Poetry readings online from Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre

Nine leading UK poets have teamed up with Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre to present three short films showcasing their work.
New project from the Stephen Joseph TheatreNew project from the Stephen Joseph Theatre
New project from the Stephen Joseph Theatre

The three films will be online for a month from 5pm on 11, 13 and 15 August, each marking the end of a day of summer school classes hosted online by the venue

Each one will feature three of the poets talking about their work and reading at least one of their poems.

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Curator Nadia Emam said: “These films feature some fantastic poets from all over the UK, performing a couple of their poems but also including a short interview about them and their work.

"Viewers will get to watch a poetry performance, but also hear a little more about the journey of each poet, which I hope will be an inspiration to anyone curious about writing poetry and making a living from it themselves. The nine poetry videos and interviews have all been individually shot under lockdown conditions and then edited and tied together into three films by Brett Chapman.”

The nine poets are:

Toby Campion: an award-winning poet and playwright. Toby will read Oyster and Nits.

Martin Daws: has performed extensively in the UK, USA and Republic of Ireland, delivered numerous commissions and residencies and published two collections of his work. Martin will read Under the Slates, Weekend: Saturday Afternoon and Together.

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Hayley Green: originally from Nottingham, now based in Scarborough. She has performed alongside artists such as Caroline Bird, Lemn Sissay and John Agard in theatres and venues across the UK and Europe. Hayley will read Changing Rooms and Playtime.

Ray Hearne: his poem A Sing Song for Stainless Steel was cut into 14 benches in Sheffield City centre. Ray will read Werewolves of Rotherham and Living on Broad Yorkshire Street.

Zara Jayne: started writing at the age of 10 when she had her first poem published in Cosmic. She has performed in various productions including Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis at the Stephen Joseph. Zara will read Ghostlight and A Dirty World.

Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan: is an educator, writer and poet from West Yorkshire. Suhaiymah will read British Values.

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Otis Mensah: offers an alternative take on contemporary hip hop and spoken word. Otis will read Ode to Black Thought and Shifting Sands.

Nima Taleghani: an actor, writer and workshop facilitator. Theatre and screen credits include Cyrano De Bergerac and Casualty. Nima will read King Arthur and This City.

Beverley Ward: writer, facilitator and coach. She writes poetry, fiction and non-fiction and is passionately in love with the creative process of writing. Beverley will read What If, The Swing in an Empty Playground and Poem for kids leaving Primary School.

The films are being created by award-winning Sheffield-based filmmaker Brett Chapman. Interested in stories about individuals and small communities, he focuses his work around people and their unique experiences. Originally trained as a journalist, Brett’s work is not limited to a single genre or form. The use of obsolete and archaic technology in his films is a staple of his work and practice.

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In addition to Nadia’s poetry workshop and the films, the Stephen Joseph summer school also includes:

Tuesday August 11 (for 9-to-13-year-olds): movement and street dance with Marcquelle Ward and puppetry with Andrew Kim.

Thursday August 13 (for 14-to-18-year-olds): musical theatre with Alex Weatherhill and ‘how to do accents’ with Alix Dunmore.

Saturday August 15 (for adults): conducting an orchestra (a beginner’s guide) with Shaun Matthew and public speaking with Frances Marshall.

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Access to the poetry films is open to the public and free – to watch, visit the theatre's YouTube channel from August 11 here

The online summer school cost £18 per day for all three sessions. Individual sessions can be booked at a cost of £7 each. To book, please visit: https://www.sjt.uk.com/event/1050/online_summer_school_