Poem by Heathcote Williams performed by Roy Hutchins part of A NEW PERFORMANCE-POETRY EVENT ON TOUR
Autumn 2011 - Spring 2012
ZANZIBAR CATS: an eclectic, entertaining and provocative poetical happening
Heathcote: Winner of the John Whiting, George Devine and Evening Standard playwright awards
Roy: Winner of Two Edinburgh Fringe Firsts, Time Out Performer of the Year, two-time Perrier Award nominee
THE GIG
Zanzibar Cats is a collaboration between poet/playwright HEATHCOTE WILLIAMS (Whale Nation, Autogeddon, Falling for a Dolphin) and performer/writer/director ROY HUTCHINS
Heathcote Williams is perhaps best known for his epic poems, particularly Whale Nation, which was interpreted and performed by Roy Hutchins to huge international acclaim. Now they have gathered together a collection of new, short poems to engage, provoke and entertain.
Heathcote's acute observations on life and death, politics and society, people and places ask big questions in short-form. With economy of style but global in reference and impact, they take listeners on an imaginative, rollercoaster journey.
Roy's distinctive delivery perfectly matches the content; lively, audience-focused, it brings the poetry alive with an intuitive understanding and theatrical flourish.
Selected and directed by Roy and Heathcote, performed by Roy, the poems include: Darwin's Nose, Walking the Dogs, An Angel You Know, Downing Street and the blistering title piece Counting the Cats in Zanzibar.
Audience and Venue Suitability
Suitable for audiences aged 14+ Includes a little bit of swearing and phrases that some may find disturbing
A one-man show, it works well in studio theatres with conventional staging and seating, or in more informal settings such as theatre bars, gallery spaces or clubs.
It can fit into drama, literature or live-art programmes and is perfect for literature, poetry or book festivals. Works best in close proximity to the audience.
Publicity & marketing materials (leaflets, posters, dedicated website, sales pack) provided.
The show tours directly from Edinburgh Festival so will have reviews and provenance to back-up sales drive.
Technical Information
One person (Roy) on the road
The show needs a minimum performance space of 2sqm
General lighting cover, no specials or spots required
Microphone on stand or clip-on feeding to house speaker system if necessary
Get-in of maximum two hours before doors opening if lights are pre-rigged
In-house technician for get-in and duration of performance (if not available, can tour with technician at additional cost)
Duration 60 minutes, no interval
Availability and Fee
Zanzibar Cats is available for booking from September -- April 2012.
Price per show £400 (box office split against a guarantee negotiable according to circumstances)
Comments on previous collaborations by Heathcote and Hutchins
'Autogeddon is rich poetry, a sociologically important document that will hang around long after Williams has left us, and gold in the grip of Roy Hutchins.' The Stage
'...the most moving and impressive solo performance that I've ever witnessed.'
Time Out on Whale Nation
'At times funny, at times moving, but always wholly captivating. Falling for a Dolphin is a beautiful and enchanting profession of affection for another being. Excellent.' Fringe Review
Feedback from YouTube clips of Zanzibar Cats work in progress 2010
'These collaborations are wonderful - simultaneously serious and playful. Involving the audience in this way is a terrific idea.'
'This is performance poetry at its best: having to convert the indifference and vertigo of a few half-drunk people in a pub to enjoyment and enthusiasm for words. Compared to this, holding a stadium audience of 80,000 in the palm of your hand is easy and reading from a book in front of a compliant litfest audience is taking candy from a baby.'
'Roy is wonderfully in-yer-face, I like that; and he's got great range of expression and resonance somehow.'
'He's a humdinger that dude.'
And from the author on Zanzibar Cats '...There's no room for any superfluous fat or even a syllable that doesn't work -- Roy's up there doing it, after all, in front of an audience so it's got to be precision engineered to slot into their brain in the sharpest fashion without their attention wandering.' Heathcote Williams 2010
To book or discuss please contact: Lisa Wolfe, co-producer:
tel 01273 736842 / 07761 453584
Email: wolfework1@aol.com. Top floor office, 38 Ship Street, Brighton BN1 1AB
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Zanzibar Cats, Brighton Festival Fringeby brightonfringefest201 views
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