Performance poet Harry Baker is bringing his latest show to Norwich and he’ll be joining me on the podcast. But don’t miss the chance to one of the best spoken word artists live and in the flesh.
“Harry Baker’s intricate, quick-fire rhymes have always been on the impressive side of mind-blowing” The Scotsman
“Simply put… The greatest performer on earth” BBC Radio 1
World Poetry Slam Champion Harry Baker’s heart and humour has been watched by millions online and allowed him to perform all over the world, until suddenly he couldn’t. From reviewing toilet seats online to writing falafel-based diss tracks for Chris Evans, he’s back on stage where he belongs with his most heartfelt, playful, unashamedly Harry Baker-y show yet.
Long-running spoken word night Volta returns to The Bicycle Shop on St Benedicts Street for an evening of poetic goodness. There are three minute open-mic slots available for poetry / prose / experiments and two headliners.
Doors: 7pm Entry: £2
☆Cat Woodward☆
Cat Woodward runs The Poetry Master Class (@catsmasterclass on Twitter). Her third collection, Strange Shape, is due in 2023 from Gatehouse. Her first collection, Sphinx, was published by Salò Press in 2017; her second, Blood. Flower. Joy!, was published by Knives, Forks and Spoons in 2019. In 2018 she won the Ivan Juritz Prize for creative experiment. You can read more about her work at www.catwoodward.com
☆Andrew Hook☆
Andrew Hook has been published extensively in the independent press since 1994 in a variety of genres, with over 170 short stories in print. Most recent publications include a novella written in collaboration with the legendary San Francisco art collective known as The Residents, and his tenth short story collection, Candescent Blooms (Salt Publishing). He also runs the crime noir imprint, Head Shot Press. Andrew can be found at www.andrew-hook.com or Twitter @AndrewHookUK.
Last Poet Standing returns to Last Pub Standing, Norwich for the November edition of the slam hosted by poet, thatcher and podcast guest Olly Watson. It also features a headline set from another friend of the show Alex Russell.
“It’s Poetry Jim, but not as we know it.” Poetry for people who don’t like poetry, or can’t even read. Loud, raucous, heart warming, tender, might even make you cry. 6 poets battle it out for your votes. 3 minutes each to capture your hearts and minds. Headlining this month we have the incredible Jackie Montague and Alex Russell. Jackie’s monologues and epic poems are bursting with biting honesty, some rage, lashings of wit, warmth, and bawdy banter. She is a writer, performer and teacher living in Ipswich. As well as many years reviewing and writing about theatre for EADT, The Stage and Exeunt she has performed and written at three Spill Festivals (Ipswich) for BBC New Comedy (Radio Norfolk and Suffolk) Alex Russell has written and performed poetry for the NHS Wellbeing Service, McSweeney’s and The Arvon Foundation, as well as recieved prizes for poetry from Cafe Writers and Netflix. They’ve also performed ASMR haiku at Norwich Arts Centre, Pokémon laments for Derbyshire Libraries, and catfished men on Craigslist for a reading at a drag and music festival. Who knows they’ll get up to at Last Poet Standing.
If that wasn’t enough, we have the soon to be world famous Vegan Meat Raffle. All hosted by local poet, comedian and National Poetry Slam Finalist Olly Watson. https://www.instagram.com/ollywatsonpoet https://twitter.com/ollywatsonpoet If you would like the chance to slam gives us a shout at: thelastpoetstanding@outlook.com
If you have any spoken word events in Norwich or nearby you’d like to share please send the details here.
I’m excited to be reading at this art and poetry event on Saturday, October 22, having been invited by former podcast guest Alex Russell. It’s being held in one of Norwich’s many ancient churches from 10am to 8pm with performance and poetry from 3-6pm.
Monuments is an exhibition of art, performance, and poetry at Norwich Historic Churches Trust headquarters, St Martin-at-Palace Church. As the church is listed we are unable to attach anything to the walls, so artists involved will have to think outside the box about how to utilise the space. The exhibition is interested in how things persist through time, how the way we interact with them changes, and how they may last far into the future. We are looking for work that considers the passage of time, decay, and restoration. The pasts in our future, and the futures in our past.
Art – Lauren Richeda Ken Hurst Niki Medlik Tori Ames Ian Chapman & Jon Page & Tim Sillence Jazz Owen Chloe Lees Cara Lees Jessica Copping Jonathan Trayner & Jamie Dyson Jo Morton Stevie Maguire Alicia Rodriguez James Kessell & Joe Hedinger
Readings and Performances from – Annie | Angus Brown Nick Ward Honor Ash Alex Russell Jakob Millard Patrick Widdess
It’s the monthly poetry slam at Last Pub Standing, Norwich hosted by former podcast guest Olly Watson and with another former guest John Osborne headlining.
Olly writes:
“It’s Poetry Jim, but not as we know it.” Poetry for people who don’t like poetry, or can’t even read. Loud, raucous, heart warming, tender, might even make you cry. 6 poets battle it out for your votes. 3 minutes each to capture your hearts and minds.
Headlining this month we have the incredible John Osborne.
‘His work has a winning gentleness, a seductive voice that draws you in, ensnares you and captivates you.’ – Ian McMillan.
“Yes, I like these poems. There is a warmth, as you’d expect with a balaclava in the title.” John Hegley.
“John writes with the intelligence and wit of your favourite teacher but with the soul of a five-year-old boy. His poems capture the ‘un-finger-put-on-able’ moments.” Laura Dockrill.
Think that says it all, too good to miss.
If that wasn’t enough, we have the soon to be world famous Vegan Meat Raffle.
The always excellent Café Writers returns for its first in-person event in nearly three years with two outstanding poets.
George Szirtes’s twelfth book of poems, Reel (2004) won the T S Eliot Prize for which he has been twice shortlisted since. His latest is Fresh Out of the Sky. (2021). His memoir The Photographer at Sixteen (2019) was awarded the James Tait Black Prize in 2020. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, a co-winner of the International Booker translator’s prize, with his own books in various languages including Italian, German, Chinese and Hungarian as well as individual poems in many others. His international prizes include the Déry Prize in Hungary, the People and Poetry Prize in China, and the Bess Hokin Prize in the USA. He has also written for children, radio, stage and texts for music.
Jane Wilkinson currently lives in Norwich, and is a landscape architect and writer. This year she was shortlisted for the Manchester Poetry Portfolio Prize. She won the Poetry Society’s Hamish Canham Prize in 2021; was placed 1st & 2nd Guernsey International Poetry Prize; placed 1st in the Strokestown International Poetry Prize and received Norfolk Prize at Café Writers competition in 2020. She was shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship and placed 1st in the Against the Grain Press competition 2019 and is published in magazines including Under the Radar, Magma, Lighthouse Journal, The Alchemy Spoon, Ink Sweat & Tears, Envoi, Finished Creatures, Fenland Reed and anthologies with Emma Press, Live Canon and Dempsey & Windle.
This event will be held at the Maddermarket [Entrance St John’s Alley, Norwich NR2 1DR]. Doors will be open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. We are suggesting a donation of £3 for those who attend. The venue includes a bar.
More details of other events and the Café Writers competition available here.
If you have any spoken word events in Norwich or nearby you’d like to share please send the details here.
Toast Poetry returns to the Norwich Arts Centre this Sunday (October 9, 2022). There are no acts listed but you can be assured a friendly, entertaining evening with some of the top spoken word artists in the country and local talent on the open mic.
Tickets available here
If you have any spoken word events in Norwich or nearby you’d like to share please send the details here.
Poetry Non-Stop 