As the closing show of the weekend we are thrilled to welcome one of our greatest actors, Dame Harriet Walter, on the publication of her new book.

She Speaks! New parts for thirty of Shakespeare's women, letting them speak their minds...

Harriet Walter, renowned for her wonderful portrayals in Succession and Killing Eve among others, is one of Britain's most esteemed Shakespearean actors. Now, having played most of Shakespeare's female characters, audaciously, she lets them speak their minds…

Here's what Gertrude longed to say; why Lady MacBeth felt she should be King; how Juliet's nurse bemoaned her loss; why Ariel is anxious about freedom and what Cleopatra's handmaidens really thought of her. 

'Shakespeare's mind and words have been the backbone of our culture and they have seeped into my bloodstream over the decades that I have been privileged to speak them. As Ben Jonson said, he is a man for all times, but he is also a man OF his time… and there's the rub. Though his empathy for his female creations is miraculous, his plays mirror the hierarchy and patriarchy of his day with the result that women are seldom centre stage, have far fewer lines, and their function in the plot is always and solely in relation to a man. But not in these pages...'

Join us for what promises to be an inspiring and hugely entertaining evening from this cultural icon.

Good to know

• All events will start promptly at the advertised time. Please get to the tent in good time. That way, you won't be in a rush, and we'll be able to get everyone seated comfortably.
• Please print/download to your phone your e-ticket! You will be given a wristband on arrival but for individual events your ticket will be required for entry into the tent.
• This event is suitable for people aged 12 and up.
• Yes, all the writers will have books for sale! And yes, you can get your copies signed!
• Your ticket grants you access to the grounds of Mannington (over the whole weekend). Find out about the gardens, walks and wildlife on offer by visiting manningtongardens.co.uk
• For more information on transport, accommodation, disabled access, food and more please visit manningtonbookbash.co.uk
• Any questions? Email contact@thebookhive.co.uk or phone 01603 219268
  
• Please note — refunds for this event will not be available after Sunday 1st September