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16th – 19th July 2009
Henham Park Estate, Southwold, Suffolk

www.latitudefestival.co.uk

The pioneering, award-winning Latitude Festival returns to England’s Sunrise Coast for another spectacular year. Taking place on 16th – 19th July, near Suffolk’s stunning sea-side town of Southwold, organisers Festival Republic are promising Latitude will be the perfect British summer destination.

The open-air Obelisk Arena has been the stage of some epic performances over the past three years and Latitude 2009 will be no different. Lay out your picnic blanket, bask in the sunshine and get down to some of the best music around.

The impressive structure of the tented Uncut Arena houses an eclectic line-up of alternative, leftfield music; a hotbed of genre-spanning artists all offering something unique.

Take a stroll through Latitude’s fairytale woods with art exhibited within the trees and dappled sunlight shining through the leaves and you will stumble across the most exquisite space of all; the Sunrise Arena, home to tomorrow’s biggest stars.

With the shimmering lake as a stunning backdrop The Lake Stage is an open air hub of rising stars handpicked by Radio 1 DJ and new music aficionado, Huw Stephens. A place for discovery and recognition The Lake Stage brings you the freshest new acts before they even register on the radar of the music press.

Latitude’s vast appeal is in its dedication to diversity; continuously offering wonderful line-ups from the world of the creative arts. Across seven separate arenas, as well as making use of the stunning woods and lake, the most gifted and exciting comics, film-makers, visual artists, poets, authors, actors, directors and dancers around will be coming to Latitude. The Comedy, Poetry, Literary, Theatre, Music & Film, Dance and Cabaret Arenas are hotbeds of cultural experiences and fun waiting to stimulate all of your senses.



With the involvement of the country’s leading theatre companies, Latitude has established itself as one of the best theatre festivals in Europe. An auditorium has been specially designed to perfectly present a full schedule of contemporary, physical, classical, performance and local productions bespoke to the festival. Not to be contained within the confines of the stage, theatre can be found around every corner at Latitude, emerging from the woods, performed on the banks of the lake as well as the Theatre Arena, drawing inspiration from the surroundings. There’s something for everyone so take a chance on an unknown play or watch a critic’s choice at Latitude 2009.



At last year’s festival, Latitude unveiled the beautiful stage on the lake. People crammed onto the banks to sit and witness fantastic dance and performances throughout the weekend as gondolas rode by and the lake sparkled in the sun. Renamed The Waterfront, this year the stage will once again showcase contemporary, modern dance from the world’s leading companies and choreographers.

After performing with Björk, Jarvis Cocker and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. amongst others, the UK’s famous beatboxer Shlomo is bringing his ‘vocal orchestra’ to Latitude Festival. The current resident artist at the Southbank Centre together with other seven incredible musicians form the fabulous Shlomo & The Vocal Orchestra, the world’s only Beatbox Choir, a jaw-dropping show that will leave you stunned by the abilities of human voice.

Latitude celebrates the art of the written word and all its many splendid facets at Suffolk’s now legendary library by the sea. Like all good books, the Literary Arena will transport you to the far reaches of your imagination guided by the storytelling talents of the very best authors and special guests scheduled for the weekend. Discussions, Q&As, stories and comic genius are the order of the day for these book readings with a difference. Immerse yourself in Latitude’s literary world and learn, explore, laugh and discover at the best literary event of the summer. 



Positioned enticingly by the banks of the lake at the entrance to the main festival arena, Latitude’s perfectly placed Poetry Arena is a wonderful den of distraction. Curious passers-by are pulled inside by barrels of raucous laughter, pensive silences and fascinated faces, all transfixed by the raconteurs on stage. People find themselves camped out there all day, relaxing in the shade and enjoying a continuous line-up of the very best in comedy sketches, slam poets, spoken word, storytelling, rappers and much, much more. With a full schedule running throughout the whole weekend, Latitude welcomes the following funny, satirical, hard-hitting, absurd, bizarre and witty poets to the largest poetry event in Europe.

Uniting alternative worlds of cinematic wonder, musical splendour and visual brilliance, the Music & Film Arena is an exhilarating and intoxicating centre of creativity. Over the festival weekend the Arena will play host to screenings of award winning films, documentaries and shorts with Q&A sessions plus discussions with acclaimed directors and writers. These will be interspersed with musical treats and stunning, transfixing visuals combining together to create a seductive, sensory playground for all ages. 



Welcome to the biggest and best comedy festival in Britain positioned on the hill overlooking the luscious landscape of the Latitude site. The Comedy Arena is one of the biggest draws of the weekend; bursting at the seams with people as they sit back and enjoy the stellar stand up performances from the cream of the comedy circuit. A programme of the biggest names and the newest rising talent will ensure continuous laughter throughout the weekend.




If you want to experience something entirely different then seek out Latitude’s quirky den of mischief and mayhem; the Cabaret Arena. Inside you will witness comedy sketch shows, burlesque, freak shows, drag queens, sing-a-longs, illusionists and much, much more to be announced. With Vaudeville fun, sharp, incisive wit, camp entertainment and a good ol’ fashioned knees up, the Cabaret Arena positively encourages you to leave your inhibitions at the door and be game for anything and everything. This surreal bordello of surprises and spectacular stage shows is visually rich, beautiful and bizarre and will tempt and titillate in equal measure. 



The enchanted woods of Henham Park also have something to offer as art decorates the trees and fairy lights hang from the branches. Exploring the lush foliage and following where curiosity takes you, you will chance upon new experiences, little surprises and terrific treats at every turn.

This dedicated Children’s Arena is as diverse as the rest of the festival, where kids can enjoy books, art, music, theatre, heaps of participation and fun with the added opportunity to take something away, from circus skills to handmade crafts to an appreciation of the woodland setting and the nature within it. Local children’s organisations provide activities like hula-hooping, face-painting, story-telling, nature trails and wildlife walks as well as putting on plays, puppet shows and even a parade. The whole place is a giant playground for kids and parents alike not found anywhere else. With so much on offer for all the family, Latitude is the place for all generations.