Chris White

The Island: a poem by Chris White, with music by Hal Kelly & visuals by Emma Baskeyfield.

My original idea was to write an adaptation of ‘The Whale’ or ‘Fastitocalon’, a poem that appears in The Exeter Book. I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole (or blow hole, I guess) thinking about the original piece, what it meant, and how it might be adapted for a modern audience. You can read about some of my adventures in the un-land here:  https://www.chriswhitepoet.com/post/i-can-t-believe-it-s-not-blubber

I ended up departing from the original story and wrote this piece inspired by ‘The Whale’. It’s about loneliness, friendship and isolation. I think we’re all feeling a little isolated right now, in some form. For me, isolation is a bit like the sea. It can be nice to bob around in for a bit, but you have to watch out for waves... and try not to drown.

This is a piece for both kids and grown-ups. I’m really thankful to Hal and Emma for bringing my words (and Jo’s world) to life, using nothing but a melodica, some pipe cleaners and their sheer sloshy brilliance.  

Chris White is a poet, performer and submerging artist based in Exeter. He regularly performs his silly and surreal spoken-word at nights and festivals such as Tongue Fu, Raise the Bar and Knee Deep. He also runs an ongoing project called Spork!, bringing workshops & events to the city. 

Emma Baskeyfield is a South West-based Theatre-Maker, Designer & Puppeteer with an enthusiasm for visual storytelling, design, puppetry, and community work. 

Hal Kelly is a composer and sound-artist based in Brighton, with a penchant for making experimental electronic music that spans a range of genres and styles