5x15, Corn Exchange, Brighton, May 19

From its origins in a west London pub, 5x15 has developed a cult following, which makes it more than a glorified book talk. It has one of those titles that would make a certain wood preservative manufacturer happy, the concept is exactly as it says on the ticket: five speakers talk without a script for 15 minutes each.

Returning to the Brighton Festival for the second time, art critic Martin Gayford started proceedings with tales about his dealings with the eminent David Hockney.

Award-winning novelist Elif Shafak, who had the billing of the most widely read woman writer in Turkey, captivated the sold-out audience in Brighton’s Corn Exchange with a short story based on three Cs: coffee, childhood and communism.

Theatre critic Susannah Clapp spoke about her friendship with novelist and journalist Angela Carter, who died at the age of 51.

Poet Tishani Doshi read emotive extracts from her latest collection based around living in, leaving and living away from her home in Chennai, India.

Photographer Giles Duley brought proceedings to a fitting close with a moving personal tale about whether his work travelling to war zones was worth losing both legs and an arm for, after he stood on an improvised explosive device.

The breadth of the speakers’ knowledge could not be criticised, although it was disappointing to see the organisers not reach beyond its chosen social set.

You couldn’t help but think more inspiring individual tales could have been heard from those who have experienced extreme feelings rather than those who have observed or manufactured them.

Yet this is a small criticism and, if nothing else, the event entertained and got those present feeding off the musings of the assembled intellectual quintet.