AUCKLAND WRITERS & READERS FESTIVAL 2009
Let the show begin!
I arrived at Auckland’s Aotea Centre this afternoon (Thurs) to find the place swarming with college students. It was the final session of a very successful schools programme (over 6000 attendees) which has been run for two days before the Festival proper gets underway this evening.
Let the show begin!
I arrived at Auckland’s Aotea Centre this afternoon (Thurs) to find the place swarming with college students. It was the final session of a very successful schools programme (over 6000 attendees) which has been run for two days before the Festival proper gets underway this evening.
Poets and authors have drawn big crowds, there have been questions aplenty and some of the speakers have been besieged after their sessions. Among the speakers on the school programme were poets Glenn Colquhoun and the National & International Poetry Slam Champion from the US, Sonya Renee, (pic left, who I am picking is going to be one of the star attractions over the next few days), authors Kate de Goldi, Mal Peet, M.T.Anderson, Brigid Lowry, screenwriters David Geary, James Griffin, Rachel Lang and songwriter Dave Gibson.
No wonder the kids were here in their excited and noisy droves.
1 comment:
Being part of the audience when American Slam Poet, Sonya Renee talked to one of the Secondary school sessions on Thursday was one of the highlights of any AWR Festival. Year 11.12.13 students just went wild, as she performed a poem about being in Love With Hip Hop – by the end the kids were in love with her. I had watched the students as they slouched into the auditorium at the ASB Theatre and became transformed into participating enthusiastic young people. A sea of arms waved as she called for judges for a mock Slam and asked for comments and questions.
Afterwards she talked to a small group of fans who mobbed her. To anyone reading this, do come along to her session with Penny Ashton on Sunday at 7.30 and bring your teenagers – she did warn us that she will be more raunchy at this session than with the schools. Congratulations to the AWRF team for putting on the schools sessions as they were all big hits with the authors and writers engaging with their audiences in a remarkable way and being rewarded with intelligent questions and observations.
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