David Essex, singer & poet: One minute interview
Essex has released a poetry collection, 'Travelling Tinker Man & Other Rhymes
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Your support makes all the difference.Where are you now and what can you see?
I am in Covent Garden where I have lived for the past 10 years, a terrific location for theatre and almost everything else. From where I am sitting, I can see Seven Dials.
What are you currently reading?
The Circle and the Cross by Caiseal Mór. A fascinating read.
Choose a favourite author and say why you admire her/him
I admire Charles Dickens, mostly for the texture of his writing and the colourful characters he created. His work gives us, I think, a valuable insight into life in that period of time.
Describe the room where you usually write
I write in the garden room, on my terrace at home in Covent Garden.
Which fictional character most resembles you?
Walter Mitty as he's a diverse character but also a dreamer. He has fascinated readers through many incarnations from James Thurber's short story, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, from 1939, right up to the recent film.
Who is your hero/heroine from outside literature?
It's a toss-up between my father and Che Guevara. They are definitely my heroes outside of literature. Che was a revolutionary, doctor, author, leader and a global symbol. Growing up in the Sixties, his poster, alongside Jimi Hendrix, would be on many a boy's wall. Of course when I played him in the musical, Evita, and researched his life, there was a dark side to the man, but I do admire his idealism. Meanwhile, Dad – a great man too.
David Essex's poetry collection, 'Travelling Tinker Man & Other Rhymes (illustrations by Carlotta Christy) is published by Head of Zeus and is out now (£10)
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