ILKLEY Playhouse is bustling with books this week as we continue to provide the Ilkley Literature Festival with two great venues and a well-stocked cafe. Still to come are two events with an important Playhouse connection.

The winner of the Walter Swan Trust Poetry Prize will be announced on Sunday, October 15 at 3.15 pm in the Wildman Studio. This prize allows poets to have their work reviewed by their peers and featured as part of Ilkley Literature Festival. The short-listed poems will be considered by Daljit Nagra, the Festival’s Poet in Residence.

The Walter Swan Trust was founded in 2014 in memory of Walter Swan, former manager and Artistic Director of the Playhouse. The Trust promotes creative writing in his memory, and provides opportunities to new writers.

This event will be followed the next day with the Walter Swan Lecture, delivered this year by theatre, TV and film actor, George Costigan. George, whose career includes Rita, Sue and Bob Too, Happy Valley, Line of Duty, and more, has written his first novel and discusses his career with Yorkshire Post journalist and Playhouse member Yvette Huddleston. The event takes place in the Wildman Studio on Saturday, October 14 at 3.45 pm.

The “Reg effect” is making its way to Bingley Little Theatre on Sunday, October 8. After three sell-out performances at Ilkley Playhouse, by popular demand My Night with Reg is continuing its tour. If you missed this brilliant production of Kevin Elyot’s beautiful, funny and important play then book soon: tickets are selling fast. Tickets can be bought online or by phone directly from the venue.

The theme of writers continues with our November production of Philip Meeks’ comedy thriller Murder, Margaret and Me. This examines a sometimes difficult relationship between two successful women, crime writer Agatha Christie and eccentric actress Margaret Rutherford, and how it might have developed. The fictional Christie turns detective to investigate the sadness beneath Rutherford’s jolly persona. A hit at the New York Fringe Festival last summer, the play won awards and critical acclaim.

And finally – if, by the end of October, you are missing your Playhouse cake fix, then come down to the next Alfie Robot Retro vintage fair on Saturday, October 28, when the Playhouse doors will be open for vintage fashion, homeware, music and cake! Doors open at 10am.

My Night With Reg: October 8 at 7pm, Bingley Arts Centre. Tickets available from the venue. Ilkley Literature Festival September 29 to October 15. Tickets available from the Literature Festival website. Murder, Margaret and Me, October 1 to November 11. Tickets available at ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk or call 01943 609 539.