Festival Watch: A Weekend at Latitude 2017

Forget your troubles and venture into the woods. Now in its twelfth year, Latitude Festival 2017 is a magical, musical and (surprisingly) not too muddy weekend.

Latitude is a different kind of festival, operating at a different pace. Spread across 15 stages, you might think you would be running around trying to see absolutely everything. Instead, I felt like I could wander and explore in my own time, and not just the acts but the atmosphere too. With stalls, food stands (but a Waitrose on hand), there's an air of comfort and familiarity. There's something for everyone, everywhere. Comedian Tessa Coates joked, "This isn't a festival; it's a fete!" And that's not a bad description.

There's a communal feel to the whole thing. On the campsites, you'll have ample conversations with neighbours, whether you're borrowing sun-tan lotion, sharing a drink or helping someone put down a pop up tent. (N.B. it took eight stewards' help to do so.) Across the stages, you'll draw, dance and debate with new found friends. The Theatre Tent proved one of particular conviviality and was the only tent to form its own queue. This in itself was a conversation starter: "What time does this show start? Oh, okay...and what are we queuing for exactly?"

Some things worth queuing for here included Dickie Beau's Re-Member Me, bringing Shakespeare to Suffolk, and Locker Room Talk literally trumping proceedings. Aside from these and offerings from the Old Vic and Royal Court, there was a distinct lack of theatre in the Theatre Tent. As it turned out, you had to journey elsewhere to find these shows...

Under canopies of codfish, pianos played and pop up performances appeared in the Faraway Forest. One highlight was the theatrical installation "Come To Where I'm From" by Paines Plough, featuring stories from more than 100 writers which encouraged audiences to reflect on their own ones too. Spacing these shows out did encourage traditional arts audiences to explore more, going off the beaten Bard track.

However, finding these shows did prove difficult, not geographically but in the actual programme. During the course of the weekend, I did not stumble across a single musical and only saw a handful of plays. Instead, dance was the dominating feature with a whole stage dedicated to it: Dance on the Waterfront.

We ended up spending more time here and in the Cabaret Tent than the actual Theatre Tent. Starting the festival with the rather muted Voices of the Amazon, Sunday promised a lot to shout about including performances from National Youth Dance Company and Katherine Jenkins. Interviewing Dickie Beau, we were lucky enough to have the wonderful and wistful Jenkins serenading us as we sat on the banks of the river.

The headliners, of course, drew big crowds. Jenkins' was so large, she arrived on a boat! Mumford & Sons thrilled on Saturday night, while crowds were split between the Obelisk and BBC Music Stage on Sunday, for Fleet Foxes or Fatboy Slim. Aside from these, however, there weren't a lot of mainstream acts on offer. At one point, my friend mentioned that she was looking forward to Somersby. Given how many acts I had (or rather hadn't) heard of that day, I assumed it was a group. (Turns out it was a cider.)

Crowds also packed into the Comedy Tent for Katherine Ryan and Simon Amstell. Once seating and standing and peering rooms were taken, some resorted to watching from the toilet queues next door! Amstell's signature downbeat, dark humour fell flat in new material from What is This?, particularly after following the ball of energy that is Aisling Bea. Comedy was also split across various stages, with double-acts Goodbear and Lola and Jo taking centre stage in the Cabaret Tent.

Away from the big laughs and bright lights, we found solace in SOLAS on the last night. Described as "the warming heart of Latitude", you immediately understand why. In the day time, it's a healing space with rejuvenating workshops. At night, it takes on a whole other energy. Lights and water dance in the moonlight, as you dance to some of the best sounds from emerging artists. We chose to sit back and relax in make shift, Peter Pan like beds, listening to Blue Lab Beats. It's both lucky and unlucky that we only discovered this on the last day. I could have happily spent all of the weekend there.

"Into the woods,
It's time to go,
I hate to leave,
I have to go..."

With pink sheep, green grass and refrains of "Purple Rain", Latitude Festival is a spectrum of joy. You'll hate to leave, but you know the magic and music will draw you back soon.

Latitude Festival at Henham Park, 12 - 15 July 2018

Photo Credit for cover image: Jen O'Neill