This year, in light of Covid-19, the annual Hay Literature festival which normally takes place in the early summer in Wales, remodelled itself to fit the digital requirements of the current global pandemic. Thousands joined a live-stream each evening to take part in the events. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Wordsworth’s birth, a stellar cast including the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Toby Jones, Stephen Fry and Tom Hollander came together to recite a selection of his most famous works.
I was initially sceptical of the entertainment value of watching people recite poems on my laptop for an hour with endless opportunity for distraction and boredom, however my expectations were greatly exceeded. Each poem was introduced by Shahidha Bari who provided context and insightful observations to further the viewer’s understanding and enjoyment of the performance. The performances themselves were moving, as everyone in the cast was not merely reciting the poems but living through each word. Each poem felt like a long restorative walk which was a feeling most refreshing during quarantine, where we are unable to experience and appreciate the nature that Wordsworth ardently worshipped.
Certainly, the digital aspect of the festival detracted from the impact and overall enjoyment of the experience, but it also gave the opportunity for even more people to come together and take part in these events. A staggering 24,000 people joined the livestream and even more returning to watch the recording on the website. Many of the performers chose to read outside in a beautiful country setting and Monty Don’s rendition of ‘lines written a few miles above Tintern abbey’ was accompanied by the soft sounds of cattle and chirping birds which I’m sure even Wordsworth himself would have appreciated. Jonathan Price’s performance of ‘composed upon Westminster bridge’ resonated with the current circumstance where there were constant views of silent cities under the pandemic.
The festival ended with a plea for donations as although the digital festival was free, profit is necessary for the hay festival to continue celebrating literature in the future. According to Hay’s founder and director, Peter Florence, the Welsh iteration generated approximately £28 million for the region last year. The festival not only provides a comforting shared experience for lovers of literature, but greatly transforms the area where it is held.
The festival turns reading, commonly perceived as an individual activity, into a community activity – even under these extraordinary circumstances. It simultaneously offers the attendees the escapism experienced at a regular music festival alongside the requirement to think and be intellectually involved with the events and the speakers. Despite the inevitable funding difficulties that arise due to the coronavirus crisis, it still succeeded in creating a wonderful collective environment for countless lovers of literature and hopefully, with the help of donations, will continue to do so in coming years.
