Shows


Henry Normal

Download images & bio

Henry Normal - Everything and More

I usually pick a topic for each tour. In this new show I’m concentrating on everything. Jokes, poems and stories digging deep into the subject of every single thing in the universe and beyond. A show honed perfectly for everyone in particular. 

 

Bio:

Henry is a writer, poet, TV & Film producer, founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival (now the Literature festival) and co-founder of the Nottingham Poetry Festival. In June 2017 he was honoured with a special BAFTA for services to Television.


He co-wrote and script edited the multi-award winning Mrs Merton show and the spin off series Mrs Merton and Malcolm. He also co-created and co-wrote the first series of The Royle Family.
With Steve Coogan he co-wrote the BAFTA winning Paul and Pauline Calf Video Diaries, Coogan's Run, Tony Ferrino, Doctor Terrible and all three of Steve's live tours and the film The Parole Officer.

Setting up Baby Cow Productions Ltd in 1990, Henry Executive Produced all and script edited many of the shows of it's 17 and a half year output during his tenure as MD.
Highlights of the Baby Cow output during his time include the Oscar nominated film Philomena, I believe in Miracles, Gavin and Stacey, Moone Boy, Uncle, Marion and Geof, Nighty Night, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf, Hunderby, Camping and Alan Partridge.

Since retiring in April 2016, Henry has written and performed 10 x BBC Radio 4 shows combining comedy, poetry and stories about family. His 11th BBC Radio 4 show ' A Normal Journey' will be recorded this autumn. Born in St Anne's Nottingham in 1956, Henry now lives in Fairlight, Nr Hastings with his wife and screenwriter Angela Pell and their son Johnny.

In April 2018. Two Roads publishers released his book of memoirs 'A Normal Family' which was writthen with his wife Angela Pell, drawing on his family expereience. It immediately became a best seller on Amazon and has already been reprinted. The paperbavk was released on 21st March 2019.

Henry performs poetry at Literature Festivals around the UK and has eleven poetry books available from Flapjack. On 15th August this year Henry’s 12th poetry book entitled 'Collected Poems Volume 3' will be released, Henry’s 13th book 'A Moonless Night ' is also set for release on 28th February 2024.

He was recently given an honorary doctorate of letters by Nottingham Trent University, another by Nottingham
University and has a beer and a bus named after him in Nottingham!

Quotes:
Succinct, heartrending and peppered with gentle punchlines’ Hannah Verdier, The Guardian
Shove up National Treasures. We need to make room for Henry Normal" Simon ';Hagan - Radio Times


"the Alan Bennett of poetry" The Scotsman


"Dovetails bittersweet poetry with a sublimely observant wit" The Guardian


"A mixture of the absurd and downright wacky...a gentle giant of stand-up poetry" The List


"The poetry itself is stuff of proper substance, marrying the suburban beauty of Beatles ballads with the blunt candour of the kitchen sink"The Guardian

"Witty and uncannily accurate with his observations"- The Stage


"Distinctly funny" - Time Out


It’s a rare and lovely thing: half an hour of radio that stops you short, gently demands your attention and then wipes your tears away while you have to have a little sit down - The Guardian


" a real treat to hear a seasoned professional like Henry taking command of this evening comedy spot to deliver a show that's idiosyncratic and effortlessly funny

"Not heard anything that jumps from hilarious to moving in such an intelligent, subtle way as Henry Normal"

Thursday 28th March 2024

The Cadogan Hall, London

Buy tickets

Thursday 4th April 2024

The Maltings, Berwick-Upon-Tweed

Buy tickets

Friday 5th April 2024

The Tolbooth, Stirling

Buy tickets

Saturday 6th April 2024

The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen

Buy tickets

Sunday 7th April

The Gardyne Theatre, Dundee

Buy tickets

Tuesday 9th April 2024

The Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh

Buy tickets

Wednesday 10th April 2024

Mackintosh Church, Glasgow

Buy tickets

Monday 22nd April 2024

The King's Hall, Ilkley

Buy tickets

Tuesday 23rd April 2024

The Playhouse, Nottingham

Buy tickets

Wednesday 24th April 2024

EPIC Studios, Norwich

Buy tickets

Thursday 25th April 2024

Stephen Joseph Theatre (The McCarthy), Scarborough

Buy tickets

Saturday 27th April 2024

St James (as part of the Guernsey Literature Festival)

Buy tickets

Saturday 1st June 2024

Arvon Writing Festival, Hebden Bridge

Buy tickets

Wednesday 11th September 2024

The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham

Buy tickets

Thursday 12th September 2024

The Minack Theatre, Cornwall

Buy tickets

Friday 13th September 2024

The Gateway Theatre, Seaton

Buy tickets

Saturday 5th October 2024

Seamus Heaney HomePlace

Buy tickets

Wednesday 9th October 2024

Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (Music Room)

Buy tickets

Thursday 10th October 2024

The Met, Bury

Buy tickets

Friday 11th October 2024

The Lakeside Arts, Nottingham

Buy tickets

Sunday 13th October 2024

Northcourt Centre, Abingdon

Buy tickets

Monday 14th October 2024

Central Hall, Southampton

Buy tickets

Tuesday 15th October 2024

St George's Hall, Bristol

Buy tickets

Wednesday 16th October 2024

Stamford Corn Exchange

Buy tickets

Saturday 19th October 2024

The Courthouse, Otley

Buy tickets

Sunday 20th October 2024

Chorley Theatre

Buy tickets

Wednesday 23rd October 2024

21 Soho, London

Buy tickets

Thursday 24th October 2024

Brewery Arts, Kendal

Buy tickets

Thursday 31st October 2024

Colchester Arts Centre

Buy tickets

Shows


Dr. John Cooper Clarke

John Cooper Clarke shot to prominence in the 1970s as the original ‘people’s poet’.

Brian Bilston

Brian Bilston has been described as the Banksy of poetry and Twitter’s unofficial Poet Laureate; with over 200,000 followers on social media, Brian has become truly beloved by the online community.

John Robb

John Robb talks about a life in music, his best selling art of darkness book, being the first person to interview Nirvana, inventing the word britpop and adventures on the post punk frontline...

Nigel Planer

Nigel Planer was an original member of the comedy groups at the centre of the ‘Alternative Comedy’ movement in the 1980s and starred in the seminal TV series The Young Ones, and The Comic Strip Presents.

Clare Ferguson-Walker

Clare is an award winning performance poet, comedienne sculptor and singer who's first spoken word show "California Scheming" toured the UK to rave reviews.

Luke Wright

Whether he’s opening for the Libertines or reciting Georgian ballads down your local, Luke Wright is adept at taking poetry places it doesn’t normally go.

Toria Garbutt

Toria Garbutt is a spoken word artist from Knottingley - a former mining town in West Yorkshire

Mike Garry

Mike Garry was a librarian for 15 years before becoming a poet.