Roger McGough Alive & Gigging

Roger McGough Alive & Gigging

Come join us at St Mary's Church, Snettisham, for a night of poetry and laughter with the legendary Roger McGough! Get ready to be entertained by his witty verses and charming personality. This in-person event promises to be a memorable evening filled with creativity and joy. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to experience Roger McGough alive and gigging!

ROGER MCGOUGH

Poet, performer and broadcaster, Roger McGough has published over 100 poetry books for adults and children and has been called ‘the patron saint of poetry’ and ‘the godfather of modern poetry’. He was one of the Liverpool poets, alongside Adrian Henri and Brian Patten who influenced popular culture in the Sixties. The Mersey Sound published in 1967 is one of the bestselling poetry anthologies of all time, selling over a million copies. In the 1960’s with John Gorman, and Mike McGear he formed The Scaffold, performing a combination of comic songs, poetry and sketches who had several top 20 singles including the hit song 'Lily the Pink’.

He has won numerous awards including The Cholmondeley Award in 1988, received the Freedom of the City of Liverpool in 2001, and was awarded a CBE in 2004. A Fellow of The Royal Society and President of The Poetry Society he presents the popular Radio 4 Poetry Please series. His most recent books include Safety in Numbers written during the covid pandemic, as well as books for children, including Over to You, Crocodile Tears and Money Go Round. A new book, Collected Poems of Roger McGough 1959 to 2024 published in June 2024.

ALIVE AND GIGGING

Roger McGough, the ‘Living proof of himself,’ and President of the Poetry Society not only helped kickstart the musical careers of Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix, but inspired hundreds, if not thousands of young poets (well, quite a few), on their poetic journeys.

87 years old and at that awkward age now between birth and death, he puts on a brave face and takes to the stage forThe Friends of St Mary's, Snettisham with a show featuring new poems as well as old favourites.

The show takes audiences on a journey back to key moments of his life. McGough reflects on his Liverpool childhood before World War II, with memories and poems including The Overall Winner and Learning to Read and a throw-back to the 60’s and poems of the Mersey Beat. New verses have been added for Lily the Pink which takes a playful update on the Scaffold’s 1968 classic.

As well as laughs, there will be poems about growing old; A Joy to be Old, A Cure for Ageing and Let me Die an Old Man’s Death, which aptly round up the new show.

The show will be in two halves - interrupted annoyingly by an interval with a licensed bar. The second half will include a Q and A session followed by book-signing, managed by 'By the Book' of Hunstanton.

‘Funny’, ‘Sad’ and ‘Moving’.