Wordlife: Creative Writing: Ben Dorey / Grimm & Co / Spoken Word Listings
It's been an interesting year in literature. Stand out releases have included The Booker Prize-winning novel Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo, in poetry Perseverance by Raymond Antrobus and Kate Tempest's latest spoken word-music crossover album, The Books of Traps and Lessons. I caught Kate Tempest at the Academy last month and it was an object lesson in the power of performance, a collective reckoning whose power was undeniable.
The Sheffield literature scene also continues to grow, with the addition of The Writer's Hub at Kommune, alongside the city's existing array of festivals, publishers and open mic nights. See you next year.
Joe
Live Literature Listings
A Kuriously Creative Kristmassy Shindig
Thu 5 Dec | 7pm | Kommune | £5
Kurious Arts, The Writers Hub and the Creative Guild have teamed up for a night of spoken word and festive frolics, featuring Helen Rice, Sez Thomasin, Dami Ganette and Joe Kriss.
Mon 16 Dec | 7:30pm | Gardener's Rest | Free
Sheffield's regular open mic returns for another session at one of Sheffield's best pubs. Just turn up on the night for a slot.
Sat 23 Jan | 7:30pm | DINA | £5 / £3
The Dead Women Poet's Society is a national tour of poets resurrecting their favourite female poets. Suzannah Evans and Warda Yassin will be performing, alongside an open mic.
Damnascene
We realised we could
split you
like us,
portioning off the pain.
So started the gulf
between awful dreams
and playground sermons
waving red bound Gideons'.
So started
the tear of desire
from holy sensation,
those orbs of light that
float us off our chair, beyond our host,
the safety and mass murder of salvation.
Ben Dorey
Grimm & Co
Grimm & Co is a Yorkshire-wide literacy charity with a mission to change lives, one story at a time. We provide exciting writing workshops to children and young people aged 7-18, unleashing imaginations through the joyful discovery of stories, songs, poems, plays, games, monologues and more.
These workshops are all free to the child and encourage their self-esteem, resilience and self-belief, raising literacy levels and building confidence. We aim to build the capacity of children and young people, helping them to discover and unleash their hidden talents, building confidence and recognising their individual skills and potential.
We sell everything that magical beings may need
We are also a fantastical apothecary based in Rotherham town centre, open since 1148 (just before lunchtime) and serving all sorts of magical beings (wizards, fairies, trolls). We sell everything that magical beings may need: giant belly button cleaners (for clearing out stray chickens), ready-blended potions for the busy witch or wizard (a wide range, including Grandma's Scabs and Middle-Aged Vitriol), human disguises, invisibility and plenty more.
Humans are also welcome, but should be aware of side effects like hairy eyeballs, moonlight dancing and squeaky bottom burps. Products, including wonderful quirky gifts for the festive season and beyond, are also available online for those beings unable to reach us by broomstick.
Thanks to support from Arts Council England, the next year should see Grimm & Co expand, transforming a 250-year-old Methodist church into an 'apothecary for the magical' as part of a £1.5 million redevelopment. The unique gift shop from Grimm & Co's current home will be recreated within a new huge story destination for families, including an independent bookshop and café with magical and mortal menu options. Three new classrooms will provide the opportunity to reach more schools and children.
Louise Treloar
