Award-winning comedian Mark Steel joins artist line-up at Dartington’s Interrogate! Festival of social justice

BBC Radio 4 comedian and writer, Mark Steel, will join an exciting performance line-up that will see the arts challenge the impact of wealth inequality as part of the unique, UK-first Interrogate! Festival at Dartington Hall on 23rd to 25th September.

In a special, one-off performance while on his UK tour, the Sony Award winner will combine his witty humour with knowledge of the South Devon area to cast comic light on the festival’s theme of ‘income inequality’, which has seen much recent debate in the national news in recent months.

Mark Steel says:
“There’s something very attractive about visiting different places and finding out what makes them tick. Dartington is very distinct and the contrast between the location and social justice is stark enough to make us all sit up and think a bit.

“I won’t be bringing a powerpoint presentation and lots of graphs, but there are a handful of people who have a vast amount of wealth in this country, which is just plain wrong – unless it’s me of course!”

Mark continues:
”Interrogate! is for everybody because we can all make a difference, no matter how small.
From a simple letter to your local newspaper to actively campaigning, it all adds to the feeling that there is ‘something we can do’.

“I’m not setting out to use art to comment on social justice. The success of a comedian stands or falls on whether you can make people laugh – of course, if something constructive also comes out it, that’s a bonus.”

Mark has presented the BAFTA nominated Mark Steel Lectures for BBC2, is a regular on BBC1’s Have I Got News For You’ and BBC Radio 4’s Newsquiz. He has written several acclaimed books including Reasons to be Cheerful and What’s Going On. He also writes a weekly column for the Independent.

Also taking to the stage at Interrogate! Festival are folk figureheads Spiers & Boden (founders of multi-award-winning Bellowhead), theatre company Stan’s Cafe, poets Inua Ellams, Ben Mellor and Shane Solank and choreographer Jean Abreu, among many others, as well as a series of films by award-winning Europeans and American directors. They will be joined by some of the sharpest minds in the world of economics, social justice and health, including Kate Pickett & Richard Wilkinson – authors of The Spirit Level; social geographer and commentator Danny Dorling; ex-convict, author and broadcaster Caspar Walsh; and former GP and police examiner, Dr Sarah Wollaston MP.

David Francis, Director of Arts at Dartington, adds:
“From rousing folk music through to rousing debates, Interrogate! will be dynamic, thought-provoking and fun, offering a huge range of opportunities for everyone to take part and have their say on a subject that affects us all. With a Speakers’ Corner, People’s Manifesto, Ideas’ Lounge, Protest Marches, song-writing workshops and a choir, in addition to podcasts, live tweeting and a live Flickr picture stream, there are many opportunities for debate, discussion and action. The festival’s third day, Sunday, will focus on responses to income inequality, and has been made completely free, so that as many people as possible can take part.”

Tickets for this unique UK-first festival start at £5 with Sunday’s events free of charge. Tickets for Mark Steel on Friday 23rd 8.30pm (£15), The Big Idea with Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson on Saturday 24th 10.30am (£10) and Spiers & Boden on Saturday 24th @ 8.30pm (£15) can be booked separately to the day rate. For full information and to book visit www.dartington.org/interrogate. There are also opportunities to volunteer, details on the website.