The life and work of Adrian Mitchell remembered on stage and page
Oberon Books and Wonderful Beast are excited to
announce a joint celebration of the life of the late Adrian
Mitchell, a legendary poet and one of our best loved and
most passionate dramatists.
YES - THE ADRIAN MITCHELL SHOW
Branching Out Festival
The Rosemary Branch Theatre, Islington, 22 &23 November, 2011
YES is a show, commissioned by The Poetry Trust in 2009 to celebrate the life and work of the legendary poet Adrian Mitchell. It premiered in the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival and was a hit. It continues to be in great demand and has played at the Cambridge Wordfest, The Halesworth Cut, the Brecklands Theatre Festival, and in the Norfolk ‘Village Stage’ touring scheme run by creative Arts East. Wonderful Beast also staged a benefit performance for Stop The War Coalition, when Jonathan Pryce joined the cast and captivated the audience with "Tell me Lies about Vietnam".
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Actors
Ann Firbank
Celia Hewitt (Adrian's widow)
Roger Lloyd Pack
Sasha Mitchell (Adrian's daughter)
Matt Prendergast
Musicians
Miguel Tantos (trombone)
Sylvia Hallett (numerous instruments)
Director
Alys Kihl
Wonderful choice of poems and songs; great performances - particularly from Lloyd Pack and (new to me) Matt Prendergast - but the absolute star of the evening was Sasha Mitchell. Her "Fifteen Million Plastic Bags" and "Victor Jara" reduced me to near tears.
Mark Fisher, former Labour arts minister, December 2010
Feedback from Norfolk tour:
Some poetry events I have attended have left me feeling that I have missed the point but not this evening! A brilliant evening's entertainment.
We found this to be a most memorable performance...one minute I was shedding tears, the next convulsed in laughter. It was a marvellous tribute to a very remarkable man.
Everyone so enjoyed the performance and many said it was the best they had ever seen. It is fantastic to be able to have such a marvellous event in our very ordinary Village Hall.
Lesley Pegg, promoter Whissonsett
Great show, so thrilled to host it in Norfolk - what a treat for all!
Natalie Jode - Creative Arts East
THE COAT OF UMPTEEN POCKETS
A poetry show and workshop for children based on the poetry and songs of Adrian Mitchell
 
This show for primary schools is based on 'Umpteen Pockets', a book of collected poems for children written by the late beloved and most popular of poets, Adrian Mitchell (favourite of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival and founder member of Wonderful Beast).
Two actors, Adrian's daughter Sasha and Matt Prendergast, and musician, Alys Kihl, bring these funny, insightful, playful and beautiful poems to life. Each performer has a magical coat with umpteen pockets, out of which appear poems and songs to make children laugh, listen, dig deep into their imaginations and to sing.
After the performance Wonderful Beast provides a workshop in which the children write and perform their own poems.
"They were a great way of involving the audience and were funny or moving. Lots of movement was great too, and I think having some poems with less action - like the bullying one, or the unicorn one - made the kids switch from laughter to deep feeling. Good way to show that not all poems are positive and happy, some are about sadness."
Tilly Leris, 11 years, Jubilee Primary school, February 2011.
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