
Into the Forest
Ian McMillan invites the listener on a walk through a world forest, with new commissions from award winning writers.
Into the Forest: Ian McMillan explores the literary possibilities of forests in different countries with a commissioned walk through a 'world forest' with contributions from the author of an award-winning memoir of a Walloon childhood ('Other People's Countries') Patrick McGuinness, the acclaimed Lithuanian novelist Kristina Sabaliauskait臈 (author of the historical series 'Silva Rerum'), and the cellist, singer and songwriter Ayanna Witter-Johnson. Hollie McNish introduces the poet Iona Lee who shares work inspired by her childhood experiences of Scottish forests.
The 'Into the Forest' Verb is part of a Radio 3 week exploring the enchantment, escape and magical danger of the forest in summer, with slow radio moments featuring the sounds of the forest, allowing time out from today's often frenetic world.
Presenter: Ian McMillan
Producer:Faith Lawrence.
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Ayanna Witter-Johnson

The musician Ayanna Witter-Johnson has written a song to frame our 鈥業nto The Forest鈥� spoken word commissions 鈥� constructed as a walk through a 鈥榳orld forest鈥� . Ayanna鈥檚 lyrics were inspired by the the work of Lithuanian novelist Kristina Sabaliauskait臈, and make references to the flora and fauna of the Ankonty forest. Ayanna recalls her childhood experience of Epping Forest and a recent performance in woodland, where she took her cello along ( called Reuben ) for a walk and improvised alongside nightingales. Ayanna has been nominated for a MOBO award and has worked alongside the London Symphony Orchestra and the 麻豆官网首页入口 Symphony Orchestra as an arranger and orchestrator.
Hollie McNish Introduces... Iona Lee

Iona Lee is a poet, visual artist and performer. Her poem written especially for The Verb is infused with the myths and legends her father taught her on family walks in Pitlochry. Despite being a reluctant forest walker as a teenager, Iona now spends a lot of time walking in the forest, as she says 鈥榚verything makes sense there鈥�. Her debut pamphlet 鈥業ona Lee鈥� is out now as part of the Polygon New Poets Series.聽
Patrick McGuiness

The novelist, poet and essayist Patrick McGuinness lived in Bouillion in Belgium near The Ardennes until he was ten years old 鈥� his award winning memoir 鈥極ther People鈥檚 Countries鈥� (Vintage) is a lyrical exploration of these early years. As a child, The Ardennes was a scary forest for Patrick, as well as a source of wonder, and a place where rabies was a still a real danger. The Walloon and French words associated with these early memories of forest seem to allow him to access the feelings of being that child, they are not simply an alternative vocabulary. Patrick discusses his worry that as the forest diminishes in scale, and the animals are driven away, we may lose our fear of the forest.聽
Kristina Sabaliauskait臈

The most celebrated Lithuanian novelist of our times, Kristina Sabaliauskait臈 is the author of the 鈥楽ilva Rerum鈥� series of historical novels, which translates as 鈥楩orest of Things鈥�. The 鈥楽ilva Rerum鈥� is a family archive book, in which different generations save recipes, poems, and other ephemera. Kristina grew up in a forest, where she was given free rein 鈥� as long as she was back for tea. Kristina lets us into some of the idiosyncrasies of Lithuanian forests and forest literature, from the presence of the bison to the qualities that different trees are imbued with 鈥� for example the 鈥榤ale鈥� oak and the 鈥榝emale鈥� linden. 聽
Broadcast
- Fri 22 Jun 2018 22:00麻豆官网首页入口 Radio 3
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