“Have you ever seen anyone who can draw a masterpiece in a matter of seconds?” Biba Tarquini reviews Chris Riddell’s #BathKidsLitFest event

I only found out we were going to see Chris Riddle a few hours before the event started. We got off to a late start so we had to hastily rush into The Forum. As soon as I walked in I was taken aback. There was an immense screen above the stage, and in front of that, at a table was a figure, unmistakably Chris Riddle. He had a camera focused on his paper and pencil laid out in front of him. The camera enabled everyone in the audience to see what he was doing in front of him.

As soon as he started talking, everyone was hanging onto every word that protruded from the man’s lips. He had an amazing way to entertain the audience and that was to tell jokes and to get people to write questions on little slips of card, he would then get them handed to him on stage and he would answer them with drawings. The whole time I was having a conversation with my brain. ‘Have you ever seen anyone who can draw a masterpiece in a matter of seconds?’ I asked. My brain replied no. I thought ‘well this man is doing it right here in front of an audience!’ I was amazed how little effort he would put into his drawings and how awesome they would turn out. He mixed every sentence with a joke, which, made me love him, even more.

It ended when a lady came on stage and whispered something in his ear. He repeated it out loud for us, “I’ve just been told that I have to stop, unfortunately!” which made everyone laugh. After that everyone was allowed to get a book signed. We didn’t bring a book, so we went over to the stall selling Chris Riddle books. My sister was desperate to get his new book, The Purple Fox, but dad didn’t want to so that left her in a foul mood. But over all it was amazing and absolutely hilarious.

By Biba Tarquini