Shakespeare – a hard-working writer if ever there was one – would no doubt appreciate the stamina of the poets and poetry fans getting together for a 24-hour Poetry Marathon in his name.
From 6pm on Shakespeare’s birthday, April 24, the Elysium Gallery in Swansea will echo to the sounds of sonnets, ballads, lyrics and haiku, as established versifiers and aspiring poets alike take to the mic to raise money for the Hay Festival Poetry Jamboree.
You’re invited to attend in Shakespeare themed fancy dress and you must register your interest in order to get in, even if you fancy a bit of verse at 3am on Sunday morning. Some poets are sponsored, performers are picking their all time favourites to recite and you can chip in a donation and take over the mic at the pay-to-perform open mic sessions run by Cardiff‘s Jam Bones and Swansea‘s The Crunch.
If you want to support this event, then email [email protected], or visit the event’s Facebook page.
Timetable:
6pm Host poets, John Goodby, Lyndon Davies and Susie Wilde kick the night off.
6.30pm Tim Evans
7pm Nigel Jenkins and D. E. Oprava
8pm Square Magazine, take one
9pm The Crunch
10pm The Antagonist
11pm Open Mic/Sing Song
Midnight Mark Love
12.30-6am Host poets and guests including Rhian Bubear. Rhian Bubear and Matthew Phillip, plus open mic slots.
6am Liam Shaolin Wolf celebrates half-time with some rum-soaked poetry
6.30–11am Host poets and guests read their favourites, open mic slots.
11am-12noon Open mic
12-1pm Nazma Ali and Neil Clarke
1-2pm Square Magazine, take two
2-3pm Lyndon Davies and John Goodby
3-4pm Open Mic
4-6pm Jam Bones and Pals. All the way from Cardiff, with Mab Jones, Mao Jones, Jack Pascoe, Gemma June Howell, Sion Thomas Owen, Susie Wild and Liam Johnson.
6pm Collapse.
Tea, instant coffee and cow’s milk will be available so bring and mug if you’d like a hot drink and wrap up warm if you’re staying through the wee-small hours, the gallery is cold at night.
