Hello all! Apologies for the long silence on this blog. I’ve been hard at work completing my PhD on authenticity in contemporary UK spoken word. I’m due to submit and defend over the next couple of months, then I’m looking forward to diving headlong into freelance life, working as a poet, producer, educator, editor, etc! … Continue reading Hello! + My Eight Favourite Poems
Article for Sabotage Reviews: “What Cult?”
Hello everyone! If you follow poetry in the UK, you'll probably be aware of an article that was published by PN Review in January entitled "The Cult of the Noble Amateur" by Rebecca Watts. In the article, Watts excoriates Hollie McNish's book Plum in a rude, uninformed manner. I, alongside many other poets, critics, and … Continue reading Article for Sabotage Reviews: “What Cult?”
Guest Post: Carly Brown on Acting and Spoken Word
Hi everyone! I'm delighted to be featuring another guest post on my blog today, this time from brilliant writer and performer (and all around lovely human) Carly Brown. I remember watching videos of Carly's poems online before I even met her and being blown away by her work. Carly performs imagery-laced, tightly-written pieces which often … Continue reading Guest Post: Carly Brown on Acting and Spoken Word
Archiving Spoken Word: Some Thoughts
Hello everyone! I’m writing today on the subject of archiving and documenting the contemporary spoken word scene in the UK. As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, I’m currently working on my PhD at the University of Strathclyde researching the performance of authentic selfhood in UK spoken word. I’m using an oral history methodology to … Continue reading Archiving Spoken Word: Some Thoughts
Self-Care during Edinburgh Fringe
Hello again, everyone! As I mentioned in my last post, it's nearly time for this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. While I couldn’t be more excited about the show I’m performing in this year (Loud Poets) and the opportunity to see other artists’ shows, I also wanted to write a post acknowledging some of the more … Continue reading Self-Care during Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe 2017
July is nearly through, which means it's almost time for the Edinburgh Fringe! I'm delighted to be performing again this year as part of the core cast of Loud Poets. We've worked hard to craft a brand new show featuring spoken word poetry in a range of styles accompanied by live music from our band … Continue reading Edinburgh Fringe 2017
Loud Poets have a Patreon!
Hello everyone! I'm writing to share some big news: this weekend Loud Poets launched a Patreon campaign! If you've not heard of Patreon, it's an excellent crowdfunding platform which allows supporters to pledge regular contributions to artists they appreciate. This gives these artists a more sustainable income (in oppose to one-off crowdfunding campaigns which are … Continue reading Loud Poets have a Patreon!
Spotlight on Process Productions
Hello all! Just a quick post today to introduce you to a resource on UK spoken word that I've found really interesting and useful. The lovely London-based poet and filmmaker Tyrone Lewis has been interviewing UK poets about their practices and local scenes and turning these interviews into documentaries which he posts on his YouTube channel … Continue reading Spotlight on Process Productions
Interview with Jess Orr for the Dangerous Women Project
This winter I was honoured to be asked to contribute to the Dangerous Women Project, a fantastic initiative currently running out of the University of Edinburgh. The project asks the question 'what does it mean to be a dangerous woman?' and is posting a different response each day for a year (between International Women's Day 2016 & … Continue reading Interview with Jess Orr for the Dangerous Women Project
Guest Post: Shannon MacGregor on the Glasgow Scene
Hello all! I'm delighted to feature another guest post on the website today, this time from the incredibly talented Glasgow-based spoken word artist Shannon MacGregor. Shannon came onto the scene like a thunderbolt in 2015, wowing crowds with her sharply written and dynamically delivered work. She recently represented Team Glasgow at the 2017 UK UniSlam. … Continue reading Guest Post: Shannon MacGregor on the Glasgow Scene
