It’s time to highlight another week of storytelling in Voice by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s home in Nowhereville, unless otherwise indicated. Note that the schedule below may be subject to change during the week, please refer to the Seanchai Library website for the latest information through the week.
Sunday, July 25th, 13:00: Tea-Time At the Movies: The Philadelphia Story
The tea-time team return to 1940 and George Cukor’s romantic comedy starring starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, and Ruth Hussey. It’s also the film – believe it or not – revived Hepburn’s career after she’d inadvertently found herself on a list of Hollywood actors considered to be box office poison after appearing in a series of flops.
Based on the successful Broadway play of the same name, the film follows Tracy Lord (Hepburn), the elder daughter of a wealthy Philadelphia socialite family. Having divorced her first husband, yacht designer C.K. Dexter Haven (Grant), she is now set to marry the nouveau riche “man of the people” George Kittredge (played by John Howard). The wedding has drawn the attention of the printed media, and reporter Macaulay “Mike” Connor (Stewart) and photographer Liz Imbrie (Hussey) are dispatched from New York to inveigle their way into the the Philadelphia socialite circles with the aid of Dexter Haven, in order to get the scoop on the nuptials.
Whilst not in the least bit fooled by the subterfuge Dexter Haven attempts to use to introduce “Mike” and Liz into their world, Tracy nevertheless is disarmed by “Mike” and realises he has admirable qualities. At the same time, it is evident that her mother feels Dexter Haven is still very much part of the family, allowing him back into Tracy’s orbit. As a result she starts to find herself torn between feelings for Dexter Haven, “Mike” and poor George.
Things then get really complicated on the evening before the wedding, and spill over to the morning of the wedding itself, prompting a crisis when George walks out on Tracy. Will there be a scandal, or will the situation be rescued – and if so, by whom – C.K. Dexter Haven or the honourable Macaulay “Mike” Connor? Join Corwyn Allen, Gloriana Maertens, Caledonia Skytower, Da5id Abbott, Kayden Oconnell & Elrik Merlin to find out!
Monday, July 26th 19:00: The Weigher
A world ruled by sentiment big cats where the rule of law is enforced by the Weighers, a combination of judge, peacemaker and accountant through a brutal code of honour and combat. Without their violent intervention in things, all-out war and anarchy would ensue.
When two human explorers – fragile, weak and potentially easy prey – arrive on that world, Slasher, a Weigher of skill and talent in physical combat, finds herself defending them. In doing so, she finds herself a disgraced outcast.
Join Gyro Muggins as he read the story by Eric Vinicoff and Marcia Martin.
Tuesday, July 27th, 19:00 Hogwarts An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide
a collection of J.K. Rowling’s writing from the Pottermore archives: short reads originally featured on pottermore.com. These eBooks, with writing curated by Pottermore, will take you beyond the Harry Potter stories as J.K. Rowling reveals her inspiration, intricate details of characters’ lives and surprises from the wizarding world.
Wednesday, July 28th, 19:00 Defence Against the Dark Arts
“From Gilderoy Lockheart to Madeye Moody, and summat in between” – with Caledonia Skytower.
Thursday, July 29th,
19:00 We Continue, from The Book of Dragons
Finn Zeddmore takes the story floor with this tale by Ann Leckie and Rachel Swirsky.
21:00 Seanchai Late Night
Contemporary sci-fi-fantasy from on-line sources such as Escape Pod, Light Speed, and Clarkesworld, with Finn Zeddmore.
Friday, July 30th, 14:30: Terry Pratchett’s Unseen Academicals
Football in Ankh-Morpork is not as we might know it. Rather than being comprised of rules and played within a recognisable ground, it is far more akin to the somewhat violent mob football of medieval Europe.
Not that this is a concern for the elderly, mostly indolent and (some might be tempted to think) somewhat inept old wizards making up the faculty staff at the city’s school of wizardry, the Unseen University. Until, that is, their very handsome annual endowment becomes subject to their playing the game themselves.
Thus, Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully sets out a two-pronged strategy: to ensure the city’s version of football is restructured with proper (and favourable?) rules, and to put team preparations at the university in the hands of the talented candle dribbler, Mr. Nutt and his assistant, Trevor Likely, the son of the city’s most famous (if deceased – did I mention the game can be violent?) player, who are in turn supported by Glenda Sugarbean, who runs the university’s night kitchen and her assistant Juliet Stollop.
Except Mr. Nutt soon discovers he has problems of his own to deal with, and Trevor has promised his Mum he’ll never get involved in the game. Meanwhile, Glenda has the daily responsibility of baking the Discworld’s best pies, and Juliet is about to find herself whisked towards the heights of fame as a fashion model, thus potentially leaving the team a little short on practical advice…
Join Caledonia Skytower as she presents the 37th novel in the Discworld series, and possibly one of its greatest satirical undertakings encompassing football, academia, traditions, the fashion industry, politics, love, fandom, and which mixes in more serious themes of identity, crab mentality and self-worth.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 