P R O G R A M M E

• Wednesday 26 September

  • 7.15 – 10.00 p.m. Pre-Festival Event: Literary Quiz
  • (organised by The Hospice of St Francis, Berkhamsted)
  • Venue: The Town Hall, Berkhamsted
  • Tickets: £8
  • All profits from the quiz will go to the Hospice.

• Thursday 27 September

  • 5.30 – 7.00 p.m. Social Gathering and Buffet Supper
  • Venue: The King's Arms, The High Street
  • (Telephone 01442 866595, Fax 01442 877782, or Email.
  • Cost: £13.95, payable on arrival, please.
  • (Two courses and coffee, with a vegetarian alternative.)
  • This has proved a popular opportunity for everyone to meet socially at the outset of the festival. Please contact the King's Arms by Monday 24 September if you intend to be present.
  • 7.30 p.m. Film: Across the Bridge
  • (1957. Certificate PG. 103 minutes. Black and white.)
  • Directed by Ken Annakin and starring Rod Steiger, David Knight, Marla Landi, Noel Willman and Bernard Lee.
  • The screening will be introduced by Quentin Falk.
  • Venue: The Rex, Berkhamsted
  • Tickets £7

• Friday 28 September

  • All daytime events are in the Town Hall, Berkhamsted.
  • A bookstall will be open in the Town Hall throughout the day.

  • Morning session: Greene and his contemporaries I

  • 9.30 – 11.00 a.m. Film: They Shot Graham Greene – at the NFT
  • (BBC Arena programme, 2004. 73 minutes. Black and white.)
  • Graham Greene interviewed by Quentin Falk, on stage at the National Film Theatre in 1984.

  • 11.00 Coffee

  • 11.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. Talk: 'The Life and Work of Mervyn Peake'
  • Sebastian Peake talks about his father, whose work Graham Greene helped to get published.
  • Tickets for the morning: £7

  • Lunch

  • Please make your own arrangements. There are a number of nearby pubs, cafés and restaurants.

  • Afternoon Session: Greene's Contemporaries II

  • 2.30 – 3.30 p.m. Talk: 'Saints, Sinners and Exiles: Graham Greene and Anthony Burgess'
  • Dr Andrew Biswell, Burgess's biographer, looks at the two authors.

  • 3.30 p.m.Tea

  • 4.00 – 5.15 p.m. Talk: 'Barbara Greene, Countess Strachwitz'
  • Rupert, Graf Strachwitz looks at the life of his mother, who was born in Brazil on 28 September 1907. The talk will be preceded by an excerpt from a taped interview with Countess Strachwitz about her early life.
  • Tickets for the afternoon: £7
  • Throughout the day in the Town Hall there will be displays of photographs of Barbara Greene and the Hall, and of her books.

  • Evening Session: Film double bill

  • 7.30 p.m. Film: The End of the Party
  • (2004. 23 minutes. Colour.)
  • An award-winning short film which will be introduced by its director, Sebastian Godwin.
  • Film: Went the Day Well?
  • (1942. Certificate PG. 92 minutes. Black and white.)
  • Directed by Cavalcanti and starring Leslie Banks, Elizabeth Allan, Frank Lawton, Valerie Taylor, Mervyn Johns and Thora Hird.
  • The screening will be introduced by Professor Neil Sinyard.
  • Venue: The Civic Centre, Berkhamsted
  • Tickets £7

• Saturday 29 September

  • Except where otherwise stated, all events are in the Deans' Hall, Berkhamsted Collegiate School.
  • A bookstall will be open in The Deans' Hall throughout the day.

  • Morning session: Greene in Central America and Europe

  • 9.30 – 10.30 a.m. Talk: Figures in Greene's Carpet: The Power and the Glory  to Monsignor Quixote
  • Professor Robert Davis considers two of Greene's novels.

  • 10.30 – 11.00 a.m. Coffee

  • 11.00 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. 'Graham Greene's Hungarian Connection'
  • Introduction by Ramon Rami Porta.
  • Talk: 'Greene and Catholicism in Hungary' by Dr Tamas F Molnar.
  • Interview: László Róbert interviewed by Dr Molnar.
  • Tickets for the morning: £8.50

  • Lunch

  • Please make your own arrangements. There are a number of nearby cafés, pubs and restaurants.

  • Afternoon Session: Greene in Africa

  • Considerations of the two novels Greene set in Africa
  • 2.15 – 3.15 p.m. Talk: The Heart of the Matter
  • William Boyd

  • 3.15 p.m.Tea

  • 3.45 – 4.45 p.m. Talk: A Burnt-out Case

  • Professor Christopher Woodhead

  • Tickets for the afternoon: £8.50
  • During the festival, tickets will be on sale for a prize draw, with several Greene-related items as prizes. Thanks to John Holder, Random House publishers and Optimum Releasing for donating prizes for this competition.
  • An exhibition of Folio Society illustrations of Travels with My Aunt by John Holder will be on display, and for sale; an exhibition of book covers of The Heart of the Matter, and of Graham Greene Festival brochures will be on display – all in The Deans' Hall throughout Saturday.
  • 4.45 – 5.45 p.m. A reception with light refreshments, generously provided by The Tablet, will be held in The Old Hall, Berkhamsted Collegiate School. All are welcome.

  • Evening Session: Greene – Style and Letters

  • 6.00 p.m.'Amanda Saunders Remembered': David Pearce
  • 6.10 – 6.50 p.m. Readings: 'In the style of Graham Greene'
  • David Pearce reads parodies and pastiches of Greene.
  • The Prize Draw will take place before the Birthday Toast.
  • 7.00 p.m. Birthday Toast proposed by Caroline Bourget, Graham Greene's daughter.
  • Wine for the Toast, and all teas and coffees on Saturday and Sunday, have been generously provided by The Tablet.
  • 7.15 – 8.15 p.m. Talk: 'Over the Border: the Letters of Graham Greene'
  • Professor Richard Greene considers the letters he has edited.
  • Tickets for the evening: £8.50

  • Hot Buffet Supper

  • with wine and coffee (with a vegetarian alternative)
  • to be followed by an after-dinner speech by Sir Clement Freud.
  • Venue: The Old Hall, Berkhamsted Collegiate School
  • Tickets : £15, payable in advance.

• Sunday 30 September

  • All events are held in the Berkhamsted Collegiate School.

  • Morning session

  • 9.45 – 10.45 a.m. Greene's School
  • David Pearce conducts a tour of those parts of the School associated with Graham Greene. Please meet outside The Old Hall.

  • or

  • 10.00 – 11.00 a.m. 'A Greene Miscellany'.
  • Mike Hill ties up some loose ends from his time as festival director.
  • Venue: Newcroft Lecture Theatre

  • 11.00 – 11.30 a.m.Coffee

  • served in Newcroft, Mill Street.
  • 11.30 a.m. – 12.45 p.m. Illustrated talk: 'Limelight in Vienna: a journey round Greene's most charismatic villain'
  • Professor Niel Sinyard
  • Venue: Newcroft Lecture Theatre.
  • Tickets for the morning: £6

  • 12.45 p.m. Farewell Lunch

  • Cold buffet with wine and coffee (with a vegetarian alternative)
  • Venue: The Old Hall
  • Tickets £14, payable in advance

  • 2.30 p.m. The Graham Greene Trail

  • Ken Sherwood conducts a walk round Greene's Berkhamsted. Please let Ken know during the festival if you would like to take part in the walk.

THE END OF THE 2007 FESTIVAL