This chapter offers a descriptive focus on consecutive interpreting (CI) of interviews in
English for an Italian-speaking audience at the annual Mantua Literature Festival in
Italy. Introductory remarks on how this relates to more widely studied interpreting scenarios
are followed by an overview of practical arrangements for CI at the Festival. Short
extracts from interviews with authors are then examined, in each case comparing the English
original with a transcription (and back-translation) of the Italian interpretation. A
number of features are discussed (e.g. establishing a rapport with the audience, authors’
views on their characters, emotional participation), with tentative conclusions about the
interpreter’s approach and priorities in such cases.
