Royal Babylon: A Criminal History of the British Monarchy by Heathcote Williams

Hydra Bookshop and Café are excited to be hosting the following event:

To coincide with the 60th anniversary of H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Jubilee (2nd- 5th June), the filmmaker collective at Handsome Dog have created a multimedia exhibition mixing the Best of British Rock, Punk, Pop and Electronic music (from bands such as Radiohead, The Sex Pistols, The Smiths and Primal Scream) with stills and archive footage to retell Heathcote Williams’ investigative poem "Royal Babylon: The Criminal Record of the British Monarchy".

Heathcote Williams has been a poet and agitator on "the last few things worth discussing" since his early twenties and his poem "Royal Babylon" was published on the internet in November 2011 to great acclaim and attention, with endorsements from fellow republicans Thom Yorke (Radiohead) and Morrisey (Smiths) amongst others.

The event comes to Bristol as part of a 'road show' that also includes Moscow, London, Dundee and Edinburgh. Early reviews are as follows!

“It's a phenomenal piece of work.” (Jeremy Hardy)

“I admire a poetry that is no-holds-barred personal and political. Heathcote Williams' serial poem ‘Royal Babylon’ in the relaunched International Times is proper political poetry.” (Niall McDevitt, ‘Words are left behind’, Morning Star, 25 January, 2012)

 Heathcote Williams has devised a form of polemical poetry that is unique,” (Peter Whitfield, author of ”The History of English Poetry.”)