William Blake’s artwork never makes it onto shortbread tins. It is far too disturbing for that. His colours are a psychedelic nightmare. The Fitzwilliam Museum’s exhibition tries to ask, ‘Why?’ Who was this man who challenged artistic orthodoxy and why did he frame himself as Joseph of Arimathea at a time when the whole world… Continue reading William Blake’s Universe
Play’s the thing
The Director? That phrase alone conjures images of a guy with a megaphone shouting at actors. Think again. For Robin Belfield, it’s all about being the audience. Recently, I tracked him down to talk about his work with the RSC, National Theatre and his latest project with Shakespeare’s Globe. You can find the interview on… Continue reading Play’s the thing
Two new projects
On the heath and On the edge aren’t writing projects, so strictly speaking I shouldn’t be flagging them here, but I am proud to have collaborated on them with James Palmer and Louis Holder for p|arts. These two news films are rooted in Therfield Heath (Hertfordshire) and are very different to each other. The first… Continue reading Two new projects
In the news…
In the past I’ve dabbled in journalism and I recently took up the gauntlet again for the Bylines network. Here’s a piece on the folk duo Megson’s latest project ‘the Herald’ and something on the Greenbelt Festival as it turns fifty.
The Black Watch Mutiny
Since the unsettling events in London of the previous week, Royston’s ever-alert exciseman, Jeremiah Berry, had been on the look out for strangers. Had it not been for his Scotish burr, Patrick MacGregor (alias Campbell/McAlpine) might well have slipped past Berry undetected. It was not to be. On 22 May 1743 the exciseman bundled his… Continue reading The Black Watch Mutiny
Mutiny!
I am delighted to be giving this talk at Royston Museum to raise funds for the hard-working Friends of the Museum. On 17 May 1743, 100 soldiers of the Black Watch Regiment turned on their commanders. 280 years on, discover how one man was hunted down in Royston and what happened next. Mutiny!: The Black… Continue reading Mutiny!
Putting words into people’s mouths
How far is it possible to throw your voice? Catch Aiden Baker’s interview with me for East-Anglia Bylines about how unsettled a small settlement can be, patterns, borders and my attempts at ventriloquism across the centuries. Lots of things are going on under the surface….
Forecast22
I am delighted that Donna Lennard has recorded a haunting version of ‘The Blessing of the Roadborn Child’ (one of the Cracked Voices songs written by Jenni Pinnock and myself) as part of her contribution to Chelmsford City Museum’s online exhibition celebrating 100 years of public radio broadcasting. To find out more visit: Forecast22 at… Continue reading Forecast22
Revolting Royston (1): The Swing Riots
Revolution… On 28 August 1830 angry men smashed up a threshing machine in East Kent. It was not unknown for a disgruntled farm worker – worse for drink and in the gloom of night – to set fire to a farmer’s stacks of hay or straw to get his own back for some slight, but… Continue reading Revolting Royston (1): The Swing Riots
Up-cycling the past
This is about rabbits. Not your fluffy Easter Bunnies, but General Woundwort’s thugs from Watership Down, red-in-tooth-and-claw. The bullies who think they have all the answers. As they manically excavate their bunkers and scratch out secret passages, they blindly discard treasures and truth. Things of no value. Flints and buttons and fragments. Priceless incidental things. Part of… Continue reading Up-cycling the past