Writer and creator of The London Literary Pub Crawl.com. and a few plays. BohemianBritain.com. Event and Theatre Producer. Done quite a bit on the wireless too!
The Latest News from the Maverick Theatre Company.
Happy August!
I’m back now from the USA (how LOVELY were the Kansans!)
We’re now at the Edinburgh Fringe with our SECOND, Charles Dickens (NOT London) Literary Pub Crawl. We’re out every day at 3pm so come and say hello if you’re in Edinburgh.
However possibly even more exciting is our new, all-comers-welcome, open-access production for West London. ANYONE who fancies trying ANYTHING in theatre – front of house, onstage, backstage, music, production, etc – can come and have a go and get top tuition and mentorship – for FREE – in our second People’s Company production.
Our first People’s Company production was a large-scale version of Henry V – featuring dancing and partying around Shakespeare’s tale. This time we may be looking at a new musical idea, if we can secure the funding.
Can you find just £2 to support the project? We have already had an indication that if we can find more than just TWENTY supporters, the local authority development fund will donate over £9k! As a working class organisation, this is tremendous news. We have about a month left to raise the funds needed. And if we can, this will be a terrific event for West London – and lead to other projects elsewhere in the country.
Please help if you can. If you need any more information please email me – but the details are here!
Some of the original Birmingham People’s Company on stage.
We’re working on a series of thank-yous for supporters through free tickets, special gifts and online and in-person events.
The musical term ‘Heavy Metal’ was born in Birmingham in the English Midlands. Bands like Led Zeppelin and, of course, Black Sabbath. I was born and dragged up in Brum and worked on radio stations BRMB, BBC WM and Chrysalis station The Arrow. It’s a great area, with great people. One of the people I worked with was Tom Parker. This is his personal take on a local legend.
A distraught Osbourne Family in Broad Street, Birmingham.
It was branded ‘The Summer of Sabbath’ in Birmingham. It’s certainly lived up to the billing. Whenever I’ve been ready to close the book and move on, something else happens and I get dragged back in.
First there was the months of anticipation for the gig. Then, as it got closer, I was fortunate to become involved. Working at the opening of the museum exhibit with Sharon Osbourne. Making videos around the city of all the Sabbath-related attractions. Being among the privileged few to be present as the band was granted the Freedom of the City. The gig itself. And as I wallowed in the afterglow of that unforgettable couple of weeks, that, I thought, was that.
But after the highs came the lows.
The shock of Ozzy’s death. Being despatched the following day to capture the city’s reaction. The opening of the condolence books. Looking on as metalheads from across the world descended on Birmingham once again, much sooner than planned.
Then, on Sunday, I received a call to ask if I would like to be involved in a final ride around Birmingham for the Prince of Darkness. I didn’t need to be asked twice.
And so we came around to today. As I took my privileged reserved spot next to Black Sabbath bridge, I watched in awe as the general public gathered in their masses – tens of thousands of them – to salute our city’s finest son.
Then there was the heartbreaking moment when the family arrived, broken, and I found myself in the odd predicament of trying to capture the occasion in spite of the tears streaming from my eyes.
I wasn’t prepared to find it so emotional. In many ways, I think it was suppressed grief for my own dad. My love of all things Ozzy and Sabbath came from him, and my emotions over the last few weeks have been so wrapped up in his memory. Seeing the Osbournes going through the same heartbreak that the Parkers did a couple of years ago, only with the added pressure of the eyes of the world watching them… Wow. It hit me right in the feels.
But, amid the sadness, there was pride. A demonstration of Birmingham at its best, and the reasons why Ozzy strikes a chord with us so much.
As Brummies, we live our lives being sneered at, the constant butt of the joke. So, when we see somebody who sounds like us become one of the coolest people in the world, of course we latch onto them. He was ours, and the city was his.
It says a lot that Ozzy remains so revered despite being a complicated man. Delving into his past uncovers some uncomfortable truths. But it only adds weight to the feeling that we view him as one of our own. We see through his flaws. We forgive his mistakes. And that’s true love.
He is, however, a textbook case of the power of atonement. He always owned his mistakes and took responsibility for them. There was no apportioning of blame. No wallowing in self pity. Just a steady resolve for self-improvement. That PETA and The Alamo were among the social media accounts lining up to pay tribute last week says everything. Hundreds of millions of pounds raised for charity as his final act of redemption was the icing on the cake.
Legacy assured. Our greatest Brummie.
And so, as Ozzy left Birmingham, so ended our Summer of Sabbath. For real this time.
And while there will be no more cause for emotional outpourings from me, I’ll still show my love for Ozzy by quietly indulging in my love of his music, whilst encouraging my son to indulge in his.
Nick Hennegan goes inside the mind of English writer Aldous Huxley, who discusses a range of profound topics, including the literary contributions of D.H. Lawrence, James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, Marcel Proust and others. Huxley explores the intricate dynamics of relationships, delving into the complexities of human connections and their impact on individual lives.
His thoughts span various elements of life, emphasizing the interplay between personal experiences and broader societal themes. Huxley reflects on the significance of literature as a mirror to the human condition, drawing parallels between the struggles of his contemporaries and his own existential musings.
Moreover, he examines the theme of human desire—how it informs our aspirations and often leads to disillusionment. This dialogue between Huxley and the existential questions posed by his literary peers sheds light on the enduring quest for meaning in a rapidly evolving world.
Through Huxley’s lens, we are invited to consider the depths of creativity, the spiral of thought that connects writers across generations, and the timelessness of the human experience, all while navigating adult themes that challenge societal norms and philosophical boundaries.
Nick is back from the USA 🇺🇸 and had a great time with some lovely people!
On now to the Fringe… and if you’re a writer in Edinburgh this fringe, get in touch! We have daily ‘open spots’ to read your work. Email Edinburgh @ MaverickTheatre.co.uk.
Nick Hennegan celebrates the birthday of George Orwell and plays some requests – including one of his own songs, inspired by Birmingham, in the English Midlands!
Another Intriguing Gem from the Talented Tabard TheatreTeam.
I knew absolutely nothing about this new play by (now local) writer, Duncan Campbell. And to start with it wasn’t too obvious what was going on. A taxi driver (?) picks up an American woman from a station. No, he’s not a taxi driver, but they’re obviously strangers. He is called Matt (Sam Hill) and she’s called Peaches (Rita Estevanovich). They have arranged to meet, yet it’s obvious they do not know each other and the plot thickens when we find out they are en route to visit a man seemingly celebrating his 80th birthday. A man neither of them appears to have met before! Then Peaches insists they stop to buy him a birthday cake, which adds to the mystery.
We then meet Trevor, the elderly man in question, an artist originally from Birmingham. Played brilliantly by John Gorick, he sits muttering to himself alone in a restaurant debating the menus, then ordering and reordering. He is obviously frail. Matt and Peaches arrive – they seem to get on a bit better now – but with a notable lack of kindness or respect, they whisk Trevor away from his meal with promises of a cliff-top sunset and a gourmet picnic. For some reason!
The rest of the story unfolds on that cliff top. It’s a play best experienced without spoilers, but we slowly discover the true nature of this meeting and the characters’ motivations slowly reveal themselves.
Trevor’s colourful past is brought vividly to life through stage visuals featuring photographs from the Swinging Sixties and a wonderful soundtrack that evokes the era’s energy. As a person of a certain age who used hang out in Soho (and still does!) I loved it when he spoke fondly and candidly about his bohemian years. His friendships with artistic giants like Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud, the paths he followed and why he did some of the things he did. I think many of us can relate to wrong choices made!
It’s a fascinating offering – but it’s not perfect. Some of the dialogue is frankly a bit clunky and their take on the Peaches character means she is not quite as relatable as she could be. There were even occasions when it was difficult to hear the dialogue!
Director Nick Bromley made some great directorial choices though. Trevor’s dramatically lit, almost ‘front of cloth’ 60’s dance sequence was remarkable, and it’s a shame these tropes didn’t go further or occur again. Technically it was great too with a tight sound and light offering.
Niggles apart, again, the Tabard have one again given us a little theatrical gem. A very topical gem, too – but I won’t spoil it for you. It’s a bit of a rough-cut gem perhaps, but it’s a must see, 90-minutes one act world premiere – in their now air-conditioned theatre!
Don’t forget (nearly a spoiler!) to go see it – before it’s too late!
