MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Updates may be intermittent until January 3rd - blame the alchohol and mince pies.

Have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year

LONDON: Hammer & Tongue Hackney

Tuesday, 3rd January, 2012, 8pm-11pm, (doors, DJ and slam sign up from 7pm), £5 (£4)

The Victoria,
451 Queensbridge Road,
Dalston

E8 3AS
samberkson@gmail.com

07853 081767
www.hammerandtongue.co.uk

Live spoken word and performance poetry with guests Zena Edwards and Jonny Fluffypunk, plus open mic slam and DJ Xahdrez.
 

Hosted by Angry Sam.

BRIGHTON: Waterloo Press Christmas Party

Sunday, December 18^th, 2011, 6.30pm for 7pm start, to 10pm, £5/£4 concessions

Iambic Arts Theatre 

Regent Street,

Brighton

(just north of the Komedia rear entrance)

Waterloo Press joyfully invites you to its second annual Christmas Party, celebrating another abundant year at the Press, with readings by WP poets new and old, far and near:

Clare Best

Fawzia Kane

Alan Morrison

Mario Petrucci

& (ghost of Christmas travel permitting)

David Pollard

PLUS

music from WP's resident starry fiddler Annie Kerr

Open Mic

(five spots only – come early to book)

20% off all 2011 WP titles

&

Fawzia's Rum Punch!

The WP elves look forward to seeing you there!

TODMORDEN: Grey Hen Press reading

Saturday, 17th December, 2011, 2–3.30pm

Todmorden Library

Strand

Rochdale Road

OL14 7LB

A reading from the new Grey Hen Press anthology, with Pamela Coren, Joy Howard, Pauline Kirk and Gina Shaw

‘An A–Z of women poets whose formidable eye and instinct for pithy observation make this required reading for all ages but especially for the young-and-grumpy-in-heart.’  Penelope Shuttle

CAMBRIDGE: Hollie McNish and Kate Tempest

Wednesday, December 14^th, 2011, 7.30pm

The Fountain,

Regent Street,

Cambridge

Hammer & Tongue is a national performance poetry group with a vision: to bring the best spoken word performers on the circuit today to venues across the UK to share stages with the brightest of local talent. Whether you come to the gigs to be inspired by internationally-renowned performers, to support local poets, or to take a deep breath and plunge onto that stage yourself in the open slam, Hammer & Tongue nights have something for everyone – including people who didn’t think they liked poetry!

Hammer & Tongue tour a different headliner around the local branches every month, and each “franchise” provides the venue, support acts, audience and slammers. At Cambridge, we like to make sure that the support acts are local or have some connection to Cambridge if at all possible. December is no exception, and we’re very excited to announce that Hollie McNish will be supporting Kate Tempest on 14th December at The Fountain Inn, Regent Street for one of the venue’s first gigs after its recent refurbishment.

http://www.hammerandtongue.co.uk

LONDON: Mutabaruka

Thursday, December 15th, 2011, 7pm-midnight, £5/£7/£1

The CLF Art Cafe 

Block A, 

The Bussey Building,

133 Rye Lane,

London

SE15 4ST 

www.clfartcafe.org

MUTABARUKA, LEGENDARY DUB POET LIVE 

+ Vocal Guests Jonzi-D, AmeN Noir (BKS), Lyric L, Tshaka + DJ Jazzheadchronic 

& Mutabaruka Film Screening of THE RETURN OF THE MOTHERLAND

7.30PM - 8.30PM Jonzi-D, AmeN Noir (BKS), Lyric L, Tshaka

8.30PM - 10PM Film Screening of THE RETURN OF THE MOTHERLAND

10PM - 11.20PM Mutabaruka

11.20PM - 12AM DJ Jazzheadchronic

ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE DOOR!!

LONDON: Lumen Poetry Series

Tuesday, 13th December, 2011, doors open 6.30pm for 7pm, £5/£4, wine and soft drinks

Lumen,

88 Tavistock Place,

London

WC1

Joy Howard reading from Refurbishment and Peter Phillips reading from No School Tie.

Poetry performance followed by open mic. Poets from the floor very welcome (some longer spots available). Please bring a copy of the poem if you wish to be considered for the new anthology. This year the anthology is edited by Ruth O’Callaghan.

Nearest tube stations: Russell Square, Kings Cross St Pancras, Euston

All proceeds go to support the homeless in the Cold Weather Shelters

NOTTINGHAM: Flying Goose reading series

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011, 7.30pm, FREE (£3 donation suggested)

The Flying Goose Cafe,

Beeston High Road,

Nottingham

Featured readers are Emily Hasler, Shaun Belcher, JT Welsch and Adrian Slatcher. It's an open reading, though, so if you want to take a poem along to read, feel free.

Staged by the Nottingham Poetry Series and Nottingham Trent University. 

 

Coffee, tea, and cakes available.

SOUTHAMPTON: 451

Monday, 12th December, 2011, 7.30pm, £5/£3
Nuffield Studio,
University Road,
Southampton
SO17 1TR

A night filled with spoken word, featuring: Hollie McNish, Paul Lyalls and new compere Rob Casey.
Open mic slots available on the door from 7pm – spaces are limited.

www.nuffieldtheatre.co.uk / www.applesandsnakes.org

BIRMINGHAM: Lit Fuse

Saturday, 10th December 2011, 7.30pm, £7/£5
MAC Birmingham,
Cannon Hill Park,
Edgbaston,
Birmingham
B12 9QH

Four up-andcoming spoken word poets from the Midlands present four new pieces, devised with the help of renowned director Cheryl Martin. Come and see what happens when artists are challenged to step out of their comfort zones and try something different. The fuse has been lit, don't miss the fireworks!
Featuring: Ddotti Bluebell, Jess Green, Joe Coghlan, Mr Morrison

Info: www.macarts.co.uk  / www.applesandsnakes.org

LONDON: Lumen Poetry Series

Tuesday, 13th December, 2011, doors open 6.30pm for 7pm, £5/£4, wine and soft drinks

Lumen,

88 Tavistock Place,

London

WC1

Joy Howard reading from Refurbishment and Peter Phillips reading from No School Tie.

Poetry performance followed by open mic. Poets from the floor very welcome (some longer spots available). Please bring a copy of the poem if you wish to be considered for the new anthology. This year the anthology is edited by Ruth O’Callaghan.

Nearest tube stations: Russell Square, Kings Cross St Pancras, Euston

All proceeds go to support the homeless in the Cold Weather Shelters

TODMORDEN: Grey Hen Press reading

Saturday, 17th December, 2011, 2–3.30pm

Todmorden Library

Strand

Rochdale Road

OL14 7LB

A reading from the new Grey Hen Press anthology, with Pamela Coren, Joy Howard, Pauline Kirk and Gina Shaw

‘An A–Z of women poets whose formidable eye and instinct for pithy observation make this required reading for all ages but especially for the young-and-grumpy-in-heart.’  Penelope Shuttle

LONDON: Jawdance

Wednesday, 21st December, 2011, 7.30pm, FREE

Rich Mix,
35 – 47 Bethnal Green Road,
London

E1 6LA

Christmas is all about over-indulgence, so with that in mind we’re putting on a magically festive Jawdance in December. Poetry with all the trimmings – poetry film shorts, open mic, extra special guests and a merry host in G.R.E.Ed.S! Like a Christmas cracker, it’s going to be full of surprises. Unlike a Christmas cracker, they will be good ones. So come gather round the fire, warm yourselves with our words and enjoy our mince pie of poetry. Jawdance – they’re all talking about it, and it’s all about talking.

www.richmix.org.uk / www.applesandsnakes.org / 

BRIGHTON: Waterloo Press Christmas Party

Sunday, December 18^th, 2011, 6.30pm for 7pm start, to 10pm, £5/£4 concessions

Iambic Arts Theatre 

Regent Street,

Brighton

(just north of the Komedia rear entrance)

Waterloo Press joyfully invites you to its second annual Christmas Party, celebrating another abundant year at the Press, with readings by WP poets new and old, far and near:

Clare Best

Fawzia Kane

Alan Morrison

Mario Petrucci

& (ghost of Christmas travel permitting)

David Pollard

PLUS

music from WP's resident starry fiddler Annie Kerr

Open Mic

(five spots only – come early to book)

20% off all 2011 WP titles

&

Fawzia's Rum Punch!

The WP elves look forward to seeing you there!

EDINBURGH: The Nightmare Before the Office Christmas Party

Thursday, 15th December, 2011, 8pm til late
The Third Door,
46-47 Lothian Street,
EH1 1HB

Inky Fingers, Edinburgh's grassroots events series for writers and performers, is putting on a spectacular literary office party. Come in your awful bowties and desperate tinsel to enjoy festive and unfestive performances from top local writers, photocopier destruction, an extraordinary literary secret santa, a competition for the worst christmas cracker joke, and much else besides. Grotesque, glorious, and packed to the gunnels with amazing words: be there!

Inky Fingers is an Edinburgh-based events series for writers and performers, running workshops, open mics, and special literary events. Find out more at http://inkyfingersedinburgh.wordpress.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter @InkyFingersEdin.

GALWAY: Over The Edge Open Reading

Thursday, December 15th, 2011, 6.30pm-8pm

Galway City Library,
St. Augustine Street,
Galway

The Featured Readers are Maeve Mulrennan, Christopher Meehan and Tamar Yoseloff. Tamar Yoseloff, Maeve Mulrennan & Christopher Meehan for final ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ of 2011

Maeve Mulrennan grew up in County Kildare. She studied Arts Administration and Policy at NUI Galway is currently Visual Arts Office at Galway Arts Centre. An experience visual artist, Maeve recently began writing fiction. She attended Celeste Augé’s short fiction class at Galway Arts Centre earlier this year and in October took part in the annual Over The Edge Fiction Slam. This is Maeve’s first major public reading of her work.

Christopher Meehan is originally from Kilkee in County Clare but has been living in Kinvara, Co. Galway since 2008.  Christopher holds a B.A. degree in Heritage Studies and was awarded a Master of Science degree in 2007 for research conducted on the wildfowl populations of the Western Lakes.  It is this interest in nature, landscape, Irish heritage and our interaction with these elements that strongly influences his writing. He has attended creative writing classes and workshops run by Susan DuMars in Galway and has published papers based on his ornithological work.     

Tamar Yoseloff was born in the US in 1965, but has lived in the UK since 2007. Her first collection, Sweetheart (Slow Dancer Press, 1998) was a Poetry Book Society Special Commendation and the winner of the Aldeburgh Festival Prize. She received a New Writers’ Award from London Arts for her second collection, Barnard’s Star (Enitharmon Press, 2004). In 2005 she was Writer in Residence at Magdalene College, Cambridge. She divides her time between London and Suffolk, and is currently working on her first novel. Her most recent poetry collection, The City With Horns, was published in May by Salt Publishing and her work also features in the anthology Identity Parade: New British and Irish Poets (Spring 2010, Bloodaxe).

There will be an open-mic when the Featured Readers have finished. This is open to anyone who has a poem or story to share. New readers are always especially welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748 or see our website http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council.

LONDON: Hammer and Tongue

Monday, December 5th, 2011, 8pm-11pm (doors, DJ and slam sign up from 7pm), £5/£4

The Victoria,

451 Queensbridge Road,

Dalston

E8 3AS
samberkson@gmail.com

Live spoken word and performance poetry featuring Kate Tempest, from the Sunday Best record label, and 2 x UK Slam Champion, Dizraeli. Plus open mic slam competition, arrive early for slam sign up.
Hosted by Angry Sam and Sidel 'Comfort' Stewart.

LONDON: Camden Poetry Series

Friday, December 2nd, 2011, 7pm (doors 6.30pm), £5/£4, WINE

Trinity United Reform Church,

1 Buck Street,

Camden Town

1-2 mins. Camden Town tube

Ruth O'Callaghan presents Rosie Bailey, Tim Dooley and Joelle Taylor.      

                                                                                                      

Poets from the floor very welcome. Please bring a copy of the poem if you wish to be considered for the new anthology.

Free Raffle and nibbles

CAMBRIDGE: Hollie McNish and Kate Tempest

Wednesday, December 14^th, 2011, 7.30pm

The Fountain,

Regent Street,

Cambridge

Hammer & Tongue is a national performance poetry group with a vision: to bring the best spoken word performers on the circuit today to venues across the UK to share stages with the brightest of local talent. Whether you come to the gigs to be inspired by internationally-renowned performers, to support local poets, or to take a deep breath and plunge onto that stage yourself in the open slam, Hammer & Tongue nights have something for everyone – including people who didn’t think they liked poetry!

Hammer & Tongue tour a different headliner around the local branches every month, and each “franchise” provides the venue, support acts, audience and slammers. At Cambridge, we like to make sure that the support acts are local or have some connection to Cambridge if at all possible. December is no exception, and we’re very excited to announce that Hollie McNish will be supporting Kate Tempest on 14th December at The Fountain Inn, Regent Street for one of the venue’s first gigs after its recent refurbishment.

http://www.hammerandtongue.co.uk

WORCESTER: Michael Woods launch

LONDON: Launch of Phil Brown's Il Avilit

Thursday, 1st December 2011, 7pm onwards, FREE

The Slaughtered Lamb,

34-35 Great Sutton Street,

Clerkenwell,

London,

EC1V EDX

Phil Brown's Il Avilit, first in the Debut New Poets Series from Nine Arches Press, is to be launched in London, and you’re all invited:

Readings from: James Brookes, Ruth Larbey and Phil Brown.
Come and celebrate the launch of Phil Brown's debut Nine Arches Press collection, Il Avilit. Copies will be on sale.

Phil Brown teaches English in Sutton and has been regularly writing poetry for about ten years. In 2009 he was shortlisted for the Crashaw Prize and won the Eric Gregory Award in 2010. He has had his work published in Magma, Pomegranate, Dove Release: New Flights and Voices (Worple Press, ed. David Morley), Dr. Rhian Williams' The Poetry Toolkit (2009, Continuum), and the forthcoming Salt Collection of Young British Poets (ed. Roddy Lumsden), Lung Jazz: Young British Poets for Oxfam (ed. Kim Lockwood and Todd Swift) and Coin Opera 2 (ed. Jon Stone). He is the Poetry Editor for the online magazine and chapbook publisher, Silkworms Ink.

 

James Brookes’ receipt of the 2009 Eric Gregory Award from the Society of Authors identifies him as one of Britain’s most promising young poets. He was born in 1986 and has has lived in Sussex for most of the last 20 years. He studied at the University of Warwick and was Senior Student Editor and then a Contributing Editor of The Warwick Review. His poetry has appeared in Poetry Review, Horizon Review, the Swedish journal Signum - and on a church pew in Taunton, Somerset. His debut pamphlet, The English Sweats was released by Pighog in 2010 to widespread critical acclaim.

Ruth Larbey was born in Cyprus, and grew up in Nottingham, Hong Kong and rural Cumbria.  She has spent her last two years working at an international development charity in London, after completing her MA at Warwick University in 2008. She has been published in various magazines, and organises music and art performance events in her spare time. Funglish, published by Nine Arches Press, is her debut pamphlet of poems.

NOTTINGHAM: Flying Goose reading series

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011, 7.30pm, FREE (£3 donation suggested)
The Flying Goose Cafe,

Beeston High Road,

Nottingham

Featured readers are Emily Hasler, Shaun Belcher, JT Welsch and Adrian Slatcher. It's an open reading, though, so if you want to take a poem along to read, feel free.

Staged by the Nottingham Poetry Series and Nottingham Trent University. 

 

Coffee, tea, and cakes available.

SOUTHAMPTON: 451

Monday, 12th December, 2011, 7.30pm, £5/£3
Nuffield Studio,
University Road,
Southampton
SO17 1TR

A night filled with spoken word, featuring: Hollie McNish, Paul Lyalls and new compere Rob Casey.
Open mic slots available on the door from 7pm – spaces are limited.

www.nuffieldtheatre.co.uk / www.applesandsnakes.org

BIRMINGHAM: Lit Fuse

Saturday, 10th December 2011, 7.30pm, £7/£5
MAC Birmingham,
Cannon Hill Park,
Edgbaston,
Birmingham
B12 9QH

Four up-andcoming spoken word poets from the Midlands present four new pieces, devised with the help of renowned director Cheryl Martin. Come and see what happens when artists are challenged to step out of their comfort zones and try something different. The fuse has been lit, don't miss the fireworks!
Featuring: Ddotti Bluebell, Jess Green, Joe Coghlan, Mr Morrison

Info: www.macarts.co.uk  / www.applesandsnakes.org

RICHMOND: John Hegley and El Crisis

Sunday, 27th November, 2011, 7pm, £10/£8.50 or two for £15

Ham House,

Ham Street,

Richmond

TW10 7RS
www.applesandsnakes.org / www.richmondliteraturefestival.com

Apples and Snakes in partnership with Richmond Literature Festival presents John Hegley and El Crisis

As part of Richmond Literature Festival, Apples and Snakes have added to the diverse and inspiring programme with John Hegley who has been bewildering the nation with poems about glasses, dogs, vegetables and dogs that are also vegetables and El Crisis; a one-man sound system of chants and incantations.

NOTTINGHAM: A Night of Happenstance

Saturday, 26th November, 2011, 7.30pm, £4/£3 (concessions)

Lee Rosy’s tea room,

17 Broad Street,

Nottingham

NG1 3AJ

(opposite Broadway cinema)

Six Happenstance poets, from across the Midlands, Scotland, and as far away as Spain, will be gathering for a reading downstairs at Lee Rosy’s.

The poets are Helena Nelson (editor of Happenstance Press), Ross Kightly, Marilyn Ricci, Robin Vaughan-Williams, DA Prince, and Matthew Stewart, who will be in the country to launch his new pamphlet, Inventing Truth.

Helena will also be adjudicating the Nottingham Open Poetry Competition at 2.45pm at the Mechanics Institute (3 North Sherwood Street, NG1 4AX).

Happenstance is an independent poetry press based in Scotland that publishes poets from all over the UK. It specialises in pamphlets, and in 2010 won the Michael Marks Award for Poetry Pamphlets for publishers. Ali Smith, one of the judges, commented: "HappenStance proved outstanding in the elegance, thoughtfulness and clarity of their design, and the infectious interaction, open-mindedness and energy of their publishing ethos".

Happenstance also produces Sphinx, an indispensable source of poetry pamphlet reviews.

More information is available from the zqblog, or visit the Facebook event page.

GALWAY: November Over The Edge Open Reading

Thursday, November 24th, 2011, 6.30pm-8pm, FREE

Galway City Library,

St. Augustine Street,

Galway 

The Featured Readers are Erin Buttner, Stephen Byrne and Donna Potts.

Erin Buttner is a writer, baker, broadcaster, and veteran living in Kinvara, Co Galway. A native New Yorker, Erin immigrated to Ireland in 2008 to take a Master's degree in Writing at NUI Galway.  Her poetry has been published in Chronogram arts magazine in New York, Three Times Daily and Ropes.  She is presently drafting her memoir based on the 4 years she spent serving in the US Military. She can be heard every Sunday from 3-5pm on Rascal Radio.

Stephen Byrne is from Coolock North Dublin but for last eight years has lived and sweated in a kitchen as a chef in Galway. He has participated in Kevin Higgins's poetry class at Galway Arts Centre and was chosen to participate in the poetry master class with Simon Armitage at this years Cúirt Festival. He was short-listed for in this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. His interests are mainly surrealist poetry and he is currently working on two collections of poems. His work has been published in Longpoem magazine and Arc Poetry Magazine in Canada.

Donna Potts grew up in Joplin, Missouri and is a professor at Kansas State University. In 1994 her book length study of the poetry of Howard Nemerov was published by University of Missouri Press. Her book on contemporary Irish poetry is forthcoming also from University of Missouri press. Her own debut collection of poetry, Waking Dreams, will be published early next year by Salmon Poetry.

There will be an open-mic when the Featured Readers have finished. This is open to anyone who has a poem or story to share. New readers are always especially welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748 or see our website http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council

BIRMINGHAM: Hit The Ode

Thursday, 24th November, 2011, 7.30pm, £5 (available on door)

The Victoria,

48 John Bright Street,

Birmingham

B1 1BN
www.applesandsnakes.org 

Apples and Snakes presents Hit the Ode

This is Hit the Ode, bringing the best poets from the region, the country, and the world to Birmingham. Open mic slots are available – sign up via email or on the door.

RICHMOND: Laura Barton and Ross Sutherland

Thursday, 24th November, 2011, 7pm, £7/£5.50

Orange Tree Pub,
45 Kew Road,

Richmond

TW9 2NQ
www.applesandsnakes.org / www.richmondliteraturefestival.com

Apples and Snakes in partnership with Richmond Literature Festival presents Laura Barton and Ross Sutherland

As part of Richmond Literature Festival, Apples and Snakes have added to the diverse and inspiring programme with Laura Barton, feature writer and music columnist for The Guardian, and Ross Sutherland, a man whose poems roam the gulf between popular culture and common sense. You won’t want to miss this evening.

RICHMOND: Ian McMillan - Taking Myself Home

Wednesday, 23rd November, 2011, 7.30pm, £10 / £8.50 

The Studio at RACC,
Parkshot,
Richmond
TW9 2RE

As part of Richmond Literature Festival, Apples and Snakes have added to the diverse and inspiring programme with quirky radio presence, inventive writer, and all-round good bloke, Ian McMillan.

www.applesandsnakes.org / www.richmondliteraturefestival.com

LONDON: Hammer and Tongue

Monday, December 5th, 2011, 8pm-11pm (doors, DJ and slam sign up from 7pm), £5/£4
The Victoria,

451 Queensbridge Road,

Dalston

E8 3AS
samberkson@gmail.com

Live spoken word and performance poetry featuring Kate Tempest, from the Sunday Best record label, and 2 x UK Slam Champion, Dizraeli. Plus open mic slam competition, arrive early for slam sign up.
Hosted by Angry Sam and Sidel 'Comfort' Stewart.

EDINBURGH: Inky Fingers Open Mic

Tuesday, 22nd November, 2011, 8pm-11pm

The Third Door,

46-47 Lothian Street,

EH1 1HB

The Inky Fingers Open Mic takes place on the fourth Tuesday of the month, from 8-11pm. It’s free to come and free for anyone to perform, regardless of style, experience, or identity. We want to hear from everybody, and we want to support everybody in performing for a friendly audience. We want your poems, your rants, your ballads, your short stories, your diaries, your experimental texts, your heart, your mind, your body. We want the essay on your summer holidays you wrote when you were four, your adolescent haiku, and extracts from your eventually-to-be-completed epic fantasy quadrilogy. We want to hear your best new work as well. And we want people to care about the way words are performed.

As well as the open mic, each night features top performers from the UK and further afield: we bring you the best in poetry, storytelling, fiction, and everything else that involves putting beautiful words in a beautiful order!

Spaces to perform are limited, so please email inkyfingersedinburgh@gmail.com to reserve a space.

Inky Fingers is an Edinburgh-based events series for writers and performers, running workshops, open mics, and special literary events. Find out more at http://inkyfingersedinburgh.wordpress.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter @InkyFingersEdin.

LONDON: Camden Poetry Series

Friday, December 2nd, 2011, 7pm (doors 6.30pm), £5/£4, WINE

Trinity United Reform Church,

1 Buck Street,

Camden Town

1-2 mins. Camden Town tube

Ruth O'Callaghan presents Rosie Bailey, Tim Dooley and Joelle Taylor.      

                                                                                                      

Poets from the floor very welcome. Please bring a copy of the poem if you wish to be considered for the new anthology.

Free Raffle and nibbles

INTERMISSION

There may be a few delays in posting events for the next 10 days - however, any listings already sent to us will appear two weeks before the date of the event, and again the day before.

Normal service will be resumed soon!

MINTLAW: Vikings and Mermaids, Moths and Camels – Koo Press Relaunch

Sunday, 20th November, 2011, 2pm, FREE

Aden Country Park,

Mintlaw

Vikings and Mermaids, Moths and Camels - Koo Press Relaunch

Ian Crockatt: Skald
Maureen Ross: Day Moth
Keith Murray: The Camel's Back
Haworth Hodgkinson: A Weakness for Mermaids

Aberdeen-based publisher Koo Press has recently reprinted several titles from its acclaimed poetry chapbook series. At this event in the theatre at Aden Country Park, poets Ian Crockatt, Maureen Ross, Keith Murray and Haworth Hodgkinson will read from the relaunched books, and copies will be available for sale. The event will also include music from Haworth Hodgkinson.

The Aden café will be open for refreshments.

See www.northeastwriters.co.uk for details

PLYMOUTH: Forked

Thursday, 17th November, 2011, 8.30pm, £5 in advance / £7 on the door / £4 NUS

B-Bar,
Barbican Theatre,
Castle Street,
Plymouth
PL1 2NJ


Apples and Snakes presents Forked

Expect the unexpected, the beautiful and the strange, the heartfelt and the hilarious. At this month’s FORKED we have old school and new sitting side by side, with established acts and fresh young blood performing under one candlelit roof. Mama Tokus will enchant you along the way so sit back grab those noodles and enjoy.
Featuring: AF Harold, Audi Maserati, Rebecca Tantony and Megan Beech

www.applesandsnakes.org / www.b-bar.co.uk

RICHMOND: John Hegley and El Crisis

Sunday, 27th November, 2011, 7pm, £10/£8.50 or two for £15

Ham House,

Ham Street,

Richmond

TW10 7RS
www.applesandsnakes.org / www.richmondliteraturefestival.com

Apples and Snakes in partnership with Richmond Literature Festival presents John Hegley and El Crisis

As part of Richmond Literature Festival, Apples and Snakes have added to the diverse and inspiring programme with John Hegley who has been bewildering the nation with poems about glasses, dogs, vegetables and dogs that are also vegetables and El Crisis; a one-man sound system of chants and incantations.

LEAMINGTON SPA: PUREandGOODandRIGHT

Monday, November 14th, 2011, 7.30pm, £3 (£2 student/OAP)

The Sozzled Sausage,
Leamington Spa

CV32 4NX.

This month's guest poet is the wonderful Peter Wyton

Peter Wyton is an experienced page and performance poet who has presented his verse at festivals, arts centres and a wide variety of venues from Cornwall to Yorkshire. His work has appeared in the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and Daily Express and he is a regular contributor to Cotswold Life magazine. He has won 20 slams and an equal number of prizes in written composition. He is currently the Poet Laureate for the Towton Battlefield Society in Yorkshire and is heard often on BBC Radio Gloucestershire's morning show as The Breakfast Bard. 

'PETER’S POEMS ARE FUN and FUNKY RELEVANT and IRREVERENT WITTY and WHIMSICAL AND ALWAYS WITH A CUTTING EDGE'

DEFINITELY AN EVENING NOT TO BE MISSED!
With open mic support from…….yes……YOU!
Come and share your poems or enjoy the talent of others- seasoned poets & first time performers most welcome!

If you would like to know more about the night, please email pgrpoetry@gmail.com

Look forward to seeing you there!

Remember to check out our blog at http://pgrpoetry.blogspot.com !

LONDON: Hammer and Tongue Camden 2010/11 slam final featuring Tim Clare

Monday, November 14th, 2011, 7.30pm-11pm, £5

Green Note Café
106 Parkway
Camden
Nearest tube: Camden Town

The UK's biggest poetry slam network's Camden 2010/11 final will see eight slammers battle it out for the North London crown. Featuring Time Out award winner Tim Clare.

Hosted by Michelle Madsen
Contact:  07707514 296242
www.hammerandtongue.co.uk
http://twitter.com/hammerandtongue

LONDON: Jazz Verse Jukebox

Sunday, 13th November, 2011


, doors open 6.30pm, show from 8pm, £7 (on the door only)

Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club (Upstairs)
47 Frith Street,

London

W1D 4HT
Tube: Tottenham Court Road or Leicester Square
Web:www.jumokefashola.com
Email: JazzVerseJukebox@me.com

Compered by & with music from Jumoké Fashola
(www.jumokefashola.com)

Special Guests include: 
Siddhartha Bose, Carol Grimes, Deborah Stevenson, Brigitte Beraha, Randolph Matthews

 

Plus Open Mic for poets/singers

Siddhartha Bose is a poet, playwright, and performer based in London. His work has appeared in Voice Recognition: 21 Poets for the 21st Century (Bloodaxe, 2009) and The HarperCollins Book of Modern English Poetry by Indians (HarperCollins, 2011). His first collection, Kalagora, appeared last year (Penned in the Margins, 2010). He has read his poetry on BBC 4, BBC Radio 3, and Times Online. He has written, performed, and toured a one-man play, also Kalagora, which recently completed a month-long run at the Edinburgh Festival. He is a Leverhulme Fellow in Drama at Queen Mary, University of London. He is developing a full-length play with WhyNotTheatre, Toronto and was dubbed  one of the ‘ten rising stars of British Poetry’ by The Times. www.kalagora.com

Carol Grimes although known mainly for her amazing singing across various genres, Carol is also a 'secret' poet! Having worked on her song poems with the Giles Perring of Echo City, she brings her unique curious songs & poems to the Jazz Verse Jukebox on the 13th November. www.carolgrimes.com

Dyslexic Deborah 'Debris' Stevenson has been writing and performing her poems across the world for the past five years, from Camden, to Shanghai. In 2008 her poetic journey was followed by Channel 4 for a year, as part of Yeardot. Since, she has organised a festival for 7,000, has taught and performed for legacies like Lyric Lounge and has been published by Oxford University Poetry Society and Louis Vuitton. She is currently running her own young collective at Nottingham Playhouse called Mouthy Poets, who have sold all their shows. Simultaneously to creating a commissioned piece for BBC Radio 3, tutoring at Nottingham University and preparing for her Roosevelt Travelling Scholarship, to research the benefits of spoken word on Young people in America.


With music from
 Brigitte Beraha
. With an astonishing range & immaculate jazz 'chops', “most musicianly singer Brigitte Beraha” performs as both ‘sideman’ and as a leader in an ever-expanding range of projects, from straight ahead jazz- singing jazz standard songs with lyrics, to more contemporary outlets- using her voice as an instrument. Brigitte has studied Music at Kingsway College, Classical and Contemporary music at Goldsmiths College, and Jazz at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. 
"...Pure-toned, wide-ranging... She's a skilful writer of patiently curling, subtly resolved tunes."John Fordham, The Guardian www.brigitteberaha.com



With music from
 Randolph Matthews
. Forget the usual tags – ‘singer-songwriter’, ‘folk-soul’, and ‘troubadour’. If you’ve caught him live, either solo or collaborating, you’ll understand Randolph Matthews operates in his own parallel world, well away from traditional mainstream record label marketing formulae. His music is an evolving journey, rooted in purity and unshackled expression, drawing on the greats of yesteryear in soul, Neo African rhythms and conscious words. As a percussionist he has played sessions for the likes of US soul / boogie legend Don Blackman, recording with Julie Dexter for her J-Life project and working with Arthur Baker on tracks for Brooklyn soul legend, Will Downing. He even voiced a high profile ad for Twix chocolate – remember the Twix ‘In The Mix’ campaign? With a voice that has echoes of Marvin Gaye, Jon Lucien and Bobby McFerrin, he has an open-minded approach to his music borne from years performing live and collaborating with a wide variety of groundbreaking London and international artists. 
"This man's is not just original, he's out there!" Blues and Soul Magazine www.randolphmatthews.com



PLUS Jukebox Open Mic:
Come & sing with our amazing house band or perform some poetry.

EDINBURGH: Inky Fingers Open Mic

Tuesday, 22nd November, 2011, 8pm-11pm
The Third Door,

46-47 Lothian Street,

EH1 1HB

The Inky Fingers Open Mic takes place on the fourth Tuesday of the month, from 8-11pm. It’s free to come and free for anyone to perform, regardless of style, experience, or identity. We want to hear from everybody, and we want to support everybody in performing for a friendly audience. We want your poems, your rants, your ballads, your short stories, your diaries, your experimental texts, your heart, your mind, your body. We want the essay on your summer holidays you wrote when you were four, your adolescent haiku, and extracts from your eventually-to-be-completed epic fantasy quadrilogy. We want to hear your best new work as well. And we want people to care about the way words are performed.

As well as the open mic, each night features top performers from the UK and further afield: we bring you the best in poetry, storytelling, fiction, and everything else that involves putting beautiful words in a beautiful order!

Spaces to perform are limited, so please email inkyfingersedinburgh@gmail.com to reserve a space.

Inky Fingers is an Edinburgh-based events series for writers and performers, running workshops, open mics, and special literary events. Find out more at http://inkyfingersedinburgh.wordpress.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter @InkyFingersEdin.

GALWAY: November Over The Edge Open Reading

Thursday, November 24th, 2011, 6.30pm-8pm, FREE

Galway City Library,

St. Augustine Street,

Galway 

The Featured Readers are Erin Buttner, Stephen Byrne and Donna Potts.

Erin Buttner is a writer, baker, broadcaster, and veteran living in Kinvara, Co Galway. A native New Yorker, Erin immigrated to Ireland in 2008 to take a Master's degree in Writing at NUI Galway.  Her poetry has been published in Chronogram arts magazine in New York, Three Times Daily and Ropes.  She is presently drafting her memoir based on the 4 years she spent serving in the US Military. She can be heard every Sunday from 3-5pm on Rascal Radio.

Stephen Byrne is from Coolock North Dublin but for last eight years has lived and sweated in a kitchen as a chef in Galway. He has participated in Kevin Higgins's poetry class at Galway Arts Centre and was chosen to participate in the poetry master class with Simon Armitage at this years Cúirt Festival. He was short-listed for in this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. His interests are mainly surrealist poetry and he is currently working on two collections of poems. His work has been published in Longpoem magazine and Arc Poetry Magazine in Canada.

Donna Potts grew up in Joplin, Missouri and is a professor at Kansas State University. In 1994 her book length study of the poetry of Howard Nemerov was published by University of Missouri Press. Her book on contemporary Irish poetry is forthcoming also from University of Missouri press. Her own debut collection of poetry, Waking Dreams, will be published early next year by Salmon Poetry.

There will be an open-mic when the Featured Readers have finished. This is open to anyone who has a poem or story to share. New readers are always especially welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748 or see our website http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council

BIRMINGHAM: Hit The Ode

Thursday, 24th November, 2011, 7.30pm, £5 (available on door)

The Victoria,

48 John Bright Street,

Birmingham

B1 1BN
www.applesandsnakes.org 

Apples and Snakes presents Hit the Ode

This is Hit the Ode, bringing the best poets from the region, the country, and the world to Birmingham. Open mic slots are available – sign up via email or on the door.

RICHMOND: Laura Barton and Ross Sutherland

Thursday, 24th November, 2011, 7pm, £7/£5.50

Orange Tree Pub,
45 Kew Road,

Richmond

TW9 2NQ
www.applesandsnakes.org / www.richmondliteraturefestival.com

Apples and Snakes in partnership with Richmond Literature Festival presents Laura Barton and Ross Sutherland

As part of Richmond Literature Festival, Apples and Snakes have added to the diverse and inspiring programme with Laura Barton, feature writer and music columnist for The Guardian, and Ross Sutherland, a man whose poems roam the gulf between popular culture and common sense. You won’t want to miss this evening.

NOTTINGHAM: A Night of Happenstance

Saturday, 26th November, 2011, 7.30pm, £4/£3 (concessions)

Lee Rosy’s tea room,

17 Broad Street,

Nottingham

NG1 3AJ

(opposite Broadway cinema)

Six Happenstance poets, from across the Midlands, Scotland, and as far away as Spain, will be gathering for a reading downstairs at Lee Rosy’s.

The poets are Helena Nelson (editor of Happenstance Press), Ross Kightly, Marilyn Ricci, Robin Vaughan-Williams, DA Prince, and Matthew Stewart, who will be in the country to launch his new pamphlet, Inventing Truth.

Helena will also be adjudicating the Nottingham Open Poetry Competition at 2.45pm at the Mechanics Institute (3 North Sherwood Street, NG1 4AX).

Happenstance is an independent poetry press based in Scotland that publishes poets from all over the UK. It specialises in pamphlets, and in 2010 won the Michael Marks Award for Poetry Pamphlets for publishers. Ali Smith, one of the judges, commented: "HappenStance proved outstanding in the elegance, thoughtfulness and clarity of their design, and the infectious interaction, open-mindedness and energy of their publishing ethos".

Happenstance also produces Sphinx, an indispensable source of poetry pamphlet reviews.

More information is available from the zqblog, or visit the Facebook event page.

RICHMOND: Ian McMillan - Taking Myself Home

Wednesday, 23rd November, 2011, 7.30pm, £10 / £8.50 

The Studio at RACC,
Parkshot,
Richmond
TW9 2RE

As part of Richmond Literature Festival, Apples and Snakes have added to the diverse and inspiring programme with quirky radio presence, inventive writer, and all-round good bloke, Ian McMillan.

www.applesandsnakes.org / www.richmondliteraturefestival.com

NOTTINGHAM: What Are They Whispering?

Thursday, 10th November, 2011

New Art Exchange,

Nottingham

www.thenewartexchange.org.uk

What Are They Whispering? – a poetry show

Power. Who has it, who wants it, who tries to take it from you? The poets know.

What Are They Whispering? is a poetry show to nudge you or urge you to weigh up the balance of power in your own life. The dynamic trio of poets whose work will charge you up is Imtiaz Dharker, Joe Dunthorne and John Stammers. They perform a hand-picked selection of their poems about power in both its rawest and most subtle states. Poems and ideas are enhanced and amplified with lighting and sound; every spoken word special effect from a whisper to a chorus, every lighting state from a firefly glimmer to a thunderbolt.

Directed by Phoebe Stout

Produced by Jaybird

LONDON: Wordamouth present Real Talk

LONDON: Malika’s Poetry Kitchen

Tuesday 8th November, 2011, 7.30pm, £5
Lost Theatre,
208 Wandsworth Road,
London
SW8 2JU

Malika’s Poetry Kitchen celebrates its first decade at this showcase featuring members past and present. This writers' collective has encouraged and supported some of the best poets of their generation, helping refine and develop their craft. Headlined by Malika Booker (Royal Shakespeare Company poet-in-residence).
Featuring: Inua Ellams, Aoife Mannix, Jill Abram Janett Plummer, Heather Taylor, Cath Drake, Naomi Woddis, Jocelyn Page, Melanie Mauthner, Mary Renouf, John Sutton and Patricia Foster.

www.applesandsnakes.org / www.losttheatre.co.uk

PLYMOUTH: Forked

Thursday, 17th November, 2011, 8.30pm, £5 in advance / £7 on the door / £4 NUS

B-Bar,
Barbican Theatre,
Castle Street,
Plymouth
PL1 2NJ


Apples and Snakes presents Forked

Expect the unexpected, the beautiful and the strange, the heartfelt and the hilarious. At this month’s FORKED we have old school and new sitting side by side, with established acts and fresh young blood performing under one candlelit roof. Mama Tokus will enchant you along the way so sit back grab those noodles and enjoy.
Featuring: AF Harold, Audi Maserati, Rebecca Tantony and Megan Beech

www.applesandsnakes.org / www.b-bar.co.uk

RICHMOND: Iain Sinclair and Inua Ellams

Wednesday 16th November, 2011, 7.30pm, £10 / £8.50
The Studio at RACC,
Parkshot,
Richmond
TW9 2RE



Apples and Snakes in partnership with Richmond Literature Festival presents
Iain Sinclair & Inua Ellams
As part of Richmond Literature Festival, Apples and Snakes have added to the diverse and inspiring programme with Iain Sinclair, the poet laureate of London’s peripheries and  Inua Ellams a verbal troublemaker whose one-man odyssey The 14th Tale scooped an Edinburgh Fringe First award and went on to enjoy a sell-out run at the National Theatre in 2010. You won’t want to miss this evening.

www.applesandsnakes.org  / www.richmondliteraturefestival.com