From Luton to Crutons, poetic insights with legendary performing poet John Hegley

Enjoyable and informative conversation with one of England’s national treasures, John Hegley. Bio photo by Polly Hancock

Luton to Crutons, poetic insights with John Hegley

More about John Hegley

Born in Newington Green,Islington, North London. Now in neighbouring borough of Hackney with partner, artist Mel Brimfield. Educated in Luton and Bristol schools drawings, verse and small amount of baroque dance.and the University of Bradford – Sociology/European Literature and the History of Ideas. Sustained exploration of father’s French roots.First work in writing and performance with Interaction Community arts, London, 1978whose interactive ethos and techniques continue informing work.John Peel sessions with The Popticians, Radio1, 1983/4. Host of Border TVpoetry series, Word of Mouth, 1989.

Perrier Comedy Award nominee, the same year. Three Series of Hearing with Hegley, Radio 4 – 1996-2000.  BBC Online poet in residence 1999.2010 – working with Company Paradiso in ‘Warning, May Contain Nuts’ alongside BBC Radios Sussexand Berkshire, challenging stigmas around mental illness. 2012 – Keats House poet in residence.2019 – Arts Council of England funded project working with four fellow poets, taking childrento art galleries to delve into, and respond to art works. (‘Putting You in the Picture”Twelve books – most recently New and Selected Potatoes, with Bloodaxe books.Workshops in prisons, hospitals, schools. Touring and festival presentations with music.

John Hegley – Poet and Comedian

There’s masses of interesting stuff about John’s Islington connection in a blog called Islington Faces. Who knew that our man was once in a production of The Pajama Game directed by Simon Callow?

John’s programme about his relationship with the French Baroque composer Jean-Philippe Rameau Who Does John Hegley Think He Is? can also be found here or via the app. It will be available until midnight on 31 December January 2098 so be sure to put that date in your diary to be certain you don’t miss it.

JOHN HIGHLY RECOMMENDS: Poetry For Good is a social enterprise cleaning company based in London which is launching a new national poetry competition to celebrate and publicise the lives and stories of the nation’s Key Workers – cleaners, shopworkers, couriers, nurses, etc. Entry is free, open to anyone aged 11 or over and runs to 26 March. The judges will be three up and coming poets whose new specially written work can be viewed on the website.

JOHN HIGHLY RECOMMENDS: Mel Brimfield’s From This World, to That Which Is to Come is open both in person at The Tetley in Leeds and online until 30 August 2021. Free, donations welcome. The show takes its title from John Bunyan’s 1678 parable The Pilgrim’s Progress, which describes a fictional pilgrimage from ‘The City of Destruction’ to ‘The Celestial City’.

STOP PRESS – Thunderbolt Bristol Gig 24 September

Coming up soon is a gig alongside Diego Brown and the Good Fairy at The Thunderbolt Bristol on Friday 24 September at 7.30pm. Use this link for tickets. This is the third attempt to get this show off the ground, please support it if you possibly can.

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