Tuesday 22 September 2015

What's happening in October?

Saturday 4th October 2015
Whitchurch Blackberry Fair - Emma will be performing poetry in Percy's Coffee & Curios, and MCing an open mic. Come along and have a listen or read some of your work.  11.00am - 1.00pm and 2.30pm - 4.30pm.

Percy's Coffee & Curios
(formerly the Star Hotel)
Watergate Street
Whitchurch
SY13 1DW


The Works’ Canteen - Tuesday 6th October 2015
The Nailmakers’ Daughters
To celebrate the launch of their book The Nailmakers’ Daughters The Works’ Canteen is delighted to be welcoming three excellent Black Country born poets - Emma Purshouse, Iris Rhodes and Marion Cockin - to this first night of a new season of The Works’ Canteen.
Emma Purshouse, herself a descendant of a nailmaker, was shortlisted for the Mslexia unpublished novel prize, and is an excellent performance poet and comedienne; Iris Rhodes was born in Bradley, Bilston, has worked in Africa and has now returned to her roots to write; and Marion Cockin, born in Wednesbury, is widely published in magazines and anthologies.

Soldiers returning from war, the Queens Ballroom Wolverhampton; the sound of an enamel painter getting it wrong; the Rocket Pools Bradley; travels in Africa; the Wednesbury Mangle Theory; the ‘Tat’ that we collect to prove we exist – all the subjects in the book have one thing in common: they are life looked at by women born in the Black Country with all the whim, wit and humour that comes with that. It’s a mix of styles and subjects that is guaranteed to entertain and amuse.

There’ll also be some great new material from our regular contributors, refreshed from their summer breaks, and plenty of opportunity to book an open mic spot on the night if you are interested in taking part. Alternatively you can join us and listen to some excellent spoken word entertainment and music in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of the museum’s Rolfe Street CafĂ©.

The Works’ Canteen is a monthly performance of spoken word, music, poetry, storytelling and more, hosted by the Black Country Living Museum’s poet-in-residence Dave Reeves on the first Tuesday of every month.
7:30 pm start (doors open 7:00pm). £3.00 admission


Guests for the Tuesday November 3rd event include Simon Fletcher and Greg Freeman


Wednesday 7th October, 6.30pm
Garrick Theatre
FREE
offas_v2Part of ‘Literally Live’
A fascinating celebration of all things Staffordshire!
This new collection of poetry from Offa’s Press, edited by Simon Fletcher and Emma Purshouse, will feature some of the most relevant work by poets with strong ties to the county including Roger Elkin, Jean Sprackland and Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. Themes include the history and geography of Literally Live Mic imagethe county as well as historical characters, the Potteries, industry, sport, rural life and the environment. From oat cakes to Burton ale, Cannock Chase to the Roches and Wedgwood to Sir Stanley Matthews, this book of poetry will delight anyone who loves Staffordshire.
8th October 2015
Emma Purshouse at Speakeasy, Worcester.



Offa’s Press Poetry Day
Pant near Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 9QG

Saturday 10 October, 2015

A wonderful day of poetry writing on ‘family’,
performance and conviviality with Jeff Phelps &
Simon Fletcher. Guest poet Emma Purshouse.

Outline

11am-1pm Poetry workshop (theme – ‘family’) - Memorial Hall, Pant

1-3 Walk and picnic & writing activities – Pant/ Llanymynech area

3-5 Workshop, sharing written work, rehearsal - Memorial Hall, Pant

~

6.30-8 Meal at Lime Kiln bistro, Porth-y-Waen, Oswestry, SY10 8LX

8-9 Workshop people poetry readings (4-5 minutes each)

9-10 Offas’ Poets: Jeff Phelps, Simon Fletcher & Emma Purshouse


Fees for whole day: £30/ £22.50.  Fees for workshops only: £20/£15.
 Contact Simon for booking/ further information on 01691 831463.

13th October 2015 - The Wolverhampton Launch of the Poetry of Staffordshire (edited by Emma Purshouse and Simon Fletcher).  City Voices, Lych Gate Tavern, Wolverhampton. 7.30pm

15th October 2015 - The Lichfield Launch of the Poetry of Staffordshire (edited by Emma Purshouse and Simon Fletcher).




e-x-p-a-n-d-i-n-g: The History of the Universe in 45 Minutes

October 17 @ 10:30 am - 11:15 am

SOLD OUT

£8 / £6 (WWM Friends: £7.20 / £5.40), BLF Pass: Free

Expanding photo for Sara BLT“A gloriously immersive multi-sensory experience exploring time and space poetically and intellectually, with stunning visuals and a soundscape truly made from the music of the spheres. A delightful fusion of the arts and cosmology. I came out mind-expanded by our e-x-p-a-n-d-i-n-g universe..”  Kaite O’Reilly (playwright & 2010 Ted Hughes Award winner)
Join astrophysicist Professor Trevor Ponman, musician Giancarlo Facchinetti, and poets Nadia Kingsley and Emma Purshouse, in their mobile planetarium dome, with 360 degree visuals.
You will be fully immersed in the sounds sampled from the Universe, images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, and a combination of both serious and comic poetry, and ‘lectures’. Prepare to feel both insignificant and unique, relaxed and stimulated.
Please note: You will be lying on the floor wearing headphones. Please ask for a chair if you’d prefer. Latecomers cannot be admitted. Performances last 45 minutes.
This is the first performance of the day, there will be a further two performances at 12pm and 1.30pm.
How to Book:
Please contact The Box to book tickets on 0121 245 4455 or you can book online 

21st October 2015 - The Stoke on Trent Launch of the Poetry of Staffordshire (edited by Emma Purshouse and Simon Fletcher).  City Central Library, Hanley.  7.00pm

27th October 2015 - Poetry of Staffordshire launch at Country Voices.  The Greenwood Centre, Ironbridge, Shropshire.  7.30pm.


What's happening in September?


The launch of The Nailmakers' Daughters a collection of poetry from Offa's Press featuring the work of Marion Cockin, Emma Purshouse and Iris Rhodes.

Events taking place at:-

City Voices on 8th September.  Lych Gate Tavern, Wolverhampton.  7.30pm.

Wednesbury Library on 29th September.  7.00pm start.


Thursday 2 July 2015

What's happening in July?

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Wednesday 3 June 2015

What's happening in June 2015

Saturday 13 June ‘Poetry of Staffordshire’ workshop, Lichfield Library, The Friary, Lichfield, 10.30-1pm. Emma Purshouse & Simon Fletcher will be running a workshop to support the anthology The Poetry of Staffordshire which will be published by Offa’s Press in October. Tickets £6/ £4. For further information about the workshop and/or submissions go to: www.offaspress.co.uk.


Book Lauch for Black Country Man a new publication from Multistory.  I've been working as an interviewer and editor for this project.  The launch is taking place at West Brom Town Hall on Thursday 18th June 2015.  If you'd like more information then do send me an email.  emmaasif@hotmail.com


23rd June 2015 'Funny Women' are out and about again.  Myself, Jane Seabourne and Win Saha are performing at The Feathers Hotel, 21 The Bull Ring, Ludlow at 2pm.  The tickets are £10 available on the door or at: www.ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk.

Thursday 30 April 2015

What's happening in May 2015

Saturday 2nd May 2015
I'll be part of the E-X-P-A-N-D-I-N-G The Universe team running three shows at Stratford Literary Festival.  Shows are at 11.00am, 12.30pm and 2.00pm.  They are sold out I believe.
http://www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk/event/expanding-the-universe


On Saturday 9th of May 2015 I'm running a workshop with Simon Fletcher as part of the events leading up to Offa's Press forthcoming Staffordshire Poetry anthology.  This will take place at Burton on Trent Library.  For more information and to book go to www.offaspress.co.uk.

The fantastic Audlem Music and Arts Festival kicks off with a slam on the 21st of May at the Bridge Inn.  It starts at 8pm.  I'm MCing that one.  If you'd like to take part then there are a couple of places left.  Drop me an email to emmaasif@hotmail.com.

Also as part of the festival there are two FREE poetry writing workshops.  One will be on Saturday 23rd May at the Audlem Mill and the other on Sunday the 24th May also at the mill.  It will be a repeated workshop and will run 10am - 12 noon on both days.  There are ten places available for each workshop so if you want a place on either of those then do drop me an email emmaasif@hotmail.com.

There will also be a poetry open mic happening at 3pm on Sunday 24th May at Audlem.  Why not come to the workshop then stick around and read your work at this event.  Check the festival programme for the location for that.

Loads of brilliant bands and exhibitions.  All for FREE.  Have a look at the festival website to see more about what's happening. http://www.audlemfestival.com/

I'm poet in residence at the Festival of Glass in Stourbridge from Thursday 28th May to Sunday 31st May.  I'm committing random acts of poetry as part of the festival.  There are some truly fabulous exhibitions, lectures and demonstrations taking place as part of the festival.  http://www.ifg.org.uk/

Wednesday 1 April 2015

What's going on in April?

2nd April I've got a gig in Stoke and then the next official event after that is a workshop for Offa's Press:-

'The Poetry of Staffordshire’, 
Stafford Library, Saturday April 11th 2015 
10.30am-1.00pm.
Workshop with Emma Purshouse and Simon Fletcher.
Tickets £6/£4 on the door or pre-order by phone: 01691 831463 or email info@offaspress.co.uk
Next on the agenda is...
The 23rd and 24th May 2015
Much Wenlock Poetry Festival:-
I'm doing various things at that.  There are still tickets left for E-X-P-A-N-D-I-N-G which is a history of the universe in 45 minutes that takes place in a mobile planetarium.  The audience lie on their backs looking at visuals and wearing headphones while live poetry, music and mini lectures are performed directly into their ears!  It's a great show.  There are two performances on the Saturday and two on the Sunday.  
In between the planetarium shows I will be helping pick the new Young Poet Laureate of Shropshire and doing a bit of busking around the town.  
I'm also support for Holly McNish on the Saturday night.

2nd May - E-X-P-A-N-D-I-N-G goes to Stratford-upon-Avon for three shows but these are actually SOLD OUT.  



Apologies for not posting recently.

Apologies for not posting my gigs since Christmas!  I do post on facebook the things that I'm up to but I've been so busy the last few months I haven't had chance to update the website.  I will attempt to do better :)