BAFTA AWARD-WINNING TV PRODUCER ANNOUNCES SALFORD SHOW THIS APRIL

BAFTA Award-winning TV Producer Henry Normal is coming to The Lowry Theatre, Salford on 16th April. Henry’s new show, which is touring nationally, draws on over 40 years of work and features material from his acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series and his ten poetry books, including the two latest collections.

It's a warm, moving, unique and very funny show where comedy meets poetry and features stories, jokes and poems from an incredible body of work and covering an extraordinary life and career. 

Henry’s latest poetry collection “Poems Vol. 2”, will be published on 1st August 2022 and a new episode of his BBC Radio 4 ‘A Normal…’ has also been commissioned. “A Normal History” will be broadcast in the summer and the previous episodes can be played here.

As usual, Henry will theme some of the live show around his latest topic of investigation for the BBC episode - this time Henry explores history, and how this affects human’s everyday lives. 

Henry’s poetry renaissance was inspired by his experiences bringing up his autistic son Johnny, something which is central to the live show and all of Henry’s latest books.  The result is a funny and moving collection of work, both on the page and the stage, about life and family. 

Following the success of Henry’s poetry collections The Beauty Within Shadow and Distance Between Clouds, which were both written during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he released Collected Poems Vol. 1 in November 2021. His latest poetry collection, Collected Poems Vol. 2, will be published on 1st August 2022.. It’s the latest addition to a body of work that reflects upon many aspects of lockdown, life and love with Henry’s distinctive humour and light-hearted gravitas. 

Henry’s TV output includes some of the nation’s best loved programmes. His co-writing credits include The Royle Family, Mrs Merton, Coogan’s Run and feature film The Parole Officer. As co-founder and MD of Baby Cow Productions which he set up with Steve Coogan, he produced amongst others Gavin and Stacey, Alan Partridge, Moone Boy, Uncle, The Mighty Boosh, Nighty Night and the Oscar-nominated film Philomena. 

Prior to his illustrious TV career, Henry toured as a performance poet with Pulp and new wave bands; stand up greats like Linda Smith and literary giants including Seamus Heaney. In this previous life, Henry travelled from Helsinki to New York via factories, schools, pop concerts, jazz clubs, folk clubs and festivals. 

Now, Henry is once again turning to his poetic roots and bringing new material to his fantastic 90 minute show, on the second leg of his first major tour. This is a chance to see ‘the Alan Bennett of poetry’ (The Scotsman) back on stage and at the top of his game. 

The Escape Plan Live

Salford, The Lowry Theatre - 16th April 2022 

You can also catch the show at these other venues through-out the year.

Kidderminster, Kidderminster Town Hall - 14th April 2022

Kendal, Brewery Arts Centre – 15^th April 2022

Ampthill, AmpLiterary - 23rd April 2022

Nottingham, Lakeside Arts - 12th May 2022

Blackpool, The Old Electric - 13th May 2022

Bude Literary Festival - 21st May 2022

Guilford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre - 27th May 2022

Cheltenham, The Pillar Room - 28th May 2022

Colchester, Colchester Arts Centre - 2nd July 2022

Petworth, Petworth Festival - 29th July 2022