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Hi there, here are the January headlines:
- New book - Seventy Years a Showman - out this week from my publishing company Muddler Books. It's a wild read.
- London showcase for my storytelling project with pianist Olga Jegunova - lunchtime on Thursday 24 Jan at the LSE. And it's free!
- Next week - solo show on Tuesday 15 Jan in London at Sharps Folk Club - with lots of new material.
- Get a copy of Ordinary Giants, the wonderful new song cycle from Robb Johnson (featuring me, and many others)
- Other treats, including my intro to the Young'uns Xmas Podcast, and an award nomination for The Transports
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Seventy Years a Showman
During the autumn I came across a book, long out of print, that blew my socks off. I've republished it, and now you can enjoy it for yourself.
It's the 1910 autobiography of a circus showman called 'Lord' George Sanger. Born into an early Victorian family of travelling showfolk, he went on to become Britain's biggest circus entrepreneur, as famous as PT Barnum - and the American's equal in skill, pluck and cheek. Find out more and read extracts here.
In one show alone, Sanger gathered on stage 700 actors, 13 elephants, nine camels and 52 horses, plus ostriches, emus, pelicans, kangaroos, buffaloes and, at the centre of it all, two African lions.
But it's his early years that most enthrall. Life was violent and lawless for travelling showfolk. And here's the key - Sanger is a master storyteller. Each short chapter is honed to shock and surprise.
One minute Sanger is bare-knuckle fighting in an East End pub, the next he's recruiting a fake tribe of red Indians from Liverpool slums, dodging the fury of a Chartist riot or chatting with Queen Victoria about elephants.
This is real-life Dickens, and a wonderful counterpoint to the sanitised splendour of that recent film about PT Barnum The Greatest Showman.
I've added some illustrations, thanks to my pal John Foreman, the great printer and music hall singer, written a new introduction - and I'm proud to have published the book through my company Muddler Books.
It's £10.99 in paperback from Muddler Books. There's a Kindle version too.
Go on, treat yourself to a wild read this January.
Stop press. First review out this morning from the Camden New Journal. They love it.
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Storytelling with Olga
If you're free in central London on the lunchtime of Thursday 24 January, why not come along to a fun concert of my storytelling project with pianist Olga Jegunova. It's at the London School of Economics off Aldwych, at 1pm for 50 minutes. Free, no need to book. Details here.
Olga is a fine classical pianist, and I've persuaded her to join me in performing old stories like The Flaming Firebird and the Princess Vasilisa. I tell the story, while Olga improvises on themes by Bach, Philip Glass, Arvo Part and others. Adults love it, so do kids. Here's a short (and slightly crazy) video about our work.
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Solo show 15 January London
On Tuesday 15 January, Sharps Folk Club has taken the rash step of allowing me two full sets of solo material. Anyone sensible will view 90 minutes of unmediated Matthew as, at best, an adventure and, at worst, a hellish slide through the bowels of popular entertainment.
So you've been warned. But for me, it's a chance to explore new material. Well, actually old material, but new to my performance. There'll be music hall songs and monologues, traditional finger-in-the-ear folky stuff, showtunes (yes, indeed) and some gems from heroes like Townes Van Zandt.
The Club's at Cecil Sharp house in Camden. It starts at 8pm, with floorspots (for non-folkies, that means anyone can offer to sing). £6. Pay on the door. Best to get there in good time.
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Back in November we launched Robb Johnson's new song cycle Ordinary Giants with a packed, heart-warming gig, featuring many of the musicians on the album. Here's a nice review of the show. I play Robb's Uncle Ernie, progressing from teenage tearabout in the Heston suburbs to RAF groundcrew during WW2, Gilbert & Sullivan chorus member and, finally, a bitter, gin-soaked regular at Ronnie Scotts.
I get to sing four songs on the album, alongside folk like Phil Odgers, Miranda Sykes, Claire Martin, Boff Whalley, Tom Robinson, Dennis Skinner (yes, him, and he sings) and Roy Bailey, who sadly died just before the gig and whose voice started the show.
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Ordinary Giants is a triple album, crammed full of goodies from the genius that is Robb Johnson. I've got copies you can buy direct from me for £19.99. Just pop over to my new shop.
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More treats
Dumb intro
David Eagle has just released extracts from the wonderful 2016 Xmas gigs by The Young'uns. Each concert was prefaced by a rather silly intro that I'd recorded to welcome them on stage. You can hear the sting a minute into David's podcast. Must admit, I'm very proud of this piece of foolery (boosted by David's editing skills). I'm available for commissions, should any other artists wish to have the piss royally ripped.
If you've not experienced The Young'uns in concert, give the podcast a listen - there are prime examples of David's genius asides and unscripted banter.
FATEA award nomination for The Transports
We're delighted that The Transports album has been nominated for a 2018 Tradition award by FATEA. The results will be announced during their radio show on 11th January. More info here. And the album's now in my shop at £9.99.
January tips
To check out storytelling at its best, watch Springsteen on Broadway on Netflix. While you're there, check out the film Roma, though it's better on the big screen, and rewatch Toast of London, just to see him deal with Ray 'Bloody' Purchase. Oh, and book your tickets for The Young'uns' Ballad of Johnny Longstaff, which tours soon.
Happy new year.
Best wishes,
Matthew
PS And for reading - get yourself a copy of Seventy Years a Showman ... you'll love it.
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