Performance of The Jabberwocky by Matt Black and the Nonsense Orchestra
The Owl and the Pussycat has a unique and celebrated status in nonsense literature, with strength of story, simplicity of imagery, and perfection of rhythms. Matt Black, poet, and Pip Hall, illustrator, have been inspired by this poem to create an edition which includes the imagined Prequel and Sequel to Lear’s poem, with delightful contemporary illustrations. The Prequel and Sequel explore why they went to sea in the first place, and what took place after we left them, married, hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, dancing by the light of the moon…
Edward Lear (1812-1888) was the father of nonsense literature, most celebrated for his limericks and longer nonsensical poems, such as The Dong with The Luminous Nose, The Jumblies and The Ahkond of Swat. He was a landscape painter, the best ornithological illustrator of his age, and the youngest of 21 children. He suffered from epilepsy and what he called the Morbids, and elements of sadness inform his best nonsense writing. He twice asked the same woman to marry him, was twice refused, and this underpins several of his key poems.
The Prequel and Sequel in this edition develop this theme of personal and marital insecurity, but leave us with a smilingly happy ending!
The Prequel and Sequel in this edition develop this theme of personal and marital insecurity, but leave us with a smilingly happy ending! This book includes Edward Lear’s famous poem, set between a new Prequel and Sequel by Matt Black, with a
delightfully modern flavour. Weaving between nonsense and reality….
but don’t worry, as you’ll find out, after all is said and done,
life is a crazy canoe….
With gorgeous illustrations by Pip Hall, this book has been created
to entertain children, adults and walruses.