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If you want to find more about What’s happening in poetry and the spoken word in and around the Midlands you can now listen to Behind The Arras on Radio Wildfire with views on individual events, what we think are the month’s highlights, and discover who our Poet to watch is for the month. |
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What's On - May FESTIVALS Fri 4th-7th May
Shrewsbury Bookfest:http://www.shrewsburybookfest.co.uk/#/whats-on/4559069123 Mon 7th-19th May
Swindon Festival of Literature:http://www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk/ Sat 19th May-27th
Nailsworth Festival:http://www.nailsworthfestival.org.uk/
Tues 1st Night
Blue Fruit, Taylor Johns, Canal Basin, Coventry 8pm: Free in Sarah James
headlines plus open mic, Barry Patterson/ Anthony Owen host Thurs 3rd
Phenomenal Women Two, Library Theatre, Birmingham. Poetry evening with
Jan Watts 7.30pm, Thurs 3rd Yard
of Tales,Joules Yard, rear of 53-55 High Street, Market Harborough,
Leicestershire, LE16 7AF. Joules Yard is a unique venue with a licensed
bar after 7pm, also serving tea and coffee. If you would like to order a
vegetarian meal for the evening, provided by ‘The Green House’ please
telephone 01858 463250. Market Harborough, Leicestershire, Meets first
Thursday in the month.Yard of Tales is a performance storytelling club
hosted by Kevin Walker
www.kevinwalker-storyteller.com!Tickets £6 at door (includes
nibbles).For further information – 0116 259 2233 or 01858 463250 Thur 3rd Word Up
Poetry Open Mic plus headliners,The Drum Arts Centre,The Drum, 144
Potters Lane, Aston, Birmingham, B6 4UU,0121 333 2444,
www.the-drum.org.uk Seasonal
monthly, first Thursdays, Last one before the autumn 8pm,
£5in.j.morley@the-drum.org.uk Thur 3rd The
Poetry Evening The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse,5 Castle Gates, SY1 2AE, with
Liz Lefroy , 8pm , free in, Booked bill. Thurs 3rd,
Parole Parlate, Little Venice, Worcester, 7.30pm:Parole Parlate : The
Spoken Word” is back on Thursday 3rd May 2012 and 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! Thur 3rd Poetry
& Pints, Church Rooms, Chipping Campden.9pm; £5.00:Angela France is back
by popular demand for a third year with Nine Arches Poets Daniel Sluman,
Matt Merritt and Maria Taylor.Open mic spots for audience members to
read their own work, or much loved poems by others.Please sign up on the
door.Book tickets: 01386 841 222
http://www.campdenlitfest.co.uk/contentok.php?id=88 Fri 4th Spoken
Word & Music First Friday 20:30 The Hollybush The Hollybush, 53 Newtown
Street, Cradley Heath B64 5EA Open mic
liveatthebush@yahoo.co.uk Fri 4th
Northampton Poetry/ Short Fiction Reading,University of Northampton,
Avenue Campus, MR33,9:30am until 11:00am,Andrew “Mulletproof Graves, Roy
Marshall, Jessica Mayhew, Charles G Lauder and Hannah Stevens will be
reading from their new pamphlets, published by Crystal Clear Creators.
Free to come along! Tea and coffee provided. Sun 6th
Buzzwords, Exmouth Arms,Bath Road Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7LX,
7pm Workshop, open mic plus Katy Evans Bush Sun 6th
ARTournament’s Sunday Chill,The New Inn in the centre of Gloucester (opp
M&S) City Centre. 16 Northgate Street, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL2.
UK. First Sunday, £5in, 3pm-9pm. poetry, Comedy and Music. Mon 7th The SW@N
Club – Spoken Word at the Newhampton, Wolverhampton Meets every 1st
Monday of the month (no club in August) at 8 pm – 10.30 pm. Admission –
suggested donation on entry.The club meets in the upstairs room at the
Newhampton Inn, Riches Street, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, WV6
0DW.For further details please contact Peter Chand
www.chandstory.com Tues 8th Mouth &
Music 5,Boars Head Gallery, Kidderminster 8pm, £3 in:We’re delighted to
present THE DECADENT DIVAS, 4 women, each from a different decade – all
great friends who giggle over tea, toast, cake…in fact anything
edible/drinkable and write poetry together. This is their second show,
set at a wedding…..what do women really talk about when no-one but you
is listening?….. Tues 8th City
Voices Second Tuesday 19:30 City Bar King Street, Wolverhampton WV 1ST
booked poets
simon.fletcher@wolverhampton.gov.uk Tues 8th Scribal
Gathering Bull Hotel, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1AQ, 2nd
tuesday monthly,Entry: free; open mic poetry and music with featured
acts,”Stony Stratford’s première spoken word and music performance
event. This monthly meeting of minds will bring together writers,
musicians and performers of all kinds to share their talents, entertain
each other and evoke the spirit of gathering. Join us…” Sign up for the
open mic on the night, or reserve a slot by email:
info@scribalgathering.com.http://www.scribalgathering.com/ Tues 8th Tales
at the Edge, White Lion Inn, Bridgnorth, Shropshire,Tales at the Edge is
one of the country’s oldest and most established storytelling clubs,
meeting in Bridgenorth on the 2nd Tuesday of every month (except August)
at 8 pm. Wed 9th The Quad
Derby QUAD, Market Place, Cathedral Quarter, Derby, DE1 3AS Second
Wednesday 19.30 Free in, A monthly night of performed poetry for
everyone, new performers always welcome or just come and listen, More
details from QUAD or contact Les on T: 01332 206 734,
http://www.derbyquad.co.uk Wed 9 May,: An
evening of Persian Poetry at The Barber Institute, Birmingham University
6.30 – 8pm,Persian poetry is one of the world’s greatest literary
treasures, although little is known of the rich and dynamic tradtition
of contemporary Persian poetry. The Poetry Translation Centre’s Persian
Poets’ Tour presents two prominant Persian langauge poets from
Afghanistan and Mimi Khalvati. The poets will read in the their native
language before the UK poets share the translations. In partnership with
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts. Thurs 10th The
Shipping Forecast Open Mic, Second Thursday Monthly Rude Shipyard
Cafe,89 Abbeydale Rd Sheffield, S7 1FE:7.45 Hosted by miss piggy or stan
skinny, message for slots.
http://www.therudeshipyard.com Saturday 12th
Mars On The Rise Book Launch by Rachel Gee, Century Theatre,
Coalville.7.30pm For a mere £20 you receive a signed copy of the book,
various Victorian themed goodies and music, dancing, laughter and
general splendidness at the Century Theatre. Going to be a lot of
Steampunk fun! Saturday 12th–
Swindon Youth Slam and Wed16th adult Poetry Slam at Swindon Festival of
Literature. Time and venue to be confirmed Sat 12th Poets
Place, Birmingham Central Library,2pm-4pm, free in, second Sat monthly Mon 14th Pub
Poetry Nottingham The Canal house, 48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham, NG1
7EH,8pm, 2nd monday : Free in, Open mic Contact Nick on
pubpoetry@nottscomedyfestival.co.uk Mon 14th
PureandGoodandRight Second Monday 19:30 The Sozzled Sausage 141 Regent
St, Leamington Spa CV32 4NX Open mic + guest
pgrpoetry@gmail.com
http://pgrpoetry.blogspot.com/ Tues 15th Poetry
Alight, Spark Cafe, Tamworth St, Lichfield.WS13 6JP 7.30pm start. free
in. Open mic poetry evening – but all places taken, a fabulous roster of
poets. Gary Longden comperes. Get there early. Sue Brown , Mstr Morrison
, Rob Stevens and Roy Marshall headline. Railway station close by, easy
parking. Tues 15th Poetry
Club Giggling Goblin Coffee Shop, Mill Lane, Ashby de la Zouch– 8:30,
free in, with a licensed bar and great coffee. Third Tuesday of the
month. Open mic poetry and folk Thurs 17th Speak
Up, Bulls Head, Moseley, Birmingham, 3rd Thursday, monthly, 7.30pm:
headliners plus open mic,£5in
http://www.bullsheadmoseley.co.uk/ Fri 18th Spoken
Worlds Third Friday 19:30 The Old Cottage Tavern , Byrkley St,eet,
Burton-upon-Trent DE14 2JJ with Gary Carr Open mic
gajwriter@btinternet.com Sunday 20th
Poetry Rodeo,Jam Café, 12 Heathcoat Street, Nottingham NG1 3AA:6pm:FREE
ENTRY,To celebrate the launch of new publications by four extra-special
poets, we welcome you to the Poetry Rodeo….With guest poets Alistair
Noon, Sarah Jackson, C.J. Allen and Aly Stoneman Mon 21st
Shindig, Western PH, Leicester, 7.30pm: Free in,Open mic & Celebration
of the launch of Alistair Noon and C.J. Allen’s new Nine Arches Press
poetry collections. Wed 22nd The
Telling Space, Mythstories, *NEW VENUE* (relocated from Wem)
Mythstories,The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse,5 Castle Gates, SY1 2AE,Wem,
Shropshire,The club meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month unless
otherwise stated. Please check the website under ‘opening hours and
events’ www.mythstories.com or
contact Dez or Ali on 01939 235500 for further information.Meet at 7 pm
for refreshments (bring food to share) or at 7.30 pm for stories. A
chance to listen or an opportunity to tell. Admission is free. Tuesday 22nd
Polesworth Abbey, Poleworth, Open Mic and Guest Gary Carr.7.30pm, Free
in, plus open mic Tueday 22nd
Poetry Bites, Kitchen Garden Cafe, York St Kings Heath, 7.30pm, £5, opne
mic plus special guest Clare Best. Wed 23rd Poetry
Evening for BORN FREE/ZOO CHECK, Station PH, Kings heath, 8pm: £4in.
Open mic. Thur 24th
Bilston Voices Fourth Thursday 19:00 Cafe Metro 46 Church Street,
Bilston: £3in, set bill. Fri 25th Site
Poetry Slam, Stroud:as part of the town’s Site Festival. The event kicks
off at 7.30pm at Stroud Valley Artspace, John Street, Stroud,
Gloucestershire GL5 2HA, tickets £5 on the door. If you want to hear a
bevy of sparkling spoken wordsters, then this is the place to be.
Contact Marcus on 01285 640470 if interested in performing. Sat 26th ,
Midlands Poetry Convention,Barlow Theatre, Langley – following the sad
death of organiser Geoff Stevens, what was to have been a three day
event may now be a one day memorial and celebration event – details:The
Barlow Theatre, Oldbury Rep, 3 Spring Walk, Langley, Oldbury, B69 4SP . Saturday 26th–
the 3rd Nailsworth Slam.at the Comrades Club, Nailsworth.7.30pm. Contact
Marcus on 01285 640470 for places. Sun 27th Attila
the Stockbroker, Kitchen Garden Cafe , York St Kings Heath 7.30pm (Doors
6.30pm),£10 in:Attila the Stockbroker is a performance poet, and folk
punk musician/songwriter. Inspired by punk, and especially The Clash,
he’s loud, radical, lyrical, reflective, and will make you roar with
laughter as well as seethe with anger. A regular at Glastonbury,
Attila’s melodically political musings are both thoughtful and
entertaining. ‘Whether he’s ranting a poem or bashing out a song, there
is something magnificent about Attila in full flight’ (Ian McMillan, BBC
Radio 4). Support is provided by Australian Alt Country/Blues
singer/songwriter Rory Ellis. Sunday 27th
“Tell me on a Sunday” Storytelling, Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square,
Brindleyplace, Birmingham, B1 2HS, 4pm – 6.30pm; Free in, Participants
tell stories based around a specially selected theme, all with truth
(and a good performance!) at their heart. Each month, five storytellers
will be chosen to perform a seven minute story live.The events feature
special guests and are curated by Cat Weatherill, one of Europe’s
leading performance storytellers, who will also tell her own story.These
events begin at 4pm with Story Supper, a chance to meet fellow audience
members and story tellers over a special Cafe Ikonmenu. Performances
commence at 5pm, finishing at 6.30pm.Theme: Secret and Lies Sunday 27th
Sunday Xpress Fourth Sunday Doors 1500, Start 16:30 Adam & Eve Bradford
Street, Birmingham B12 0JD Open mic Sunday 27th
Rhyme and Tells at the Six Bells in Bishops Castle, Shropshire,Meets
every 4th Sunday of the month (except for public holidays) at 8 pm –
10.30 pm. It is free admission and an open session for poetry, prose and
storytelling.For further details please contact Mike on 01588 680685.
Tues 29th Word
Wizards * New venue* Buckingham Hotel, opp the Pavillion Gdns , Buxton
last Tuesday Monthly 19.30. Open mic three minute slam format. Rob
Stevens. More info
Poetryslamuk@aol.com Wed 30th “42″
Open Mic Night (Gothic, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy) Lunar Bar, New St
Worcester, 7.30, Free in:Glen James hosts. last wed monthly E-mail:
42openmicnight@42genrearts.co.uk Thurs 31st Hit
the Ode Last Thursday 19:30 The Victoria 48 John Bright Street,
Birmingham B1 1BN 3 featured acts + limited open mic
bohdan@applesandsnakes.org
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