Figures of Speech takes you on a journey through Scottish books
Figures of Speech is a new cross-artform series of live events that will bring together writers and artists to take us on a road trip through Scottish literature. We look ahead to what's in store
With 2022 being hailed as Scotland’s Year of Stories, it's the perfect opportunity to dive into our nation's most iconic books, as well as explore the dazzling array of new Scottish voices on the horizon.
New literary series Figures of Speech promises to do both. It’s a programme of literary events taking audiences on an odyssey across the curious contrasts and contradictions that define Scottish literature, aiming to offer a fresh look at Scottish classics new and old.
Figures of Speech takes the form of six live, in-person nights of discussion featuring expert guides who will be covering six universal themes – Music, Friendship, Future, Love, Place, and Big Ideas – in relation to Scottish literature. Each event sees two writers paired together to offer their takes on one of the above themes.
In addition to these six events featuring 12 writers, Figures of Speech will also be supported by eight newly commissioned pieces of work from contemporary artists inspired by the themes. These new works will offer creative interpretations and reimaginings of some of Scotland’s most well-known and well-loved stories.
The first event, held on Friday 20 May, centred on the music theme. Two razor-sharp music writers were assembled for a talk: journalist and broadcaster Nicola Meighan and music critic Arusa Qureshi, who recently published Flip the Script – a book about women in UK hip-hop. The pair's conversation explored what characterises and defines Scottish writing when music and words come together.
The upcoming Figures of Speech events are below.
Friendship: Michael Pedersen & Val McDermid
Friendship is the topic of discussion during this tour through Scottish literature with celebrated crime author Val McDermid and poet and Neu! Reekie! host Michael Pedersen. Be it Peter Pan and Wendy from JM Barrie’s childhood classic or Renton and his gang of ne'er-do-well pals in Trainspotting, passionate and problematic friendships can be found throughout the history of Scottish literature. This should be a fascinating chat.
Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh. 24 Jun, 7.30pm
Future: Russell Jones & T.L. Huchu
The final event in the first season of Figure of Speech takes audiences to the future. Poet Russell Jones and author T.L. Huchu will be exploring how Scottish writing on the future has exemplified both the hopeful optimism and wry pessimism of our nation. They’ll be delving into utopias, dystopias and heterotopias from some of Scotland’s most loved sci-fi stories, from Iain M. Banks' the Culture series to Josie Giles’s Deep Wheel Orcadia.
Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh. 22 Jul, 7.30pm
Another trio of Figures of Speech events are coming up later in the year covering three more universal topics. Gaelic poet Peter Mackay and romance writer Jenny Colgan will be talking Love on 23 September, while visual artist and writer Amanda Thomson will be discussing the importance of Place in Scottish literature with poet and filmmaker Roseanne Watt on 21 October. The season comes to a close on 30 November with a discussion of Big Ideas in relation to Scotland with professor David Farrier sitting down with climate activist and author Jessica Gaitán Johannesson.
Tickets for the second season of Figures of Speech will go on sale later in the year.