Magical afternoon of music and poetry delights crowds at Portsmouth's city library

Dozens of people braved the rain on Saturday to watch the performance by poet and novelist Chris Tutton and musician Anne Denholm – former personal harpist to the Prince of Wales.

Taking place inside the Menuhin Theatre, at Portsmouth Central Library in Guildhall Square, the show saw Chris performing a selection of his prose while Anne provided an ethereal soundtrack.

Some 40 people were due to come along to the intimate show inside the library.

Anne, who was Prince Charles’ personal harpist between 2015 and 2019, said it was brilliant to be on stage in the city.

‘It’s lovely in Portsmouth,’ said the Welsh musician. ‘The acoustics in here are so good. The words and the music are carrying really, really well. It’s a really lovely place to do this kind of performance.’

Chris, who has performed in Portsmouth previously and is the critically acclaimed author of seven collections of poetry, said he loved coming to the city.

‘It’s a truly wonderful city that I have come to many times before, so it’s a delight to be performing here,’ he said.

He added not being able to perform for almost two years due to the pandemic had been heartbreakingly tough.

‘It’s been almost inexpressibly difficult not to have been able to perform because of the pandemic,’ he said.

‘It’s been truly awful. The audiences are gradually coming back to venues but everybody is still apprehensive.’

Chris’s debut novel The Failing of Angels was published in 2020.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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