The Kitch Tour
Anthony Joseph embarks on series of UK and US events exploring the legacy of The Empire Windrush. Marking the first major wave of migrants from the Caribbean to UK in the 20th century, their arrival changed and enriched our society and culture. Joseph used his new novel, Kitch, as a starting point to interrogate this history and look at where we are now, examining the politics and activism, culture and music of the Caribbean on Britain.
2018 marked the 70th anniversary of the arrival of The Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks, Essex on 21 June 1948. The same date marked the publication of Kitch, Anthony Joseph’s fictionalised biography of calypso icon, Lord Kitchener, who was famously captured on film by Pathé reporters at the landing of the ship, singing “London is the place for me”, a song he had composed as the ship neared England.
In his recordings of the 1950s and ’60s, Kitch, as he was affectionately known, sung about the problems migrants faced in Britian, from poor working conditions, the lack of satisfactory housing, to the open racism and hostility they faced in the ‘mother country’.
Kitchener’s arrival onboard The Empire Windrush has become an iconic emblem of post war immigration into Britain, and his fourteen years in London and Manchester form an integral middle section of Kitch, in which his life as recording artist, touring musician, husband and quintessential Caribbean persona are intimately explored. His return to newly independent Trinidad in the early 1960s, is set against the dissolution of his marriage and his rivalries with fellow calypsonians. By focussing equally on Kitchener’s music and his largely undocumented private and political life, Joseph gets to the heart of the man behind the music and the myth, reaching behind the sobriquet, to present a holistic portrait of the calypso legend. You can hear Kitch!, a programme that Joseph made for BBC Radio 4, by clicking here.
Joseph visited key cities in the UK with Caribbean populations – Nottingham, Liverpool, Leeds Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and London – to connect with those who were part of the migration from Britain’s colonial islands, and those who have been influenced by them, from community groups and activist collectives, universities and schools, to literary festivals and music performances, this tour had something for everyone.
Reading at Ilkley Literarture Festival 
Reading at Keats House 
Kitch on display at New Beacon 
On BBC Radio London with Robert Elms 
BLF18; Echoes of Windrush 
BLF18; Echoes of Windrush 
BLF18; Echoes of Windrush 
Anthony with Sarah White of GPI and New Beacon Books
Tour Events
Saturday 17 November, 7.30pm – Barbican, London:
Anthony Joseph & Friends – Windrush: A Celebration. An array of musicians and artists come together to celebrate the Windrush generation and the triumph of the Caribbean spirit through song and spoken word. A newly commissioned Windrush Suite, composed by Jason Yarde and is performed by Joseph alongside a pan-Caribbean ensemble made up of artists drawn from the jazz, roots and spoken word scenes here in the UK. Joining Joseph on the night will be feminist icon Calypso Rose, ‘Calypso King’ Mighty Sparrow and Network Riddim Band singer and poet Brother Resistance with more special guests to be announced.
Tickets £30-35 – buy here
Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
Produced by Serious, supported by Speaking Volumes
Saturday 3 November, 3pm – YAA Centre, London:
Jump In The Line: Calypso in Britain. An afternoon of listening and discussion with Anthony Joseph, Dmitri Subotsky, John Cowley and Tina K Ramnarine.
Tickets: Free
YAA Centre, 1 Chippenham Mews, London W9 2AN
Produced by Serious, supported by Speaking Volumes
Friday 19 October, 7pm – Tate South Lameth Library, London:
Kitch: A Fictional Biography of a Calypso Icon. Anthony Joseph reads from his fictionalised biography of Lord Kitchener followed by a Q&A.
Tickets: Free
Tate South Lambeth Library, 180 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1QP
Produced by Serious, supported by Speaking Volumes
Thursday 11 October, 7pm – Cheltenham Literature Festival:
Windrush Journeys: Mixtape Stories. Joseph brings the Kitch tour to Cheltenham, as he presents the story of the Calyso legend in a special event with a performance of Mixtape by Nick Makoha and Roger Robinson.
The Hive, Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham GL50 1UW
Wednesday 10 October, 5pm – Goldsmiths College, London
After Windrush – Reading & Discussion.
Anthony Joseph and Fred D’Aguiar discuss their relationship with the
history, music and literature of the Caribbean and read from their new
books.
137, Richard Hoggart Building, Goldsmiths, Lewisham Way, London
Sunday 7 October, 7.45pm – Ilkley Literary Festival:
Windrush Stories: From Trinidad to the UK. Anthony Joseph will be talking about Kitch and his own experiences alongside fellow poet Roger Robinson, as they are in conversation with Monique Roffey.
Ilkley Playhouse, Weston Road, Ilkley LS29 8DW
Sunday 19 August – Edinburgh Book Festival: as part of the Unbound programme, Joseph celebrates The Calypso King of the Windrush Generation, reading from Kitch alongside talented musicians.The Spiegeltent, Edinburgh
Saturday 7 July – Bradford Literature Festival:
Anthony Joseph and Colin Grant in conversation with Emily Zobel
Marshall, plus music from Anthony, Jason Yarde and Crispin Spry Robinson
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
Thursday 12 July – George Padmore Institute: Anthony Joseph in conversation with Nicole-Rachelle Moore, and reading from Kitch.
George Padmore Institute, New Beacon Books, Stroud Green Road, London
Sunday 17 June – Windrush Day at Keats House: Anthony Joseph in conversation with Hannah Lowe.
Keats House, London