A Life In Letters at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor
Anthony Burgess.
Anthony Burgess. Pic courtesy International Anthony Burgess Foundation.

Anthony Burgess: A Life In Letters at International Anthony Burgess Foundation (IABF), Manchester 25 February 2017 Tickets from £5.00 — Book now

Born at 91 Carisbrook Street in north Manchester’s Harpurhey, John Burgess Wilson, aka Anthony Burgess, would have received a letter from the Queen on 25 February 2017. As part of a year-long celebration of his centenary, the International Anthony Burgess Foundation (where else?) is putting on a choodessny knees-up to toast the Clockwork Orange author, opening up its archives for this very special occasion. Cambridge Mill’s brick-lined Engine House will provide the backdrop to this special live performance of readings and music exploring Burgess’s life and work through his unpublished letters. The evening will present the writer and composer alongside a colourful cast of his friends and enemies, including fellow scribes Angela Carter, Graham Greene and Hunter S Thompson, and Stanley Kubrick, director of the film version of A Clockwork Orange, whose self-imposed ban in 1973 stopped it from being shown in the UK until his death in 1999. Burgess died six years earlier, but tonight the IABF is celebrating his birth, inviting you to “join us for an unforgettable evening of typewriters, music, rough cider and poison-pen letters”. Entrance fee includes a free drink. Whether or not that’s the rough cider, or maybe a Moloko Plus or something else from the Milk Bar, we’re not sure.

…and if you’d like to find out more about Mister B, hop along to Central Library on 15 February (1.30-2.30pm) for a free talk, “Anthony Burgess, Manchester’s Greatest Ever Writer”.

Anthony Burgess: A Life In Letters at International Anthony Burgess Foundation (IABF), Manchester 25 February 2017 Tickets from £5.00 Book now

Where to go near A Life In Letters at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation

Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Burgess Cafe Bar
at IABF

Small but perfectly-formed café – which also serves as the in-house bookstore, stocking all manner of Burgess-related works, along with recordings of his music. It’s a welcoming space, with huge glass windows making for a bright, welcoming atmosphere.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
Black Dog Ballroom NWS

Black Dog Ballroom is a three-level bar, club and restaurant complete with roof terrace covered to provide protection during Manchester’s rainy season.

Dog Bowl bowling alley and restaurant Manchester.
Manchester
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Dog Bowl

A bar and 10-pin bowling alley combined, Dog Bowl is a neon-lit venue that serves up cocktails and Tex-Mex food to go with your time on the lanes.

The Ritz Manchester live music venue
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The Ritz

The Ritz was originally a dance hall, built in 1928, has hosted The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and The Smiths and is still going strong as a gig venue now.

Gorilla, Whitworth street Manchester
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Gorilla

Gorilla is a good choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner. From a hearty full English to meaty burgers via good vegan and veggie options. It also hosts some of the best gigs and events in Manchester.

HOME Manchester
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Theatre
HOME Manchester

Now back open with a packed schedule of events and things to do, HOME Manchester is one of the city’s leading hubs for arts and culture.

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Indian Tiffin Room, Manchester

Indian Tiffin Room is a restaurant specialising in Indian street food, with branches in Cheadle and Manchester. This is the information for the Manchester venue.

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