On Sycamore Gap

Words and music of loss, hope and renewal.

Join poet Kate Fox and musicians Staithe (Bridie Jackson and Nick Pierce) in a performance of music and poetry, based on Kate’s most recent publication of the same name.

Inspired by the shocking act of vandalism in 2023 that resulted in the felling of the world-famous tree that stood in a gap on Hadrian’s Wall, the poetry book was published on 26 September on the eve of the first anniversary of this criminal act.

Kate’s collection of beautifully crafted verse, supported by the haunting and intimate music of Staithe, echoes in the empty space we now encounter and helps to fill the void with hope.

More about Kate Fox & Staithe...

Kate Fox is a stand-up poet, spoken word artist and broadcaster. She is a regular contributor to Radio 4's spoken word cabaret The Verb, has made two comedy series for Radio 4, been Poet in Residence for the Glastonbury Festival and the Great North Run and completed a PhD in stand-up comedy. She is the author of Where There’s Muck There’s Bras: True Stories of the North of England’s Women published by Harper North, and poetry collections including On Sycamore Gap (Harper North, 2024), Bigger On the Inside (Smokestack Books, 2024) and The Oscillations (Nine Arches Press, 2021). She is also a neurodivergent advocate whose latest show Bigger on the Inside explores neurodiversity through the lens of Doctor Who. 

Staithe produces evocative, minimalist music that interweaves voice, classical guitar, viola, piano, and electronic textures. Staithe began as an informal collaboration during the 2020 lockdown and officially formed as a duo in 2023. Since then, they have been performing, self-recording, and composing commissioned works for a variety of creative projects. Their work often crosses disciplines, collaborating with film makers, performance artists and theatre and dance companies to create immersive soundscapes and emotive scores. In May 2025, they released their highly anticipated self-released debut album, Flowers to critical acclaim. A deeply personal and confessional body of work, Flowers showcases Staithe’s distinctive fusion of genres, whilst inviting listeners into their immersive sound world—one of honesty, melancholy, hope and quiet resilience. Entirely self-produced and recorded at their home in Newcastle-upon-Tyne during the winter of 2024, the album embodies the experimental, DIY nature of this constantly evolving musical project.