The Festival will not only showcase Lewis’ diverse works and legacy but his strong connections to his cchildhood home of east Belfast. Through a series of events and activities including talks, film, theatre, arts, crafts, readings, music, workshops, exhibitions, tours and literature - everyone is invited to open the wardrobe door to the world of C.S. Lewis.
Clive Lewis Staples, known to his friends as Jack, was ‘born and bred’ in east Belfast; a place he would often return to throughout his life. His works have inspired a huge number of adults, through his books on theology and literary criticism, and millions of children through his most well-known works The Chronicles of Narnia.
A World War I solider, a lecturer at Oxford and Cambridge, an expert in medieval and renaissance literature, poet, sci-fi writer and friend to another literary great - J.R.R. Tolkien - the festival will explore these facets of C.S. Lewis and especially his fond, life-long relationship with his childhood city.Highlights of this year’s festival include the premiere of The Inklings at Belvoir Players Studio written by Roger Courtney and performed by The Clarence Players.
The play will explore C.S. Lewis’ relationship and meetings with J.R.R. Tolkien, and other literary companions, as they shared and discussed each other works.