Jack Lowden to read extracts from shortlist at Walter Scott Prize ceremony
23rd May, 2019
We have some exciting news for fans of stage and screen – Jack Lowden, one of today’s finest young actors, will be reading extracts from the shortlisted books at this year’s Walter Scott Prize ceremony at the Borders Book Festival.
At just 28, Jack has already built an impressive body of work with critically acclaimed performances in TV dramas War and Peace, and, most fittingly, adaptations of two Walter Scott Prize-winning books, Wolf Hall and The Long Song. He has also played roles in the Oscar-winning film Dunkirk, and as Darnley in Mary Queen of Scots. Brought up and educated near Melrose, Jack returns to his Borders roots to help us celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Walter Scott Prize, when he will read extracts from the six shortlisted books at the prize-giving ceremony on Saturday 15th June (1.45pm). Hear Jack’s audio message to festival-goers here!
Also helping us kick off the tenth anniversary celebrations, the festival and prize has commissioned an operetta written by acclaimed novelist Alexander McCall Smith, which will receive its world premiere on Saturday 15th June at 12.00pm. With music composed and performed by Tom Cunningham, the operetta takes the character of Dandie Dinmont from Scott’s novel Guy Mannering and weaves a story and music around it. Children from Melrose Primary School will perform alongside professional opera singers – a fitting tribute for the Prize’s tenth anniversary.
Before the Dandie Dinmont operetta premiere and the Walter Scott Prize ceremony on Saturday 15th June, a panel of three of the shortlisted authors will discuss their work with Simon Savidge of SavidgeReads, on Friday 14th June at 6.00pm. Don’t miss Samantha Harvey, Andrew Miller and Robin Robertson on stage together for this event.
