Nicky Singer » General News

Listening Books

Nicky — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:29:52 +0000

Listening Books is a UK charity providing a fantastic selection of high-quality audiobooks to over 17000 people across the UK who find it difficult or impossible to read due to illness or disability.

Now available: Feather Boy http://www.listening-books.org.uk/sso.aspx

Me, Knight Crew and the Prison System

Nicky — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:28:34 +0000

Bass Robert Winslade Anderson playing the OG/Mordec character in Knight Crew and bearing an uncanny resemblance to my friend Khaine

My research for Knight Crew brought me into contact with a man called Khaine, who I visited in prison for two and a half years. During that time I learnt alot about the British ‘justice’ system and Africa and street language and about being black in a white world. I was often angry, often upset. I was also incredibly moved by some of the goodness I found in very dark places. Some of that story – which fed into Knight Crew the novel and Knight Crew the opera is available here: http://notesfromtheslushpile.blogspot.com/2010/06/guest-blogger-nicky-singer-good-bad-and.html

Knight Crew BBC2 17th June 9pm

Nicky — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:18:26 +0000

Mordec gets down and dirty with the Knight Crew

Well – it’s just about to happen. In ‘Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne’ (three consecutive Thursdays from 17th June) you can follow the journeys of some of the amazing kids who took part in my operatic version of Knight Crew the novel (check under Books on this site) with music by the wonderful Julian Philips. I’m missing it.

Marvellous young minds

Nicky — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:00:05 +0000

Some future writing stars

At St Mary’s Primary school in East Grinstead to give a workshop to some 10 and 11 year olds. It’s such a privilege to work with people with such glorious, open minds.

Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne…

Nicky — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:12:01 +0000

Desi Hayward, Gareth Malone and a hoodie - but which is which?

Would you want to meet either of these characters on a dark knight?

Knight Crew Smash it!

Nicky — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:00:36 +0000

I'm the one in the middle wearing - er - the wrong colour - Saxon colours!

Knight Crew the opera opens at Glyndebourne to four star reviews in The Independent and The Guardian and a call for a West End transfer from Gramophone. To quote: This or Mama Mia? No competition. But what I feel about that is nothing to the way I feel about all the people who have made this project possible – most especially the extraordinary chorus of young people who have worked their socks off to become my Knight Crew. LEGEND! Days later I’m still over-adrenalised (hey, I’m the guy who normally sits alone at a desk….), over-excited and totally exhausted.

BBS Booksigning in Chichester

Nicky — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:59:32 +0000

BBS - Bookshop of choice

EXCLUSIVE BOOK SIGNING AT BRITISH BOOKSHOPS & STATIONERS

Did you see Knight Crew at Glyndebourne and fail to pick up a copy of the book? Have you heard the buzz about the new Gareth Malone BBC TV documentary on Knight Crew and want to read ahead of the game? Do you live somewhere near Chichester? If so – join me on Saturday 13 March when I will be signing copies of Knight Crew at British Bookshops & Stationers situated in Chichester town centre at 9 North Street between 12.30noon and 1.30pm. Hope to see you there. For more information on British Bookshops & Stationers visit www.britishbookshops.co.uk

Win Tickets to Knight Crew, Glyndebourne March 4th-6th 2010

Nicky — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:11:57 +0000

Knight Crew - legend!

I know I wrote it (well, alongside composer Julian Philips, of course) – but this show is AWESOME. A re-telling of the King Arthur legend set in contemporary gangland, it’s passionate, scary and…. moving. Even the rehearsals have had me reaching for a tissue – and I’m supposed to know the plot…. Tickets are selling really fast – so get some NOW. Or else win some for the opening night (March 4th) in this amazing competition sponsored by British Bookshops and Stationers (BBS) and Glyndebourne. All you have to do is write a review (250 words max) of Knight Crew the novel and take it into one of BBS’s participating stores, or submit it on-line (marked Knight Crew Competition) to nicky@nickysinger.com . You will need to give your name, contact phone number and address, plus your age. There will be one pair of tickets for Knight Crew the opera for the best review written by a 12-14 year old and a second pair for the best review in age-group 15-18. Runners-up in both categories will receive BBS gift vouchers (up to the value of £25) to spend in store. Competition entries will be judged on originality and style as well as content and the winners will have their reviews posted here on my site and also on the Glyndebourne opera site at knightcrewopera.com Closing date is Saturday 27th February 2010 (close of BBS business for paper entries and midnight for on-line entries) and winners will be notified by Tuesday 2nd March. Not much time – so good reading, good writing and good luck!

Now for the small print (only I haven’t worked out how to alter the font size yet….):
The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The first prize for each age category is one pair of tickets to the 4th March performance of Knight Crew at Glyndebourne. The winners will need to make their own transport arrangements to and from Glyndebourne. One runner-up in each category will win £25 worth of BBS gift vouchers. The prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternatives are available. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

And some rather larger print (ditto):
Knight Crew the opera takes place at Glyndebourne, 4 – 6 March 2010. Tickets are available online at www.glyndebourne.com or by calling the Box Office on 01273 815025 (adults £14, 18 & under £7). Please note that Knight Crew is not suitable for children under 12.

And also:

NEWS FLASH FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010
Nicky will be signing copies of Knight Crew in the following British Bookshops and Stationers stores: EASTBOURNE, BRIGHTON, CHICHESTER. Check this link for times and dates -bbs-signings

Book and Piano

Nicky — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:04:44 +0000

January 2010
Knight Crew lying on a rehearsal piano at Glyndebourne.
Why do I find this picture so moving? Perhaps just the casualness of the juxtaposition. Someone snapping a book lying on a piano. Whereas, for me, the connection is strong and strange and special.

Nicky Singer Knight Crew Book Launch

Nicky — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 11:45:08 +0000

Nicky Singer Knight Crew Launch - who's that tall bloke at the back?

Knight Crew is officially launched. Hooray for Brighton Library who, after the collapse of Borders Bookshops, stepped in at the last moment as our venue. Above – students from Ringmer Community College who worked fantastically hard to make the launch a success, printing flyers, designing hoodies and logos for the gangs, making Excalibur games and pouring blue fizzy drinks into light-up glasses. The students are working on the Creative Media Diploma and it was (is) their real-life job to publicise Knight Crew the opera, with their professional partner, Glyndebourne.

Gareth Malone to be Knight Crew chorus master

Nicky — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:27:47 +0000

Gareth recruits the Knight Crew Chorus

Big News! Gareth Malone, he of The Choir and Boys Don’t Sing, has been appointed Chorus Master to Knight Crew and the making of the opera is to be filmed by the BBC for Gareth’s new series Gareth Goes to Glyndebourne. The good news is Gareth is as nice in person as he is on the telly. The bad news is – he filmed in my kitchen. To understand this, you’d have to see my kitchen. And – unfortunately – you will.

Anthony Thwaite, OBE, delivers Knight Crew

Nicky — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:45:38 +0000

Here is Anthony Thwaite, OBE, poet and literary executor of the Larkin estate, helping deliver packs of Nicky Singer’s Knight Crew, to publisher CB editions. Does Faber employ such distinguished unloaders? OUP? Random House? Any other publisher?

Knight Crew Opera Official Site Goes Live

Nicky — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:35:22 +0000

The official site for Glyndebourne’s opera version of Knight Crew has gone live.

Click here to visit.