
Events
5th July 2023. As part of Penzance LitFest, Mary will appear in discussion with Nick Bamford and Richard Curnow on the subject of Adaptation and Collaboration




In March 2022, scriptwriter, Gabrielle Finnegan adapted Jim Neat as a stage play, retitled My Father's Daughter.
We have a team and are working towards touring Cornish venues in the autumn 2023.
Coming Soon...
Jim Neat Stage Production
We are currently fundraising to create a brand new play, My Father's Daughter, based on the book, Jim Neat, planning to tour Cornish venues in late 2023.
CANCELLED
Sadly, we have cancelled our plans to tour Cornish venues with My Father’s Daughter.
The production team and I have been receiving serious threats from a man opposed to its performance. However unfounded the threats, my priority is to protect the team and myself from risk and fear.
The rehearsed reading at the Theatre Royal in Bath, in March, was a sell-out. A moving and unforgettable night; thanks to Gabrielle Finnegan, Nick Bamford, Leah Mae Brine, Ed Browning, Chloe Tailby and Charlotte Spiller. Nobody can take that from us.
It’s been a joy from the very beginning, working alone on the book, then collaboratively on the play. The production team has been concentrating for the last year on adapting it for the stage and I’m very sorry to see their hard work and generous commitment put aside. Ever since the book was published in 2019, the positive response from family and friends (and strangers) has been totally life-affirming and I thank you all for the love and encouragement you’ve given me. So, a sad day - but it’s still a beautiful world, largely.
The book is still out there, Gabby’s script is still out there, and the average age of the team and the actors is about 33. So, time is on their side and one day the play will re-emerge into a safe environment.
We'd like to thank everyone for their incredible support throughout. We are hugely grateful to FEAST and to Cultivator for support, advice and funding towards the project and to The Hypatia Trust for their encouragement and positivity.
Friends and family who kindly and generously donated to the Crowdfunder have been refunded.
Thank you very much everyone for supporting us through the good times. We will survive!
from Mary
and the team:
Gabrielle Finnegan (scriptwriter)
Nick Bamford (director)
Jasmine Cole (producer)
Kate Edney (lead actor)

Charles Cousley Festival 31st August 2022 , Launceston Town Hall - 'Looking In/Looking Out'
Penzance LitFest July 9th 2022, Morrab Library- Writing with the Mind's Eye.
North Cornwall Book Festival is back a workshop on poetry and prose, poetry and art.
Saturday 25th September 2021
Hypatia Trust, Penzance; *'Everybody is Interesting' Workshop, with artist Alessandra Ausenda.
Friday 27th March; 2021
*This event has been rescheduled as an online workshop event sponsored by Cultivator Cornwall.
For more details click here Everybody is Interesting Online
Seren Book Launch in Cardiff; First Thursday Event
Thursday 2nd April, 2020 (details: Seren Books)
Bodmin Moor Poetry Festival; 'Voices From Another Place' Workshop
Sunday 24th May 2020 (details: Bodmin Moor Poetry Festival)
Edinburgh; Workshop with artist Alison Waugh
(details to be announced)
Penzance Litfest; 'Breaking Boundaries' Workshop
Saturday 4th July 2020 (details: Penzance Literary Festival)
North Cornwall Book Festival; 'Genre-Busting' Workshop with author Cathy Galvin
Saturday 3rd October 2020. (details: North Cornwall Book Festival)
St Just Library; Reading from 'Jim Neat' followed by discussion - 'writing your own story'
Thursday 8th October 2020
Mary J. Oliver is appearing in the online Stay at Home Festival
click: Stay At Home (to see programme)
Scroll down to Thursday 9th April: Mary's time slot is 11am - 12.00.
Click: HERE to join the programme. It's as simple as that.
Her reading from Jim Neat will be followed by a Q & A session: how to kickstart your own innovative life writing. Bring your queries and ideas about hybrid memoir writing with you, and add them to the chat box in the right-hand corner of the screen! Easy!
White Night: Lafrowda, St Just Library, Cornwall, All Night Readathon
Saturday 21st September 2019 from 8 pm onwards
Mary J. Oliver joins other Cornish writers and reads from her debut, Jim Neat, just nine days before its publication
North Cornwall Book Festival, St Endellion, Cornwall
Saturday 12th October 2019 at 10 am
Patrick Gale interviews Mary J. Oliver in the Cream of Cornwall event (details: www.ncornbookfest.org)
Penzance Stanza Booklet Launch at Morrab Library, Penzance (https://morrablibrary.org.uk)
Thursday 17th October, 2019 at 11 am
Mary J. Oliver joins her Stanza group to celebrate the publication of their booklet, Kernow Cornucopia and to read extracts from Jim Neat
Seren Book Launch at Broc Mor, Aberystwyth (https://www.serenbooks.com)
Saturday 2nd November 2019 at 7 pm
Mary J. Oliver and Lynne Hjelmgaard read from their newly published books, Jim Neat and A Second Whisper
Penzance Poetry Parlour with Katrina Naomi (www.katrinanaomi.co.uk)
Thursday 7th November 2019 at 7.30 pm
Mary J. Oliver reading with playwright, poet and storyteller, Anna Murphy
Seren Book Launch in The Poetry Cafe, London (https://www.serenbooks.com)
Monday 11th November 2019 at 7 pm
Mary J. Oliver reading from Jim Neat; with poet Lynne Hjelmgaard reading from A Second Whisper
Poetry Presents, Falmouth University
Monday 25th November 2019 at 6 pm
Mary J. Oliver reading poems from Jim Neat
The Terre Verte Gallery, Altarnun, North Cornwall
Thursday 28th November 2019 from 6 - 8 pm
Mary J. Oliver reading poems from Jim Neat with Cathy Galvin reading from her new pamphlet 'Walking the Coventry Ring Road With Lady Godiva' published by Guillemot Press
Hypatia Trust, Penzance, Cornwall (bookings through Eventbrite)
Friday 29th November 2019 from 10 - 3 pm
Creative Ways of Working With the Past - a drawing and writing workshop with writer Mary J. Oliver and artist Alessandra Ausenda
Hypatia Trust, Penzance, Cornwall (bookings through: hypatia-trust.org.uk)
Friday 29th November 2019 from 7 - 9 pm
Everybody is Interesting, an evening of words, images, feminism and music! Join Mary J. Oliver and Alessandra Ausenda in lively discussion

