Behind the Scenery - CACN podcast ep 9
John Hegley interview
Tom Speight chats with John Hegley about A Scarcity of Biscuit published by Caldew Press for the latest episode of Cumbria Arts and Culture Network's 'Behind the Scenery' podcast.
For more information or to purchase a copy of John Hegley's A Scarcity of Biscuit please email:
EVENT - Sunday 5th March 2023
Into The Wild - reading
Everyone really enjoyed hearing poems from
Into The Wild read by Nick Robinson at his event at The Yellow Door on Sunday 5th March 2023.
It was an insightful afternoon, exploring the power of the outdoors, the inspiring landscape of the Lake District, Nick's personal connection to it and the ideas behind his poetry.
Thanks to Nick, Helen and The Yellow Door in Dumfries for making the event happen!
Into The Wild published by Caldew Press is available now, including at Bookends in Carlisle.
To purchase a copy of Into The Wild please email:
IN MEMORIAM
Crysse Morrison
I was saddened to hear of the passing of Crysse Morrison in December 2022. It was my privilege to get to know her a bit during work on the upside down book - two collections in one - 'Dance For Those Who'd Rather Not' and 'What's It Like For You?' co-written with Hazel Stewart (as Live and Lippy), and published by Caldew Press in 2022. It was through Hazel that I got to know Crysse via a Zoom meeting and her numerous correspondence via email. My condolences go to all her family and friends. Crysse was such a talented writer and I came up with a few words in tribute to the woman of words.
Phil Hewitson, Caldew Press
Woman of Words (A song for Crysse)
You played your part
upon the sacred stage
You were live, you were lippy
You weaved your tales
which by others were heard
Stories spun by the
Lady of language
Woman of words
Did you give a thought that
you'll live on in pages
in a legacy of syllables
and a legacy of rhyme
Like the wisdom of sages
you leave behind
a for ever feisty word-weaver
conjured up by the mind
You touched the lives of others
with your generosity
Lived your life just the way
you wanted to be
Championed emancipation
and harnessed imagination
Now you're that free spirit
a spirit set free
We salute you
and the dance you danced
for someone else
And all those questions that you asked
Snippy, cheeky, knowing remarks
that left your smiling lips
And the keys to communicate
right at your fingertips
You played your part
upon the sacred stage
You were live, you were lippy
You weaved your tales
which by others were heard
Stories spun by the
Lady of language
Woman of words
NEW RELEASE
Living is easy with eyes closed
art and environmental crisis
By Fliss Watts
An essay on art, economics and environmental crisis, originally developed in a series of art exhibitions in Cumbria.
Fliss Watts examines the biggest crisis facing the world today and, using her artwork, explores how art can and perhaps should engage with the issue. She questions the separation of the human from nature, discusses the idea of unending economic growth, and asks if we can imagine alternatives to the environmental crisis into which we appear to have sleepwalked.
Published by Caldew Press in 2022.
Price £6.50 (plus postage and packing).
EVENT - Thursday 24th November 2022
Carlisle Folk Experience
John Hegley and Errant Thieves joined Jean Hill's Carlisle Folk Experience at the RAOB Club in Carlisle on Thursday 24th November 2022, for an evening of music and poetry, including readings and performances from A Scarcity of Biscuit, published by Caldew Press.
For more information or to purchase a copy of John Hegley's A Scarcity of Biscuit please email:
EVENT - Saturday 1st October 2022
Carlisle Poetry Symposium
Caldew Press was at the Carlisle Poetry Symposium held at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery on Saturday 1st October 2022.
It was wonderful to see and hear from all the talented poets and writers, and to take part in the inspiring workshop before the main event.
Thanks to Andy Hopkins for all the organising and looking after the bookstall.
EVENT - Thursday 29th September 2022
John Hegley at Keats House, London
John Hegley and friends perform at a cabaret to celebrate John Keats and act as a launch for the collection A Scarcity of Biscuit, including readings and songs.
The audience enjoyed a wonderful evening held in very special surroundings.
Special thanks to Rob Shakespeare and the team at Keats House.
For more information or to purchase a copy of John Hegley's A Scarcity of Biscuit please email:
EVENT - Monday 29th August 2022
Brampton Community Centre - Open Day
Caldew Press supported the open day event and friends from Brampton Poets.
There was also the opportunity to meet the Mayor, Carlisle City Councillor Mike Mitchelson, alongside David Simmons and his 'Carlisle in Haiku Form' project.
Thanks to Ali and the team for organising the day.
EVENT - Wednesday 20th July 2022
John Hegley at Live Theatre, Newcastle
As part of his Biscuit of Destiny tour John Hegley performed material in preparation for his Edinburgh Fringe shows, after extreme heat had effected the rail network and a mad dash in a taxi from Carlisle.
Copies of 'A Scarcity of Biscuit' were sold and John signed them at the end of a laughter-filled evening.
Thanks to the Live Theatre team for all their help and assistance.
John was also presented with a copy of the latest SpeakEasy Magazine (the Freiraum Phase 2 edition).
EVENT - Saturday 16th July 2022
Cumbria Unity Festival
Healing together was the main theme for the Cumbria Unity Festival, as well as celebrating and engaging with different communities, in this instance, in the Carlisle area.
The main event was held at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle. As part of a packed programme people were able to share words, poems and stories at the SpeakEasy poetry open mic.
Thanks to everyone involved for making the event happen.
Congratulations to Mark Griffiths and GRID - an outside inside journey through Cumbria for making the short list for the 'Lakeland Book of the Year Awards 2022, Wordsworth Grasmere Award for Literature and Poetry'.
Thank you to the organisers, judges including Hunter Davies OBE, Fiona Armstrong, Eric Robson OBE, sponsors James Cropper, Wordsworth Grasmere, Latitude Press Ltd, Bookends Bookshop, The Bill Rollinson Award Association, Striding Edge, The Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, and Stonecross Manor Hotel for hosting the event.
Here are some photos of Mark collecting his runner-up prize.
GRID - an outside inside journey through Cumbria is available now priced £8.00.
For more information about the collection please email:
EVENT - Tuesday 12th July 2022
Lakeland Book of the Year Awards 2022
GRID - an outside inside journey through Cumbria by Mark Griffiths - runner up
Martyn Halsall, Kelly Davis and Kerry Darbishire launched their poetry collections at Cakes & Ale cafe in Carlisle on Friday 8th July 2022 with an evening of readings from Visible Music recently published by Caldew Press, and Glory Days published by Hen Run, Grey Hen Press.
Thanks to Lucy, Stephen, and Cakes and Ale for making the evening happen.
Both titles are available from Bookends Carlisle; Visible Music price £8.00 and Glory Days price £4.00.
For more information about the collections please email:
NOW AVAILABLE
Dance for those who'd rather not / What's it like for you?
By Crysse Morrison & Hazel Stewart
Crysse Morrison and Hazel Stewart share their musings as Live and Lippy.
Crysse is the older one who brags about being a crone and writes snippy stuff mostly meant to be witty while Hazel is the dreamy lyricist.
They share a passion for exploring the limit of words to connect with experience and a love of liquorice. Actually no, not liquorice, liquor. And Lorca, of course.
Hazel is happy to take 'dreamy lyricist' but she'd like to be more of an ageing psychedelic Tinkerbell, with Iggy Pop as her inner critic. But whatever else, she's a practitioner of word magic and a fan of Celtic mysticism.
Together they are definitely alive, and certainly lippy.
This publication combines two collections in one, Dance for those who'd rather not / What's it like for you?, and features artwork by Mel Day.
Published by Caldew Press in 2022.
Price £7.50 (plus postage and packing).
NOW AVAILABLE
Into The Wild
By Nick Robinson
This poetry collection is inspired by the glory of nature from many forays into wild locations. Nick Robinson has captured many bewildering concepts focusing largely on the Lake District
and surrounding area, including: the idea of the sublime, fauna in nature and human perception of the wild.
Through a series of gently crafted poems, and illustrations,
Nick shares his personal affection for the landscape of
Northern England in a collection also dedicated to a wonderful and much missed mother.
Published by Caldew Press in 2022.
Price £5.00 (plus postage and packing).
NOW AVAILABLE
SpeakEasy Magazine Freiraum: Phase 2
A collection of stories, ideas and dreams in poetry, prose, songs, art, photos, film and life – following on from the Goethe-Insitut's Freiraum project in 2018 in which SpeakEasy explored the themes of Isolation, Over-coming Isolation, and Freedom. Phase 2 revisits these themes and also examines Art and Creativity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of the pieces in this book were incorporated into the SpeakEasy meets Freiraum film which premiered on YouTube on 31st October 2020.
Published by Caldew Press in 2022.
Price £10.00 (plus postage and packing).
IN MEMORIAM
Tony Hendry
Tony Hendry was a good man, he was very kind and supportive and a brilliant poet. The news of his passing has come as a shock to many who knew him and he'll be much missed.
He grew up in Cockermouth. He worked in the Civil Service in London for many years and retired to Carlisle in 2010.
He joined local writing and poetry groups, including SpeakEasy open mic hosted by Nick Pemberton, and later Phil Hewitson.
Tony had a lifelong stammer which he was determined would not stop him sharing his words. It was always inspiring to see and hear him share his poems.
When Tony sang his stammer disappeared and he was so fluent.
He loved folk music and supported the local folk music scene, and festivals including Music On The Marr.
In 2019 he approached Caldew Press to produce a collection of his poetry, and it was great to collaborate with him, Hunt Emerson and Susan Cartwright-Smith to produce Fresh Air.
He was thrilled with the book, and with his book launch at Cakes and Ale, especially the readings Becca Roberts and Phil did of his work alongside the man himself.
He loved Cumbria, the Lake District, the landscape, the myths, the nature, he had completed all the Wainwrights, and this was often reflected in the really beautiful poems which he wrote.
EVENT
Carlisle Folk Experience
John Hegley and Errant Thieves joined Jean Hill's Carlisle Folk Experience at the RAOB Club in Carlisle on Thursday 9th December 2021, for an evening of music and poetry, including readings and performances from A Scarcity of Biscuit, recently published by Caldew Press.
For more information or to purchase a copy of John Hegley's A Scarcity of Biscuit please email:
David Simmons and Mark Griffiths launched their poetry collections at Cakes & Ale cafe in Carlisle on Friday 5th November 2021 with an evening of readings and performances from Carlisle in Haiku Form and GRID, recently published by Caldew Press.
Thanks to Steve, Frida and Lucy for making the evening happen.
Both books are available from Bookends in Carlisle priced £8.00.
For more information about the collections please email:
NOW AVAILABLE
A Scarcity of Biscuit
By John Hegley
John Hegley weaves a colourful collection of musings, drawings and dialogues around the poems, letters and loved ones of John Keats. If you are a lover of Keats' poetry, or are newer to the poet and want to explore his work, this collection allows the reader to share in the author's enthusiasm and passion for one of Britain's best loved literary figures.
John Hegley was born in Islington, North London, in 1953 and currently lives in the neighbouring borough of Hackney. He was educated at schools in Luton and Bristol before studying Sociology/European Literature and the History of Ideas at the University of Bradford. His livelihood has mainly been made by creating and performing content for workshops, festivals and theatre and radio. This has consisted of songs, poems, drawings, and other activities, including French baroque dance.
He was the Keats House poet in residence in 2012.
Published by Caldew Press in 2021.
Price £8.00 (plus postage and packing).
NOW AVAILABLE
GRID: An outside inside journey through Cumbria
By Mark Griffiths
GRID is a collection of site-specific poems, songs, prose and images concerning Cumbria and the Lake District. It is the artist's meditations on his life-long relationship with this part of North-West England, and it offers a thoughtful companion for all who feel a strong sense of place and fraternity with the landscape.
Mark Griffiths is an artist, writer and musician living and working in the Eden Valley, Cumbria. He has performed his work extensively, sometimes under the pseudonym of Fernando Smith, and his work has appeared in collections, journals and pamphlets across the UK. His first collection of poetry Welcome to the Golden Life was published in 2010.
For over 35 years he has worked with children and families experiencing difficulty and trauma, often by making use of the arts and the outdoors.
Published by Caldew Press in 2021.
Price £8.00 (plus postage and packing).
NOW AVAILABLE
Lockdown Town
By Philip Hewitson
A collection of funny and angry poems written during, and as a response to, the COVID-19 pandemic. Various topics come under scrutiny including; the handling of the crisis by the UK Government; the slightly strange and often surreal experience of living in lockdowns; other news and events during these unusual times; and the hopes that a vaccine might lead us tentatively towards a return to 'normal'.
Phil is a writer, poet, illustrator and filmmaker, born and raised in Carlisle. He makes films for Tolivar Productions, organises Film Fling festivals, hosts SpeakEasy spoken-word open mic night and publishes books through Caldew Press.
Published by Caldew Press in 2021.
Price £5.00 (plus postage and packing).
NOW AVAILABLE
Carlisle in Haiku Form: First Impressions
By David Simmons
Poet, David Simmons, shares his affection for the Great Border City, and the surrounding area, in 'Carlisle in Haiku Form'. Seventeen illustrations accompany over a hundred handcrafted haiku which make up the collection providing a unique take on the city and its history. From Roman cricketers and Cracker Packers to Olympic hopefuls and Lady Gaga, there's a bespoke Carlisle haiku connection!
Published by Caldew Press in 2021.
Price £8.00 (plus postage and packing).
To order your copy contact Carlisle in Haiku Form on Facebook
ONLINE EVENT
We shared some lovely pieces inspired by John Keats, and then John Hegley (accompanied by Cristina's beautiful Italian translations, and occasionally Phil playing the part of John Keats) entertained us with a wonderful collection of poems, songs and thoughts based around Keats.
He was thrilled with all our paper fishes, our poems and letters, and for the warm welcome. It was a really fun event and a huge thank you to everyone who was able to join us.
Hopefully we can meet in real life in the not too distant future!
ONLINE EVENT
'Writing, Drawing and Drawing out the Creative' with John Hegley.
John Hegley led an online workshop with Caldew Press on Zoom on Saturday 14th November 2020.
There was a wonderful creative mix and he was really thrilled with all the responses, and particularly liked the drawings of all the biscuits!
He looks forward to hopefully doing some more stuff with us in the not too distant future.
