Star names line up

It’s a week of big names for the Fringe as more authors line up for the Wanstead Book Festival.

On Tuesday, leading philosopher and author Julian Baggini is speaking at the Churchill Room, discussing the role of philosophy in public life and specifically thinking about the impact of what we eat has on ourselves and the Earth.

On Wednesday Otto English returns to the Fringe to discuss with Victor Adebowale his book Fake Heroes – the things we thought we knew about some of the key figures in history.

On Thursday it’s Maria Callas night as Daisy Goodwin discusses her book Diva, a marvellous biographical novel which focuses on Callas being wooed relentlessly by Aristotle Onassis (it didn’t end happily).

On Friday, comedian and quizzer Paul Sinha discusses his autobiography Once Sinha Lifetime. (This has been sold out for some time.)

Scenes from the 2024 Fringe, II

Such a wealth of cultural riches going on all over Wanstead at the moment – if only life was always like this. Here are some highlights.

Saturday’s Open Air Kinema (Andrew Smail)
Rossetti’s Stunners at the Bull
Audio artist Graeme Miller, creator of the LINKED project
Jan Regulski and Simone Spagnolo at the Five Rooms recital
The Richard II cast – the first curtain call at the Curtain
Geraldine Roberts, author of The Angel and the Cad, before her event with Hannah Armstrong

Big Saturday

It’s a big day in Fringe events, with the first Family Book Day taking place in Wanstead Library all day, staged with Redbridge Libraries’ Fabula festival.

The rundown is:

11.30am Celebrated author Tola Okogwu with Bekah and the Moon
1pm Author and (and CBeebies star) Joseph Elliott with Nora and the Map of Mayhem
3pm Discover Children’s Story Centre with Supertato

The event is free and you can just turn up. More details here.



Also of interest to families is the always popular Bam Bam – comedian Graeme Matthews of BGT fame – with his show filled with magic, silly games, competitions and lots of opportunities for audience participation. That is at 3pm at Christ Church hall and some tickets are still available here.

Which all leads up to the Fringe’s biggest event, and probably most loved – it’s the evening for Open Air Kinema. This year it’s Wonka and there are still a few tickets left (though probably not for long). The forecast is good – but wrap up warm.

It’s a big day for grown-ups too, with one of the most interesting events of the Fringe taking place. For years audio transmitters embedded in lamp posts on the route of the A12 have been telling stories of people who once lived there. But without a receiver you can’t hear them. Audio artist Graeme Miller who is behind the project is distributing receivers and guides today – come to the foyer of the library any time between 11am and 2pm.

There’s a rosé wine tasting at MUST Wine, and there are three different plays across Wanstead today, plus matinees.
* Woodrow Auditions Live
* Silk Road (kinda)
* Talking Heads (sold out).

Big batter

Thoughts go out to former Wanstead Cricket Club player Feroze Khushi this week who must be feeling pretty sick after Essex CC were docked 12 points in the county championship because a bat he was playing was was ruled to be too big.

Feroze used the Gray-Nicholls bat in a match against Nottinghamshire in April. A complaint was made at the time, but the penalty was only implemented this week after a long process which revealed that the authorities have different sized gauges to measure if bats are the right size.

Essex CCC issued a statement saying:

Essex CCC have also supported Feroze Khushi throughout the process and the Club understands the joint responsibility regarding testing playing equipment and therefore, no further action will be taken against the player.

Feroze played for Wanstead CC between 2015 and 2019 and was part of the team which won the National Club Championships. The club’s first XI is in action for the last time this season on Saturday against Hornchurch in the Essex League Cup final. The match starts at noon at Harrow Lodge, Hornchurch.