Category: Performance

I got to have some fun at UCL last week, having been asked to perform at one of the events held during the Festival of Culture.

Hanna Baumann, the organiser who invited me, and I had discussed beforehand that although I would be mentioned in promo material, I shouldn’t have any attention drawn to me at the event. I wagered that people would forget that I was billed to perform, further adding to the disruption. I turned up at the event incognito, replete with a university hoody (from my days at KCL) to try and better blend in. No-one paid me any attention until they suddenly had to.

It worked! People were unsure how to react to poetry suddenly being pushed on them, without warning, and in a style that they were not used to – my hope for performances like these is that it forces people to lose their existing notion of poetry and to just experience my poem for what it is.

My first poem, which was just one part of a larger poem I have called ‘No Dogs’, reflects on my Nana’s experience leaving Ireland as a young girl to come to England and the impact that has had on my identity and sense of self. What I hope, by performing in this manner, is to represent the sudden impact that a migrant population has on an existing community. The community, ignorant of the wider context to explain the interloper’s arrival, are unsure how to react but feel they must respond quickly and they will take their cues from those around them.

You can see me perform the second poem, ‘We are mostly bark’ in the video below:

For more about the event, visit the RELIEF Centre’s blog.

Well. That was fun, wasn’t it?

Another set done w/o paper. Slowly building up my confidence with regards to learning my set and also being able to do the inbetweeny banter bits that are sort of scripted but rehearsed enough so that they don’t feel like they are.

The Rhythm and Poetry (RaP Party) is a poetry night like no other – poets perform a set based around Hip Hop and then provide the DJ with two tracks to play. Everybody dances and has a good time and then the next poet gets up. It was so much fun and made for a relaxed and joyous atmosphere to perform in. If you get the chance to go to the regular night, I highly advise it.

I performed a poem called The Preacher Is A Worshipper As Well. I will put it into its own post as, since it is a performance piece, I’m unlikely to want to submit it for publication.

The two songs that I chose were Ice Cube’s It Was A Good Day 

and Wyclef Jean’s  Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)

Unfortunately, due to the ill health of the host, tomorrow’s gig has been cancelled. Apologies for the last minute update (though I’m reasonably sure it will impact 0 people). I’m a little annoyed at the late notice but it sounds like the host tried to push through the illness and just couldn’t so I hope you will join me in wishing her a speedy recovery. This was to be the last event before summer and I’ve been told I will be rebooked when the next slots open up – watch this space!

Luckily, I signed and sent off the contract with them last week which guarantees me the full fee as there was less than 24 hours notice, as well as reimbursing my train tickets, which they weren’t originally covering! So I get to be a paid poet with actually doing any poetry. A bittersweet moment.

Hello!

This is a post to let everybody know that I will be performing at The Purple Turtle which is at 9 Gun St, Reading RG1 2JR

The gig starts at 8pm – there’s an open mic section before me. If you want to pop along, that would be amazing. I will be travelling out from London if anyone wants to take the trip with me.