St James Centre for Creativity

January 13 and 14

‘Something Dark’ is written and performed by Lemn Sissay (right) and directed by John E McGrath.

It tells the true story of Lemn Sissay who as a baby was given up by his Ethiopian mother in the 1960s. He was renamed Norman Greenwood and nicknamed Chalky White throughout his turbulent childhood in care, only finding out his real name at the age of 18. No longer the possession of the social services, he left the brutal suburbs of Lancashire for the bright lights of Manchester where he became a celebrated performance poet. Aged 21, Lemn left for Gambia in search of his mother and the truth about his father.

Lemn Sissay plunders his astonishing life story to create a virtuoso performance of searing honesty, laced with secrets, lies and truths too terrible to mention and artistically influenced by his background in poetry. Sissay has a poet's ear for language and metaphor. He recounts difficult experiences often with humour, never self-pity.

Lemn Sissy is a human dynamo with a sharp lyrical line who produces beautiful and arresting writing. He has had five books published over ten years, appeared regularly on BBC’s Grumpy Old Men and Radio 4 and guested on over forty albums. The radio play of Something Dark was commissioned and broadcast by Radio 3 in October 2004 and won the RIMA award for best radio drama in 2005.

Tickets are available from St James Cavalier, Valletta. For booking information please contact the booking office: phone 21 22 32 00 or 21 22 32 16 or email [email protected]