The true story of a Derby couple.
Described as ‘one of the most captivating works of narrative non-fiction’, Sophie Elmhirst discovered the remarkable – and forgotten – story of Maurice and Maralyn during lockdown. Bored with 1970s England, they decided to set sail for New Zealand in a homemade boat. Halfway there, their beloved boat is struck by a whale. It sinks within an hour, and they are cast adrift in the Pacific Ocean for 118 days with no motor or radio transmitter. Using first hand sources including Maralyn’s diary, their published books, letters and filmed interviews, Sophie charts their love story and the story of their lives after being rescued. Sometimes truth really is stranger, and more moving, than fiction.
Tickets: £10