The Common Press is excited to announce the launch of Simon Maddrell's latest book, 'A Finger in Derek Jarman’s Mouth,' on 22nd February from 6 pm to 9 pm. The evening will also include special guest Neil Barlett, a writer, director, and performer.
a finger in derek jarman’s mouth from Polari Press is a poetic tribute to Jarman’s inspiring legacy spun from the multi-coloured threads of his extraordinary life — writer, artist, queer & AIDS activist, designer, filmmaker, and gardener. After his diagnosis, Jarman bought Prospect Cottage, facing the Dungeness nuclear power station, where he created a beautiful garden in the harshest of environments. Unashamed of his HIV status, Jarman died of AIDS-related illness in 1994, aged 52.
Derek Jarman becomes a celestial mirror ball, radiating inspiration from the heart of this poem-shrine lovingly “filled with music”
–– alice hiller
stands as a testament to Jarman's enduring legacy–– Peter Tatchell
About Simon Maddrell (he, him, they)
Simon is a queer Manx poet thriving with HIV in Brighton & Hove. They are published in twenty anthologies and over eighty publications including Acumen, AMBIT, Butcher’s Dog, Poetry Wales, Stand, The Gay & Lesbian Review, The Moth, The Rialto, Under the Radar.
In 2020, Simon’s second pamphlet, Queerfella, jointly won The Rialto Open Pamphlet Competition. In 2023, Isle of Sin (Polari Press) and The Whole Island (Valley Press) were Poetry Book Society Selections. He has also collaborated with Vasiliki Albedo and Mary Mulholland on the anthologies: All About Our Mothers in 2022, and All About Our Fathers in 2023. All About Our Parents is forthcoming in 2024 from Nine Pens Press.
one of the most radical figures in queer culture honoured by the most propulsive of queer poets–– Joelle Taylor
About Neil Barlett
Neil Bartlett is a writer, director & performer described by The Observer as "an artist who can change the way that people feel". Neil is responsible for over fifty theatres and five television productions since setting up his first company, THE 1982 THEATRE COMPANY. He was Director of Theatre de Complicite from 1985 and Artistic Director at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith from 1994 to 2002. In 2023 he directed BLUE NOW –– a live performance of Derek Jarman's last film featuring Travis Alabanza, Jay Bernard, Joelle Taylor, and Russell Tovey. Neil is the author of eight books, including the Costa Prize-shortlisted, Skin Lane. His most recent fiction, Address Book, was selected as one of Jackie Kay's Best Books of 2021 in The Guardian. Its publisher Inkandescent also republished Bartlett's Disappearance Boy in 2023. Neil has translated Alfred Jarry's riotous play, Ubu Royale, published by CHEERIO (released 22nd Feb. 2024)
a loving, furious and gorgeously queer act of homage–– Neil Bartlett
- Doors will be open from 6:00 p.m. via the bookshop. The event will start at 6:45 pm.
- The event will be held downstairs which is sadly not wheelchair accessible.
There are a limited number of free tickets available for this event - if you cannot afford the minimum pay-what-you-can ticket type, please email us at books@commonpress.co.uk for free entry.