As the centenary of the Battle of the Somme draws near, Writers’ Centre Norwich, 14-18 NOW and Norfolk & Norwich Festival have co-commissioned a major new piece of work from internationally renowned poets and visual artists, to commemorate and respond to this devastating event. The work will open Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2016 and brings together poets and film makers to create Fierce Light.
‘Hide in this battered crumbling line
Hide in these rude promiscuous graves,
Till one shall make our story shine
In the fierce light it craves.’
‘The Fierce Light’
Major John Ebenezer Stewart, M.C.
Fierce Light
Friday 13 May, 7.30pm
Norwich Playhouse
This world-premier and major national commission by Writers’ Centre Norwich and the Imperial War Museum, kicks off the City of Literature programme at Norfolk & Norwich Festival.
Perhaps no art form captured the complexity and terror of the First World War more acutely than poetry. As we approach 100 years since the Battle of the Somme, Fierce Light brings together outstanding international poets and visual artists to explore the war and its legacy in the 21st century. Join Simon Armitage, Daljit Nagra and others for a live audio-visual experience which premiers their new poetry alongside work by Bill Manhire, Jackie Kay and Paul Muldoon and a series of specially commissioned short films.
Co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW, Norfolk & Norwich Festival and Writers’ Centre Norwich.
Fierce Light exhibition
10-13 May Tuesday – Saturday midday-5pm
14-28 May Tuesday – Saturday midday-7pm
East Gallery, NUA
As part of the word premier of Fierce Light, this exhibition features specially commissioned poetry and short films reflecting on the Battle of the Somme. The exhibition encompasses the commissioned project Still which features six poems produced by internationally renowned poet Simon Armitage in response to aerial photographs of WWI battlefields.
Hear the poems performed in person at the Fierce Light audio-visual event at Norwich Playhouse on Friday 13 May.
Co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW, Norfolk & Norwich Festival and Writers’ Centre Norwich.
Jackie Kay was born and brought up in Scotland. She has published five collections of poetry for adults (The Adoption Papers won the Forward Prize, a Saltire Award and a Scottish Arts Council Book Award) and several for children. She was awarded an MBE in 2006.
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