The British Revolution comes to Lichfield – Between the Waves by Tom McTague
Young critic, Maja, saw Tom McTague speak about his book Between the Waves at Lichfield Literature Festival. The book travels through Britain’s relationship with Europe leading to the 2016 Brexit referendum. Read her review below!
Tom McTague’s talk at Lichfield Literature Festival that took place on the 19th of March 2026, maintained an interactive and engaging interview format throughout. He gave complex and detailed answers to questions asked by Jo Durrant (an experienced award-winning podcaster) including an amazing opportunity for audience inquiries at the end. Hearing his answers to questions such as: “Why did you start your book in 1945 and not closer to the 2000?” gave an insight to his views and helped frame and understand his perspective on politics.
However, most of the interview relied on the fact that the audience knew a lot about political history which could make young people who attend the event feel lost. I would say the average age for this particular event would be around 50s, and that age group may have experienced more political changes than younger people and therefore understand it better. Still, younger people interested in the “British revolution” would enjoy the experience as well. Tom Mctague describes his book as “The hidden history of a very British Revolution 1945-2016”. This refers to Britain’s place in Europe. It explains how the UK’s relationship with Europe has changed over time and why the country feels divided about it. McTague mixes history, politics, and real-life stories to show how decisions about Europe have affected Britain today.
I found the event fluent and natural. However, since Durrent had her questions written down and, in my opinion, that made the atmosphere slightly restricted rather than open. Had she been speaking and interacting with McTague and the audience more directly, it could have lifted a barrier between us and make it seem more relaxed.
The venue – The George Hotel – felt welcoming and homely. Nonetheless, I disliked the fact that the seating was on a first come, first serve basis. I ended up at the back, in the sun, which made me overheat and ruined the experience a little. My seat was also behind a taller person which restricted my view and made me feel less connected, limiting my ability to see and understand Tom McTague’s expressions. In spite of these small faults, a temporary community was built with other people as everyone laughed in unison and enjoyed the event. This talk certainly intrigued most people as many interesting questions were asked at the end. Overall, I enjoyed parts of this event but little details made it feel like it dragged a bit but I can see that with a few changes it would capture the audience’s attention even more and make time fly by. I would recommend this to older audiences over youngsters and people who study political history and the British revolution.
By Maja S
If you’re aged 11-18 and would like to be a festival reviewer, applications for Young Critics are open for Lichfield Festival – find out more on our website https://lichfieldfestival.org/aspire/young-critics/