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Please keep an eye on gig venues' web and social media pages for updates. And woo-hoo, John is now on Spotify, where you can hear the Saint and Blurry album from deepest yesteryear. It can also be found on Youtube where you can leave comments and engage in discussion.

Welcome to Poet comedian John Hegley's Word Wild Web Site

 

John's BBC Radio Comedy HEARING WITH HEGLEY The Complete Series 1-3 is now out as an Audible audio book. Head over to Amazon to check out options.

And he WILL be at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year, check out details below.

There's a double helping of Hegs on Sunday 6th July at Hull's New Adelphi Club - a lunchtime Writing and Drawing Workshop and an evening performance of Folk Telling - a preview of John's show this year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

And John will be at the Topic Folk Club, Shipley on Thursday 10th July at 7.30pm.

On Sunday 13th July John will be making a lunchtime appearance at the Surya Festival in Shepshed, Leicestershire. Tickets apply to the whole festival and are particularly good value for anyone with accompanying youngsters.

On Friday 8th August at 7.30pm there will be a preview of Folk Telling, John's Edinburgh Fringe Show this year, at the Catstrand in Castle Douglas, New Galloway.

And on the following day at 11.00am there's a writing and drawing workshop at the nearby Smiddy Community Centre.

John is doing a short run of a week at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Folk Telling is on at 6.00pm from Monday 18th to Friday 22nd August in the main room at the Ukrainian Community Centre.

And along with Patrick Corbett he'll be fitting in a workshop entitled Poems and Rocks in the Scottish Poetry Library on Thursday 21st August at 2.00pm.

The Found Festival takes place at the Claydon Estate, Buckingham, from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th August. John will be appearing on Saturday 23rd. Note that tickets apply to the whole festival and not individual events.

Two events at the beginning of October in Norwich courtesy of the Anteros Foundation: The Further Adventures of Monsieur Robinet on Friday 3rd October at 7.30pm and a Creative Workshop on Saturday 4th at 11.00am.

On Thursday 4th December at 8.00pm there's an evening courtesy of the Islington Folk Club in its usual venue the Brewhouse & Kitchen. Come early to avoid the front row and remember to leave your contact lenses at home. Audience participation obligatory.

 

Meanwhile there's bare bones info on the following:

Friday 12th September 50 minutes at Morecambe Poetry Festival

 

PODCASTS

'We'd Like a Word' podcast at Milton's Cottage Chalfont St Giles.
John was accompanied by poet and musician Clare Elstow, followed by a Q&A session hosted by presenter Paul Waters. Co-host Stevyn Colgan posted some video from the event on his Colganology YouTube channel.

John is also the subject of a podcast entitled Wide-Eyed Creation: Crafting Your World, From Page to Stage with John Hegley, part of the Extraordinary Creatives series by Ceri Hand (opens in Facebook). John reflects on finding inspiration in everyday objects, overcoming challenges of fame, and the importance of mental well-being. Listen on Apple or on Spotify.

Reviews

'Family life would be a lot easier if you could just open the cupboard and pull out your Hegley every time things got fractious, heated or miserable'
The List

'Awesomely mundane'
The Independent

'Scandalously talented'
Sunday Times

'Bleeding marvellous'
NME

'Like a good deed in a naughty world'
Herts Advertiser

'Makes little sense'
Luton News

‘Marvellous, joyful fun'
The Telegraph

'An incurable entertainer'
The Guardian


John Hegley - Poet and Comedian

There's masses of interesting stuff about John's Islington connection in a blog called Islington Faces. Who knew that our man was once in a production of The Pajama Game directed by Simon Callow?

John's programme about his relationship with the French Baroque composer Jean-Philippe Rameau Who Does John Hegley Think He Is? can also be found here or via the app. It will be available until midnight on 31 December January 2098 so be sure to put that date in your diary to be certain you don't miss it.

JOHN HIGHLY RECOMMENDS this celebration of the poetry, prose and life of Sean Hughes, the much-loved comedian who died much too soon in 2017.

JOHN ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMENDS: Mel Brimfield's From This World, to That Which Is to Come exhibition, staged at The Tetley in Leeds in 2021, is still viewable online. Free, donations welcome. The show takes its title from John Bunyan's 1678 parable The Pilgrim's Progress, which describes a fictional pilgrimage from 'The City of Destruction' to 'The Celestial City'.

‘Putting You in the Picture'
John's Arts Council England project to take children on visits to art galleries in four cities with links to his personal history, and follow up with writing workshops back at school. There's an extensive free resource pack in PDF form for teachers, parents and carers, and poets.

 

John on Facebook

Poet comedian John Hegley on FacebookYou can now keep track of John on Facebook - just click on the button. Note that this is a Community Facebook page and John isn't personally involved in it. Please don't use it to send him personal messages, use the email address on the Contact John page instead.

John's Picks

Go to the Links page to check out a pot pourri of things that have caught John's fancy. These include Julian Goodacre Bagpipe Maker, Clod Magazine, Luton Haiku, Paul Hegley, and the Jelly Rollers Dragon (love child of Keith Moore of the Popticians).


John's Fun Limerick Competition

The winning entries can be viewed by clicking here.


Catch John Online

Click here for John's thoughts on Morris Dancing in The Guardian's online comment pages......

 

A SCARCITY OF BISCUIT

Poet comedian John Hegley Peace Love & Potatoes John's latest book A Scarcity of Biscuit, which was written as an accompaniment to his recent show Biscuit of Destiny, is available from Caldew Press for £8.00 plus postage and packing.

A colourful collection of musings, drawings and dialogues around the poems, letters and loves of John Keats. If you enjoy Keats's poetry, or want to get to know his work, this collection allows you to share in the author's passion for one of Britain's best loved literary figures.

 

I AM A POETATO (Reissued)

A creature collection, in alphabetical order including the guillemot, the hamstar, the micetro, the wise camel,
'I am the one who bore
wiseman number four.
We are the ones who went North
when the others went west...'

  And, Zoe:
 Zoë, Zoë
 you had to goë.
 I felt so sad
 I wrote this poë.

 

PEACE LOVE & POTATOES

Poet comedian John Hegley Peace Love & PotatoesThere's Trains. There's John Keats. There is Joan of Arc. There are trucks and boats and ship. With chips.

What's so funny about peace, love and understanding? With drawings largely by the author.

Find out more about the book.

 

NEW & SELECTED POTATOES

Poet comedian John Hegley Peace Love & Potatoes A greatest hits, best of golden oldies compilation (with some new stuff).

This new compilation shows the breadth of his appeal, with seriously funny, cleverly comic poems on everything from love, family, France, art and the sea to dogs, dads, gods, taxidermy, carrots, spectacles and - of course - potatoes.