The Shape of a Pocket
We are running events Upstairs at The Gatehouse that celebrate talent across the generations – cultural works of resistance from both inside and outside what is considered establishment; poetry, art, story and music.
This year’s collaborations will take place on May 11th 2025
Sunday May 11th
Upstairs at the Gatehouse | 16:00-18:30 pm
Programme includes Amir Amirani and extracts from his documentary We Are Many on the global protests of 2003, and news of his next project
Jan Woolf and her short play Streaming the Dead - remembering the pandemic 5 years on.
Richard Bradbury presents extracts from his new play Regarding Shelley
Poetry from Gilles Madan and Kevin Omosele
Peter Kennard on Berger and art
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More to be announced​
Sunday April 14th 2024
Upstairs at the Gatehouse | 17:00-20:00 pm
This first event gathers respected political and creative voices along with a new generation of young creators to take up the Berger Baton.
A presentation of Surrender: Ways of Hearing John Berger, an immersive film commissioned by the British Library
Actress Ruby Serkis and drummer Leo Taylor will perform on the Male Gaze as a response to Chapter 3 of Ways of Seeing
Music and poetry from rubab player Milad Yousofi and poet Rakaya Fetuga
Our guest speakers include Peter Kennard (Artist and Professor of Political Art Royal College of Art) and Dr. Richard Bradbury (Author of Riversmeet and
Become a Man)
Art exhibition of socially engaged artist including Ralph Steadman, Mona Hatoum, Peter Kennard.
Executive producers: Jan Woolf, Tina Grace
Assistant producer: Sophia Berger
Live music with Afghan rhubab player, vocalist Milad Yousofi in collaboration with writer, poet, performer Rakaya Fetuga
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Live and filmed interpretations of John Bergers Ways of Seeing with special guest actors including Ruby Serkis, Lorraine Ashbourne and more.
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Conversations on Passing the Berger baton with Shape of a Pocket founders Jan Woolf,
Tina Grace, including patrons Mike Dibb, Gareth Evans.
Surrender: Ways of Hearing John Berger
British Library | 7-11 July 2023
Surrender - Ways of Hearing John Berger
a British Library commission
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Surrender: Ways of Hearing John Berger created in collaboration with BBC broadcasting duo Laura Barton (author journalist) and producer Geoff Bird, with writer in residence Keisha Thompson, original music score Anna Phoebe, featuring Afghan rubab player Milad Yousofi, Syrian flute Louai Alhenawi, cello compositions Ian Burdge, LaQualia compositions, sound mixed by Call and Response, film visuals created and edited at TeeFilms featuring photography by Jillian Edelstein
Executive producer: Tina Grace
Image designed by Hassan Hajjaj
The strange power of art is sometimes it can show that what people have in common is more urgent than what differentiates them. It seems to me it's something that theatre can do, but it's rare; it's very rare.
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– John Berger