books include the prize-winning Stalin’s Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess (2015) and the top ten Sunday Times bestsellers The Mountbattens: Their Lives and Loves (2019) and Traitor King: The Scandalous Exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (2021). \nPhoto credit: Nick Gregan \n 
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/andrew-lownie-entitled-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-house-of-york/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260320T164500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260320T174500
DTSTAMP:20260211T103719Z
CREATED:20260115T153103Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T103719Z
UID:10000814-1774025100-1774028700@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Lucia Osborne-Crowley - The Lasting Harm: Witnessing the Trial of Ghislaine Maxwell
DESCRIPTION:BOOK TICKETS FOR LUCIA OSBORNE-CROWLEY\n  \n‘A blazing book that puts the criminal justice system under the microscope’ The Independent \nIn November 2021\, Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of five counts of sex-trafficking of minors and is now serving 20 years in prison for the role she played in Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of four girls. Journalist Lucia Osborne-Crowley was one of the only reporters allowed into the courtroom every day. In her meticulous account of this incendiary trial\, she paints a blistering critique of a criminal justice system ill-equipped to deliver justice for abuse survivors. Written as a gripping true crime drama\, The Lasting Harm questions our appetite for crime and punishment\, offering a new blueprint for meaningful reparative justice. \nLucia Osborne-Crowley is a trained lawyer\, legal reporter and journalist and the author of two books\, I Choose Elena (2019) and My Body Keeps Your Secrets (2021)\, winner of a Somerset Maugham Award. Her forensic but accessible reporting of the Maxwell trial was described as some of the best and most trauma-informed coverage of the case\, and it saw her social media following grow by over 35\,000 followers. She has appeared as an expert journalist on the Maxwell and Prince Andrew cases on BBC News\, Sky News\, LBC News and BBC Radio among others. Her analysis appeared in print in The Independent and ABC News. Elsewhere\, her news reporting has appeared in the Guardian\, The Sunday Times and GQ Magazine and her literary writing has been published in Granta and Meanjin. \nBOOK TICKETS FOR LUCIA OSBORNE-CROWLEY
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/lucia-osborne-crowley-the-lasting-harm-witnessing-the-trial-of-ghislaine-maxwell/
LOCATION:The Hub at St Mary’s\, Market Square\, Lichfield\, WS13 6LG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260320T140000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260320T150000
DTSTAMP:20260211T101444Z
CREATED:20260115T153122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T101444Z
UID:10000815-1774015200-1774018800@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Simon Hart - Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip
DESCRIPTION:This event is now sold out. Join the waiting list below in case returned tickets become available\, or we think you might like Vernon Bogdanor & Andy Beckett – Making the Weather / The Searchers \nJoin Waiting List\n  \nAn insider’s story from the heart of government – as told by a man who knows… \nFormer Chief Whip and MP Simon Hart had a front-row seat to the most turbulent times in Britain’s recent political history: Brexit\, Liz Truss’s 49-day premiership\, the invasion of Ukraine… he’s seen and heard it all. In the oft misunderstood position of Chief Whip\, Simon oversaw a record fifteen Conservative MPs fall by the wayside\, for offences ranging from Matt Hancock’s unauthorized appearance on I’m A Celebrity… to Lee Anderson’s comments about the London Mayor. Each involved a noisy and vitriolic public commentary; none stopped him from becoming one of the few Chief Whips to survive an entire premiership. In an unflinching look at life as a Chief Whip\, Ungovernable is a revealing\, blow-by-blow account – offering a glimpse of what truly goes on in Westminster behind closed doors. \nSimon Hart was MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire between 2010and 2024. Previously a chartered surveyor\, Simon cut his political teeth as the former CEO of the Countryside Alliance. He served on four select committees and then\, following Theresa May’s election as prime minister in 2016\, became her representative on the Committee for Standards in Public Life. He was appointed as Minister for Implementation in the Cabinet Office under Boris Johnson\, and then joined the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Wales. He later resigned from his government the day before Johnson himself surrendered. In October 2022\, Rishi Sunak invited him to become Chief Whip. He is married with two adult children\, and lives in Pembrokeshire. \n  \n 
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/simon-hart-ungovernable-the-political-diaries-of-a-chief-whip/
LOCATION:The George Hotel\, Bird Street\, Lichfield\, WS13 6PR\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260320T120000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260320T130000
DTSTAMP:20260216T172035Z
CREATED:20260115T153140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260216T172035Z
UID:10000816-1774008000-1774011600@lichfieldfestival.org
SUMMARY:Andrew Ziminski - Church Going: A Stonemason's Guide to the Churches of the British Isles
DESCRIPTION:This event is now sold out\, please join the waiting list for any returned tickets\, or we think you might like: Charles Saumarez Smith – John Vanbrugh: The Drama of Architecture \n  \nJOIN WAITING LIST FOR ANDREW ZIMINSKI\n  \n‘A joyous and illuminating exploration of our glorious heritage’ – Sir Tony Robinson \nChurches are many things to us – places of worship\, vibrant community hubs and oases of calm reflection. To know a church is to hold a key to the past that unlocks an understanding of our shared history. \nAndrew Ziminski has spent decades as a stonemason and church conservator\, acting as an informal guide to curious visitors. This is his handbook to the medieval churches of the British Isles\, in which he reveals their fascinating histories\, features and furnishings\, from flying buttresses to rood screens\, lichgates to chancels. Beautifully written and richly illustrated\, it is a celebration of the architectural history of the British Isles. \nAndrew Ziminski is a stonemason\, church conservator and author living and working in Frome\, Somerset. He has four decades of experience working on some of the greatest cathedrals and churches in Britain\, including the tower of Salisbury Cathedral and the dome of St Paul’s in London. He is a SPAB William Morris Craft Fellow\, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries\, and conservation advisor to the Salisbury Diocesan advisory committee for the care of churches. He is the author of The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain. \nJOIN WAITING LIST FOR ANDREW ZIMINSKI
URL:https://lichfieldfestival.org/event/andrew-ziminski-church-going-a-stonemasons-guide-to-the-churches-of-the-british-isles/
LOCATION:The George Hotel\, Bird Street\, Lichfield\, WS13 6PR\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature
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