Monday, August 29, 2011

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE: Tyneside Cinema Open Slam


Monday, 12th September, 2011, 7.30pm, £5/£4
Tyneside Cinema 3rd floor bar,
10 Pilgrim Street,
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 6QG
Info: www.radikalwords.com

Radikal Words, in association with Apples and Snakes, presents
TYNESIDE CINEMA OPEN SLAM

This is an Open Slam and anyone can take part. All you need is a maximum of five poems, no longer than three minutes. The winner gets a BIG MONEY cash prize of £30 plus a fantastic trophy letting the world know they are “The All Comers Cinema Slam Champion 2011.” So come along and experience fast, fun and exciting poetry!

With special guest Kenny Baraka.

Friday, August 26, 2011

GALWAY: September Over The Edge Writers’ Gathering


Friday, September 9th, 2011, 8pm, All are welcome, FREE
The Kitchen @ The Museum,
Spanish Arch,
Galway

The September Over The Edge Writers’ Gathering presents readings by poets from Ireland, the UK and France. Visiting poets Richard Halperin, Jane Clarke and C.P. Stewart will read their work. Also reading on the night will be members of the legendary Galway-based poetry workshop, The Skylight Poets, who will showcase their exciting new anthology, Mosaic, which has already garnered praise from renowned poets Moya Cannon and Mary O’Malley.

Richard W. Halperin holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from the City University of New York. Until 2005 he was chief of teacher education for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris, which entailed travel and work in Asia, Africa and Central and Eastern Europe. For UNESCO, he edited the downloadable book Reading and Writing Poetry: The Recommendations of Noted Poets from Many Lands on the Teaching of Poetry in Secondary Schools, available in English, French and Spanish versions.  He will read from his poetry collection, Anniversary, which was published last year by Salmon Poetry.

Originally from a farm in Roscommon, Jane Clarke, now lives in Wicklow and is a member of Airfield Writers. She has had poems published in Cyphers, Crannóg, Revival, The Shop, The Stony Thursday Book, Southword and has won a number of prizes, including the Listowel Writers’ Week Prize (2007). In 2009 she was selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series. She is currently studying for an MPhil in Writing with the University of Glamorgan, Wales. Jane is short-listed for this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition.

C.P. Stewart lives with his family in North Yorkshire. Formerly singer/songwriter with the cult band Laughing Gravy, his poetry has been widely published in Canada, Australia, Ireland, England and the United States. For two years he was the Poetry Editor of Sotto Voce Arts and Literary magazine (U.S.). A chapbook of his poetry, Taking it In was published by Koo Poetry Press in 2009. His New and Selected Poems, Considering the Lilies, was published earlier this year by the Galway-based publisher Wordsonthestreet.

Skylight Poets is the collective name for an unlikely bunch of writers who have gathered on Thursday afternoons in a sparsely furnished room with four skylights at the top of Galway Arts Centre in Dominick Street Galway. Under the guidance of poet and workshop director Kevin Higgins the first anthology from this motley group Lady Gregory’s Townhouse was published in 2009. This was followed in 2010 by the highly praised Behind the Masks and this year sees the publication of the Skylight Poets’ third anthology Mosaic. Edited by Sarah Clancy, Des Kavanagh, Deirdre Kearney and Kevin O’Shea, Mosaic has already garnered praise from renowned poets Moya Cannon and Mary O'Malley.

The Kitchen @ The Museum has a wine licence. For further information contact 087-6431748.

TOWERSEY FESTIVAL: New Poetry Programme

August 27th-29th August, 2011
Towersey Village Festival is an annual festival of folk and world music and traditional dance held in the village of Towersey in Oxfordshire, England. It has taken place every August bank holiday weekend since its founding in 1965.The venues in which the festival normally takes place are the concert tent, the dance tent, the arena, the village hall and the arts centre with occasional impromptu performances in the beer tent (normally called "The Headless Horseman") and in the Three Horseshoes public house. Other features include the main site, the craft tent and the craft market

Following their successful introduction of a poetry programme at Towersey Festival in 2010, poets Nick Field and Paul Sherreard will be back this year with a bigger and better series of poetry and spoken word events. Building on an enthusiastic reception from festival goers last year, Nick and Paul will be running breakfast and teatime sessions of poetry workshops and readings in the cosy ‘Den’ tent, with beanbags, cushions and cakes all part of the friendly, relaxed atmosphere of the events. An open mike session on the last day of the festival, hosted by Nick and Paul, will give a chance for poets to read the work they’ve developed for a supportive audience.

Sat 27th
4.30 - 6.00 Poetry Teatime (workshop)
A friendly workshop where you can try your hand at writing and performing poetry for the first time, or, if you are a seasoned poet, try out some new ideas and styles of poetry and performance. Led by local poet Paul 'Shez' Sherreard and renowned Spoken Word artist Nick Field. Tea and cakes and cushions galore. 

Sun 28th
10am -11.30 Poetry Breakfast (workshop)
A friendly workshop where you can try your hand at writing and performing your poetry for the first time, or, if you are a seasoned poet, try out some new ideas and styles of poetry and performance. Led by local poet Paul 'Shez' Sherreard and renowned Spoken Word artist Nick Field. Bring your breakfast with you, and fuel your creativity with a steaming hot brew from the lovely folk at the FesTeaval stall. 

Sun 28th
4.30 – 6.00 Poetry Teatime Masterclass (workshop)
The third of our welcoming workshops at The Den, this session is for anyone who has been to any of the previous sessions to come and take on something a bit more challenging - hone your skills and explore your voice as a poet...and also have some tea and biscuits. Also, this is an opportunity to prepare something for Monday's open mic. 

Mon 29th
4.30 – 5.30 Poetry Teatime
A warm up and confidence-building workshop for anyone taking part in the Open Mic poetry at The Hive.

6pm - 8pm Early Supper Open Mic
Towersey is where you do things for the first time. Come and perform your poetry to a warm, friendly audience of fellow poets in The Hive. Hosted by local poet Paul 'Shez' Sherreard and renowned Spoken Word artist Nick Field

Nick Field is a Spoken Word Artist and poet with a background in theatre and playwriting. He draws on theatre and live art to create evocative, bittersweet and richly lyrical spoken word pieces. He has performed at major events, venues and festivals internationally including Soho Theatre, GreenMan Festival, Brighton Festival and Stockholm Fringe. Nick was Poet in Residence at Keats House in London during the summer of 2010. He was based at the beautiful Hampstead home of John Keats and produced new work for an anthology and gave performances for visitors. He also lead writing workshops for gifted and talented young people drawing on his previous experience as a workshop facilitator and university lecturer. In May 2001 Nick premiered his first solo spoken-word show 'The Cosmos, The Cosmetics' in Brighton, and will be taking the show on tour later in the year. 

Paul Sherreard is a local lad who grew up roaming the small grassy knolls and car parks of Lea Park in Thame. He now lives in that big shiny London town down the end of the M40.
Paul is poet in residence at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital in Lambeth and works for Keat House Museum in Hampstead where he runs a programme of writing and performance workshops for all members of the community. Paul is also Towersey Festival’s Poet-in Residence.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

LONDON: Low Tide Lottery Launch


Wednesday, September 7th, 2011, 6pm
Phoenix Artist Club,
Charing Cross Road
London

Readings from Luke Kennard and Katy Evans-Bush, and music by Holly Jazz Lowe.

BARNSTAPLE: Return


Tuesday, 6th September, 2011, 8pm, £9 / £5
Queen's Theatre Studio,
Boutport Street,
Barnstaple
EX31 1SY
Info: 01271 32 42 42 / www.applesandsnakes.org

Apples and Snakes presents RETURN
Birmingham-born wordsmith Polarbear follows the successful national tour of If You Cover My Nose, You Can't See Me with a new forward-thinking live literature piece.
Return tells the story of Noah, a man trying to figure out where he fits. Convinced he had to leave home in order to make his mark, Noah returns to find a world where a lot of things seem the same but nothing actually is.
Combining storytelling with a distinctive lighting and projection design, Return exploits its relationship with cinematic genres. The show journeys through scenes and landscapes, encouraging you to explore and, like a film director, be challenged to re-imagine as the story unfolds...

WORCESTER: Parole Parlate

Thursday, 1st September, 2011, 7.30pm, £3/ £2
1 - 3 St Nicholas Street,
Worcester,
WR1 2HU
Info: www.worcslitfest.com / info@worcslitfest.com


Worcestershire Literary Festival, in association with Apples and Snakes, presents
PAROLE PARLATE

Parole Parlate: The Spoken Word is a dedicated spoken word and “music that tells a story” platform. If you would like the chance to read your short stories, poems, prose, try out your performance poetry or music that tells a story, this evening is for you! Hosted by Little Venice in Worcester, there will be a full bar service, cakes/snacks and you can of course take advantage of the full menu and enjoy delicious pizzas, pastas or salads. Try out their £7.95 menu which includes a main course and a drink. Plus a very special guest appearance by AF Harold.

ABERDEEN: Poetry Aberdeen: Enormities, Volume 1


Thursday, 25th August, 2011, 6.30pm, FREE
Books and Beans,
Aberdeen

Poetry Aberdeen: Enormities, Volume 1 
This month we present the launch of another publication of local poetry from Malfranteaux Concepts. Enormities, Volume 1, includes poems by Keith Murray, Elaine Hubbard, Andrew Milne, Roger Barnett, Alan Young, Sheena Blackhall and Cheryl Bond.
A selection of contributors will read from the new collection, and there will be plenty of chance for open floor readings.
See www.poetryaberdeen.co.uk for details

TOWERSEY FESTIVAL: New Poetry Programme


August 27th-29th August, 2011

Towersey Village Festival is an annual festival of folk and world music and traditional dance held in the village of Towersey in Oxfordshire, England. It has taken place every August bank holiday weekend since its founding in 1965.The venues in which the festival normally takes place are the concert tent, the dance tent, the arena, the village hall and the arts centre with occasional impromptu performances in the beer tent (normally called "The Headless Horseman") and in the Three Horseshoes public house. Other features include the main site, the craft tent and the craft market


Following their successful introduction of a poetry programme at Towersey Festival in 2010, poets Nick Field and Paul Sherreard will be back this year with a bigger and better series of poetry and spoken word events. Building on an enthusiastic reception from festival goers last year, Nick and Paul will be running breakfast and teatime sessions of poetry workshops and readings in the cosy ‘Den’ tent, with beanbags, cushions and cakes all part of the friendly, relaxed atmosphere of the events. An open mike session on the last day of the festival, hosted by Nick and Paul, will give a chance for poets to read the work they’ve developed for a supportive audience.

Sat 27th
4.30 - 6.00 Poetry Teatime (workshop)
A friendly workshop where you can try your hand at writing and performing poetry for the first time, or, if you are a seasoned poet, try out some new ideas and styles of poetry and performance. Led by local poet Paul 'Shez' Sherreard and renowned Spoken Word artist Nick Field. Tea and cakes and cushions galore. 

Sun 28th
10am -11.30 Poetry Breakfast (workshop)
A friendly workshop where you can try your hand at writing and performing your poetry for the first time, or, if you are a seasoned poet, try out some new ideas and styles of poetry and performance. Led by local poet Paul 'Shez' Sherreard and renowned Spoken Word artist Nick Field. Bring your breakfast with you, and fuel your creativity with a steaming hot brew from the lovely folk at the FesTeaval stall. 

Sun 28th
4.30 – 6.00 Poetry Teatime Masterclass (workshop)
The third of our welcoming workshops at The Den, this session is for anyone who has been to any of the previous sessions to come and take on something a bit more challenging - hone your skills and explore your voice as a poet...and also have some tea and biscuits. Also, this is an opportunity to prepare something for Monday's open mic. 

Mon 29th
4.30 – 5.30 Poetry Teatime
A warm up and confidence-building workshop for anyone taking part in the Open Mic poetry at The Hive.

6pm - 8pm Early Supper Open Mic
Towersey is where you do things for the first time. Come and perform your poetry to a warm, friendly audience of fellow poets in The Hive. Hosted by local poet Paul 'Shez' Sherreard and renowned Spoken Word artist Nick Field

Nick Field is a Spoken Word Artist and poet with a background in theatre and playwriting. He draws on theatre and live art to create evocative, bittersweet and richly lyrical spoken word pieces. He has performed at major events, venues and festivals internationally including Soho Theatre, GreenMan Festival, Brighton Festival and Stockholm Fringe. Nick was Poet in Residence at Keats House in London during the summer of 2010. He was based at the beautiful Hampstead home of John Keats and produced new work for an anthology and gave performances for visitors. He also lead writing workshops for gifted and talented young people drawing on his previous experience as a workshop facilitator and university lecturer. In May 2001 Nick premiered his first solo spoken-word show 'The Cosmos, The Cosmetics' in Brighton, and will be taking the show on tour later in the year. 

Paul Sherreard is a local lad who grew up roaming the small grassy knolls and car parks of Lea Park in Thame. He now lives in that big shiny London town down the end of the M40.
Paul is poet in residence at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital in Lambeth and works for Keat House Museum in Hampstead where he runs a programme of writing and performance workshops for all members of the community. Paul is also Towersey Festival’s Poet-in Residence.

GALWAY: August Over The Edge Open Reading

Thursday, August 25th, 2011, 6.30pm-8pm
Galway City Library,
St. Augustine Street,
Galway
The Featured Readers are Laurie Leech, Evelyn Parsons and Clare Pollard. The reading is sponsored by Poetry Ireland. The evening will also see the announcement of the shortlist in this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition.
Laurie Leech is a Galway-based poet. He is MC of the Testify! nights in Róisín Dubh, showcasing poets, musicians and anything else in between. Formerly MC of Poetry Smackdown, which was featured on RTE’s Arena. He took 2nd place in the 2011 Cúirt Poetry Grand Slam and 1st place in the 2011 Drogheda Fringe Poetry Slam. He puts his words to music sometimes and shared a bill with Buck 65, also during Cúirt 2011.
Evelyn Parsons says that she “stumbled down a creative writing shaped rabbit hole in 2010, landing heart first in a fiction wonderland of classes with Kevin Higgins and Susan Millar DuMars.” She was highly commended in the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition and short-listed for the 2011 Fish One Page Prize. Evelyn is also an avid reader and a member of the Ballinasloe Booksuckers Club.
Clare Pollard has published four collections of poetry with Bloodaxe Books, the most recent of which, Changeling, was published in June of this year. Her play The Weather (Faber, 2004) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre and has been performed at the Munchner Kammerspiele in Munich. Clare was Assistant Director of the Clerkenwell Literary Festival from 2002-5. She has scripted and presented two documentaries for televison, and her documentary for radio, My Male Muse, was a Radio 4 Pick of the year. Her short stories have been published in The Idler and the anthology Comma (Comma Press, 2002).  She recently co-edited the Bloodaxe anthology Voice Recognition: 21 poets for the 21st Century.  Clare is currently teaching for The City Lit, The Poetry School and the Arvon Foundation. This is Clare’s first time reading in Ireland.
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

Sunday, August 21, 2011

LEICESTER: Shindig!

Monday, 22nd August, 2011, 7.30pm onwards, FREE
The Western,
70 Western Road,
Leicester
LE3 0GA
Nine Arches Press & Crystal Clear Creators present: Leicester Shindig!
WITH SPECIAL GUEST WRITERS: Deborah Tyler-Bennett, Alex Plasatis, Roy Marshall and Matt Merritt
Deborah Tyler-Bennett's latest collection is Revudeville, and her chapbook, Mytton... Dyer... Sweet Billy Gibson, three poetry portraits, came out from Nine Arches in 2011. In 2010 Smokestack published Pavilion, a volume set in Brighton and full of images of dandies. In 2010 she was a Poetry Lives Here Resident Writer at Keats House.
Roy Marshall has been writing songs and poems since childhood. His first ever spoken word performance was at WORD! In 2009. He has since been published in a number of magazines and has a pamphlet forthcoming in 2012. His website is roymarshall. wordpress.com
Matt Merritt is a poet and wildlife journalist from Leicester. Nine Arches Press published his second collection of poems, hydrodaktulopsychicharmonica, in November 2010.
Alex Plasatis is an exophonic writer undertaking a Creative Writing Ph.D at De Montfort University. He has co-edited the third volume of Hearing Voices, performed his writing in various venues, and has a story forthcoming in Coffee House Magazine. He is currently working on his first novel.
Sign up for the Open Mic on the door.

Friday, August 19, 2011

GALWAY: Over The Edge New Writer of the Year

Saturday, August 20th, 2011, 6.30pm
Charlie Byrne's Bookshop,
Middle Street,
Galway

The announcement of the long-list for this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition will take place at a special Salmon Poetry reading. Majella Cullinane will read from her just published collection Guarding The Flame, and there will also be readings by Over The Edge co-organisers Susan Millar DuMars and Kevin Higgins.
For more about Majella Cullinane see http://www.salmonpoetry.com/bookshop-search.php 
The longlist will be available on the Over The Edge website
(http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com)

LONDON: Museum of Broken Relationships Poetry Face-Off

Saturday, August 20th, 2011, 8pm
Tristan Bates Theatre
1A Tower Street,
London
WC2H 9NP
A night of riotous poetry antics! Poets will perform work based very loosely on the theme of broken relationships, as well as writing/improvising work in response to pieces in the exhibition. This will be done in a head to head slam format with winners from each round battling it out in a 'grand' final! There is also an open mic session which you can sign up for on the night or by replying to this message as well as a special guest performance from Angry Sam. All hosted by curious.



Thursday, August 18, 2011

LONDON: Hammer and Tongue


Thursday, September 1st, 2011, 7pm-11pm, £5/£4
The Victoria,
451 Queensbridge Road,
Dalston
E8 3AS

Performance poetry and spoken word with London Slam Poetry Champion, curious, bringing his own brand of frank, poet-rap, raw politics and dark humour. Plus an open mic slam with the chance to compete for a place in this year's final. Arrive early for slam sign-up.

www.hammerandtongue.co.uk
www.thedalstonvic.co.uk
email: samberkson@gmail.com


LONDON: Friday Night Writers with Adele Ward

Friday, 19th August, 2011, 6pm, FREE
Swiss Cottage Library Art Gallery,
88 Avenue Road,
Swiss Cottage,
London
NW3 3HA
Friday Night Writers with Adele Ward
Adam Wyeth will read from his debut collection Silent Music, recently published by Salmon, supported by Declan Ryan and his Days of Roses anthology poets. Bring a poem or flash fiction for open mic. All open mic readers can submit to be considered for the Friday Night Writers anthology published by Ward Wood.
Enquiries: 020 7974 4001

Monday, August 15, 2011

GALWAY: August Over The Edge Open Reading


Thursday, August 25th, 2011, 6.30pm-8pm
Galway City Library,
St. Augustine Street,
Galway

The Featured Readers are Laurie Leech, Evelyn Parsons and Clare Pollard. The reading is sponsored by Poetry Ireland. The evening will also see the announcement of the shortlist in this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition.

Laurie Leech is a Galway-based poet. He is MC of the Testify! nights in Róisín Dubh, showcasing poets, musicians and anything else in between. Formerly MC of Poetry Smackdown, which was featured on RTE’s Arena. He took 2nd place in the 2011 Cúirt Poetry Grand Slam and 1st place in the 2011 Drogheda Fringe Poetry Slam. He puts his words to music sometimes and shared a bill with Buck 65, also during Cúirt 2011.

Evelyn Parsons says that she “stumbled down a creative writing shaped rabbit hole in 2010, landing heart first in a fiction wonderland of classes with Kevin Higgins and Susan Millar DuMars.” She was highly commended in the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition and short-listed for the 2011 Fish One Page Prize. Evelyn is also an avid reader and a member of the Ballinasloe Booksuckers Club.

Clare Pollard has published four collections of poetry with Bloodaxe Books, the most recent of which, Changeling, was published in June of this year. Her play The Weather (Faber, 2004) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre and has been performed at the Munchner Kammerspiele in Munich. Clare was Assistant Director of the Clerkenwell Literary Festival from 2002-5. She has scripted and presented two documentaries for televison, and her documentary for radio, My Male Muse, was a Radio 4 Pick of the year. Her short stories have been published in The Idler and the anthology Comma (Comma Press, 2002).  She recently co-edited the Bloodaxe anthology Voice Recognition: 21 poets for the 21st Century.  Clare is currently teaching for The City Lit, The Poetry School and the Arvon Foundation. This is Clare’s first time reading in Ireland.

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

GALWAY: Over The Edge New Writer of the Year

Saturday, August 20th, 2011, 6.30pm

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop,
Middle Street,
Galway

The announcement of the long-list for this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition will take place at a special Salmon Poetry reading. Majella Cullinane will read from her just published collection Guarding The Flame, and there will also be readings by Over The Edge co-organisers Susan Millar DuMars and Kevin Higgins.

For more about Majella Cullinane see http://www.salmonpoetry.com/bookshop-search.php 

The longlist will be available on the Over The Edge website
(http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com)

LONDON: Museum of Broken Relationships Poetry Face-Off

Saturday, August 20th, 2011, 8pm
Tristan Bates Theatre
1A Tower Street,
London
WC2H 9NP

A night of riotous poetry antics! Poets will perform work based very loosely on the theme of broken relationships, as well as writing/improvising work in response to pieces in the exhibition. This will be done in a head to head slam format with winners from each round battling it out in a 'grand' final! There is also an open mic session which you can sign up for on the night or by replying to this message as well as a special guest performance from Angry Sam. All hosted by curious.




EDINBURGH: Grey Hen Festival Fringe reading

Tuesday, 16th August, 2011, 3pm-4.30pm
Blackwell’s Bookshop
53-62 South Bridge,
 
Readings from all the Grey Hen anthologies with Marianne Burton,  A C Clarke, Margaret Christie, Julia Deakin, Angela Kirby, Wendy Klein, Eleanor Livingstone and Rosemary McLeish.

Friday, August 12, 2011

LONDON: Friday Night Writers with Adele Ward


Friday, 19th August, 2011, 6pm, FREE
Swiss Cottage Library Art Gallery,
88 Avenue Road,
Swiss Cottage,
London
NW3 3HA

Friday Night Writers with Adele Ward

Adam Wyeth will read from his debut collection Silent Music, recently published by Salmon, supported by Declan Ryan and his Days of Roses anthology poets. Bring a poem or flash fiction for open mic. All open mic readers can submit to be considered for the Friday Night Writers anthology published by Ward Wood.

Enquiries: 020 7974 4001

Thursday, August 11, 2011

HEBDEN BRIDGE: Grey Hen Press reading

Friday, 12th August, 2011, 7pm-8.30pm
Hebden Bridge Library
Cheetham Street,
Hebden Bridge
A reading from Get Me Out of Here! with Helen Burke, Julia Deakin, Joy Howard, Char March, Alison Orlowska and Gina Shaw.

Monday, August 08, 2011

LEICESTER: Shindig!


Monday, 22nd August, 2011, 7.30pm onwards, FREE
The Western,
70 Western Road,
Leicester
LE3 0GA


Nine Arches Press & Crystal Clear Creators present: Leicester Shindig!


WITH SPECIAL GUEST WRITERS: Deborah Tyler-Bennett, Alex Plasatis, Roy Marshall and Matt Merritt

Deborah Tyler-Bennett's latest collection is Revudeville, and her chapbook, Mytton... Dyer... Sweet Billy Gibson, three poetry portraits, came out from Nine Arches in 2011. In 2010 Smokestack published Pavilion, a volume set in Brighton and full of images of dandies. In 2010 she was a Poetry Lives Here Resident Writer at Keats House.

Roy Marshall has been writing songs and poems since childhood. His first ever spoken word performance was at WORD! In 2009. He has since been published in a number of magazines and has a pamphlet forthcoming in 2012. His website is roymarshall. wordpress.com

Matt Merritt is a poet and wildlife journalist from Leicester. Nine Arches Press published his second collection of poems, hydrodaktulopsychicharmonica, in November 2010.

Alex Plasatis is an exophonic writer undertaking a Creative Writing Ph.D at De Montfort University. He has co-edited the third volume of Hearing Voices, performed his writing in various venues, and has a story forthcoming in Coffee House Magazine. He is currently working on his first novel.

Sign up for the Open Mic on the door.


Sunday, August 07, 2011

LEAMINGTON SPA: PUREandGOODandRIGHT

Monday, August 8th, 2011, 7.30pm, £3 (£2)
The Sozzled Sausage,
Leamington Spa
CV32 4NX.
This month it's time for our Summer Slam!
Thanks to the devoted and supportive atmosphere of the PGR crowd, this is one of the most enjoyable slams you'll ever encounter!
There will of course be the usual open mic slots...but the fact that there will be actual prize money and the chance to win a feature slot at a future PGR event is surely enough to tempt even performance newbies to come and join the fun.
The guidelines are as follows:
   The slam will take place over 3 rounds.
    Each poem should be no longer than 3minutes.
    Each poet will be appreciated according to their content, delivery and audience response.
   The top 4 scoring poets from the first round will go through to the semi finals.
   The victor and the runner up will share the door takings in some fitting proportion.
   The winner will also be offered the chance to feature at a future PGR event,
      assuming that they have not featured numerous times before!
If you have any further questions or wish to register, contact pgrpoetry@gmail.com
If you're planning to come along, or would like to know more about the night, please email
  
Remember to check out our blog at

Saturday, August 06, 2011

LONDON: Velvet Tongue

Sunday, August 7th, 2011, 6.30pm-10pm, £3 donation, free for participants
Bar Kick,
127 Shoreditch High Street,
London
E1 6JE  (Old St/Liverpool St tubes).
Contact phone number: 07733263823 (Ernesto)
Email: ernesto@sarezale.com
Web: http://velvettongueuk.blogspot.com
Guest readers and performers: PAUL BURSTON, HOLESTAR, CHRIS YOUNG, LUCY LEAGRAVE
BLURB:
Presented by Erotic Award winning poet Ernesto Sarezale, Velvet Tongue is a Literary Soiree dedicated to erotic writing and performance, with poetry, fiction, spoken word, plays, stand-up, comic strips, cabaret, monologues,… 

It features some of the country's most exciting writers and performers of erotica together with plenty of sexy open mic slots for anyone who wants to join in! Velvet Tongue celebrates the hot, the sweet, the viscous, the carnal, the sexy, the racy, the provocative, the lustful, the voluptuous, the libidinous, the playful, the flirtatious, the teasing, the suggestive, the explicit, the cheeky, the bold, the brash, the brassy, the flashy, the risque, the pervy, the licentious, the queer, the depraved and the downright kinky.
Open mic slots: Bring along your sexy words and share them with us. Have you got an erotic poem, a sexy short story, a salacious monologue, a sexually charged section of your novel, a provocative comic strip, a risqué stand up routine? Would you like to share a piece of erotica from an author you admire? Come and read it in front of an appreciative audience. Free entrance for open mic performers.

LONDON: Jazz Verse Jukebox

Sunday, 7th August, 2011, doors 6.30pm, show 8pm
, £10-£22.50
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club ,
47 Frith Street,
London
W1D 4HT
Book Online: www.ronniescotts.co.uk
Tel Reservations: 020 7439 0747

Tube: Tottenham Court Road
 or Leicester Square
Web:www.ronniescotts.co.uk
It’s a Jazz Poetry Party!

The JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX goes downstairs to the main space at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club for a one -off special performance poetry event as part of the Brit Jazz Festival 2011.
Join us for what promises to be an extraordinary night with appearances from some of the leading lights on the UK spoken word scene.
Special guests include: Soweto Kinch, Charlie Dark, Carrie Grant, Mr Gee, Zena Edwards, Hollie McNish, Sh’Maya.
Compered by & with music from Jumoké Fashola
 (www.jumokefashola.com)

A rare spoken word & music appearance from rapping sax prodigy Soweto Kinch who has amassed an impressive list of accolades and awards on both sides of the Atlantic - including a Mercury Music Prize nomination, two UMA Awards and a MOBO for best Jazz Act in 2003. In October 2007, he won his second MOBO Award in the Best Jazz Act category- fending off stiff competition from the likes of Wynton Marsalis.  Most recently he was a mentor on Goldies Band - By Royal Appointment (BBC1 TV) the prime time reality music show, which followed Goldie, Soweto et al as they discovered and coached 12 vulnerable young mentees towards their first live performance before HM Prince Harry at Buckingham Palace. His current album, The New Emancipation explores a variety of different musical styles, from jazz to hip hop via neo-soul with vocal sketches based on Soweto’s recent studies on slavery. It’s been described as ‘sheer brilliance for a new century’.
Charlie Dark is a one of the most influential  spoken Word artist in the UK & a dynamic part of the United Kingdom’s poetry and performance scene as a writer, producer and DJ known for flamboyant gestures and vocal gymnastics.He is globally recognized as an important musical visionary through his eclectic Dj sets, production and remix work. As one third of the hip hop-inspired trio Attica Blues, he toured around the globe (both independently and with the band) to points as far dispersed as Tokyo, New York and Berlin. He makes regular appearances on the literature and spoken word circuit, is an experienced tutor and workshop facilitator, and was a Poet Coach for the London Teenage Poetry Slam for three years running. Charlie founded Blacktronica, a loose collective of poets, painters, musicians, film makers and other creative types which pushes, explores and unifies the innovative sounds of the black electronic music scene in the UK with its global cousins. Blacktronica holds regular gatherings at venues around the world alongside a hugely successful four-year residency at the Institute for Contemporary Arts in London.
Mr Gee is the host of BBC Radio 4's "Rhyme & Reason" and "Bespoken Word",
From humble beginnings as a Hip-Hop DJ, Mister Gee honed his spoken word skills as the host of the renowned performance poetry club Brix-tongue and is now one of the stars of the UK poetry scene. He has performed at the New York Nuyorican Poets Café and the Black Lily night in Philadelphia (home to Jill Scott and the Roots), as well as at the Edinburgh Festival. He runs workshops in schools and his album Poetry in the Key of Gee was released to critical acclaim.
Mister Gee is a co-winner of a Sony Gold Award for Radio as the resident poet on the Russell Brand Show on BBC Radio 2, and was  the resident poet of the hit West-End musical Into The Hoods.
http://www.myspace.com/djmrgee
Zena Edwards is a London-based performance poet, writer and musician. Her vibrant poetry is inspired by her experiences of travel, particularly through Africa, as well as traditional African music and song. She often accompanies her work with mbira, kalimba and marimba (thumb pianos). She has performed for Jonzi D’s Aeroplane Man (percussion and vocals), BBC Radio 4’s Poetry Please, BBC Radio 3, London Live Radio. She wrote and performed her one-person show Security, touring across the UK and internationally. Zena has performed at WOMAD, The London Jazz Festival, Poetry International at the Royal Festival Hall, The URB Hip Hop Festival (Helsinki), Glastonbury as well as many others.
Sh'maya plugs the depths. His spoken word explores rhythm and jazz, the spiritual, the city, vibe vibe vibe and the great beyond. He performs lyrical pieces, tells stories, asks questions in beats and visions. A regular on the London poetry circuit, Sh'maya brings his inimitable style to the stage; one of passion and sucker-punch-to-the-gut yesses. Sh'maya is based in Brixton town and is also known for having a great beard. Yes.
www.myspace.com/shmayapoetics

Friday, August 05, 2011

SHREWSBURY: Grey Hen Press reading

Saturday, 6th August, 2011, 2pm-4pm
The Shropshire Wildlife Centre
193 Abbey Foregate,
Shrewsbury
A reading from No Space But Their Own with Anne Cluysenaar, Anne Drysdale, Jo Haslam, Joy Howard, Gill McEvoy and Hermione Sandall.

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

EDINBURGH: Grey Hen Festival Fringe reading


Tuesday, 16th August, 2011, 3pm-4.30pm
Blackwell’s Bookshop
53-62 South Bridge,
 
Readings from all the Grey Hen anthologies with Marianne Burton,  A C Clarke, Margaret Christie, Julia Deakin, Angela Kirby, Wendy Klein, Eleanor Livingstone and Rosemary McLeish.