Nick Newman has worked for Private Eye since 1981 and has been pocket cartoonist for The Sunday Times since 1989. His cartoons appear in many other publications including Punch, The Guardian, Times Higher Education and The Spectator. He is also a successful scriptwriter and along with writing partner Ian Hislop has written many works for TV, radio and stage including Spitting Image, Dawn French's Murder Most Horrid and The Harry Enfield Show. Most recently they have been working on a play called 'Trial by Laughter' which is about William Hone's famous trial in 1817 about editorial independence and freedom of speech. Hone was a bookseller, publisher and satirist who stood trial for 'impious blasphemy and seditious libel'. The crime he was accused of was to be funny by parodying religious texts and about the despotic government and debauched monarchy. Along with his great ally, political cartoonist George Cruikshank, Hone sought vindication by formulating a defence based on historical precedent, and citing previous religious parodies in literary and cartoon form. After all the research and enthusiasm Nick put into this play, it'll be fascinating to hear his views on our Gillray etchings and how much they would have challenged the monarchy, church and government in his day.
Nick is a brilliant and very interesting man who we've all really enjoyed listening to when discussing this exhibition and the questions it raises; his insights and opinions about the collection of Gillrays we have in the show are really enlightening and we are looking forward to sharing in this discussion with you.
I hope you'll be able to join us on Wednesday evening in the gallery for a glass of wine, a light bite to eat, a chance to see this wonderful exhibition of Gillrays in it's last week, and to listen to this fascinating discussion, (though many are now sold out, some of the etchings are still available to purchase on the night…).
Please do RSVP if you're able to come along and if you'll be bringing a guest: [email protected]