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Roger McGough
ALIVE AND GIGGING
Presented by: Retford Book Festival| 0 | RETFORD: St Saviour's Church |
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| P | Friday 1st May, 2026 |
| N | 6:00pm |
Event information
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 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 just before World War II, with memories and poems including The Full English, The Overall Winner and Learning to Read. Memories of his mum and dad are told through poems The Railing and What Does Your Father Do, and some are a throwback to the ’60s, namely The Beatles and Top of the Pops.
New verses have been added for Lily the Pink, which take a playful update on the 1968 classic by The Scaffold.
As well as laughs, there will be new poems about growing old (inevitably). 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.
‘Funny’, ‘Sad’ and ‘Moving’.
Venue information
RETFORD: St Saviour's Church| 0 | Welham Road Retford Nottinghamshire DN22 6TN |
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| > | www.reffordbookfestival.co.uk |
| ` | Limited on site car parking. Plenty of street and local parking. Wheelchair access. Soft drinks available for sale. No bar but feel free to bring your own alcoholic drinks. There will be an interval and a book signing. |
