Tue 19 August 2025

Wendy Erskine

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Tue 19 August 2025
Time
Doors: 7:30 pm
Pricetag
£13 incl. booking fees
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Drawing Room - fully seated
Musical Notes

WAITING LIST
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In conversation with Hugh Odling Smee

Wendy Erskine’s debut novel, The Benefactors, is one of the most hotly anticipated publications of 2025. Named as a Guardian debut novel of the year before its release in mid-June, The Benefactors follows four Belfast families in the aftermath of a sexual assault allegation – the mothers of the three boys accused of the crime, and the victim, her grandmother, and taxi-driver father. This astounding novel about intimate histories, class, money, and parenthood, follows Wendy’s two award-winning short story collections, Sweet Home and Dance Move.

Wendy will be chatting to Hugh Odling Smee, Film Hub NI project manager and founder of Whittrick Press, about her successful writing career, which came after years as an English teacher, a job she still maintains, her first novel, and what she is working on next.

Our book partner Waterstones will have copies of The Benefactors on sale with a special festival 10% discount, which Wendy will sign. It is also available to buy at Waterstones Bangor, Lesley Bloomfield Shopping Centre – and you can still claim the 10% Festival discount if you present any Open House Festival 2025 ticket.

Please note this is a festival event and an Open House Festival Ticketsolve login will be required to be book tickets.

Please note this event is fully seated. If you have any accessibility requirements please get in touch with us here.

Strictly 18+