The Shape of a Pocket
We are running events twice a year Upstairs at The Gatehouse that celebrate talent across the generations – cultural works of resistance from both inside and outside what is considered establishment; poetry, art, story and music.
This year’s collaborations will be on the Sunday of April 14th and October 13th, 2024.
Sunday April 14th
Upstairs at the Gatehouse | 17:00-20:00 pm
This first event gathers respected political and creative voices along with a new generation of young creators to take up the Berger Baton.
-A presentation of Surrender: Ways of Hearing John Berger, an immersive film commissioned by the British Library
-Actress Ruby Serkis and drummer Leo Taylor will perform on the Male Gaze as a response to Chapter 3 of Ways of Seeing
-Music and poetry from rubab player Milad Yousofi and poet Rakaya Fetuga
Our guest speakers include Peter Kennard (Artist and Professor of Political Art Royal College of Art) and Dr. Richard Bradbury (Author of Riversmeet and
Become a Man)
Art exhibition of socially engaged artist including Ralph Steadman, Mona Hatoum, Peter Kennard.
Book your tickets here
Live music with Afghan rhubab player, vocalist Milad Yousofi in collaboration with writer, poet, performer Rakaya Fetuga
Live and filmed interpretations of John Bergers Ways of Seeing with special guest actors including Ruby Serkis, Lorraine Ashbourne and more.
Conversations on Passing the Berger baton with Shape of a Pocket founders Jan Woolf,
Tina Grace, including patrons Mike Dibb, Gareth Evans.
Surrender: Ways of Hearing John Berger
British Library | 7-11 July 2023
Surrender - Ways of Hearing John Berger
a British Library commission
Surrender: Ways of Hearing John Berger created in collaboration with BBC broadcasting duo Laura Barton (author journalist) and producer Geoff Bird, with writer in residence Keisha Thompson, original music score Anna Phoebe, featuring Afghan rubab player Milad Yousofi, Syrian flute Louai Alhenawi, cello compositions Ian Burdge, LaQualia compositions, sound mixed by Call and Response, film visuals created and edited at TeeFilms featuring photography by Jillian Edelstein
Image designed by Hassan Hajjaj
The strange power of art is sometimes it can show that what people have in common is more urgent than what differentiates them. It seems to me it's something that theatre can do, but it's rare; it's very rare.
– John Berger