Cambridge Edition October 2023 - Newsletter

YOUR MONTHLY FIX OF

LOCAL LIFE

OCTOBER 2023

Let our winter dining guide whet your appetite What’s cooking?

Giveaways up for grabs at Kibou and Glasswells WIN!

We share an audience with Rupert Everett Backstage

autumn doorway to WE’RE ALL EYES ON OCTOBER, AS YOUR TRUSTED HANDBOOK FOR LOCAL HAPPENINGS

WELCOME

Falling for autumn ith the city abuzz with new openings, festivals, exhibitions and events, October is promising to be a busy month here in Cambridge. In Culture Club, we celebrate two decades of Cambridge Literary Festival – an event which we’ve been covering since Edition ’s earliest days over 12 years ago. Back then, it was a boutique gathering known as Wordfest, but today it’s grown into a twice-annual literary celebration of international acclaim. We sit down with founder Cathy Moore on page 18, as she looks back proudly on two decades. We’ve got the lowdown on Cambridge Film Festival, too, plus local author Menna van Praag shares how the city inspired her magical new novel Child of Earth and Sky . We also head backstage on page 16 with Rupert Everett, Hollywood leading man and star of A Voyage Round My Father , which stops by Cambridge Arts Theatre this month. On the food front, there are exciting new eateries to explore, as well as a chat with culinary rising talent Marcus Clayton, who tells us about his remarkable road to an international chef contest this month. If you fancy winning a feast for you and your friends, check out our competition on page 39, where we’ve teamed up with newcomer Kibou to give away a meal for six. We’ve also got a £250 voucher for top home store Glasswells up for grabs (page 69), a round-up of the best books to curl up with this autumn (page 20), plus a guide to festive

EDITORIAL Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright.uk.com

Cambridge Edition Magazine Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage. • Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area. Deputy editor Phoebe Harper Editorial director Roger Payne Chief sub editor Matthew Winney Sub editor Ben Gawne Junior sub editor Lori Hodson ADVERTISING Sales director Sam Scott-Smith 01223 499457 samscott-smith@bright.uk.com Ad manager Maria Francis 01223 492240 mariafrancis@bright.uk.com CONTRIBUTORS Miriam Balanescu, Mark Box, Charlotte Griffiths, Katie Kasperson, Charlotte Phillips, Anna Taylor, Angelina Villa-Clarke & Elisha Young DESIGN & PRODUCTION Senior designer Lucy Woolcomb Junior designer Hedzlynn Kamaruzzaman Ad production Andy Jennings MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck

feasts and seasonal treats in our winter dining special (page 45). Enjoy the issue and see you next month!

EDITOR IN CHIEF

FIND US @CAMBSEDITION | CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

Contents

39 KIBOU GIVEAWAY 43 CHEF INTERVIEW 45 WINTER DINING GUIDE 55 EDUCATION 65 INDIE OF THE MONTH 67 HOME EDITION 69 GLASSWELLS GIVEAWAY

04 STARTERS 09 ARTS & CULTURE 18 LITERARY FESTIVAL 20 BOOK CLUB 26 HUMANS OF CAMBRIDGE

28 ON THE BOX 32 FOOD NEWS 35 ELISHA EATS 37 REVIEW

71 INTERIORS 82 GARDENS

Illustration by Hedzlynn Kamaruzzaman, inspired by a photo from Alina Ivanova

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LOCAL LIFE

STARTERS

@CATWITHMUZTACHE

@HARPERPHOEBE

Follow @cambsedition on Instagram for lots more stunning snaps of the city

@AVOKAVDO

@THECAMBRIDGEACADEMIC

# instacamb Our favourite Cambridge Instagram pics of the month. Use the #InstaCamb hashtag for a chance to feature!

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LOCAL LIFE

This month’s must-haves from local indies WISH LIST October

1. Sugarhill Anwen boilersuit, £82, Lilac Rose With a flattering tailored shape and 70s vibe, this jumpsuit is the perfect all-in-one outfit for autumn 2. Frankie cable knit, £69, Iris & Violet Embrace the cooler weather with this chunky, two-tone knit pullover, available from city-centre indie Iris & Violet 3. Needlepoint pillow, £125, Ark A sardonic scatter cushion for those days when you absolutely cannot... 4. Pazuki Gaia shirt dress, £299.95, Cuckoo Clothing Whether you dress it up or down, this stunning shirt dress is guaranteed to make a statement with its unique, geometric print 5. Candle holder (XS), £7.95, Angela Reed This amber-hued tealight holder gives off a soft glow that’s perfect for cosying up the house over autumn 6. The Alfred trilby hat, £245, Laird Hatters Green Street’s marvellous milliner is the place to go in Cambridge for stylish, handmade headwear like this plush trilby, available in a range of colours

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Culture Club

TAKE A BOW Cambridge Music Festival (page 14) will see the acclaimed 12 Ensemble descend on the city

feast your ears A SCINTILLATING SEASON OF CONCERTS AND CULTURE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN ON A SILVER PLATTER

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CULTURE CLUB The must-see events around Cambridge this month Arts & Culture

As the burnt hues of autumn transform nature’s colour palette, there is no better way to let the great outdoors unlock your inner creativity than with a guided arts course. Check out a range of programmes – available either online or as ‘classroom courses’ taking place in Cambridge’s idyllic Botanic Garden. From developing your watercolour technique to creating your own unique fine art prints or studying the intriguing folklore of wildflowers, Cambridge Botanic Garden’s adult learning courses are sure to inspire and inform. Secure your spot now at botanic.cam.ac.uk FOR AN ARTISTIC AUTUMN AWAKENING

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HEONG GALLERY We Could Be Heroes... Like the two lovers separated by the Berlin Wall in David Bowie’s iconic 1977 anthem of a troubled city, Iranian-British artist Soheila Sokhanvari’s upcoming exhibition – taking its name from the song – echoes themes of separation and longing. In We Could Be Heroes... , showing at the Heong Gallery from 5 October 2023 to 4 February 2024, Bowie’s wall is replaced by the 1979 Islamic Revolution, as well as the fracture between Soheila and her home country – a place she no longer recognises. For exhibition curator Dr Prerona Prasad, the Heong Gallery is the ideal location to display Soheila’s collection of modern miniatures, as a place that invites contemplation and a closer look. “Sokhanvari’s art reflects on a vision of Iran that only survives in the memories of those who grew up in the country before 1979. The message is one of solidarity and hope: a reminder that Iranians, and Iranian women in particular, have a long history of resistance and resurgence,” she shares. The display follows three core strands: portraits of prominent female voices silenced by the revolution, paintings of the artist’s loved ones composed from pre-revolution photographs and a series of drawings that tackle Iran’s struggle for democracy through the lens of one of its most precious commodities – crude oil. In a poignant interplay of meaning and material, Soheila brings to life faded black and white family photographs in miniature drawings formed by layer upon layer of crude oil, reminiscent of the sepia tones of old holiday snapshots. Elsewhere, repurposing traditional mediums to deliver powerful messages, Conquest of the Garden depicts the artist’s mother on a garden chair, as clenched fists sprout from flower beds. Made using egg tempera on vellum, in the mode of centuries of Iranian miniature painting, the art lends its voice to a message that gained new prominence in the country’s Woman, Life, Freedom movement. An undeniably beautiful display, We Could Be Heroes... is a moving showcase of the complicated relationships between the social, the political and the individual.

PICTURES OF THE PAST Me and Dad, crude oil miniature series (top left);

Conquest of the Garden (top right); She’s a Rainbow, portrait of Shoorangiz Tabatabaee (bottom)

5 Oct 2023 – 4 Feb 2024

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As spooky season descends, these events are sure to get you in the Halloween spirit FESTIVAL OF THE DEAD 7 OCT, CAMBRIDGE CORN EXCHANGE Don’t miss Europe’s biggest touring Halloween show. With fancy dress compulsory (the more extravagant the better), expect an intoxicating blend of carnival, circus and clubbing with world-class performers. Strictly 18+, tickets from £31. GHOST STORIES BY CANDLELIGHT 26 OCT, CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION A spine-tingling evening of tales told by candlelight, accompanied by haunting folk music from the ‘witch counties’ of East Anglia. Prepare to settle in for an atmospheric performance. Pay what you feel from £2.50 (suggested £15). SPOOKY WOODLAND WALK 27-29 OCT, AUDLEY END HOUSE AND GARDENS A family-friendly Halloween stroll in the company of ghost-hunting storytellers. Suitable for children aged five to 12, this is a light-hearted excursion starting in the early evening. Tickets from £6.50 for members of English Heritage. A HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

An evening of classical escapism Classical music aficionados rejoice; the highly anticipated series of Kettle’s Yard chamber music concerts have been announced for the 2023/2024 season. Commencing on 12 October, the programme kicks off with the Carducci Quartet playing Dvořák’s American String Quartet . The concerts will continue with regular Thursday evening performances all the way through to May 2024, with other October highlights including Kitty Whately (mezzo-soprano) accompanied by Simon Lepper (piano) on 19 October, and pianist Susan Tomes on 26 October. Showcasing a vast roster of talent, the series has been meticulously curated by chamber music programmer Justin Lee. For those seeking to enjoy the full season, subscription tickets are available, offering significant savings if attending all 15 concerts. Performances take place in the Kettle’s Yard house, against the intimate backdrop of its 70s extension – known for its salon-like atmosphere. As the former home of Helen and Jim Ede – renowned art collector – the house epitomises the celebration of arts and culture. Head to kettlesyard.co.uk to book your tickets. Following a deeply successful run in his native Wales, Phil Okwedy’s production The Gods Are All Here will tour England as part of Black History Month. In this poignant piece of storytelling, Phil’s commanding one-man performance weaves folk tales with African diaspora myth. The show was inspired by the discovery of several letters sent from Phil’s father in Nigeria to his mother in the UK, and touches on the fraught experience of growing up as a child of dual heritage in 60s and 70s Wales. Unpacking themes like racism, equality and freedom, The Gods Are All Here is also a humorous portrayal of how it might be if our parents were the gods we imagine them to be. Produced by Adverse Camber and directed by Michael Harvey, catch it at the Cambridge Junction on 29 October. THE GODS ARE ALL HERE

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ONE FOR THE CALENDAR

This November, the breathtaking St Edmundsbury Cathedral opens for the annual Christmas market. The fun runs from Thursday 23 November to Saturday 25 November – doors open to welcome shoppers between 10am and 4.30pm. Free to attend, the market will showcase more than 50 stallholders from Suffolk and beyond; it’s the perfect place to find your Christmas gifts. You’ll get the chance to browse stalls while also taking in the beautiful setting of the cathedral. In addition to the shopping experience, there will be daily entertainment for visitors, including carols and live music. St Edmundsbury Cathedral is located in Bury St Edmunds, a beautiful market town in Suffolk with plenty to offer visitors. So when the shopping is complete, you’ll be free to find cafes, restaurants, museums and much more!

A trio of eclectic and unmissable live music experiences to put on your radar this October Three great gigs

HOWARD JONES 9 OCT, CORN EXCHANGE A pioneer with regard to electronic music, new wave legend Howard Jones is kicking off a world tour to celebrate 40 years in the music industry. Don’t miss his stop in Cambridge!

CARA DILLON 5 OCT, CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION

SPEECH DEBELLE 11 OCT, PORTLAND ARMS The 2009 Mercury Prize winner returns to the city with her hotly anticipated new release – and her first record since 2017 – Sunday Dinner On A Monday .

Northern Irish folk songstress Cara Dillon enchants with her ethereal voice, combining traditional folk songs with spoken word.

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CAMBRIDGE MUSIC FESTIVAL MUSICAL MOMENTS

The forthcoming season of the Cambridge Music Festival gets in full swing this October, with an enticing array of concerts ranging from traditional Syrian and North Indian music to world-class western classical musicians. The programme is the carefully considered work of director Justin Lee, and showcases a selection of artists and performances that are unlikely to be heard elsewhere. “We are just thrilled to announce our autumn 2023 concert series. In a city featuring so much music, Cambridge Music Festival stands apart for the exceptional quality and variety of the artists and music featured. There is something for everyone, and we hope that you will join us in celebrating all of the wonderful music on offer,” Justin enthuses. The extravaganza begins on 17 October with a mesmerising recital from the Takács Quartet at the West Road Concert Hall, performing Haydn’s Opus 71 No 2 as well as Beethoven’s Razumovsky Quartets . Throughout November, highlights include a choral masterpiece at King’s College Chapel, where the choirs of King’s and New College, Oxford will be accompanied by the Philharmonia Orchestra to perform The Creation by Joseph Haydn. On 10 November, the chapel will host a moving tribute to Sir John Tavener, commemorating the tenth anniversary of the composer’s passing. For the complete programme of events, visit cambridgemusicfestival.co.uk

SIDE-SPLITTING SKETCHES Featuring the city’s finest up-and-coming comics, The Footlights International Tour Show: The Search Continues hits the ADC Theatre from 4 to 7 October. Having made waves at the Edinburgh Fringe and on a US tour, the famous sketch troupe returns to Cambridge to recruit its sixth group member. If you’re looking for a laugh, this is not to be missed.

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MODERN-DAY MAGIC

For local author Menna van Praag, the honey- hued steeples and the atmospheric, historical streets of Cambridge have long been a source of inspiration. “Any storyteller would agree that Cambridge is completely enchanting,” she shares. “The history, magic and fantasy – it just seeps out of the walls.” The city’s colleges and cafes have provided the backdrop to several of Menna’s magical realism novels, including The Dress Shop of Dreams (which was inspired by All Saints Passage), and now in the long-awaited final chapter of the Sisters Grimm trilogy – Child of Earth and Sky . A dark and beguiling tale of fantasy fiction split between a contemporary urban domain and the haunted otherworldly realm of Everwhere, Child of Earth and Sky is the last instalment following the lives of Goldie, Bea, Scarlet and Liyana – half-sisters ‘born of bright- white wishing and black-edged desire’ with the ability to wield magical powers. The books chart the girls’ journey from their teens through to their thirties. Now, Goldie is mother to eight-year-old Luna, a child conceived in the realm between life and death who ushers in the new generation of the Sisters Grimm. Although each book can be read separately or as part of the series, Child of Earth and Sky continues its key themes of sisterhood, friendship and growth. “It was important to me to follow the sisters through their whole journey – from their experience as daughters and teenagers to becoming mothers themselves, and the entirely new set of issues that introduces,” says Menna. A departure from her magical realism novels – which are generally considered much lighter reads – the Sisters Grimm series ventures into altogether darker territory. Despite its supernatural subjects and fantastical themes, Menna uses fantasy fiction as a compelling vehicle for tackling major real-world issues such as feminism, patriarchy, historical prejudices embedded within the criminal justice system and domestic violence, with much of the story taking place in a women’s refuge. “I wanted to write something in a palatable way that addresses serious issues in society, and by putting some magic in there, it’s almost like wish fulfilment. If I had those powers, I would do something about it,” she comments. Child of Earth and Sky

While inviting readers to reflect on these topics and inequalities, Menna delivers the comfort many of us look for when we choose to read fiction, by drawing the trilogy to a close with a resoundingly hopeful finish. “I struggle to read fiction that’s really depressing because we are confronted with so much of that in the news,” she muses. “I can go dark with my fiction, but always need an uplifting ending.” As the autumn chill descends and darker evenings creep closer, this is a book for cosying up with, particularly in the run up to Halloween. For Menna herself, it’s the time of year when she most comes alive. “This is definitely a Halloween read – it’s my favourite non-holiday and it’s an occasion when you’re allowed to be a kid again. You can visit the dark side, transform yourself and celebrate that spirit of rebellion,” she enthuses. A transporting novel where fantasy flirts with reality in a thrilling modern fairy tale, Child of Earth and Sky promises to be the ultimate October read for those craving an atmospheric dose of escapism. “Autumn is a time full of promise – the nights are drawing in but it’s not quite as miserable as winter. Everything, to me, just feels a little bit more magical.” To hear more on the book, An Evening with Menna van Praag will take place at Waterstones Cambridge on 18 October. The author will also be speaking at Topping & Company Booksellers of Ely on 24 October. Child of Earth and Sky by Menna van Praag is published by Bantam and will release on 19 October 2023 (£16.99)

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17 - 21 Oct

BACKSTAGE Of Fathers and Sons In conversation with Phoebe Harper, Rupert Everett shares his thoughts on heading back out on tour in John Mortimer’s A Voyage Round My Father

A play brimming with hilarity, eccentricity and thought- provoking moments of reflection, taking the lead role in John Mortimer’s celebrated autobiographical work A Voyage Round My Father was a no-brainer for Bafta and Golden Globe nominee Rupert Everett. “I had wanted to do a play that was nostalgic and remembered this piece – it’s like Chekhov meets Dad’s Army , which I find extremely compelling,” he muses. Touted by critics as a funny and moving portrayal of family life in 20th- century Britain, the play foregrounds the fraught relationship between a young man and his father – in particular during the former’s unconventional childhood. Rupert first encountered the play during his own youth after being enamoured by Mortimer’s television series Rumpole of the Bailey , and immediately fell in love with its bucolic backdrop. “It’s a beautiful and brilliant piece of writing,” he remarks. “It brings to life a summer you imagine from when one was young, when it was warm all the time and bees would buzz around the garden.”

Described as rather like a ‘collage of scenes’, the performance is delivered through a narrated series of flashbacks, each one a reflective snapshot capturing moments from childhood and beyond. “In a way, the play is a strange kind of portrait by a son of his father,” he expands, with Rupert himself assuming the role of the titular patriarch Clifford Mortimer: a cantankerous, ageing barrister whose blindness remains an unacknowledged truth among his long-suffering family. “It’s extremely funny, but incredibly moving also,” he describes. This enigmatic character has previously been portrayed by acting legends such as Sir Laurence Olivier in a 1982 screen adaptation and Alec Guinness for its inaugural 1971 stage performance, followed by Derek Jacobi in 2006. Now, Rupert will bring Mortimer’s proud paterfamilias to life under the direction of former artistic director of the National Theatre, Richard Eyre. “It’s a great character, and in playing it, so much of the work has been done for you thanks to the wonderful writing and its conception,” he comments.

Equally as captivating as the play itself is Rupert’s return to theatre – once again immersed in the convivial and intimate atmosphere of rehearsal rooms before hitting the road at the end of the month for a UK tour. For him, it’s a space that offers an avenue for connection that has become a rarity in our increasingly virtual world. “What I find so compelling and exciting about theatre nowadays is that it’s all about community,” he affirms. “You step into a rehearsal room and all your barriers come down. Rehearsals to me are a great celebration of life since they are all about communicating, opening up and trusting each other.” Ahead of the performance’s stint at the Cambridge Arts Theatre from 17 to 21 October, Rupert confesses his enthusiasm at the thought of returning to the city and treading the boards once again. “I feel very lucky to be able to do it and communicate with an audience in this way, it’s extremely exciting.”

For more information and to book your tickets, visit cambridgeartstheatre.com

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CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL 20 years of

WORDS AND WONDER Ahead of November’s Winter Festival, we reflect on a major milestone for the Cambridge Literary Festival with founder and artistic director Cathy Moore

WORDS BY PHOEBE HARPER

T hey say it takes a village to raise a child, and I believe that it takes a community to build a festival.” Over the past 20 years, the Cambridge Literary Festival (CLF) has evolved as a respected fixture of the national cultural calendar and a must-visit event for bibliophiles everywhere. From its grassroots beginnings as a one-woman passion project, CLF has drawn in excess of 250,000 audience members over the years and routinely features an esteemed roster of authors and literary speakers – from Nobel Prize winners to media personalities and Poet Laureates – across its two annual festivals. For Cathy Moore, CLF’s founder and artistic director, the event’s origins are firmly rooted in her own contagious love of literature. Indeed, the idea was sparked while working at Waterstones after moving to Cambridge with her young family. “I’ve always been passionate about books and sharing them with people who

might be interested,” she continues. “While at Waterstones, I fell into an event manager role by default, since I was always inviting people along for events or book signings!” One such person was revered Scottish author and CLF honorary patron Ali Smith, who had been invited for a signing of her newly released novel Hotel World . Both women soon got talking about the success of the recent Hay Festival and its importance as a literary event. For Cathy, the seeds had been sown. “Cycling home that night, I spent the whole journey thinking Cambridge needed something like that. By the time I arrived, I was just questioning: ‘How hard could it really be?’” FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS Feeling inspired, Cathy set to work approaching booksellers, venues and the University of East Anglia, getting in touch with several key authors before launching the inaugural Cambridge Wordfest, as it was then known, in March 2003. A resounding success, the initial instalment was very much a collective effort, with various players offering their services to contribute to its success. Heffers agreed to act as bookseller, the Arts Theatre ran the box office, while the three original venues lent their spaces for free – including the Arts Picturehouse, CB2 Cafe on Norfolk Street (now Thrive), and Borders bookshop (now TK Maxx). With the core components in place, all Cathy needed was an enthusiastic band of local friends to help as volunteers. “It felt like a real community project,” she recalls. Following the success of the Spring Festival, the Winter Festival was added to the calendar in 2008 as CLF organically grew – incrementally furthering its footprint throughout Cambridge.

16 - 19 Nov

FOUNDING THINKER Cathy Moore, founder and artistic director of Cambridge Literary Festival

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These aren’t voices you get to hear every day “Equality is so important to us, and from the beginning we’ve tried to give a voice to minority groupings,” she comments. “This hasn’t always been easy, working with an industry that’s historically white and male-dominated.” Thankfully, the festival has grown alongside an ever-maturing industry that is becoming more of a level playing field in terms of promoting equal opportunities for voices beyond the traditional publishing landscape. This runs parallel to CLF’s mandate of showcasing new and exciting figures on the literary scene. “Ever since we started, we have hosted a debut writers’ panel for that very reason,” she continues. This year’s Winter Festival panel will feature multi-award-winning journalist and author Yomi Adegoke; former editor of the London Review of Books and debut novelist Tom Crewe; plus author Helen Macdonald, as she promotes her first work of fiction. PAUSE FOR THOUGHT On this milestone occasion, Cathy looks back fondly on a multitude of standout moments in the rich tapestry of CLF’s history. These include some incredible occurrences, from hearing the Belarusian Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich discuss her groundbreaking endeavours in two-way translation, to accidentally rooting around in P D James’ handbag in search of a missing roving microphone. Turning to the Winter Festival ahead, Cathy highlights several speakers who are at the top of her personal radar, including the former British prime minister Theresa May discussing her new release, titled The Abuse of Power ; former cricketer turned psychoanalyst Mike Brearley; as well as honorary patron Bee Wilson launching her first cookery book. “We’ve had a roll call of astonishing people on the stage; these aren’t voices you get to hear every day,” she enthuses. Now operating as a charity with a ‘hugely supportive’ board and a small, dedicated team behind it – all of whom share the same passion for literature that sparked its inception – CLF has a fruitful future ahead. “My ambition has long been to ensure the festival has a life beyond me, and I’d say we’re at that stage,” closes Cathy.

WRITERS’ REIGN The biannual event sees some of the greatest literary minds descend on Cambridge

VARIED VOICES In 2014, Cambridge Wordfest became CLF and entered its new incarnation as a registered charity, while continuing to uphold its core beliefs of providing a platform for diverse voices, debate and discourse by sharing a love of books. “Our charitable remit is all about education, but the festival aims to inspire a passion for the written word – it’s equally for enjoyment,” shares Cathy. Although CLF leverages its location in a city described as ‘the bedrock of academic life’, with many patrons and speakers from that background, it’s also a cultural event that caters to both town and gown. Each year, great effort goes into curating a programme that is culturally diverse, inclusive and accessible.

View the full programme and book your tickets at cambridgeliteraryfestival.com

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Book Club CAMBRIDGE EDITION Cosy up in the cool weather with this month’s most riveting reads, including tales of grief, survival and heartwarming discovery

WORDS BY CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

Death Valley: A Novel BY MELISSA BRODER

Maintaining family relationships is hard work. Surviving in the desert is harder – but only just. This surrealist, darkly funny novel sets the mental challenge of grief against the sun-bleached, water- parched landscape of California’s Death Valley: the hottest place on earth. Our unnamed narrator, a 40-something writer, is struggling. Her husband is chronically unwell with a flu-like illness, and five months ago her father was critically injured in a car accident in Los Angeles. He now lies in intensive care, leaving the narrator and her family stranded between worlds. Her father occasionally wakes for brief periods of time, only to fall back into unconsciousness, and the most recent round of these events have seen her run to the desert to escape the cycle and try to work on her stalled novel. She checks into a Best Western hotel just south of Death Valley, desperate to make progress on the book – and by extension, on herself. After arriving, she receives a text from her mother: her father is awake again, but she should not come back. Our narrator calls to find out about her father’s health, but her mother swiftly moves the conversation to the apparent necessity of returning multiple pairs of sweatpants, batting away any of her attempts to connect on a deeper, more emotional level. Her mother is handling the crisis by staying busy and focusing on logistics, while our narrator,

bewildered by her mother’s obsession with minutiae, is completely paralysed by the ebb and flow of her emotions. What exactly does it mean to handle something well? Stricken by guilt for not being at her father’s bedside and consumed by self-loathing for finding her husband’s illness annoying, the narrator takes a suggestion from the hotel receptionist and goes for a hike in the desert. She starts off on the trail while texting her mother, who has messaged to say the sweatpants have finally been returned and that she should be sure to take water on her hike. She hasn’t, but lies about it to her mother. Our narrator doesn’t quite know why she does this. Annoyance makes her put her phone away, determined to connect with the experience of the natural world more fully – which is when she first spots the improbably enormous cactus that will become the scene of her unravelling – and her awakening. This moving book poses questions about the everyday and the exceptional – as well as the way in which life itself can be both at once. It’s incredible that we are here at all, and yet losing someone important still feels like an otherworldly, impossible experience. We might feel in control of events, and yet all it takes to completely upend our lives is a moment in which we miss a turning, stumble off-trail and slip into another reality.

DESERTED Melissa Broder’s story of grief transforms into a journey of awakening This moving book asks questions about the everyday, the exceptional and the way life is both at once

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THE VASTER WILDS BY LAUREN GROFF

Another extraordinary novel from this writer who can do no wrong. Once again, The Vaster Wilds is a complete shift in subject and content from Groff’s previous works: here we find ourselves in early colonial America, swooping down to follow in the frantic footsteps of a young servant on the run, escaping a tiny settlement into the bleak, unrelentingly harsh wilderness. As we run alongside her, pieces of the story begin to fall into place. She is starving, has stolen her boots from a boy who died from smallpox, and has a few snatched possessions under her cloak. This escape was not planned, or at least not planned well. She runs towards the living, and battles doubts about her ability to make it. What does it mean to survive? What does it take to adapt? You will find yourself holding your breath as she takes risks, sometimes calculated ones, sometimes immediate decisions in the flash of a moment. Her need for food forces her to hunt, clumsily at first, then more confidently as she adjusts to her new reality. “If I stop, I will die,” is the mantra she repeats as she moves through the wilderness, determined to live. Groff’s writing does not let up: we are hit with wave after wave of unrelenting descriptions of her pain, of the girl’s wrenched and raw flesh, her distended starving belly, her blessed relief at finding food – all set against her mental interior and the searing sense of injustice, of loss, that powers her on. This is perfect fodder for anyone transfixed by the survival series Alone , or those of us who simply immediately read anything Groff puts her name to. A truly unforgettable tale that will haunt you long into the winter months and make you pause, grateful, before stepping out into the cold.

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THE KAMOGAWA FOOD DETECTIVES

BY HISASHI KASHIWAI

Is there a meal you can remember from your past that you’d love to eat again? Step forward, The Kamogawa Food Detectives . Written by Hisashi Kashiwai, this book was a smash hit in Japan and has been translated into English by Jesse Kirkwood. The story follows restaurateur Koishi Kamogawa and her retired detective father Nagare: together they run an unassuming-but-beloved diner in the backstreets of Kyoto. However, it’s in the diner’s back office where things start to get interesting. Koishi and her father also work a niche small business as food detectives, tracking down tastes and resurrecting recipes for clients to reconnect with flavours from their pasts. The agency has no sign outside and they don’t promote their services, save for a brief, single-line advert in the back of Gourmet Monthly magazine. The offering is simple: explain what you know about your dish and give the duo two weeks to run investigations, before returning to the diner ready to eat and unlock forgotten memories. As you’d hope, the food writing is truly superb: the richly evocative dish descriptions and intricate Japanese cuisine featured in each experience will leave you wishing you could taste the meals whisked up for the agency’s clients.

As the short but sweet chapters pass along, the familiar structure to each tale begins to slot into place; the repetition comforting as you start to feel like one of the diner’s regulars, sat at the bar with a steaming cup of tea and a folded newspaper, chuckling at the new client’s inexperience. Pleasingly, this is the first book in a promised series, so if you do find yourself charmed, there should be plenty more on the menu in the future. Reading this heartwarming book almost feels like watching a quiet box set: it’s the perfect accompaniment to a rainy autumnal Sunday.

FOOD FOCUS Read about recipes tinged with nostalgia from this Japanese bestseller

Koishi and her father also work as food detectives, tracking down tastes and resurrecting recipes

Author talks Take a trip down to Trinity Street for an intriguing programme of literary events taking place in Heffers Bookshop throughout the month

ACCUSATORY, LIBELLOUS, OR JUST BIZARRE – A HISTORY OF ANONYMOUS LETTERS 24 OCTOBER Historian Emily Cockayne dives into her fascinating new work Penning Poison . The book is a gripping account of how letters have been used to spread anxiety throughout the past, particularly within English society between 1760 to 1939.

TRANSLATING HOMER – AN EVENING WITH EMILY WILSON ON THE ILIAD 6 OCTOBER Following her translation of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey , Emily Wilson has established a reputation for breathing new life into classics through contemporary interpretations, combining intellectualism with readability. She will discuss her latest work and the challenges of adapting Homer.

A LOST MASTERPIECE – AN EVENING WITH ULINKA RUBLACK 19 OCTOBER

A Cambridge scholar and fellow of the British Academy, Ulinka Rublack shares her illuminating new book Dürer’s Lost Masterpiece: Art and Society at the Dawn of a Global World , which promises to shed new light on the meaning and creation of the celebrated German artist’s works at a transitional point in his career.

Tickets are £8 for general admission and can be purchased online

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK OCTOBER 2023 23

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

WHAT IS LOVE CAMBRIDGE? Love Cambridge is the brand developed by Cambridge Business Improvement District (BID) to deliver a range of events and projects that animate and entertain our city. Offerings include the Love Cambridge Gift Card, open- air cinema nights, Wimbledon screenings, magazines, maps and more.

WE LOVE TO SUPPORT CITY FESTIVALS! Cambridge BID supports many events and festivals throughout the year. Here’s a quick look at what’s to come this winter

Visit love-cambridge.com or @lovecambridge_ on socials.

CAMBRIDGE JAZZ FESTIVAL

Cambridge Jazz Festival returns in November for two weeks. Since 2015, the festival has brought international masters, national treasures and local talent together – and 2023 will be no exception! This year’s edition celebrates the best female jazz bandleaders on the scene, including festival artist in residence Emma Rawicz, as well as YolanDa Brown OBE, Zoe Rahman, Alice Zawadzki, Alcyona Mick and many others. The festival’s visual artist in residence, Gina Southgate, will be painting the performances, capturing the magic on canvas. You can also catch Manchester indie-jazz icons A Certain Ratio, the funked out Incognito, UK jazz vocalist extraordinaire Cleveland Watkiss MBE, plus

steel pan band leader and jazz master Leon Foster Thomas, who’s doing a concert and workshop at Jesus College. Celebrating emerging talent will be a key part of the programme, with rising stars featured in Jazz in The Round at Cambridge Junction, Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band at Storeys Field, and all across the fringe programme of the festival. You can also enjoy family events, a piano trail across the city, club nights, film screenings, workshops and all sorts of other engaging events throughout the city. Whether it’s trad, bebop, modern, jazz-funk, Nu jazz, Latin jazz, international, national, local, town or gown – it’s all in Cambridge Jazz Festival 2023. cambridgejazzfestival.info

12 - 26 Nov

CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL

panel (with Tom Crewe, Yomi Adegoke and Helen Macdonald), plus an evening of poetry from Lemn Sissay. Food writers Rick Stein, Grace Dent and Bee Wilson will be on hand to tempt with foodie tales, and visitors can catch an exploration of the politics of beauty from Elif Shafak and Afua Hirsch. These unmissable conversations will be held in stunning venues like the Cambridge Union Debating Chamber and the Old Divinity School at St John’s College. Tickets are available now from cambridgeliteraryfestival.com

Cambridge Literary Festival returns this November with talks to entertain, inspire and examine current issues. Speakers include Theresa May and Chris Bryant MP, who will present examinations of conduct in parliamentary life from both sides of the house. Meanwhile, ITV’s Robert Peston will ask whether the West has gone economically, politically and socially bust, while Andrew Marr and David Reynolds explore the historic leadership of Churchill. The festival also welcomes Jonathan Coe, Sebastian Faulks and a debut writers’

16 - 19 Nov

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK OCTOBER 2023 25

STREET STYLE

Cambridge Photographer Mark Box shares some of his favourite portraits from the streets of Cambridge this month – can you spot anyone you know?

@enchanted_ catswiftie is a huge Swiftie, and also illustrates cats!

ABOUT THE PROJECT Humans of Cambridge is an Instagram photoblog by local photographer Mark Box. It began as a lockdown project and has turned into a sensation, featuring an ever-growing number of Cambridge’s colourful characters on the @humanofcambridge grid. Mark is out most days snapping, and can usually be found in the Market Square, on King’s Parade, Burrell’s Walk and Garret Hostel Bridge – your best bet for being papped is to head out around lunchtime wearing something suitably eye-catching!

Here, it’s all about colour and finding similar tones in the background to complement the subject. Those blue headphones really pop!

Popular Harajuku street fashion takes its roots in Japanese street culture, drawing inspiration from a variety of sub-styles

26 OCTOBER 2023 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

STREET STYLE

This human wears what’s known as Hanfu, traditional dress of the Han Chinese

Pretty in pink

When blue is the colour that suits you most!

With her fiery red hair and longboard, @revengeofthestorm_ is ready to take on the road

You can’t get more dapper than this fine gentleman

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK OCTOBER 2023 27

SCREEN TIME

MADE FOR MOVIE LOVERS

A FILM FEAST

Discover your October on-screen essentials

Amon Warmann, critic and programmer at this year’s Cambridge Film Festival, speaks to Miriam Balanescu about what’s in store for 2023 O ne of the key events in the Cambridge calendar, October ushers in a cinematic treat at the Arts Picturehouse, luring remind audiences of the magic created in Technicolor way back when. We also want to focus on themes like looking to the future, exploring our identities. The environment is a big one for us this year because art and the natural world have always had that symbiotic relationship.” While the festival’s biggest releases are flocks of film lovers from near and far to catch a break from the cold outside and snuggle up with popcorn in front of a good movie. Cambridge Film Festival is the third-longest-running film fest in the country and wouldn’t exist without its core team of programmers. Empire critic Amon

This fraught romance between Irish Academy Award nominees Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan is set on a farm in a dystopia, questioning whether love is replaceable. Where to Watch: UK cinemas When: 20 October FOE

yet to be unveiled, Amon teases that “they have massive, massive stars in them, to the point where you will hear the title and be like: ‘Oh, yes, I wanted to see that.’ “It’s all about variety and quality wherever we can

Warmann says this year’s line-up is all about ‘striking that balance’ between the golden oldies and fresh voices. “We’ve got to celebrate acclaimed

We want to champion the new talent on the scene

find it,” says Amon, explaining that the programming team are not dealt an easy task in selecting from

filmmakers, but we also want to

hundreds – even thousands – of films. “It’s very intense but also very fun, talking with the team on a regular basis about what they’ve watched.” At the crux of Cambridge Film Festival is a troupe of dedicated voluntary cinephiles who are involved in all aspects of creating and producing. As one of the UK’s smaller festivals, it would be impossible for it to run without them. “Programming smaller festivals provides us with interesting challenges, especially as it pertains to supporting independent filmmaking – and then trying to make exhibition sustainable,” adds Amon. “There needs to be more support for small creative products in the UK. “Festivals such as this, they are not just about stating daily life, they are about celebrating life – and that’s what cinema can offer.” ‘Passion for cinema’ keeps the festival running year after year, says Amon. “The way the team talks about it – and the way they feel about it.”

champion the new talent on the scene and acknowledge some of the classics as well,” Amon says. “We want to start a little bit of excitement with the Powell and Pressburger representation to

This tongue-in-cheek take on a gritty urban drama is packed with cameos. In a quest to become serious roadmen, everything goes wrong for Riko and Kane. Where to Watch: UK cinemas When: 13 October SUMOTHERHOOD

Helen Mirren plays a staunch leader during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. While director Guy Nattiv’s imagining can feel unsubtle, Mirren’s role stands firm. Where to Watch: UK cinemas When: 6 October GOLDA

A PALETTE THAT POPS Powell and Pressburger will receive special attention, with represantation for their Technicolor classics at Cambridge Film Festival

28 OCTOBER 2023 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

SCREEN TIME

A tragedy wrought with pitch-black humour, the legendary Martin Scorsese adapts David Grann’s semi-fictionalised account of the Osage Indian murders, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone. Where to Watch: UK cinemas When: 20 October KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Carol Morley’s compassionate caper is inspired by the real life of little-known artist Audrey Amiss. In a last snatch for recognition, Audrey persuades her psychiatric nurse to take her on a road trip. Where to Watch: UK cinemas When: 27 October TYPIST ARTIST PIRATE KING

Scorsese and De Niro take the spotlight in a special season at the Arts Picturehouse Picturehouse Picks

SIGHT & SOUND TOP 10: CITIZEN KANE This 1941 film directed, produced by and starring Orson Welles, has spawned countless references. A reporter tackles the dynasty of magnate Charles Foster Kane. 29 October

CAPE FEAR Martin Scorsese put his spin on J Lee Thompson’s 1962 film with this thriller. Former convict Max Cady (Robert De Niro) plays mind games with the family of a lawyer who gave him a shoddy defence during trial. 7 October

FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980) It wouldn’t be Halloween without watching a horror movie – and this slasher is undoubtedly still one of the best. Counsellors at a reopened camp which hides a dark past are killed off one by one by an unknown murderer. 13 October

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK SEPTEMBER 2023 29

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

THE FOODIE’S CHOICE Plans are afoot at Cambridgeshire’s finest destination for local produce, The Gog

A utumn is now upon us, welcoming an abundance of the country’s best fresh produce and an excuse for starting hearty meals and gatherings. And there’s nowhere better to enjoy this fine bounty than at The Gog. Found in the verdant swathes of the Gog Magog Hills, The Gog is the proudly down-to-earth destination for the finest local produce, boasting multiple awards for its butchery, delicatessen and cafe. A veritable haven for foodies, exciting developments are now underway as The Gog prepares for the cooler seasons, with new products and changes to the shop layout on the agenda. Regarded as the UK’s ‘food Oscars’, The Gog now has nearly thirty homemade products that hold the coveted ‘Great Taste Award’ title. The latest to be added to this prestigious roster include its signature

chicken kyiv and beef wellington, both of which have been awarded two stars and are destined to be huge hits with the Cambridge food crowd this season. Elsewhere, alfresco dining continues on site, with the likes of Steak and Honour, Guerrilla Kitchen and other Cambridge food trucks making regular appearances once again at the weekends. Finally, carnivores rejoice, as The Gog Steak Club returns. Those with an appetite for quality meat should register for exclusive access to specials including dry-aged ‘Gog Reserve’, wagyu, kobe, plus discounts and classes. Email hello@thegog. com for the special-access newsletter

The Gog Farm Shop, Heath Farm, Babraham Road, Stapleford, Cambridge CB22 3AD thegog.com

SEAR AND THERE The Gog stocks an unrivalled selection of fine meats

ON THE MENU FOR OCTOBER On 1 October, Liz of ‘The Modern Table’ fame will be serving up one of her fantastic feasts down at The Gog. Starting at 1pm, tickets include canapes and a drink on arrival, a starter, main and dessert – priced at £75 per person. Book at themoderntable.co.uk

30 OCTOBER 2023 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

Savour&Sip

HIT THE FIG TIME have your cake WHET YOUR APPETITE WITH OUR WINTER DINING GUIDE, A DUMPLING DEEP DIVE AND A TALK WITH A TALENTED YOUNG CHEF

Win a Japanese dining experience! SEASONAL BOUNTIES

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK OCTOBER 2023 31

SAVOUR & SIP

A monthly round-up of delicious happenings around Cambridgeshire

Apple of my eye Head to Burwash Manor Farm for its annual Apple Day on 8 October – and join the autumnal fun! There’s plenty on offer for kids and adults alike, such as demonstrations from expert apple identifiers and growers, games stalls, falconry, face painting, a steam train and the Sawston Steel Pan Band. Plus, enjoy apple-infused food and drink, like juice, cider and other sweet treats. All proceeds from the event go to The Sick Children’s Trust. Help them beat last year’s total of £5,500 – entrance is £3 per adult, with kids under 12 going free. Burwash Manor Farm, New Road, Barton, Cambridge CB23 7EY burwashmanorfarm.com

PAGE-TURNER

Pages Coffee House is the newest addition to Cambridge’s caffeine scene. Located at 40

Trumpington Street, this indie cafe will serve beans from London’s Monmouth roastery. Patrons can enjoy speciality beverages like matcha and turmeric lattes, and delicious small bites baked daily. Owner Jasmine Jayyousi grew up in Cambridge and has seen businesses come and go. “Every time I came back, I’d notice the independent places had disappeared to give way to bigger chains,” she admits. “I moved back to Cambridge with the desire to add another independent spot to the mix, in the hope it becomes a core part of the community and keeps Cambridge’s unique spirit alive.” Pages opens 9 October, serving from 8am to 4pm (9am on Sundays). Pages Coffee House, 40 Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1QY Instagram: @pagescambridge

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