THE impetus for the first Worthing World Of Words Festival can be traced to an anonymous woman who had just seen a seafront celebration of the town’s literary heritage.

“In June last year we did an outdoor show called Wild About Worthing,” says artistic director Melody Bridges.

“We had extracts from poems and plays written here, and just asked people if they had enjoyed the show to make a donation of £5.

“This lady who had been sunbathing came up to me afterwards. She said how amazing it was to hear about the town’s rich literary heritage – and rather than £5 she gave us £10 to put into a pot to do more. It was like a mission or a challenge.

“It’s where the festival came from – she has a lot to answer for!”

For its inaugural event Worthing WOW Festival has 40 events in 14 venues over eight days, ranging from competitions to film screenings, inspirational talks to improvised theatre.

While some shows reflect on the town’s literary background – Worthing having inspired the likes of Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, Laurie Lee and Harold Pinter – the programme is also designed to encourage new writers through a series of competitions.

Launching the festival is Scripted 4, the final of a play competition put together by theatre programmer Glenda Harkess.

And there are also poetry and short film competitions and a search to find Sussex’s own Mr Darcy to appear at an Austen breakfast. Education officer Beth Banner has visited more than 6,000 children in 20 schools to inspire young writers to take part in a story competition.

“Over the last few years I have received hundreds of poems and stories from writers ranging from teenagers to a 99–year–old,” says Bridges, who as well as working in theatre and film compiles the regular World Of Words page for the Worthing Herald and Gazette series.

“Having competitions inspires writers by giving them deadlines – they often don’t get things done unless there is a deadline.”

The programme includes talks by festival patrons Simon Brett, Judy Upton and Maureen Duffy, who were approached directly by Bridges.

And there is a rare screening of the cinematic version of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party at the Connaught Studio on Monday, June 16, from 6.45pm which was filmed in the town, preceded by the finalists in a short film competition judged by programmer Stefan Sykes.

Bridges hopes to build on this first year to make the festival even bigger in 2015.

“A lot of writers have been contacting me to ask if they can be involved next year,” she says.

“It’s been really positive to see people get excited about it, and wanting to be a part of it.”

Visit www.worthingwow.co.uk l Simon Brett speaks to Seven Days magazine, free with tomorrow’s edition of The Argus.

TOP FIVE EVENTS

  • Scripted4

Connaught Studio Theatre, Union Place, Worthing, Sunday, June 15 
THE final four plays selected by Theatre Akimbo and Worthing WOW from more than 40 entries are debuted as rehearsed readings.
The finalists are Did Not Finish by James Withey, The Car by Emily Hennings, From A To B by Judey Bignell and I Will Survive by Andrew Kay with the best going on to be developed as a full–scale production in the spring.
7pm, £6.50. Call 01903 206206

  • WOW Family Picnic and Book Fair

Pavilion Theatre, Marine Parade, Worthing, Saturday June 21
WORLD Of Books joins forces with the World Of Words for activities and a story–telling session including the premiere of the winning Secret Sea Story penned by Worthing schoolchildren.
10am, picnic £3, book fair free

  • I Believe In Unicorns

Connaught Studio, Union Place, Worthing Saturday, June 21
ANOTHER chance to see The Argus Angel–winning performance of Michael Morpurgo's children's tale aimed at five to 11–year–olds.
2pm, £7.50, Call 01903 206206

  • Austentatious: An Improvised Novel

Connaught Theatre, Union Place, Worthing, Saturday, June 21
A COMEDY in the style of Jane Austen built entirely from audience suggestions, on its first national tour after selling out runs in London and Edinburgh.
4.30pm and 7.30pm, £14.50, Call 01903 206206

  • Maureen Duffy And The Worthing Poets

Connaught Studio, Union Place, Worthing, Sunday, June 22
THE Worthing WOW Festival patron joins forces with Worthing Poets to talk about her life and career. Plus the premiere performance of the WOW Poet winning verse.
7pm, £10.50, 01903 206206