May Days
May Days – additional information
Comments on the poem
"A really very great poem"
Dominic Alexander, Counterfire
"That's quite a poem"
Vera Ignatowitsch
"Very powerful"
Nico Dobben, Events Organiser, WNDA
"What a wonderful poem, wow, a masterpiece perhaps!"
Karen McCaffrey, actor in May Days
Comments on the performance
It really did bring out the greatness of the poem, and it was very moving."
Dominic Alexander, Counterfire
"Lynx did a great thing in putting the event together. You made a beacon for the truth about Grenfell."
Roger Gartland, actor in May Days
"Thank you for allowing me to be involved in a great piece of work."
Shane Chester, actor in May Days
"May Days by William Alderson, was a humbling and inspiring reminder and example of art at its most powerful, meaningful and poignant." "Should there be a repeat at some point, do count me in. I will be happy to make space in my diary if necessary."
Tayo Aluko, actor in May Days
"It was a splendid and moving performance. Congratulations everyone."
Derek Paice, organiser of Downham Songwriters and Poets
"Powerful performance of William Alderson’s poem May Days"
Shabbir Lakha
"This was seriously good - don't miss the video!"
Elaine Graham-Leigh
Recording
An audio recording off William Alderson reading May Days can be heard here:
At 6 p.m. on Saturday 16 June 2018 there was a performance of May Days at the Playground Theatre, 8 Latimer Industrial Estate, Latimer Road, London W10 6RQ.
Simone Vause directed the following five actors in a rehearsed reading of the poem:
Chandler Press has published a printed version of May Days, and this is available from chandlerpress@me.com at £2.00 + £1.00 p&p.
Printed version
Online publication
May Days was first published on the Counterfire website, and was the first poem this journal had published.
If you like the poem, please could you add your like to those on the counter fire website to show support for their decision!
Theatre performance
Poster
Flyer
This 'platform performance' was produced by Lynx Theatre and Poetry, and marked the anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire of 14 June 2017.
It took place, appropriately, between the two last performances at the
theatre of of the play Shirleymander, about Shirley Porter and
Westminster Council's discriminatory housing policy in the 1980s,
known as the 'homes for votes' scandal.
The performance was funded by Jacqueline Mulhallen, and proceeds
from it went to the victims of the fire.
Poems on this site:
-
The Accident
-
Future Floodlands at Peterborough Cathedral
-
i.m. Neil Faulkner
As poem cards:
Video clip of Tayo Aluko
This video clip of Tayo Aluko reading lines 222 to 232 of May Days was recorded during a rehearsal for the performance at The Playground Theatre.
Video of Gospel Plough with photos of the Justice 4 Grenfell march
The director of May Days, Simone Vause, wanted some inspirational music at the end of the poem. Tayo Aluko suggested 'Gospel Plough', also known as 'Keep Your Eyes on the Prize', and he suggested that I write a couple of new verses.Here he is, singing one older verse and my two new ones along with the rest of the cast.
The new verses were:
Those who lived through Grenfell Tower
Learned the lessons of the hour –
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on.
Trust yourselves not those in power
Then the withered past will flower –
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on.
Photos of the rehearsals
Below are photos of the rehearsal on May Days in The Playground Theatre on the set of Shirleymander.
