Author Archives: Ellen Wiles

A Literary Bestiary: immersive short story show on Tuesday 9th June at 8pm

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Ark is curating a unique immersive journey around Swiss Cottage Library next week, on a theme of bestiary.

There will be newly commissioned stories from brilliant writers, including Joe Dunthorne (Submarine), Nicholas Royle (First Novel), and Holly Pester (a poet and sound artist). Some excellent actors will be reading clasic fables and contemporary stories, including Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones) reading a Lydia Davis story about a cockroach infestation. As an immersive show, all the stories go beyond straight readings, being are site-responsive and involving cross-arts collaborations: some will interact with live and recorded music, some with illustration, some with film, and some with dance. There will also be an interactive audience story involving edible books with artist Chloe Spicer.

Swiss Cottage Library is a fantastic modernist library which is ripe for performance, and part of the performance will interact with an exciting new installation in the library by artist Dmitri Galitzine.

There are more details and links to buy tickets on Eventbrite and via the Ark website, where you can also see a new mini film of the last show: A Literary Coup.

A Literary Coup: Ark takes over a London library on 23rd April

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Who stages a literary coup in a library? And what’s Calvino got to do with it?

Ark PHCL flyer print v2

Ark is launching an exciting new series of immersive, themed short story performances in libraries, involving curated film, dance, sound and interactive book art. We begin by taking over Primrose Hill Community Library on Thursday 23rd April at 7:30pm with ‘A Literary Coup’: a libraries-themed performance in celebration of World Book Night.

[Insert diarising pause.]

It will include newly-commissioned stories from the brilliant Nikesh Shukla, Hannah Silva and Sarah Grochala, and performances of classic short stories by Calvino, Borges and Walter R. Brooks by actors Susanna Hislop, Charlie Partridge and Maeve Leahy, integrated with newly-commissioned film, live music and sound.

There will be street and contemporary dance from Michelle Bailey and interactive book art by Chloe Spicer – expect the chance to write an edible book and exchange a book hat. You’ll also walk away with a surprise, hand-wrapped book as a gift, just for being a part of it.

One health warning: possible imagination overload. But there will be wine!

Take a quick click trip to the Ark website for more information.

Tickets just released – only £6 (£5 concessions): BUY TICKETS HERE

Please tweet about it: @arkshortstories #literarycoup Do drop us a line or tell us a story: arkshortstories@gmail.com And we’d love you to like us on Facebook too. Hope to see you soon!