The Life & Rhymes of Archy & Mehitabel
Theatre Nation

theatre, comedy

12+

60 mins

Baptist Hall

Thu at 17:00

Sat at 13:00

Sun at 13:15

The Life & Rhymes of Archy & Mehitabel
Theatre Nation

Theatre Nation have adapted Don Marquis’ delightfully humorous and satirical verses into a one-hour one-person show.

In the 1920’s, writer Don Marquis invented Archy the cockroach and his sometimes muse, Mehitabel the cat – ‘I was Cleopatra once’. Both are convinced they’ve lived previous lives.

First published as free verse poetry in the New York Daily Sun, Archy rose from cult status to become a legend in his own lifetime.

Once a ‘free verse poet’, Archy is now trapped inside the body of a cockroach. He inhabits Boss’ apartment, discovers a typewriter and sets about recording his private memoirs for posterity.

Archy’s reflections on the insanity and inanity of humanity also follow the amorous adventures of Mehitabel, introduce us to Freddy the Rat, Tom the Theatre Cat, Will Shakespeare and a host of other low lives of the insect kingdom – in this characterful, physically dynamic one-person show.

Entertainment with satirical claws and bite.

Feedback:

‘A tour de force.’

Electric Palace, Hastings

‘Who better to bring to the stage, the low-life, camp cockroach that is Archy, alongside the wilfully theatrical Mehitabel, than Patrick Kealey. This is one of those performances that shows us all that in the gutters and back alleys of life can be found art and hope and love. Bittersweet and divine. If you get a chance to see this, do!’

Writer and Producer John Knowles

‘Brilliant. Wouldn’t expect anything else!’

Actor Sidney Kean

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