Duvet,
you are so groovet,
I’d like to stay under you
all of Tuesdet.
New shows for 2025
News
I’m delighted to announce a plethora of new shows for May 2025 with the brilliant Henry Normal. We’re be coming to BIRMINGHAM, CAMBRIDGE, HARROGATE, LANCASTER, LIVERPOOL, LONDON, MANCHESTER, MELTON MOWBRAY, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME, NORTHAMPTON, STOCKTON-ON-TEES and WHITLEY BAY. Tickets have gone on sale today.
As previously announced, we’ll also be reading poems in ASHFORD, BURNLEY, CARDIFF, HALIFAX, HASTINGS, READING, ST ALBANS, SHEFFIELD, SHREWSBURY, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, TAUNTON and WORTHING.
After all that, I’ll be having a bit of a lie down, although you may also catch me at a few festivals throughout the year.
Links to tickets can be found here: https://brianbilston.com/events/
Let Sleeping Cats Lie – out now
NewsIt’s UK publication day for ‘Let Sleeping Cats Lie’, my collection of poems about pets.
I wrote the for book children, aged between 7 and 95, and it’s available through all the usual bookshop places. You can find some of the online retailers here: https://linktr.ee/brianbilston
There are a few signed copies knocking about, too. Here’s a small list of some of the independent bookshops who have signed copies: https://linktr.ee/letsleepingcatslie
Anyway, that’s about all I have to say on the matter so I shall finish writing this post now.
Index of Poems I Shall Never Write
Assorted Poems, Some poemsI’ve been having a bit of a sort out over the summer. I’m throwing out some old titles for poems which I shall never write. Free to a good home.
Let Sleeping Cats Lie
Assorted PoemsSome news! I have a new book of poems for children coming out in a couple of months – Let Sleeping Cats Lie.
It’s a collection of poems about pets (dogs, cats, goldfish, chinchilla, guinea pigs, snakes, budgies, rabbits, blue whales etc). I say it’s for children but it’s also suitable for grandchildren and, who knows, some grown-ups might enjoy it, too; I don’t like to be too prescriptive.
It publishes on 26th September in the UK. If you fancied pre-ordering a copy, you can do so through your local bookshop or visiting this page with links to some online booksellers:
https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/brian-bilston/let-sleeping-cats-lie-pet-poems/9781035050550
Here’s a poem from the collection:
Wilf the Labracadabrador
Wilf the Labracadabrador
(who in dog years is seventy-six)
is a magician, a conjurer
and a hypnotist.
He saws teddies in half.
He pulls rabbits from hats.
He makes all his food vanish,
just like that.
Renowned for his showdogship
and smooth sleight of paw,
Wilf’s about to em-bark
on a nationwide tour.
Last week, I showed him
how to juggle with sticks.
Whoever said you can’t teach
an old dog new tricks?
Solo shows for 2024
NewsI’m doing a few solo poetry shows this year, starting this month with Chester, Lincoln & Scarborough.
I’ll be in Falmouth, Totnes & Launceston in April. And Belfast & Dublin in October.
If you fancy coming along to a show, you can get tickets here: https://brianbilston.com/events/
Mnemonic
Assorted Poems, Some poemsThirty days hath September,
April, June and November.
Unless a leap year is its fate,
February hath twenty-eight.
All the rest hath three days more,
excepting January,
which hath six thousand,
one hundred and eighty-four.
2024 Shows (warning: may contain poetry)
NewsWell done, everybody, for making it to January 569th.
I’ve been grateful for those extra days this month, as it’s given me time to get my head together for my 2024 shows, which begin in just over two weeks’ time with a run of dates with the fabulous poet (and human) Henry Normal. We start on 16th February in Bexhill-on-Sea on the south coast.
Shows in Nottingham and Monmouth have now sold out – alongside Salford, Leeds, Exeter, Bath, Stroud and Leek.
There are only a handful of tickets remaining for London, Oxford, Bury St Edmunds, Coventry and Ilkley.
Tickets are also on sale for Sunderland, Barrow, Wolverhampton, Norwich, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Stirling, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, plus two new shows announced last week: Bristol and Southampton.
And a small reminder that I’m doing a few solo shows this year in fancy coming along to one: Chester, Lincoln, Scarborough, Falmouth, Totnes, Launceston, Belfast and Dublin.
If you came to see me last year and for some strange reason are considering coming along again, then you might be reassured to know I’ll be reading a bunch of new poems (alongside a few older ones). There’s a guarantee of a least two new jokes or your money back (terms and conditions apply*).
Links to more information and tickets can be found on this page: 2024 shows and ticket info
* Brian Bilston reserves the right to define what constitutes a joke. A joke may not always be dependent on laughter.
2024 Tour
News
In the last few days, I’ve read poems in Ely, Birmingham, St Andrews, Edinburgh and Brighton; each event was lovely and special in its own way. A big thank you to everyone who came along to them, and indeed, to all the 15,000 people who have dragged themselves to my 59 shows this year.
In terms of 2024, a couple of new dates have been added:
BARROW-in FURNESS (19 Feb – with Henry Normal): TICKETS HERE
and a second evening of my solo show in SCARBOROUGH (22 March): TICKETS HERE
For my shows with Henry Normal, these ones are selling like hotcakes: BURY ST EDMUNDS, EXETER, LEEDS, LONDON, SALFORD and STROUD, so you might need to be quick if you fancy coming along.
Tickets for these ones are selling like warm buns: BATH, COVENTRY, MONMOUTH, NOTTINGHAM, OXFORD and SUNDERLAND, so I wouldn’t wait too long.
And these ones could do with some heating up: ABERDEEN, BEXHILL-ON-SEA, DUNDEE, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW, ILKLEY, NORWICH, STIRLING, WOLVERHAMPTON.
And just a reminder that I’ve got a few solo shows next year, too: BELFAST, CHESTER, DUBLIN, FALMOUTH, LAUNCESTON, LINCOLN, SCARBOROUGH, TOTNES.
Anyway, you can find out details of ALL these shows here: https://brianbilston.com/events/
Finally, would tickets to one of these make a nice gift for somebody this Christmas?*
I couldn’t possibly comment.
* YES
A few tickets available for this week …
NewsThanks very much to everyone who braved the elements to come and see me in Banbury, Stamford, Pocklington, Liverpool and Otley last week. Your dedication is to be much admired.
This week I’m mainly in Wales – in Caerphilly on Thursday and Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons on Friday. There are a few tickets left for both shows. If you fancy coming along, then ticket info can be found through this link: https://brianbilston.com/upcoming-events-and-shows/
I’m then heading to Clevedon on Saturday before popping home to do my laundry.
Also, apart from one more return trip to Liverpool next month, that’s the end of my shows in the north of England this year. If you didn’t get a chance to get a ticket – or fancy coming along to a brand new show next year, then I’ll be heading to Leeds, Salford, Sunderland, Ilkley, Leek and Nottingham with Henry Normal – and doing a few solo shows in Scarborough, Chester and Lincoln*.
*Please note, other shows are available.
