Previews: Off the Page – For The Book Clubs of Guildford – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Published on: 29 Aug, 2013
Updated on: 31 Aug, 2013

Deborah Moggach

The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in partnership with Random House are presenting a short series of conversations with best-selling authors.

On Tuesday, August 20, we enjoyed a wonderful evening in the company of Deborah Moggach of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel fame.

Deborah’s other works include Tulip Fever and screenplays such as the film of Pride and Prejudice (for which she received a BAFTA nomination). This was the first of four prestigious one night events called Off the Page showcasing some of our best writers.

We began with family anecdotes, friendly human angles to Deborah’s background and parents, both hard-working writers from Watford, who instilled in her a strong work ethic right from the start.

A rebellious streak came to the fore and she moved to Pakistan for a couple of years to learn her craft, no doubt gaining valuable experience for These Foolish Things, the novel that was later transformed into a film (with Judi Dench, Bill Nighy and Maggie Smith) and re-titled The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Much of the entertaining discussion centred around the actors’ ability and natural instinct to portray intimate nuances of character with minimal script.

Judi Dench in a scene from the film

Deborah also discussed her new novel Heartbreak Hotel, in which the central protagonist, Buffy, has upped sticks from London and moved to a decrepit B&B in rural Wales. He needs to fill the beds, and what better way than with ‘Courses for Divorces’. It sounds hilarious; definitely a new book to watch for, especially as it is also being adapted for TV.

Coming up on Monday, September 9, the award-winning writer and broadcaster Simon Schama talks about Moses and modern Judaism.

Simon has written and presented forty films for the BBC on subjects as diverse as Tolstoy, American politics and The Power of Art, and his accompanying books have been best sellers.

Simon Schama

This is a unique opportunity to hear Simon’s thoughts on his brand new book and BBC TV series: The Story of the Jews and the Fate of the World. His presentation is at once deeply historical and bracingly contemporary, telling ancient and modern stories to illuminate the passions and perplexities of Jewish life, encompassing both the culture and the people.

Other Off the Page interviews at the Yvonne Arnaud include historian and Chief Curator of the Historic Royal Palaces, Lucy Worsley (Monday, September 23), and one of our most respected chefs, Rick Stein (Monday, September 30).

For tickets, call the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Box Office on 01483 440000 or visit their website at www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk, and if you are in a book club, please make sure the other members don’t miss out.