Spoken Word Paris - Shakespeare night

It was Shakespeare night last Monday (23 April) and we were treated to soliloquies from Henry V, Julius Ceasar, Twelfth Night and Hamlet, several sonnets, a song or two and a tour de force of witches from MacBeth, even if I do say so myself, being one of the witches. It always amazes me - you don't read any Shakespeare for months and then, damn it all, you are reminded just how brilliant he is/was.

 Oh, and my Lady MacBeth went down rather well too.

Photos by the wonderful Marie De Lutz  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-de-Lutz-Photography/110934042318530?sk=photos

Poetry Wales at Poets Live, Paris

Zoe Skoulding, editor of Wales' foremost poetry journal, brought together Welsh poets and one Luxemburger in Paris on Wednesday this week to read their work in the cellar at Carr's Irish pub in the first. Why are poetry readings in Paris always in damp cellars? Don't answer that.

The cast list was Zoe herself and Jean-Paul Tante reading their own and translations of each others' work, Stephen Hitchens and his inventive mobile phone ring-tone poems, Lindon Davies poems that he once shouted through a mega-phone in a damp Welsh wood, and the very wonderful Rhys Trimble, bi-lingual performance poet.

Rhys will be the featured reader at Spoken Word this coming Monday 16 April. Check him out here: http://www.literaturewales.org/writers-of-wales/i/131957/

Poetry Wales information here: http://www.poetrywales.co.uk/

Poets Live information on monthly poetry readings in Paris here: http://poets-live.com/

A great night in the company of my country men and women. Diolch yn fawr.

Spoken Word - 5 March

At the risk of being very arrogant (surely not!) and reviewing my own gig, it was lovely to be the featured reader at Spoken Word last night. I gave a first outing to my South African poems from what I hope will be my next, next book, Quagga (sometime, maybe). I worried about just how much explanation to give, but some of the poems do need a bit of introduction. I usually err on the side of less is more in these matters, but not yesterday. I hope I got the balance right. Great evening and even I sold some books, which is always a pleasure.

http://spokenwordparis.blogspot.com/ for  a report

Spoken Word, Paris

Not only are there bookshops - there is an open mic - hurrray for that - run by David Barnes, who also leads the Saturday writers' workshop at Shakespeare and Company. It's every Monday night from 8 ish - remember we are on Paris time now - till late. Check the website for the location as it keeps changing at present.

Last night was a Hallowe'en fest of spooky stuff - The Raven, a retelling of Red Riding Hood - as well as other poems, stories and songs in English and Italian. My favourite performance was Yeats read from under a sheet. Excellent and free.

http://spokenwordparis.blogspot.com/