Joe Murphy to Direct Luke Wright's First Show at Edinburgh Fringe

Soho Theatre Associate Director and nabokov artistic director Joe Murphy is to direct the first theatre show from leading poet Luke Wright. The show will have its world premiere at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe.

Wright is one of the leading lights of the UK spoken word scene but this is the first time he has staged a piece of theatre.

What I Learned From Johnny Bevan is a compelling story of friendship, class, the death of New Labour... and a really bad idea for a festival.

The story tells how journalist Nick has fallen out of love with London and his life. Forced to review the launch of ?URBANIA, a new inner-city festival, he starts to remember his shattered friendship with Johnny Bevan, the whip-smart, mercurial kid from an Essex council estate. Back at university Johnny inspired him and saved him from living his father's life. Then their relationship came to its tragic end. Twenty years later, can he save the world-weary Nick all over again?

Written and performed by Luke in deft visceral, punchy verse, with a score by Ian Catskilkin from the band Art Brut, What I Learned From Johnny Bevan is a breath-taking poetic monologue about the British relationship between class and politics. Funny, poignant and full of dynamism, the play is skilfully brought to the stage under the guidance of Joe Murphy.

Murphy said of the collaboration 'I am incredibly excited to be returning to the Fringe for my first theatre piece since BLINK at the Traverse in 2012, especially with the immensely talented Luke Wright, one of our most incisive voices. Luke's script is absorbing and brilliantly witty, exploring the divisions in modern Britain through the eyes of two young men brought together by poetry, politics and partying. Luke Wright has written eight poetry shows, three books of verse and four spoken word albums. He tours the world each year with his unique brand of poetry, and is often seen with John Cooper Clarke. His verse documentaries on Channel 4 have been enjoyed by millions of viewers and his poems can often be heard on BBC Radios 3 & 4, sometimes further afield. He is a regular contributor to Sony Award-winning Saturday Live and has numerous main channel TV appearances under his belt. He curates the spoken word line-ups at The Latitude Festival, Festival Number 6 and The Edinburgh International Book Festival.

'The most relevant poet of his generation' Exeunt Director Joe Murphy won a Fringe First with nabokov for BUNNY (Underbelly) and universal acclaim for BLINK (Traverse), both of which transferred Off-Broadway. As Artistic Direcor of nabokov he also directed the hit production of Nick Payne's INCOGNITO at the Bush. Most recently Associate Director on the mega-hit and Broadway transferred Wolf Hall, Joe is now Associate Director at Soho Theatre. Luke is also performing his latest touring show Stay-at-Home Dandy at the Fringe which can be seen at Underbelly at 18.30 daily and curates Babble On at the 2015 Edinburgh International Book Festival

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