Open Mic in Weston-Super-Mare: Thursday 31st August

Date 25/5/2006
Times : 7.30
Price : £ 1.00
Carlton Poets Poetry Night –

The Carlton Centre,
Carlton Street,
Weston-super-Mare

Last Thursday of each month.
All poets and acoustic performers welcome.

Ffi: junebastable@tiscali.co.uk or tel. 07748 974 942

Apples & Snakes: 'EXPOSED' National Tour 2006

Apples & Snakes’ National Tour 2006: ‘Exposed’

Performance poetry by David J, Stickman, Polarbear, Yusra Warsama and Claire Williamson.

Apples & Snakes has commissioned five artists from five regional areas to each compose a twelve minute piece on the theme of ‘exposed’. They explore issues of political, personal and environmental exposure through performance styles from hip hop through free verse to the luxuriantly lyrical. Each performance will feature the five commissioned artists as well as a local host and guest performer, unique to each venue. The artistic director is Lucy English, Bristol’s Queen of Slam.

EXPOSED is the company’s most ambitious collaborative project to date with twenty performances, sixteen partner organisations and five touring artists. This makes it the biggest national poetry tour ever programmed.

The tour will call at Birmingham Rep, The Y (Leicester), The Plough Arts Centre (Great Torrington), Arnolfin (Bristol), Merlin Theatre (Frome), The Royal Hotel (Southend-on-Sea), Lincoln Drill Hall, Cherry Jam (London), Canal House Bar (Nottingham), Whitechapel Art Gallery (London), The vaults (Oxford), Yorkshire House (Lancaster), Bickerton Village Hall (Chester), Goostry Village Hall (Chester), Brewery Arts Centre (Kendal), Chester University Campus, Contact Theatre (Manchester) and Lanternhouse (Cumbria).

For full listings: www.applesandsnakes.org/exposed


LISTINGS INFORMATION – PREVIEWS AND LAUNCH
venue: The Door, Birmingham Rep, Centenary Square, Broad St, B1 2EP
website: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
box office: 0121 236 4455
time: 19:45

Preview
date: 30/08/06
tickets: £5 / £4
guest acts: Spoz and Leila Rasheed

Preview
date: 31/08/06
tickets: £8 / £4
guest acts: Leeanne Stoddart and Maxwell Golden

Launch
date: 01/09/06
tickets: £8 / £4
guest acts: Simon Pitt and Kim Trusty

Bohemian Words in Reading: Friday 1st September

Friday September 1st –

Bohemian Words at The Rising Sun, Silver Street, Reading.

MESSAGE FROM AF HARROLD
Anyone looking for the funkiest, coolest, most literary and laid back spoken word open mic night in Reading would do a lot worse than to look in this direction. Here I hold open the floor to anyone who wants to do something with their mouth – be it poetry, comedy, storyteller or whatever takes your fancy. Also welcome are those folk who’d like to hear what the talking people of Reading have to say. It costs just a couple of quid in the hat to get in, there is, as ever, the Rising Sun’s lovely bar with organic ales and lagers and other drinks and chocolates available and now, for those who haven’t visited since the spring, now with two (count them) two loos. Never say improvement is impossible, because often it isn’t.

We start around 8 or 8.30pm, and are always on the first Friday of the month.

October’s Bohemian Words will be, to fit in with the Reading Comedy Festival which is ongoing during that month, a comedy special – so comic poems, comic comedy etc. is the order of the day.

AF HARROLD

Poetry Showcase in Galway: Friday September 8th

Poetry Performance Showcase Reading, Galway

Over The Edge presents a reading to showcase some of the best performers on Galway’s poetry scene. It will take place at Sheridan’s Wine Bar (above Sheridan's Cheesemongers) 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, September 8th at 8pm.

The poets taking part are Elaine Feeney, Stephen Murray, Trish Casey & Tim Emlyn Jones.

All welcome. For further details contact 087-6431748. Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council and Galway City Council

Uncut Poets, Exeter: Thursday 28th September

Devon – Exeter

Thursday 28th Sept. - 7:30 p.m. Uncut Poets.

Guest poet is C.P. Crowther.
Black Box, Media Centre, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter
Box Office: 01392-667080

Fully accessible. Entry: £5/£3 concessions and open-mikers with confirmed bookings. Anyone wishing to book an open-mike slot, call James Bell on 07879 888319.

Buzzwords in Cheltenham: NEXT Sunday 3rd September

POETRY OPEN MIC: Upstairs at The Beehive, Montpellier, Cheltenham

This Month's Guest Poet - Christopher James

7pm - Writing time: Workshop led by guest poet
8pm – Guest poet reading and open mic
Come at 7pm if you want to write, 8pm if you don’t.
There will be open mic spots available; first come, first served.

Entrance: £3
Enquiries: 07855 308122
E-mail: cheltpoetry@yahoo.co.uk

www.angelfire.com/poetry/buzzwords/

Poetry & Stand-up in Digbeth, Birmingham: this SUNDAY 27th August

This Sunday sees the monthly return of the SUNDAY XPRESS at the Market Tavern, Digbeth, Birmingham. It's not far from the Bullring but parking is surprisingly free and easy in surrounding streets on most Sunday afternoons. Arrive there for about 2pm or later and you will experience the delights of an open mic afternoon in Birmingham. Poetry, prose, short stories, comedy stand-up and even music can be heard there. Also strong language! These Digbeth poets tell it like it is ...

2 - 6pmish, Market Tavern in Digbeth, Birmingham.

Penned in the Margins: Wednesday 30th August

PENNED IN THE MARGINS: “leftfield poetics and live music”

Wednesday 30 August


THE SPITZ: 109 Commercial Street, London E1

Tickets £6/5, Doors 7pm

Book online at www.wegottickets.com

www.pennedinthemargins.co.uk

*

JEREMY WARMSLEY

www.jeremywarmsley.com

Take a bunch of the most gorgeous songs around, add a fistful of damn fine lyrics and a pinch of electro wizardy and you’ll be somewhere near Anglo-Frenchman Jeremy Warmsley, one of the finest singer-songwriters currently making waves in this smoky town of ours. File between Patrick Wolf and Regina Spektor in your record collection.



SUZANNE ANDRADE

www.myspace.com/invisibleinkshow

Dark, disturbing tales over scratchy vinyl soundtracks and glitchy electronica… The twisted underbelly of family life… A surreal world of cats, Edith Sitwell and silent films… Yes, it’s Suzanne Andrade, the new queen of suburban gothic.



LE COUTEAU JAUNE

www.lecouteaujaune.com

Le Couteau Jaune are the future architects of chaos, the psychological horror and scifi writings of WB McClure, the sound and visual installations of Darryl Biggs and Bjorn Hatleskog. Le Couteau Jaune is the creeping stench filling the darkness in this city.



NIALL O’SULLIVAN

www.myspace.com/niallosullivanpoetry

Pigeons, sordid train journeys and Elvis haircuts from former council gardener now best-selling author of You’re Not Singing Anymore. Niall O’Sullivan chronicles the seedy side of London life in dark, poignant and hilarious poems and anecdotes.

PUREandGOODandRIGHT in Leamington Spa this MONDAY 21st August

The venue for this open mic poetry night is a chic bar/restaurant called TOYK on Warwick Street in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. I will be reading/performing as will guest poet PETER WYTON and a whole host of other Midlands poetry stars!

Bring your poems, plus some money for the bar. Easy parking in adjacent streets.

7.30pm kick-off this Monday night, 21st August.

Sheffield poetry readings: TODAY at 8pm

Saturday 19 August

Jesse Glass with Andy Hirst and David Kennedy

8pm at the Rutland Arms, 86 Brown Street, Sheffield. £3/£1.50 concs.

West House Books in association with Broken Compass Press presents a
reading by Jesse Glass to launch his collection 'The Passion of Phineas
Gage and Selected Poems', together with readings by Andy Hirst and David
Kennedy.

London Poetry Festival: Wednesday 23rd August

The second London Poetry Festival 2006 is taking place next week!

23rd August, Wednesday, 6:30-10:30 pm
Vanburgh Theatre
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)
62-64 Gower Street
London WC1E 6ED
(Nearest tube: Goodge Street, Buses: 10, 24, 73, 134, 390 stopping at Gower Street. Entrance via Malet Street)

For tickets please call RADA Box Office on on 020 7908 4800.

For further information please visit www.poetsletter.com and browse through the Festival Pages. Or call 020 7556 7052 0r 07931 357 109 or email Editor@poetsletter.com

Speakeasy, Nottingham: Wednesday 16th August

Complex Trout Productions and The Alley Cafe present

speakeasy 52: performance poetry and spoken word

@ The Alley Cafe, 1a Cannon Court, Nottingham (opposite Angel Row Library)
Wednesday 16th August, 2006
8pm onwards
FREE
floor spots available

with special guest
Tim Turnbull
Host: Steve Carroll

Speakeasy returns to the Alley this month with a star from the performance poetry firmament. Tim Turnbull has been performing his poetry since 1994, and was awarded the Arts Foundation's Performance Poetry Fellowship (the first of its kind) in January this year after a performance with four other nominees at London's South Bank Centre. He will be the Writer in Residence at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival for 2006, and has been nominated for the Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection in this year's Forward Prize with his book Stranded In Sub-Atomica. A must-see live. We also have open floor spots available and the raffle is once again looking splendid. Hope to see you there.

Trout

www.myspace.com/complextrout
www.timturnbull.co.uk

North Beach Nights Poetry Slam: Thursday August 24th

North Beach Nights Poetry Slam
continues on Thursday August 24th at 9pm in BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway
with special guest performer: Brendan Murphy
and guest MC: Mags Treanor

Admission: 4 Euro

Brendan Murphy is 2006 Cúirt Grand Slam Winner
(and winner of the July North Beach Nights Slam.)
Brendan is gearing up for his perfomance trip to
the Green Mill in Chicago and other U.S. venues.

This will be our opportunity to get him live before he takes off
for the States and to give him our full encouragement and support.

The Slam follows the usual format and is open to everyone. Please bring two max. three minute performance pieces and be there early to get your name down. The prize for the winner is the honour and a bottle of red wine generously donated by BK's Winebar.

Coming events:
September 21: Guest Poet Michael D. Higgins
Guest MC Dave Lordan

October 19: Guest Poet Louis De Paor
Guest MC Niall McCarthy

North Beach Nights gratefully acknowledges the support of Galway City Council.

info: john 091 593290

Readers' & Writers' Day: Cumbria, Saturday 19th August

Cumbria Readers' and Writers' Day
Cumbria County Council's Library Service is inviting budding bards to Bassenthwaite's beautiful Higham Hall for a special readers and writers day with some of the region's best poets.

The county council's 'Write Read' event, which takes place from 9:00am to 5:00pm on Saturday 19 August, is an exciting opportunity for anyone with a passion for poetry to take part in readings, discussions and workshops with local literary luminaries Marvyn Cheeseman, Meg Peacocke, Jacob Polley and John Siddique.

Poetry in motion is also being provided in the form of a mobile library which will give people the chance to become Library Service members as well as offering the chance to browse and borrow from a wide selection of books.

Councillor Roger Bingham, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet member responsible for libraries, says the Write Read event is a great way for people to indulge their love of literature. "This is wonderful opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the region's best poets in the beautiful surroundings of Higham Hall. For the Library Service it is a good way to reach out to potential new members and display just a small selection of the growing range of books and other items which are available to borrow from libraries across the county," he said.

The cost of the day is £25 and includes lunch and free entry in a special literary quiz with the chance to win a £25 book token.

Bookings should be sent to:

The Write Read, Grange over Sands Library
Grange Fell Road
Grange over Sands
LA11 6BQ

William Park at The Mill, Saturday August 12th

WILLIAM PARK, GREGORY-AWARD POETRY WINNER AND AUTHOR OF SURFACING (SPIKE PRESS) WILL BE APPEARING AT:-

The Mill, Thornton, near Poulton-le-Fylde, 5-6pm, Saturday August 12th. Entrance: £2.50

The Mill is the largest fan-tail Windmill in Europe. A blues band will be on in the courtyard earlier, and, after William's event, people can have a meal at the nearby restaurant also in the courtyard area. The bookshop opposite the Mill will have copies of William's book SURFACING, which he will sign.

This event is a new venture - MOUTH, MOOD and MAGAZINES - where William will talk entertainingly about some of his experiences over the last 20 years in the poetry 'world', will read poems from his book SURFACING, and conclude with an informative part on literary magazines, in his role as Magazine Listings Editor for INCWRITERS www.incwriters.com

Poets' Cafe in Reading: Friday 18th August

Undeterred by the fact that it's summer and most sensible poetry people are in hiding or on holiday, or both, Poets' Cafe in Reading is bravely going ahead with its August slot this month. Here are the details:

Friday 18th August – Poets’ Café, South Street Arts Centre, Reading.

This month’s special guest is Myra Schneider (www.esch.dircon.co.uk/) There’s the usual open mic opportunities for people and poets on the night and everyone's lovely, according to MC & organiser AF HARROLD.

Poetry at Herne Hill: Friday 18th August

Friday 18 August at Island Arts Studio, Herne Hill

Susie Gordon will be launching her first collection of poems Peckham Blue, the remarkable story of the discovery of her biological family in South London. In support Inua Ellams, Maggie Sullivan and young Cumbrian poet Emma McGordon. You can buy Peckham Blue for £4 on the night or online.

Penned in the Margins: further information

Breaking' Out at the Masque Bar, London: Wednesday 16th August

Wednesday 16 August---Breakin' Out


MESSAGE FROM JAMES O'NUANAIN:

Upstairs at the Masque Bar Barbican, 1–5 Long Lane, EC1A. If you're coming by tube, turn right out the station, walk around the corner and it's straight in front of you.

Entrance is £3 the show starts at 20.00 come along and sign up for a floor spot from 19.30 onwards. Bar closes late.

Niall Spooner-Harvey will be plugging his new book and delighting us with samples of his literary talent.

Joe Campbell will be Bob Dylaning it with harmonica and guitar. Bring your own kazoo.

And bring a coat, the air conditioning kicks ass.

Spoken Word in Hartlepool: Thursday 3rd August

Boulder-Dash
Summerhill, Hartlepool
Thursday 3 Aug 2006
Outdoor spoken word event. Join writers from Hartlepool's Word Lab for an
evening of original writing, music, sketches, and performance at local
nature reserve Summerhill Boulders.

For the time of this event and other fascinating details, please visit www.literaturenortheast.co.uk/events

Live Poetry in the Midlands this week

NIGHT BLUE FRUIT: Tuesday 1st August at the Tin Angel in Spon Street, Coventry: 8pm (?) launch of 4 new collections of poetry from local press Heaventree, plus Open Mic as usual


WORD: Wednesday 2nd August at Bambu in Leicester. 7.30pm (?), an Open Mic with a guest poet slot. Don't know who the guest is this month, alas, as the Leicester arts/lit events email arrives in the first few days of the month, so the Word event has usually occurred by the time it arrives. How's that for organisation!?


SIX OF THE BEST: Wednesday 2nd August, Birmingham Library Theatre, 7.30pm, central Birmingham near the Rep Theatre and the Eye wheel, six of the best poets in the Midlands performing on stage for only a fiver (or FREE if you're active in live poetry in the Midlands). Two hour event.

Poems & Pints in Cheltenham: Saturday 29th July

This Saturday, 29th July, at Cheltenham College (in one of the cricket festival marquees) in Cheltenham:

POEMS & PINTS OPEN MIC WITH GUEST POETS

7.30pm start

Ann Drysdale, Bob Mee & others

Open mic spots available

Raffle and Bar

This is a fundraising event for 'Buzzwords at the Beehive', Cheltenham's only regular live poetry event.

Open Mic in Galway: Wednesday 26th July

Westside Arts Festival: Poets & Writers Corner

This event is to be held at Westside Library, Galway (off Seamus Quirke Road) on Wednesday 26 July, 7:00-8:00PM.

Open Mic night for all aspiring writers and poets to share their work, with readings by Kevin Higgins, Susan Millar DuMars, Margaret Cullagh and Eamon Kelly.

For further details contact Westside Library on 091 520616 or The Westside Arts Festival on 091 587691 or 087 2066190

GO-SLOW FOR SUMMER!

Please Note: This site is now officially on GO-SLOW FOR SUMMER. That means posts will be less regular, probably appearing either weekly or every four to five days rather than daily. This mirrors the general situation across the UK where live poetry slows down so that us hard-worked poets can head for the nearest beach, catch a few rays, smoke a few ... well, you get the general picture.

Normal service to resume around the start of September. But if you'd like your event to appear on this site, do please email me as usual. I am not dead, but sleeping.

Poets' Cafe in Reading: Friday 21st July

Friday 21st July
Poets’ Café at South Street Arts Centre, Reading.

With special guest poet Helen Farish, who will be gracing the Poets' Cafe with her presence and giving a reading alongside the usual open mic opportunities for the rest of the punters.

8pm doors, 8.30pm poetry. £6/£4 (or £5/£3 if they’ve not put the price up yet – it’s happening but AF Harrold doesn’t know when).

Speakeasy in Nottingham: Wednesday July 19th

Complex Trout Productions and The Alley Cafe present

speakeasy 51: performance poetry and spoken word

@ The Alley Cafe, 1a Cannon Court, Nottingham (opposite Angel Row Library)
Wednesday 19th July, 2006
8pm onwards
FREE
***floor spots available***

with special guest
Sara-Jane Arbury
Host: Steve Carroll

It's summer at the Alley, and this month we're aiming to be in the alley enjoying the evening with fantastic guest Sara-Jane Arbury and lots of you lovely people. Cool beer, smoothies, crisp white wine, cocktails and Nottingham's longest running, most entertaining performance poetry night. Free (at least the poetry is...). Does it get much better? We'll be there with our 51st raffle and our 51st selection of rabble rousing anecdotage. There are floor spots available if you're early, and seats for your tired legs. Why not come down and soak up the summer evening with us? You know it makes summer sense. Hope to see you there. Did we mention that it's summer? All together now - Heatwave...