Blue Elephant Theatre, Camberwell

The Blue Elephant marks Mervyn Peake's centenary year with a mini-festival of his plays and poetry celebrating his diversity as a writer. Following our world premiere of The Cave last year, we discover once again that Peake's imagination and inspiration extended far beyond Gormenghast...

Tuesday 26 April: Rehearsed reading of Noah's Ark

Intended for children, Peake’s unmistakable prose makes his behind-the-scenes account of this well-known biblical story just as engaging for adult audiences. Originally aired on BBC radio, this charming play is long overdue a theatrical staging.

Noah's Ark was given a full production at the Blue Elephant Theatre for Christmas 2011.

Wednesday 27 April: Rehearsed reading of Mr Loftus or And a Horse of Air

The dust in his room is ankle deep yet Mr Loftus still insists on being served tea and brandy by his butler. With an eccentric anti-hero whose manners are decidedly ungentlemanly, this previously unseen play is Peake's distinctive take on the comedy of manners.

"Mad? Did you say mad? I have gone sane. That's much more difficult."

Thursday 28 April: The Poems of Peake

An evening of Peake's poetry read, staged and interpreted by a range of artists. With a post-performance Q&A with the writer's son Sebastian Peake.

• Rhondda Valley
• The Glassblowers
• The Trouble with Geraniums