Benjamin Myers’ Turning Blue at The Portico Library
Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor
Benjamin Myers won The Portico Prize for Literature in 2016 for his fourth novel, Beastings, and the Northern Writers’ Award. Ahead of the release of his next book, The Gallows Pole, out in May with great indie press Blue Moose, The Portico Library is hosting a collaborative event based on Myers’ last novel. The “folk crime” thriller Turning Blue was described by Val McDermid in The Guardian as a “depraved and decadent rural noir”, so prepare yourselves.
Visual artist Carolyn Curtis-Magri’s exhibition explores a real-life unsolved murder case in the same North Yorkshire landscape in which Turning Blue is set, and provides the backdrop to the live event. Acclaimed Manchester-based composer David McLean has been commissioned to write original music to accompany excerpts of Myers’ novel, which will be delivered by Northern actors, including Ali Bell. McLean’s Crime Scene ensemble, premiered in January as part of Islington Mill’s Samarbeta residency programme featuring Thurston Moore among others, will provide purpose-built live scores to the performers’ readings, creating an atmospheric crime-noir style.
Remember to wear your favourite Fairisle sweater.
