Author and biographer Craig Brown talks about his latest book about the daily lives of The Beatles with fellow writer Dean Parkin to raise funds for the Halesworth Cut. The pair are inviting people to join them on Zoom.

East Anglian Daily Times: Author and satirist Craig Brown will be raising funds for the Halesworth Cut arts centre when he talks to Dean Parkin about his new book, One, Two. Three, Four which chronicles the day to day lives of The Beatles Photo: ArchantAuthor and satirist Craig Brown will be raising funds for the Halesworth Cut arts centre when he talks to Dean Parkin about his new book, One, Two. Three, Four which chronicles the day to day lives of The Beatles Photo: Archant (Image: Archant)

Fans of The Beatles, satirist Craig Brown and writer and Beatles fan Dean Parkin are invited to take part in a virtual ‘love-in’ talking about the lives and music of the Fab Four along with Craig Brown’s discoveries researching material for his latest book ‘One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time’.

The digital close encounter (of the second kind) will raise money for the much-loved Halesworth Cut arts centre which needs support in order to reopen its doors once lockdown is officially over.

One Two Three Four combines the intriguing minutiae of the day-to-day lives of the fab four with broader questions about their effect – complicated and fascinating – on the world around them. It also tells the bizarre and often unfortunate tales of the disparate and colourful people within their orbit, among them Fred Lennon, the Maharishi, Aunt Mimi, the con artist Magic Alex, Phil Spector and their failed nemesis, Det Sgt Norman Pilcher.

Dean Parkin, local writer, poet and performer (and long-time Beatles fan) said that he is anxious to talk to Craig about of the jewels he uncovered during his comprehensive and wide ranging study of The Fab Four.

East Anglian Daily Times: Suffolk writer, poet and Beatles fan Dean Parkin. will be interviewing Craig Brown about his research into the lives of The Beatles Photo: KATIE UTTINGSuffolk writer, poet and Beatles fan Dean Parkin. will be interviewing Craig Brown about his research into the lives of The Beatles Photo: KATIE UTTING (Image: Archant)

One Two Three Four joyfully echoes the frenetic hurly-burly of an era and Craig Brown has gleaned nuggets of illuminating information about their lives and their talent from a mix of first hand sources like diaries, autobiography, fan letters, essays, parallel lives, party lists, charts, interviews, announcements and stories from those who knew them.

Author John Updike compared them to ‘the sun coming out on an Easter morning’, Bob Dylan introduced them to drugs, The Duchess of Windsor adored them, Noel Coward despised them, JRR Tolkien snubbed them, The Rolling Stones copied them, Leonard Bernstein admired them while Muhammad Ali called them ‘little sissies’.

Successive Prime Ministers have sucked up to them but, no one has remained unaffected by the music of The Beatles. As Queen Elizabeth II observed on her golden wedding anniversary: “Think what we would have missed if we had never heard The Beatles.”

You can join this discussion between Craig Brown and Dean Parkin on Zoom on Thursday July 16 at 7pm. Tickets can be bought in advance at the The Cut website and as this is a fundraiser any donations are hugely appreciated. Once you have tickets a Zoom meeting ID will be emailed out on Wednesday July 15 at 3pm.

Books can also be ordered through Halesworth Bookshop and you can also submit questions to be put to Craig via email to boxoffice@newcut.org