When she published The Monogram Murders in 2014, Cambridge-based author Sophie Hannah became the first person in nearly 40 years to write a novel starring the mustachioed sleuth, Hercule Poirot. It’s a classic Christie thriller, with three bodies, a posh hotel and a bumbling sidekick, and was written, Hannah has said, as a ‘gift’ to the author and her fans.
In this free public talk, she will discuss how she got her hands on Agatha Christie’s most famous detective as well as delving into her own award-winning back catalogue of psychological crime thrillers. It takes place at 6pm, 12 February at Lucy Cavendish College.
Climate change, culture change
Representatives from Oxfam, Greenpeace and Cambridge University will appear together on 7 February for a discussion on climate change and capitalism.
Join them for Climate Change: Culture Change, in which they’ll be questioning whether capitalism is an obstacle for climate change and whether politics is the solution. The speakers are Dame Barbara Stocking, former CEO of Oxfam and president of Murray Edwards College; Professor Anthony Giddens, author of The Politics of Climate Change and Stephen Tindale, former executive director of Greenpeace and co-founder of Climate Answers.
They, along with other speakers, will be sharing their experiences and expertise with a view to engaging people and ultimately paving the way for a better future. The forum takes place at St Catharine’s College, see online for the programme. Tickets are £35 or £10 for students.
Be inspired by stories of adventurers and explorers as the Banff Mountain Film Festival brings a series of short films to Cambridge as part of its Festival World Tour. These exhilarating documentaries will transport you to some of the most captivating and visually stunning places on earth while showcasing a range of adrenaline- fuelled sports you may or may not have come across before. It takes place at Lady Mitchell Hall, 10 February, 6.30pm.
Tickets are £13 (£11 concessions).
Female portraits at Jesus College
Three portraits of women have replaced traditional paintings of men, hanging in the dining hall at Jesus College. These iconic portraits, showing characters from paintings by Manet, are by celebrated artist Agnès Thurnauer and form part of a groundbreaking exhibition.
Dr Rod Mengham, curator of the College’s Works of Arts Committee, says: “Placing the three female portraits in the Hall is making a big statement about female self-definition in an institution which encourages women to realise their true potential but which – like other colleges – surrounds them with images of male pre-eminence.”
The exhibition will be displayed in the college until 8 March. Thurnauer explains: “For Manet, these women were not only models but colleagues and working women.”
Jesus College’s history is steeped in links with strong women but the College did not admit female students until 1979. Dr Mengham adds: “The College has a tradition of pushing for gender equality but cannot avoid its history, some of which reflects a less than gender-equal society. Art can help us examine our assumptions and confront aspects of our culture we might not otherwise be comfortable with.”
For details and opening times call 01223 339339.
