The axolotl is a curious amphibian from Mexico. Author DBC Pierre grew up in Mexico City and used to keep an axolotl as a pet – and he’s engaged musicians Bellowhead and Seth Lakeman to bring to life his stories through a musical wonderland about this cave dwelling neotenic little beast. The blurb says “think Hunter S Thompson meets Peter and the Wolf…”
I used to have one too – called Thingy. He was an albino other worldly little wonder and cut a ghostly little figure in my life, bobbing about with a perma-dopey expression on his face.
In fact I curated myself a cosy little den of curious creatures: there were more than a few mantises – they were warm and loving in their own special way, pottering around the flat. There was Melissapede the giant millipede who escaped – I found her reading Vogue down the side of my bed. The African Land Snails were a bit dull. But there will always be a special place in my heart for wispy Thingy. I’d love to go and get all zen hearing about DBC Pierre’s tales tomorrow evening but I’ll be cleaning up (not literally – financially!) at Ascot instead. Oh well, such is life.
Natural History Museum, 23rd June 8pm – more information and tickets
