Henry Normal & Jan Brierton in Southampton

Henry Normal and Dubliner Jan Brierton present an evening of poetry and laughs. Henry will be reading poems from his new book 'An Alphabet of Storms' whilst Jans' poems reflect on being a wife, mother, daughter, sister and retired raver. Expect a highly engaging evening.

Poetry, photos, jokes, music, dance, song, circus skills, costume changes, props and stories, exploring where I went wrong in life and lessons you can learn from my mistakes.

Socrates once said ‘A life unexamined is not worth living’ well this show sets out to prove that a life examined can be just as futile

A live performed memoir with cautionary verse from poet, film and Tv producer/writer Henry Normal An adventure into understanding the human condition from the inside.

Like Fantastic Voyage but with the tiny submarine injected into your mind.

In June 2017 he was honoured with a special BAFTA for services to Television.

He co-wrote and script edited the multi-award winning Mrs Merton show and the spin off series Mrs Merton and Malcolm. He also co-created and co-wrote the first series of The Royle Family.

With Steve Coogan he co-wrote the BAFTA winning Paul and Pauline Calf Video Diaries, Coogan's Run, Tony Ferrino, Doctor Terrible and all three of Steve's live tours and the film The Parole Officer.

Setting up Baby Cow Productions Ltd in 1990, Henry Executive Produced all and script edited many of the shows of it's 17 and a half year output during his tenure as MD. Highlights of the Baby Cow output during his time include the Oscar nominated film Philomena, I believe in Miracles,

Gavin and Stacey, Moone Boy, Uncle, Marion and Geof, Nighty Night, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf, Hunderby, Camping and Alan Partridge.

Since retiring in April 2016, Henry has written and performed 10 x BBC Radio 4 shows combining comedy, poetry and stories about family. His 11th BBC Radio 4 show 'A Normal Journey' will be recorded this autumn.

Succinct, heartrending and peppered with gentle punchlines’ Hannah Verdier, The Guardian

Shove up National Treasures. We need to make room for Henry Normal"

Simon O'Hagan - Radio Times

'the Alan Bennett of poetry' The Scotsman

'Dovetails bittersweet poetry with a sublimely observant wit' The Guardian

'A mixture of the absurd and downright wacky...a gentle giant of stand-up poetry' The List

'The poetry itself is stuff of proper substance, marrying the suburban beauty of Beatles ballads with the blunt candour

of the kitchen sink' The Guardian

"Witty and uncannily accurate with his observations" - The Stage

"Distinctly funny" - Time Out

It’s a rare and lovely thing: half an hour of radio that stops you short, gently demands your attention and then wipes

your tears away while you have to have a little sit down - The Guardian

"Not heard anything that jumps from hilarious to moving in such an intelligent, subtle way as Henry Normal's show" -Radio Times

Dubliner Jan Brierton is a mam, a fashion stylist, and a poet.

Her first collection What Day Is It? Who Gives a F*ck was published in 2021 after Jan’s first ever poem went viral during lockdown.

Everybody Is a Poem: Midlife in Rhymes is Jan’s second collection published by New Island. In this pocket-sized book Jan riffs on menopause, midlife, the mental load, friendships, relationships, loss, and self-acceptance.

On its release, Jan’s second collection made the top 10 paperback non-fiction book charts. Plain-speaking and completely relatable, each of these 52 poems are served with Jan’s signature combination of humour, wit, and poignancy.

This is poetry for everybody.

Tickets are £20 online only.
Bar opens at 6.30pm with 7pm we open the doors for our Southampton Comedy Club ready for the show starting at approximately 7.45pm.

2 sets x 45 mins each with a 20 min interval in between.

Books for sale after the show.

Southampton Comedy Club, The Attic, can be found @ River Studios, 32 Winsor Road, Totton, Southampton. SO40 9HQ
In the unlikely event that we cancel the event, we will offer a full refund. Unfortunately tickets are otherwise non-refundable. Please contact us if you wish to transfer your ticket to a friend if you cannot attend for any reason.Seating is unreserved.

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Host or Publisher River Studios, Southampton