Polari at Birmingham Lit Fest

Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Centenary Square,
Broad Street,
Birmingham, B1 2EP

8 October at 19:00–21:00
Tickets: £8 / £6.40 concs
Festival Pass: Free

Polari returns to Birmingham as part of Birmingham Lit Fest and our Tenth Birthday Tour, supported by Arts Council England.

Hosted by Paul Burston with Rosie Garland, Scott Campbell, Laura Wake, Karen Mcleod and more.

Polari has come a long way from its humble beginnings above a Soho pub. Now celebrating its 10th year, the award-winning LGBT literary movement calls London’s Southbank Centre its home and tours regularly.
Tonight’s show is part of the salon’s tenth anniversary tour, funded by Arts Council England. Curated and hosted by author Paul Burston with guests Scott Campbell, Rosie Garland, Karen McLeod, Gerry Potter and Laura Wake.
In association with SHOUT festival.

https://www.birminghamliteraturefestival.org/event/polari-literary-salon/

Huddersfield Literature Festival

When: Saturday 7 March
Time: 7.45pm (doors 7pm)
Venue: Byram Arcade,
Westgate, Huddersfield,
Yorkshire HD1 1ND

In partnership with The Blue Rooms, which will remain open for refreshments during the evening.
Tickets priced at £5 (£2.50 conc) are now on sale from the Lawrence Batley Theatre box office (www.thelbt.org; 01484 430 528).

Exciting, thought provoking, moving, funny: Polari is all these things and more – and it's making a welcome return to Huddersfield. Hosted by award-winning journalist and novelist, Paul Burston, Polari showcases the work of LGBT novelists, short story writers and poets, and has a broad appeal to anyone who enjoys an entertaining night out with excellent performers.

Festival Director Michelle Hodgson said: "We were delighted to have the opportunity to host the first ever Polari in the north and we're thrilled that Paul Burston will be returning with a new set of authors for HLF2015. Polari Up North was one of the highlights of this year's festival and we are looking forward to another highly entertaining evening of performances next March."

The performers for 2015 are:
Rosie Garland – Born in London to a runaway teenager, Rosie is a novelist and poet, sings in post-punk band The March Violets and performs twisted cabaret as Rosie Lugosi the Vampire Queen.

VG Lee – Critically acclaimed author of four novels and a collection of short stories, VG Lee recently won the Ultimate Planet Award for Best Author 2014 and is a regular contributor to The Lady Magazine.

Diriye Osman – A British-Somali short story writer, essayist, critic and visual artist, Diriye Osman won the 2014 Polari First Book Prize with his critically acclaimed debut, Fairytales For Lost Children.

Gerry Potter – Currently touring his new book of autobiographical theatre verse, The Chronicles of Folly Butler, Gerry Potter has been wowing audiences nationally with his own unique brand of domestic-fantastic free verse.

Polari
"The most exciting literary movement in London... crackling with energy, ideas, excitement" – Huffington Post
"Always fun, always thought-provoking – a guaranteed good night out" – Sarah Waters
Click to go to Huddersfield Literature Festival site

"History is a Work in Progress"
LGBT History Month in association with The University of Manchester

Date: Monday 16th Feb
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Trof (a dandyish den) at The Deaf Institute
The Basement
135 Grosvenor Street,
Manchester M1 7HE

Free event – turn up on the night.

Join Rosie Garland, Rod Tame, Steph Pike and Gerry Potter
As they take you on a historic LGBT journey through poetry!
Click to go to Deaf Institute website

great weather for MEDIA

When: Thursday 29th January 2015, 7.30pm
Where: The Castle Hotel,
66 Oldham Street,
M4 1LE Manchester, United Kingdom
Tickets: Free event

Info: Click for FB event page

Featuring BigCharlie Poet, Cathy Bryant, Maya Chowdhry, Rosie Garland, Jackie Hagan, Kieren King, Sarah Miller, Jane Ormerod, Steph Pike, Gerry Potter, and Rebecca Audra Smith

Join great weather for MEDIA for a crazy-good evening of poetry and spoken word from the UK and New York City.

great weather for MEDIA is an independent small press focusing on the unpredictable, the fearless, the bright, the dark, and the innovative. We are based in New York City and showcase national and international poets and writers. Submissions for our print anthology open October 15 to January 15 every year.
www.greatweatherformedia.com

To submit to our next anthology, send work by January 15 Click to submit your work

Although a relative newcomer to Spoken Word, BIGCHARLIE POET's work ranges from the odd through the observational to the very personal. His notebook is his constant companion.

Fifty percent Spike Milligan and fifty percent Sylvia Plath (but not necessarily the talented halves), CATHY BRYANT has won thirteen literary awards and had two well-received books published.

MAYA CHOWDHRY found her voice on CND marches; sewed it into poetry and queer politics. She has inTer-aCted, partiCipated, narRated to make still, moving and interactive words and imagery for page, stage, web and waves.

ROSIE GARLAND has always been a cuckoo in the nest. She is an eclectic writer and performer and sings in post-punk band The March Violets. Her latest solo collection is "Everything Must Go" (Holland Park Press). Her debut novel "The Palace of Curiosities" was published by HarperCollins UK in 2013 and her second novel, Vixen released in June 2014. Find her poetry in great weather for MEDIA's latest anthology "I Let Go of the Stars in My Hand". http://www.rosiegarland.com/

JACKIE HAGAN was brought up on broken biscuits by hecklers. www.jackiehagan.weebly.com

Multiple slam winning host of Evidently and the Word War Slam series KIEREN KING grew up in the "posh end" of Salford writing bad love poetry in the back of his English book. A heathen and an anarchist, he must be approached with caution at all times. Tickling him behind the ear has been proven to soothe him.

SARAH MILLER is a poet, theatre deviser and playwright with poems published in anthologies and over twenty plays produced. She's passionate about Jane Austen, vegan cake, tea sets and all things gothic and is also partial to big frocks and hats. She is currently working on a joint poetry collection with Melanie Rees, which is being published in 2015.

JANE ORMEROD was born on the south coast of England and now lives in New York City. She is a founding editor at great weather for MEDIA. Jane performs across the United States and beyond. Her books include "Welcome to the Museum of Cattle" and "Recreational Vehicles on Fire" (both from Three Rooms Press). http://www.janeormerod.com/

STEPH PIKE is an activist and performance poet. Her poetry is urgent, topical and eloquent. She has performed extensively across the country and has been published in several anthologies. Her first collection, "Full of the Deep Bits was published in 2010. She is passionate about the transformative power of poetry, both personal and political.

Ex-grande dame of British poetry and literary King Dong of the contemporary scene, GERRY POTTER's "The Chronicles of Folly Butler" is out now with Flapjack Press. https://www.facebook.com/gerry.potterpoet

REBECCA AUDRA SMITH drags words up from the ocean's floor. They are strange rusty things which she attempts to shine.