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PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME
The simple offering was a sweet story of
how an angel comes to Earth to find Mr
Blake and asks those gathered if they
have seen him.
Mr Blake had told her Come to the place
where angels gather as he wanted to
come and speak to them.
The angel, (Alice Ancient, actor Alice Old),
looks around at those gathered and finds
no other angels present, only human
beings. She is perturbed to find Mr Blake
is not here either. She is alone and lost.
She plays her melancholy flute and sings the
poem London a dark foreboding work
from Songs of Experience that
highlights the suffering of fallen man.
Seeing that the woes of London still persist in these times, the angel laments,
More than ever, we need Mr Blake to come and speak to us today!
At this moment a Mother and daughter arrive on the scene (Real life mother and
daughter Carol and Shivani Robertson).
They wander around the gathering and ask people one by one if they have seen Mr
Blake. They tell how they had a dream and in the dream Mr Blake said, Come
to the place where angels gather as he will come and speak to them.
They are disappointed to see only one sad and lonely angel. Together they sit by
the tree to wait, in hope.
The angel invites them to sing the song they wanted to perform for Mr Blake.
They sweetly sing The Nurses Song...
At this moment a man arrives on the scene (Derek Ferguson). He wanders around and asks
people one by one if they have seen Mr Blake.
He also had a dream and in the dream Mr Blake said, Come to the place where angels
gather, as he is to come and speak to them.
He only sees the mother and daughter and the angel. So he goes to sit by the tree to wait,
in hope.
The angel sees his disappointment and invites him to recite the poem he wanted to
perform for Mr Blake.
He recites The Little Black Boy in Jamaican accent....
Having heard the sweet voices of each one who come to meet Mr Blake, all they really
want it to hear the voice of Mr Blake himself.
And they are not disappointed. ...!
Suddenly, Mr Blake appears from out of the crowd
(in the form of professional actor Kim Lethbridge);
As the performer delivered the original words of Blake he had drawn from
key passages of Blakes letters and prophetic works, the effect was
mesmerising!
Those gathered around listened in stunned silence!
When the song ended, the angel looked around with awe and seeing the shining light
of the Spirit in the eyes of each of the gatherers, exclaimed;
Ah the ANGELS HAVE gathered here!!
She skipped off, joyfully, after Mr Blake.
One by one the angels who had come from all over London shared their favourite
poem or song by Mr Blake much to the delight of all others gathered.
It was an amazing afternoon and I've loved all the play and songs. Great and talented
people indeed! As you. I was seriously touched. Thanks to all of you. If you get a video
clip, please send to me a link or a copy of it. I would like to see it again and again.
Piero Lattrola, South London
A refreshing feel about this year's gathering at William Blake's resting place with a
number of pieces of Blake's poetry was then beautifully set to music. William Blake
(actor Kim Lethbridge) burst onto the scene creating quite a forceful presence. He
recited a mix of Blake's writings, strong and insightful, as ever.
Paul Francis, North London.