Seventy-Eight Thank Yous James Pretlove
Event details
In his acclaimed one man show, Seventy-Eight Thank Yous, writer and performer James Pretlove shares tales of the extraordinary death and ordinary life of his mother, Val Pretlove, who died by suicide in 2018 aged 78. Alongside the deep grief James felt, his mind began to fill with thank yous. As it did so, he laughed, cried (even more than he was already), and realised the many gifts there were not only in his mum’s life, but in her death too.
Deftly mixing depth with lightness and demonstrating the power of gratitude, this piece has captivated audiences all over the UK, from St Stephen Walbrook in the City of London, birthplace of the Samaritans, via the Oxford Storytelling Festival to last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
‘Thank you so much for sharing your heartbreaking, yet humorous story. It was amazing! I’ve been to many shows at the Fringe this year, they’ve all been good, but I have to say - you stole the Fringe!' - Audience member at Edinburgh
Please note: This performance is on the theme of suicide which some people may find upsetting. Ticketholders must be 18 years or over.
About the performer
James Pretlove is a writer and teacher of Scottish country dancing who first came to prominence in the 1990s when he co-created and edited the cult satirical fashion magazine, BLOW. James trained as a storyteller in order to share his experiences of his mother’s suicide as widely as possible. In doing so, he is playing his part in clearing the shame that surrounds suicide and reframing the act in a more loving and compassionate way.