Chris Tutton
Poet

Chris has performed his idiosyncratic blend of ravishing linguistic dexterity and intelligent humour throughout the UK to great acclaim, in venues as diverse as the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith and St Peter's Church, Oundle. He is frequently seen and heard on national television and radio and is a regular guest at many major literary festivals.

'It is so good to see the ability to write and to perform combined so effortlessly'  
Ned Sherrin

'A performer of great charisma and humour, his poetry is shot through with vitriolic wit'   Bath Literature Festival

'Chris Tutton was described as having a ''sensitivity always associated with the best poets'' (Marcus Moore) This was obvious in his reading at The Beehive; the audience were responsive to his sharp wit.
Tutton's poetry was a mixture of descriptive, emotional observation and short adept quips, often containing polemic views on religion. He expressed cynical views on the subjects of fashion and human conformity, with experienced knowledge and a sense of wisdom.'  Cheltenham Literature Festival: Literally Speaking

In Print

Chris has published five collections, Seasons of Winter (ISBN: 1-874392-23-4) published 2005, Rain Angel (ISBN: 1-874392-08-0) published 2003, Ecumenical Shadows (ISBN: 1-874392-10-2) published 1998, Acnestis in Elysium (ISBN: 1-874392-98-6) published 1995 and Ariadne's Lament (ISBN: 1-874392-00-5) published 1993.

'Absolutely beautiful'  Alexander Waugh

'…short and sweet poems, with a great deal of wit and subtle observation'   Bath Chronicle

'Known as a great humorist as well as a serious commentator' (The Nehru Centre, Indian High Commission), Chris's work ranges from the intensely beautiful and haunting to the  ruthlessly   irreverent, and demonstrates an extraordinary capacity to simultaneously amuse and disturb.

'Disturbing and amusing pieces from an offbeat mover. There's a surprise on every page – dive in anywhere!'  Psychopoetica

He is a recipient of the Sunday Times Interaction Community Theatre Award.

Latest Publication

 In Performance

His TV appearances include features on Carlton Television as resident Poet on Shift (networked) and The Warehouse, performances on FYI – For Your Information, as the FYI poet on Carlton On Digital, as well as guest appearances on The Big Breakfast on Channel Four and on HTV and Channel One. A clip of Chris in performance was shown to launch Carlton On Digital, the first terrestrial digital TV channel in the world.

Chris has appeared several times on Loose Ends on BBC Radio 4, one of his performances was included in a best of the year compilation programme. He has recorded a series of poems for Radio One – The Mark Radcliffe Show and has featured on Radio 5 Ruscoe on Five and Nationwide with John Inverdale (also with John Hegley, Adrian Mitchell and Roger McGough). He has guested frequently on many regional BBC radio programmes (including performances with Spike Milligan and Helen Dunmore).

A Festival favourite, he is a regular guest at many major literature festivals, including the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the New Writing Partnership, Norwich, St Ives Festival; Wonderful Words, the Chichester Festival, the Lambeth and Redbridge Literature Festivals, 'Book Now', the Richmond Book Festival, the Ledbury, Manchester and Bristol Poetry Festivals, Birmingham Book Festival, Cambridge Wordfest, Dartington Ways with Words, Bath, Cheltenham, Wells, Oundle, Leicester, Louth and Harrow Literature Festivals and many more. He launched Westwords 2006, London's largest festival of the written and spoken word at the BBC, White City.

In 2005, he published his fifth collection, Seasons of Winter, which he performed extensively throughout the UK in theatres including The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, The Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, Nuffield Theatre, Southampton, The Oldham Coliseum, Castle Theatre, Wellingborough, The Burton Taylor Theatre, Oxford and the Marlborough Theatre, Brighton etc.

Click here for details of Chris's previous tour.