- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: SUSSEX TOWN OF ARUNDEL HOLDS ITS 23RD ARTS FESTIVAL
- Date: 29th August 2000
- Summary: SCU HARMSTON INTERVIEW CONTINUES This started very much as a local festival for West Sussex, but the audience has built up as the festival has developed in terms of its standing. We are now getting a very very big tourist audience from all over the world. A lot of Americans coming, and we've had quite a lot of Japanese this year, and a very big South African contingent, wh
- Embargoed: 13th September 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ARUNDEL, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Entertainment,General
- Reuters ID: LVA7GFBV3GBDV5UOUQYAEAUV90BD
- Story Text: It may be one of the smaller festivals in the UK, but Arundel is putting the picturesque English South Downs onto the arts map. Now in its 23rd year, the event includes Shakespeare's Henry Vth, rousing military music, and fireworks. People living in Arundel join in by opening their homes to strangers to show off their own works of art.
It's difficult to think of a more imposing structure in which to set Shakespeare's historic play, Henry V. Arundel Castle fits the bill.
The Tour de Force Theatre Company has been putting on the Bard's patriotic work there as part of the Arundel Festival.
The title role is performed by James Simmons, who has played leading parts with the Royal National and the Royal Shakespeare companies. "I suppose Henry V is one of those things that's known at least in some degree by everyone, certainly in Britain. The play has got so many famous lines in it, and everybody's knowledge of Henry V is probably through Shakespeare's play. That means that there are a lot of challenges within the job, and certainly here within Arundel Castle - this beautiful open space which is very large and has about 800 seats every night plus two or three hundred people sitting on the banks having a picnic (informal outdoor meal) provides an extra challenge ... especially as we are not miked, so you have to have a pretty big voice.
"We were hoping to take this production over to America this year but negotiations with one of the universities I work at - Eastern Connecticut - got to a very advanced stage but we are probably going to be taking over our production of the Tempest next year and we may even get a chance to tour it."
The production recreates 1415, the year of Agincourt, in a setting more powerful than any indoor theatre can give.
Director Joe Harmston drilled the cast in both drama and fighting: "The show has been going extremely well. As you can see, unusually for England we are blessed with good weather.
It's the realisation of a bit of a dream for me to do this play in these sorts of surroundings so it's been a fantastic experience.
"The audience are coming from all over the place. This started very much as a local festival for West Sussex, but the audience has built up as the festival has developed in terms of its standing. We are now getting a very very big tourist audience from all over the world. A lot of Americans coming, and we've had quite a lot of Japanese this year, and a very big South African contingent, which is nice for me because I do quite a lot of South African plays, so that's been nice meeting people here from Johannesburg and Cape Town, people who've been coming to see it, because somehow - we're not quite sure why - the festival seems to have a world wide appeal."
It's not just violence and war - Henry has to woo the Queen of France, too... without the aid of an interpreter.
Arundel Castle was built just after the Norman invasion in 1066, as a way of keeping the King's peace in an important strategic area, between the South Downs and the English Channel. The Castle was given to the Earls of Arundel. But the title was absorbed by the Dukes of Norfolk in the seventeenth century.
The Chairman of the Arundel Festival Society, Judith Buckland, says the festival would not have been possible without the support given by the Duke of Norfolk, who owns the Castle:
"We have lots of people coming to Arundel. The Castle is owned by our premier Duke. You can see his children's bicycles parked nearby. You couldn't hope for a better place anywhere to host a festival, certainly not to host a play by Shakespeare. It's the real essence of Englishness."
Today, the district is an area of outstanding natural beauty.
The high price of property reflects this. The area is a popular tourist destination, too.
One Malaysian man says; "l love the view here. And the weather is lovely. It is neither too cold nor too hot."
An American tourist says: "Nothing like it back home. We just got a lovely carved heron and there's some lovely crafts which will be going back to Virginia."
Her friend, from St. Louis, says: "We just went into the Arundel festival and found a wonderful 80 year old man carving beautiful things including this wonderful owl which of course is very Harry Potter inspired.
People in Arundel join in the spirit of the festival by inviting strangers into their homes to show off their own art collections.
Karine Suhrbier, a German artist now living in Arundel, says: "There is an international community of artists in Arundel, who every year open their doors to the public to show them their artwork.." Asked if she is afraid of someone stealing from her home, she says: "The gallery trail has been going on now for 11 years and so far nothing like that has ever happened and we hope it stays like that."
And her friend, Beatriz Huezo, adds: "Arundel is a community of international people, of various ages, who exhibit their work to people from other communities." Asked if there might be a problem with crime, she adds: "No, I have exhibited for four years and it started 11 years ago and I have never heard of any case of crime."
One of the high spots of the festival is the traditional concert by an Army band. This year - the guests are the Welsh Guards. Their last appointment was playing at Buckingham Palace.
Captain Philip Shannon, Director of Music for the Welsh Guards, says: "A lot of people see us on television and they like to as it were to touch you and see that you are real and see that you simply don't march around all the time. But really our ceremonial role is part of the fabric of the nation. And while we are not out on the peacekeeping front or at war or whatever we are very much the public image of the British Army. And if you look back in the annals of history, right back through early television footage, or newspaper pictures, you will see the guards dressed exactly as they are today; carrying out the same types of duties that they are carrying out today. Things like changing the guards at Buckingham Palace; investitures inside the palace; the Queen's birthday which happens on Horseguards' Parade. And we were recently involved with the Queen Mother's Birthday, which was a fantastic event. And it brought together all the elements that, however cynical you might be, you look at it and you think - I am proud to be British."
The eventwith a rousing chorus of "Land of Hope and Glory" - and dramatic fireworks over the castle walls.
Britain may no longer rule the waves - but its rich cultural tradition continues to excite passion among its people. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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