Although I won a poetry competition in the local paper (Blackburn Telegraph) aged 13, my professional background is mainly theatrical.  After moving to London to attend drama school at 18.  I worked extensively in theatre (National, Touring, TIE, Agitprop).  Latterly, in my career as an actress,  I appeared on film and TV, including “Coronation Street” (ITV), “Worlds End” (BBC), “Sacred Hearts” (Film4).

Consequently, I’m a confident and relaxed performer who loves her job and knows how to do it.

I can enhance  your event with poetry that stimulates, challenges and amuses.

I’m happy performing in any kind of venue. Art Galleries. Pubs. Clubs. Boats. Fields. Buses. Studios. Halls. Theatres. Etc….

I can devise and / or advise on a tailor-made show combining poetry, with music, drag, comedy or burlesque, that draws on my many years of experience and friendships within the entertainment industry.

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I accept POETRY COMMISSIONS

SITE SPECIFIC:

• “Save the Black Cap“, written  on the anniversary of the closure of the Black Cap pub in Camden NW1,  performed in situ and on Soho Radio (Soho Society Hour)

DATE SPECIFIC:

•  “Schwule“, written for  International Holocaust Day (27th Jan), detailing the experiences of homosexuals during the Holocaust.  Performed at Granary Square (N1C).
• International Women’s Day for Reel Rebel Radio
• World AIDS Day (December 1st): candlelit vigil in WC2- filmed by Sky TV live in London

EVENT SPECIFIC:

• Poem for “London Pride” (26th June), performed at Trafalgar Square stage
• Theme poem for National Hate Crime Awareness Week (working with St. Paul’s Cathedral, national anti-hate crime organisations, and the Metropolitan Police)
• ‘Love, Lust and Loathing amongst the Bloomsbury Literati‘ for the Bloomsbury Festival
• Celebrating the Smallhythe Trio for the National Trust, June 2017
• Mapping the network – mapping the organisations supporting the LGBT community – also performed at various conference, e.g. NHS, ELOP
• Theme poem for the Clit Art Festival, working with organisations fighting female genital mutilation, and campaigning for better sex education in schools and textbooks
• Bang Bus for Worlds Aids Day

COMMEMORATIVE DAYS:

• “Idahot“, written for  International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, performed at St. Paul’s Cathedral and featured on local and national radio
• 100th year anniversary of women’s suffrage
• Celebrating the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality at the British Library

IN RESPONSE TO:

• A cataclysmic or celebratory event that impacts our LGBT community, e.g. “Response to Orlando Massacre“.  Performed at the Old Compton Street Vigil (16th June), and filmed and featured on Sky News.
• ‘Chechnya’s Choice’, used by Stonewall and Amnesty International in their campaigns against Russia’s treatment of LGBT people

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I offer interactive talks, workshops and shows on LGBT issues suitable for:

• Fundraisers, libraries and museums
• Community halls and heritage sites (e.g. ‘The Smallhythe Trio’ at National Trust properties)
• Conferences, galas and launches of initiatives, e.g. NHS Rainbow Lanyard, the Ball for the last night of LGBT History month
• Corporate functions (e.g. workplace inclusivity events) and social events
• Schools & Universities, e.g. discussion or film panels, anti-bullying events. I’ve also worked with school book publisher Pearsons
• Festivals, e.g. LFest, national Pride events (incl. London, Isle of Wight, Hastings, Stoke-on-Trent), Latitude
• Poetry and/or storytelling

I can offer bespoke site, event or topic-specific poetry sets for these shows.

My LGBTQ live interactive shows include

• “LGBT Poetry Past & Present”
• “An LGBT Life: How it was/How it is“
• “How, Why & When”
• “The Consequence of Kisses”
• “The ‘L’ Word”
• “Camp Confidential” – an evening of poetry and cabaret
• ‘Love, Lust and Loathing amongst the Bloomsbury Literati‘
• “The Smallhythe Trio”
• “My Life as LGBT Poet Laureate”
• “Suffrage, Subversion & Sex“

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HOSTING: I’ve organised and hosted a number of poetry events, including open mic

INCITE@The Phoenix WC2: I’ve hosted and performed my poetry at this popular LGBT poetry evening for 4 years.

ULTIMATE PLANET AWARDS: Hosted, introduced and compered this annual event celebrating LGBT excellence.

AIDS Memorial Charity Fundraising at INCITE, July 2018, with the show: ‘Celebrate, Commemorate, Cabaret‘ and poem ‘HIV/AIDS‘

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Organisations I’ve collaborated with:

• BBC
• Sky TV
• London Live
• Reuters
• San Francisco Pride
• Bloomsbury Festival
• Opening Doors London (ODL0
• Camden LGBT Forum
• Metropolitan  Police
• St. Paul’s Cathedral
• ELOP
• Pearson (for Pride in Education)
• The Metropolitan Archive Museum
• Stop Hate UK
• The NHS Trusts & NELFT
• London Pride
• Bow Idea Store
• Winter Pride
• Kings College London
• Herts University
• Phoenix Theatre
• Hastings Pride
• Bloomsbury Festival
• L.Fest
• G. Fest
• Bethnal Green Library
• Norwich Pride
• Planet Nation LGBT
• Celebrate and Educate
• The British Library
• Loudest Whispers
• The Library Club
• Barking and Dagenham Council
• Wise Words
• National Trust
• London and Southeast England
• AIDS Memorial Fund
• Reel Rebel Radio
• De La Warr Pavilion
• Schools Out
• Leeds Museum
• Bolton Museum
• Bristol MShed Museum
• MidKent College Medway
• Oxford University
• University College London
• Manchester Gaydio
• Soho Radio