I rarely agree with blurb on the front cover of books - but in the case of Carmen Maria Machado's Her Body & Other Parties I can only concur: "brilliantly inventive". This is a raw roller-coaster of a read which takes no prisoners. It shies away from nothing; indeed, Machado deliberately goes deep into her … Continue reading “Her Body & Other Parties”
Category: Plays
“Shakespeare”
Part biography, part critique, part chat - there's an awful lot to like about Judi Dench's depiction of her career in Shakespeare's plays. Laid out as conversations with her friend and fellow actor Brendan O'Hea, Dench takes us through all the Shakespearean roles she's tackled, play-by-play. And we are rewarded with so much: an actor's … Continue reading “Shakespeare”
“Homer’s Odyssey”
Just because this interpretation of Homer's epic has been written by Simon Armitage, the British Poet Laureate, it would be understandable for you to assume "Homer's Odyssey" is going to be a poetic epic. But it is not. Written specifically as a radio play, Armitage succeeds in delivering a very readable and accessible version of … Continue reading “Homer’s Odyssey”
“Statements”
Statements is an absolutely stunning collection of three plays by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona. Written in the early 1970s, the plays lay bare the horror of what it was like to live in the racist South Africa of the time. I can only image how powerful and electrifying it must have been … Continue reading “Statements”
“The House of Bernarda Alba and Other Plays”
The thing that strikes me most about the three plays in this collection (even in translation) is how powerful they must be to witness performed live. Indeed, should I ever get the chance to see The House of Bernarda Alba I will be hard-pushed not to take it. I imagine that with an entirely female … Continue reading “The House of Bernarda Alba and Other Plays”
Performing “Crash” again was great!
It was tremendous fun to perform "Crash - the last thirty minutes of a life" once more, this time at the inaugural Market Rasen 'WordFest' event on Saturday. It could end up being something I do regularly while I am able to... me performing 'Crash' at the Old Courthouse, Market Rasen, 6th July 2024 The … Continue reading Performing “Crash” again was great!
“Crash” performance is tomorrow!
Clip from the Market Rasen Mail: Really excited to be performing Crash again tomorrow, plus further readings of poetry and prose an hour later! Click on the image above to be taken to the booking page, or the button below for the event website. The WordFest website
Booking for Market Rasen ‘WordFest’ performances now open!
Booking is now open for events at the Market Rasen 'WordFest' literary day on Saturday 6th July. I have two limited-seating slots: a second performance of Crash, and a more casual 'pop-up' hour of readings and conversation. BOOK HERE. From the reviews of the 2023 Ripon Theatre Festival Performance: A very moving piece of performance … Continue reading Booking for Market Rasen ‘WordFest’ performances now open!
The performance is now official!
From the reviews of the 2023 Ripon Theatre Festival Performance: A very moving piece of performance poetry that captivated the audience. Beautifully executed with fabulous imagery. Thought-provoking, soul-baring, and delivered with such poignancy and realism that it left a lasting impression. Crash is impressive solo story-telling, a dramatic homage to T.S. Eliot that counts down the last minutes … Continue reading The performance is now official!
“Crash” – a new performance this year!
Following its debut performance at the 2023 Ripon Theatre Festival, I will be performing my dramatic poem Crash - the last 30 minutes of a life at the inaugural "WordFest" event in Market Rasen this summer. The performance will be on Saturday 6th July at 10:45 in the Old Magistrates Court, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, UK. … Continue reading “Crash” – a new performance this year!
Ian Gouge - Writer 