Richard Curtis, Yesterday film screening, Mark Kermode, Wendy Cope and more big arts names are coming to Latitude!

Sit down in the Music and Film Arena with all-round screenwriting legend Richard Curtis for a showing of his new film Yesterday and a Q&A alongside the movie’s star Himesh Patel. Watch Latitude regular Mark Kermode‘s new show based on his memoirs. And, listen to one of the nation’s best-loved poets, Wendy Cope, as our poetry headliner in The SpeakEasy

We’re also thrilled to bring you Konnie Huq, Deborah Frances-White and the podcast Feminists Don’t Wear Pink with Scarlett Curtis.

All of these names join our already bountiful arts line up featuring the biggest names in comedy, film, poetry, podcasts, theatre and dance.

Don’t miss this plus our music headliners George Ezra, Snow Patrol and Lana Del Rey when we return to Henham Park Southwold Suffolk on 18th-21st July 2019.

Weekend and day tickets on sale now!

Yesterday: screening and q&a with himesh & richard curtis

We’re rolling out the red carpet at the Music and Film Arena for a Q&A with BAFTA award-winning filmmaker Richard Curtis and Himesh Patel who is the star of his new film, Yesterday.

Before the Q&A you can watch a screening of Yesterday, starring Himesh Patel, Lily James, Kate McKinnon, Ed Sheeran, and James Corden. Written by Richard Curtis and directed by Danny Boyle, Yesterday is a feelgood film that asks the unanswerable pop question: ‘What if nobody had ever heard of The Beatles?’

It’s a very special film for Latitude as several scenes from the movie were filmed right here at the festival last year. Watch it to see if you can spot any famous Latitude landmarks.

Speaking about the film and his upcoming appearance, Richard Curtis said:

“Yesterday was written in Suffolk, set in Suffolk, and begins and ends at Latitude. I’ve rarely missed a Latitude since it first began, and so I’m overjoyed to be bringing it home for a special screening at the festival.  I’m also very much looking forward to the Q & A session afterwards, as long as it doesn’t mean people are missing something better while Himesh and I are chatting away.”

Mark Kermode

Making a welcome return to Latitude is leading film critic and Latitude regular, Mark Kermode with a new show based on his memoirs. We’ve all had dreams of being a popstar and in his memoir, ‘How Does It Feel: A Life of Musical Misadventures’, Kermode recounts this own foolhardy attempts for stardom.

From hilarious tales of falling in love with Slade as a teenager to recording an album at Sun Studio as an ageing old ted, ‘How Does It Feel’ will have you enrapt and chortling with laughter in the Music and Film Arena.

Warning: there may be musical interludes. Or not!

Wendy Cope

We are delighted to announce that one of the nation’s best-loved poets, Wendy Cope, is our poetry headliner in The SpeakEasy. Since her bestselling debut Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis was published in 1986, Wendy Cope has written some of the best-known and most-quoted lines in contemporary poetry.

Her mordant humour and empathetic insight about childhood, marriage and the passing of time are sure to leave you delighted and inspired at Latitude 2019.

Konnie Huq

Join former Blue Peter presenter, Konnie Huq, in a live illustration session where she’ll bring to life Cookie – the lead character from her upcoming debut children’s book. The hilarious 3-part book series is a laugh-out-loud middle-grade sitcom combining Huq’s own comedic upbringing with madcap science projects in a contemporary London Bangladeshi setting.

Speaking about her upcoming appearance at Latitude, Konnie Huq said:

“Really excited to be presenting my new children’s fiction series at Latitude this year! Cookie!… and the Most Annoying Boy in the World is all about a 9 year old girl with a love for science always finding herself in precarious situations and hilarity of course ensues. Come down and see me on the Saturday for some live illustration, jokes, games, quizzes and lots of fun. See you there!”

Deborah Frances-White

Best know for her hit podcast The Guilty Feminist, comedy star Deborah Frances-White is making a triumphant return to Latitude to perform stand-up for you in the Cabaret Theatre.

Her brand of confessional but comic feminism has resulted in international success, with the podcast racking up 50 million plus downloads. Phoebe Waller-Bridge calls Frances-White “hilarious, irreverent, eternally surprising, classy as hell, genius” and we couldn’t put it any better ourselves.

Speaking about her upcoming performance, Deborah Frances-White said:

“Latitude is my favourite all time festival and I couldn’t be more excited to be appearing alongside some of the best acts in the world and some super sweet pink sheep.”

Scarlett Curtis – Feminists Don’t Wear Pink

Finally, Journalist, activist and writer Scarlett Curtis is the latest name heading to our new podcast stage, The Listening Post, with her show, Feminists Don’t Wear Pink.

The podcast was originally inspired by Scarlett’s Sunday Times bestselling anthology Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (and other lies). Prepare for frank, honest and unfiltered conversation from incredible and outspoken women discussing the complexities, the triumphs and the challenges of being a feminist today.

Speaking to Scarlett Curtis about her upcoming Latitude appearance, she said:

“I grew up at Latitude and have been going every year since the age of 12 (including the year I was in a wheelchair!) it is a wonderful, magical place and the perfect location to talk about feminism!”

Look out for more announcements in the run up to Latitude 2019. Don’t forget to book your weekend and day tickets now to watch our headliners George Ezra, Stereophonics, Lana Del Rey, Jason Manford, Michelle Wolf, Katherine Ryan and Frank Skinner in Henham Park on 18th-21st July 2019.