A TAPESTRY OF TRUE
EVENTS & TALENT
Poet William Michael Neary’s Far More Grace Than Me has been made into a captivating stage production, writes Laura Burgon
It’s not every day you get the opportunity to meet a talented, funny, modest and unassuming poet, from just up the road in Chipping. And yet on a breezy day in late April I had the absolute privilege of meeting lyrical poet, William Michael Neary, in my own front room. He uncovered the twists and turns of his poetry journey and how his poems have now made it onto the stage in a production entitled Far More Grace Than Me, a show featuring Michael’s poems, presented through songs, dance and accomplished musicians.
But before I found out about the show I wanted to know a little bit more about Michael and how poetry entered his life. Writing his first poem age six for Father Duggan at St Mary’s in Chipping, little did he know that poetry would go on to ‘run his life’ and despite only taking it really seriously since 2008, he says: “Mindfully it is a full time job and I’m unable to stop it even if I wanted to.”
I, for one, am really glad he hasn’t stopped, for his talent is truly captivating.
He humbly talks about his work not truly realising just how great he is. Whilst standing holding a cup of tea he says: “I’m not a storywriter. Poems I can do somehow. I don’t know how.”
It seems to me he is a story writer, using poetry as his story telling platform to share the stories of people he meets.
And so our conversation turns to his play. Whilst talking I realise that it was never Michael’s plan to turn a story that had been passed down through his family’s generations, into a stage performance, but then Michael never really plans any of his poems. Instead he takes tiny seeds, stories people have told him, germinating his thoughts whilst he is working out in the field, and then finally it all comes to fruition and another poem is born.
The beginning of Far More Grace Than Me is one such seed. A serendipitous crossing of paths led to Michael hearing the raw talent of musicians, Tom Gill and Evie Rapson, way back in April 2011. ‘Class’ was the word Michael used to compliment the pair, and so a friendship began. Instinctively Michael knew that Tom and Evie would be able to work wonders with his poetry, and they have.
Evie and Tom had previously put Michael’s poems to music and when Evie performed, A Land For Your Dream on local radio, Michael recalls: “When I heard Evie singing my poem I felt like I was floating four feet off the floor!”
Far More Grace Than Me is based on the story of Nell Bamber and begins in the Forest of Bowland, in 1910. It tells the story of Nell, a 14-year-old girl from Chipping, who lives on Pale Farm with her step-mother, father, brothers and sisters. Aged 19, and despite strong objections from her parents, Nell marries her love, World War One soldier Fred Poynton. They go on a remarkable journey, leaving Chipping via Macclesfield, across the Atlantic to America on board the Carmania, starting a new life in New York and then later in Buffalo.
The play is a tapestry of true events along with fictional makings, adding what all good stories need, a little bit of mystery and of course a good dose of romance. Indeed the whole production is a tapestry of talent, with Michael collaborating closely with a number of fellow artists.
Along the journey of Far More Grace Than Me, Michael has been delighted and proud to work alongside all the artists including dancer Aimee Williamson, talented violinist Andrew J.J Hall, singer songwriters Cassandra Payne, Annie Tiley, Baxter Rhodes, Tom Metcalfe, Joe Martin and Jim King, and not forgetting Tom Gill and Evie Rapson and sound technician Seamus Heffernan.
Michael says: “Being surrounded by dependable artists, makes you feel like you’ve got a coat of armour.”
He adds that without them this project would never have taken off the ground and become the inspiring and evolving show it is today.
With several performances under their belts, including Ribchester Village Hall, The Whittaker at Rawtenstall, Chipping Village Hall and Cloudspotting festival in 2014, Michael is constantly looking for new venues.
If you are interested in Michael and his collaborators performing at your venue, please feel free to get in touch. It is hoped that very soon Far More Grace Than Me will be performed at further local venues so keep an eye out for details.
williamneary@yahoo.co.uk
