The Admiral’s Tea Party – this Saturday

The Admiral’s Tea Party is this Saturday!

We have been preparing the event for months now, so hope to see you there! Here are a few of the photos: some of the poets on a trip to the site, some inspirations for costume and set and our lovely poster!

Book here – http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3005336

Entry to the tea party doesn’t need to be booked, but if you want to go on the walk you should as spaces are limited.

Poets in the park.

Inspiration…

Inspiration…

Inspiration…

Inspiration…

The 1930s photo that started it!

The first Admiral to live at Admiralty House

Poster

 

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The Admiral’s Tea Party

The Admiral’s Tea Party

We are excited about Wordsmithery’s commission from Medway’s new Paint The Town Festival.

The Admiral’s Tea Party is a new site specific performance which will take its inspiration from aspects of Chatham’s heritage, commissioned for the Paint The Town Festival.

Did you know that the Admiral of the Fleet (head honcho of the British navy) used to have a residence in the Lower Lines Park in Gillingham, Kent? And that he used to organise fabulous tea parties on the lawn there?

Taking our inspiration from this fact, and from the nautical history of the area, we will be creating a new show to be performed at the Lower Lines Park on 24 June. We want stories and writing from local people to be part of the show! Playwright Sam Hall will be leading some creative writing workshops to help create the final piece.

WORKSHOPS:

The first workshop will be held on Saturday 22nd April 2017 from 1- 3pm at Nucleus Arts Centre. Book here.

There is also a second workshop on Wednesday 26 April, 2-5pm at the Brook Theatre. Book here.

ACTORS NEEDED!

Join our Community Cast for our outdoor theatre performance exploring the history of Gillingham’s Lower Lines Park. The site specific show will be performed on the afternoon of Saturday 24 June. We currently need actors to be part of this exciting new production. Workshops dates to be confirmed, but if you are interested, please email us for further info.

Photos from Roundabout Nights – 9 March

Here are some photos from Roundabout Nights on 9 March 2017. Guest headliners, Connor Sansby and Neanderthal Bard, plus open mic slots from Setarah Ebrahimi, SM Jenkin, Razz Saunders, Jonathan Terranova, SFH, Jo Murray, Matt Chamberlain, Luna Travers, Phil Kane, Sam Rapp, Clair Meyrick, SFH and a musical interlude from Didi Bergman.

Connor Sansby

Neanderthal Bard

Setareh Ebrahimi

Razz Saunders

Matt Chamberlain

BFH

Jo Murray

Luna Travers

Sam Rapp

Clair Meyrick

BFH

SM Jenkin

Philip Kane

SFH

Didi Bergman

Jonathan Terranova

SFH

Roundabout Nights presents ‘Paint it Black’

24 April, Roundabout Nights

As part of the Paint The Town festival we are hosting a night of poetry and words about mental health to accompany Bridget Aphrodite’s show in the festival ‘My Beautiful Black Dog’.

Billed as ‘a musical about depression’, this electrifying show challenges the urgent stigma around mental health and encourages the audience to take ownership over their own black dogs whilst channeling infectious dance moves, swagger-boss costumes and banging tunes!

Roundabout Nights regulars Dylan Oscar Rowe and Spreken are confirmed headliners and we will have our usual pre-bookable open mic, in what promises to be an intense, educational and entertaining night.

Introducing Confluence

Confluence issues 1 and 3

Confluence is a new writing magazine from Wordsmithery.

Originally online only, we will be publishing a print copy four times a year (August, December, February and May). See the Submissions page for what we’re looking for and how to submit!

You can order a copy of Issues 1 and 3 and subscribe at the Wordsmithery website.

Confluence aims to introduce writers from the East Kent area to writers from everywhere else and promote artistic exchange.

Writers we have featured so far include: Issue 1 (all available online)  Janine Booth, sean burn, Matt Chamberlain, Nancy Charley, David Cramer Smith,  Zack Davies, Rachel Davis,  Sarah Hehir, Dan Horrigan, SM Jenkin, Daphne Margolys, Tara Moyle, Katarina Rankovic, Angel Uriel Perales, Cameron Williamson.

Issue 2 (all available online) ‘An assemblance of judicious heretics; re:imagining Shakespeare’ – featuring poetry and prose from 33 writers and interpretations of their words by 32 artists. Linked to Wordsmithery’s text-art exhibition.

Issue 3 (some video extracts available online) Stories and poems from Matt Chamberlain, Nancy Charley, Maggie Drury (woodcut illustrations), Barry Fentiman Hall, Sam Hall (a play), Mark Holihan, Shaun Philip Hutchings, Philip Kane, Bill Lewis, Daphne Margolys, Maria C. McCarthy, Katarina Rankovic, David Cramer Smith, Spreken, Jonathan Terranova, and Barrie West.

The magazine is printed using a Risograph machine on recycled paper, using vegetable inks, which gives it a retro feel. “…it’s so satisfying to hold and read! Typeface is fab, paper is perfect magazine weight. Old school printing was an inspired choice…”

Books from Wordsmithery

Anthologies and plays by Wordsmithery.

In the past few years, Wordsmithery has published a range of anthologies, plays and pamphlets. They are all available on our website, or by emailing us for more information on bulk and non-UK based orders.

Anthologies:
City without a head: our 4-star anthology offering an alternative take on life in cities.
An assemblance of judicious heretics: our gorgeous full colour anthology of art, poems and stories inspired by ‘The Road Not Taken’.

Story and poetry pamphlets

Pamphlets:
The Unbearable Sheerness of Being: Barry Fentiman Hall’s personal Odyssey around the Isle of Sheppey.
Beautiful Monsters: Sam Hall’s collection of 6 short modern day fairytales.

Plays:
Zero Down: Sarah Hehir’s powerful story about staff on a zero hours contract.
Child Z: Sarah Hehir’s 5-star play about a girl caught up in a child sex exploitation ring.
My Mind is Free: Sam Hall’s play about 4 victims of human trafficking.

To purchase any of these books please head on over to Wordsmithery.

Roundabout Nights coming up

We have a host of fantastic Roundabout Nights coming up in the next few months, including a collaboration as part of Medway’s Paint The Town Festival.

Thursday 9 March 2017: The Planet Thanet 2 on tour – Neanderthal Bard and Connor Sansby.

Monday 24 April 2017: Paint The Town Festival – To coincide with the theme for Spring’s Paint The Town Festival, which is Mental Health, we invite our writers to ‘paint it black’, whatever that might mean.

Monday 8 May 2017: Headliners DrayZera and Neelam Saredia.

More information will be posted on our Facebook page nearer to the events.

 

 

Roundabout Nights in Nov and Dec

Roundabout Nights last night (10/11/16) featured the launch of Goose, a chapbook by the conceptual poet described by George Szirtes as “Harpo Marx meets Rilke”: Ira Lightman. (Book out on Diehard Editions). With support from Dan Simpson, Philip Kane, and performances from Neill Razz Saunders, Sam Rapp, Sam FH, Joanne Murray, Clair Meyrick, Maria McCarthy, and BFH.

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Coming up on 5 December we have the launch of Frater XII Irrumabo’s short story collection Fear Death by Water. See the Facebook page for more info.

See you at the Roundabout in May

We are taking a little break from Roundabout Nights over April – there are so many other good lit events you could go to in April and you just might see us at them!

Thursday 21 April – Factotum Promotions present Poetry Night #2 at Drake’s Bar in Maidstone. (Free)

Saturday 23 April – Shakespeare  – the best bits. Rochester LitFest has arranged an afternoon of Shakespeare at Rochester Community Hub. £5.50 (tickets)

Wednesday 27 April – Seasonally Effected returns to the Dot Cafe, Rochester – with a new format and special guests Broken Banjo. (Free / donation.)

Thursday 28 April – Inspirational Night with Lisa Vigour at The Swan, Maidstone. (Free)

Roundabout Nights should be back on 9 May at Poco Loco!

 

Next Roundabout Nights is 17 March

The next Roundabout Nights is on a Thursday and will feature poets reading works inspired by their parents who also wrote.

7.30pm, Thursday 17 March 2016

POCO LOCO:
58-60 High St, Chatham ME4 4DS