Heft and Heritage, Music and Motivation
Having recently published his 7th collection 'To Abandon Wizardry' Matthew Caley brings his wise and witty work to Luton for the first time and Tessa Foley, who lived in Luton for a time in her childhood, makes her Luton debut with her third collection 'Try To Find Me'. Britny Virginia brings her passion and experience and Kid Kirby is indefineable and marvellous. The bill is completed by the strength in depth of Susan Evans and the purposeful kindness of local artivist Liz Aldous.
MORE ACT INFO . . .
Britny Virginia is an international poet, writer, film and theatre maker and creative workshop facilitator. Born with cerebral palsy, Britny uses her passion for the arts and her own lived experience to ensue confidence in others. Her work centres around disability, culture and faith. Her short film 'Dancing Shoes' was selected in the London International Film Festival & more. Her play ‘Up In The Mango Trees’ has been selected in the Bloomsbury Festival. She hopes to change the world one story at a time.
Kid Kirby - Cheeky, folky with a twist of rock n roll, Kid Kirby brings some sorrows but mainly joys to the stage with her solo material performed on electric guitar.
Matthew Caley’s To Abandon Wizardry, published by Bloodaxe in November 2023, is his most recent and seventh full-length
poetry collection. His first, Thirst [Slow Dancer, 1999], was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection.
These days he is a tutor/mentor and consultant for The Poetry School, and has recently taught poetry at the universities of St Andrews [twice], Winchester and Royal Holloway, London. He's read from his latest book in The Hastings Bookshop with Abigail Parry and Amali Gunasekera, at The Wheatsheaf, Fitzrovia with Camille Ralphs and others; as well as at The Eagle Bookshop, Bedford and The University of Nottingham and will be representing the UK with Julian Stannard at the 2oth. He's an equal admirer of Mina Loy and Doc Holliday.
‘The humour and playfulness...shows off Caley's carefree ability to draw lines across time and space. It also feels profoundly European – a poetry in which borders do not exist, and we are all reflected in this multicultural, pan-historical vision.’
CHRISSY WILLIAMS | Poetry London
Susan Evans is a seasoned performer, an educator, author & occasional chef; made in North East London, living in Brighton, UK. She has been captivating audiences of live literature, music & comedy gatherings for over two decades. Her award-winning page & stage poetry & storytelling themes include : working-class identity, social commentary, our shared humanity, food & travel.
“Her skilled performances rock the woe out of you.” Abe Gibson
Tessa Foley’s debut poetry collection Chalet Between Thick Ears, & follow-up collections What Sort of Bird are You? & Try to Find Me are published by Live Canon. Her poems explore dark & bright spaces within childhood, relationships, nature, & politics. Her voice takes in class, gender, & psychological perspectives, threaded together with a wild, playful love of language.
She has performed her poetry across the UK & taught as a tutor of performance poetry & a leader of therapeutic poetry-writing groups. She has recently been recognised in the Artemesia Arts Competition & Bournemouth Writing Festival Competition & has been featured in publications such as Agenda, Finished Creatures, Alchemy Spoon, Black Iris, & Crank Mag.
Liz Aldous - “ the girl from Limbury LU3 whose mother who could never cook “
A poignant, amusing and sometimes utterly bemusing account of how the ordinary can be extraordinary “
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