House of Air - Breathing Life Into Poetry

House of Air - Breathing Life Into Poetry -  is a Worcestershire County Library project funded by DCMS/Wolfson. Its main aim is 'to create a fresh approach to the enjoyment and understanding of poetry by developing an audience that is not limited by age, ability or culture'.

Central to the project is the show itself, House of Air. Devised and performed by Peter Cutts. In this Peter has taken 13 poems and woven them together with music and strong visual images to create a powerful atmospheric narrative. The main themes of the show are displacement, loss of one's roots and home, and being cast adrift into the world. The show demonstrates how poetry can be used dramatically to tell a story. It will appeal to anyone from aged 10 upwards and can be appreciated on a number of levels.

The project also features poetry readings, performance workshops and writing workshops - and all of these, as well as the show, are going into schools, community centres, day care centres and other venues beyond libraries.

The main idea has been to make poetry as accessible to as many people and diverse groups as possible. We have been very keen to include ethnic groups and special needs groups as well.

The project begins on February 26th in Malvern, and there are some 70 events centred around Malvern and Worcester before Easter. Then from April 23rd until June 8th the project moves to the north of the county and centres on Redditch and Kidderminster. Events for these areas are being planned at the moment.

Visiting poets are Matthew Sweeney, John Mole, Jackie Kay, Paul Christmas and Mandy Coe.
Who will all be doing readings and workshops.

The poems featured in Peter Cutts' House of Air are:

The Sideway Back, House of Air, Trespassers Will and At the All-Nite Cafe  Philip Gross

The Duke of Fire and The Duchess of Ice Carol Ann Duffy

Captain Hately Matthew Sweeney

The Listeners  Walter de la Mare

One Dark Night and Whose Job It Is Richard Edwards

This Letter's to Say Raymond Wilson

Green Man in the Garden Charles Causley

Ballad - O What is that Sound that So Thrills the Ear WH Auden

Mrs O'Neil Raymond Hill.

Anyone interested in the project can contact me at St. John's Library StJohnsLib@worcestershire.gov.uk on 01905 420400 for more details, or Harriet Franklin on 01905 766231.