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 6^th 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Emma Purshouse, herself a descendant of a nailmaker, was shortlisted for the Mslexia unpublished novel prize, and is an excellent performance poet and comedienne; Iris Rhodes was born in Bradley, Bilston, has worked in Africa and has now returned to her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 Café.

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 3^rd event include Simon Fletcher and Greg Freeman

Wednesday 7th October, 6.30pm
Garrick Theatre
FREE

Part 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 the 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

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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.

 www.offaspress.co.uk

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

“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.