Raymond Antrobus at Royston Pike: £4 Elmbridge talk on 2 September

Poet and author Raymond Antrobus MBE will discuss his memoir, The Quiet Ear, at Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre in Elmbridge on Wednesday 2 September 2026. The Royston Pike talk begins at 7:30pm, tickets cost £4 and the event is open to the general public.

The evening will be chaired by Surrey-based anthologist Ana Sampson and will be BSL interpreted. Booking is available through the event notice published by Elmbridge Borough Council.

A memoir shaped by sound, identity and belonging

Antrobus was diagnosed as deaf at the age of six. In The Quiet Ear, he reflects on growing up deaf, finding his voice through poetry and the D/deaf artists, performers and writers whose stories helped shape his creative life.

The conversation will centre on the memoir’s themes of sound, identity and belonging. It will also consider creativity, resilience and inclusion through Antrobus’s account of living and working in a world that does not always listen.

For readers familiar with Antrobus through his poetry, the event provides a more personal route into the experiences and artistic influences behind his work. The council’s programme places The Quiet Ear at the centre of the evening rather than presenting a general survey of his publications.

Antrobus has received the Ted Hughes Award and Somerset Maugham Award and has been named Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year.

Ana Sampson will guide the discussion

Ana Sampson will chair the talk, giving the programme a conversational format in which Antrobus can reflect on the people, stories and creative experiences connected to the memoir.

The appearance forms part of the autumn Royston Pike programme. Elmbridge Borough Council’s notice lists Antrobus and Sampson as the participants and does not identify any additional speakers or activities, so visitors should expect the announced memoir discussion to be the evening’s focus.

Planning a visit to Riverhouse Barn

The confirmed details are a 7:30pm start on Wednesday 2 September at Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre, with tickets priced at £4. The council describes the event as open to the general public and directs readers to its notice to find out more and book.

BSL interpretation is the only accessibility arrangement specified in the source. The notice does not provide a street address, transport guidance or an end time. Anyone who needs those details, or wishes to check arrival arrangements before travelling, should consult the linked booking information.

Source: Elmbridge Borough Council