Luke Wright’s Silver Jubilee
November 8, 2023
8:00 pm
Preston
The Ferret

Crack out the bunting! It’s Luke Wright’s Silver Jubilee.

Over twenty-five years, Luke Wright has built up a reputation for being one of Britain’s most popular live poets. He has won an unprecedented four Saboteur Awards (national awards for spoken word), a Stage Award, and a Fringe First. He’s sold out shows across the world and regularly tours with John Cooper Clarke and The Libertines.

This year, thwarted in his attempts to hold a street party by the philistines on the council and unable to shift the over-ordered commemorative plates, Wright does what a poet does best, and takes a deep dive into himself. What follows is his most confessional show to date.

Wright was adopted as a baby and grew up believing that his adoption “wasn’t a big thing.” But one night he idly stumbled across his birth mother on Facebook. This window to a world that might have been his has thrown up deep questions about privilege, familial love, and destiny.

This show is an excavation of lives lived and not lived. Wright navigates his audience through a warm and honest hour of poems and stand-up with the directness and pathos that has made him one of the most popular live poets in England. With some wild experiments in form, a nervous kitten called Sir John Betjeman and a healthy smattering of drum n bass, Wright manages to navigate some heart-wrenching material and keep the laughs coming.

Supported by Norwich Arts Centre & Arts Council, England

“Luke is on fire! A poetic interrogation of himself, who he is and where he is from that leaves you tenderised and bruised and with a little something in your eye.” Mark Thomas

“His performances rumble with rage, passion and humour.” Guardian

“He must be on some kind of dope” John Cooper Clarke

“Cool Poems” Patti Smith

“Fierce, wistful, romantic and witty. A sensational hour.” ★★★★★ Stage

“Curiously classless, perfectly placed to dissect the dreams of the British nation. His lexical acrobatics are astounding, often motor-mouthed and breathtakingly honest.” ★★★★★ The List

“One of the funniest and most brilliant poets of his generation.” Independent

“Visceral, Poignant and riotously funny” ★★★★★ Scotsman