John Hegley And The Potato Heads

A great evening of poeticomedy and musical mischief. Potato laureate John Hegley went to church on a moonless Saturday night and filled St. Bartholomews with the light of the spoken word.
The pews of this 12th century church in the hamlet of Coffinswell,Devon, were furnished with the converted and the un-initiated to John’s wordy ways.
The Master mixed and mashed old and new material in a show that reached the ears and hearts of the all ages congregation. Songs, poems and monologues…soul food for the hungry.
I’ve been privileged to know John since the early 80’s. He’s from Luton and I’m from St.Albans. After hearing my ode to suburban teenage angst, Happy Birthday Sweet 16 on the late night John Peel radio show he saw me performing at Elephant Fair in St.Germans, Cornwall. Subsequently he offered me some slots at various alternative cabaret events that were all the rage in those days in London.
In more recent years I’ve been able to repay the favour by booking him to perform at Cabaret Shenanigans in Moretonhampstead and arranging gigs for the both of us through Villages in Action, the Devon rural touring arts organization.
Last night’s shenanigans were a hoot. As well as telling The Tall Tales of Myanmar I got to play recorder on Luton Bungalow, that Hegley perennial.
Joining us for the last dance in the photo above is poet and musician Colin Shaddick.