Before 3am, Books, Poetry

103 events

Sorted by popularity / date & time

Inverness Provincial Mod

Traditional song, poetry and storytelling competitions, plus an evening ceilidh.

Eden Court Theatre, Inverness

Fri 21 Jun

£2 / 01463 234234

  • 09:00

Sat 22 Jun

£2 / 01463 234234

  • 09:00

Café Voices

A relaxed session of oral storytelling, poetry by memory, music and song.

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh

Wed 17 Jul

Over-14s only

£5 / 0131 556 9579

Traditional Scottish tales tonight, with Calum Lykan leading proceedings.

  • 19:00 – 21:00

Gerda Stevenson: If This Were Real

Gerda Stevenson takes a break from acting and directing to launch her first book of poetry.

Word Power Bookshop, Edinburgh

Fri 21 Jun

Free / 0131 662 9112

  • 18:00

Guid Crack Club

Regular storytelling club involving song and music aplenty.

Waverley Bar, Edinburgh

Fri 28 Jun

By donation (£3 suggested) / 0131 557 1050

Tonight: 'Ferr Frae the Madding Crowd' – James Spence tells country tales about a time when life moved much slower.

  • 19:30 – 22:00

In Praise Of Eric Bloodaxe: Viking Poetry From York

Matthew Townend presents a talk on the poetry comoposed for the last, and most famous, Viking king of York, driven out and killed in 954.

Barley Hall, York

Thu 20 Jun

Phone for prices, adv booking essential / 01904 610275

  • 19:00 – 21:00
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1957 Flying Scot

Poetry and music inspired by the Scottish racing bike.

Ronde Bicycle Outfitters, Edinburgh

Sun 23 Jun

£11 / 0131 260 9888

Part of Edinburgh Festival of Cycling.

  • 18:00 – 20:00

Allographic Workshop

Poetry writing workshops for aspirant storytellers and performers.

The Fountain, Cambridge

Sun 23 Jun

£3.50 / 07816 788120

  • 15:00 – 17:00

Caesura

An eclectic and experimental night of poetry, performance and spoken word, held on the second Friday of each month.

The Artisan, Edinburgh

Fri 13 Sep

Entry by donation / 07719 481092

Line-up to be confirmed.

  • 19:00 – 23:00

Carl Andre

Abstract sculpture and poems from the 1960s and 70s, providing an insight into the ideas of the influential 20th-century artist.

MIMA, Middlesbrough

Thu 20 Jun

Free / 01642 726720

  • 10:00 – 19:00

Fri 21 Jun

Free / 01642 726720

  • 10:00 – 16:30

Sat 22 Jun

Free / 01642 726720

  • 10:00 – 16:30
…and 76 more dates until 19 Sep

Centre for Modern Thought Seminar: Materialism and Temporality

A poetry reading in response to the exhibition I take into my arms more than I can bear to hold by Lauren Currie and Valerie Norris. A cross-disciplinary conversation between artists and theorists follows, looking at the relationship between materialism and temporality. A collaboration between Generator Projects and the…

Generator Projects, Dundee

Sat 29 Jun

Free / 01382 225982

  • 13:00 – 16:00
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Chinese Poetry Festival

The Chinese Poetry Festival is a showcase for Chinese language students and groups of any age or ability to present a new or existing poem, song or story.

Z-Arts, Manchester

Sat 6 Jul

Phone for prices / 0161 226 1912

  • 11:00 – 15:00

Chris Goode & Company: Howl & Ursonate

The poet and musician introduces and performs the boundary-pushing poetic works of Allen Ginsberg and Kurt Schwitters.

The Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter

Thu 20 Jun

£8 / 01392 346116

  • 19:30

Christopher Reid

A session with the immensely talented poet and editor Christopher Reid, winner of the 2009 Costa Book Award for his collection A Scattering, written as a tribute to his late wife.

King Street Hall, Kirkwall

Mon 24 Jun

£6–£9

Stromness Town Hall

Sat 22 Jun

£6–£9

Part of St Magnus International Festival.

Dead Poets

An afternoon devoted to 1980s indie band The Smiths, in which singer-songwriter Rory Nellis performs tracks from their back catalogue, local poet Stephen Connolly reads from some of Morrissey's favourite dead poets and actors Jason McLaughlin and Charmaine McBride perform selected scenes from Oscar Wilde's work.

Ulster Hall, Belfast

Wed 21 Aug

£4 / 028 9032 3900

  • 13:00

Diaspora Writes Back

London-based African poets explore notions of culture, identity and finding a voice, featuring Kenyan-born Somali poet Warshan Shire and Ugandan Nick Makoha.

The British Library, London NW1

Fri 5 Jul

Conference Centre

£7.50 (£5) / 0843 208 1144

  • 18:30 – 20:30
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Dickie Beau: Lost in Trans

Dickie Beau presents a poetic performance of peculiar personas. Taking Ovid's Metamorphoses as his inspiration, Dickie Beau brings to centre stage figures more commonly positioned at the margins of the mainstream. Continuing his shtick of using playback performance, in which he 'channels' voices he sees as being…

Purcell Room, London SE1

Thu 11 Jul

£16 Booking: £1.75 (Members £0.00) (£50) / 0844 875 0073

  • 20:00

Diverse Voices

Readings of poetry and short stories from members of Glasgow's diverse communities, hosted by author Chiew-Siah Tei. Scottish Writers' Centre presents.

CCA, Glasgow

Tue 27 Aug

Free / 0141 352 4900

  • 19:00 – 20:30

The Dog Beneath the Skin

The first of three shared readings in which the audience join in. At this intimate event all audience members share in the reading aloud of part of WH Auden and Christopher Isherwood's The Dog Beneath the Skin. Join us as we celebrate the range of poetry in the Poetry Library's collection as part of the library's…

Saison Poetry Library, London SE1

Tue 22 Oct

£5 Booking: £1.75 (Members £0.00) (£50) / 0844 875 0073

  • 20:00

Fiona Moore

AF Harrold introduces the Greenwich-based poet. Her reading is followed by an open-mic session.

South Street Arts Centre, Reading

Fri 20 Dec

£4.75; £3.75 readers / 0118 960 6060

  • 20:00

Forward Prizes for Poetry

For the first time, see the Forward Prizes awarded to poets live on stage. The annual Forward Prizes are regarded by poets internationally as the highest of accolades. Past winners include Thom Gunn, Seamus Heaney, Ted Hughes and Carol Ann Duffy. As a prelude to National Poetry Day and for the first time in the…

Queen Elizabeth Hall, London SE1

Tue 1 Oct

£12 Booking: £1.75 (Members £0.00) (£50) / 0844 875 0073

  • 19:30
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Fox Running

All audience members share in the reading aloud of Ken Smith's Fox Running. This is the second of three intimate shared readings which celebrate the range of poetry in the Poetry Library's collection as part of the library's 60th-birthday celebrations. Saison Poetry Library at Royal Festival Hall

Saison Poetry Library, London SE1

Wed 23 Oct

£5 Booking: £1.75 (Members £0.00) (£50) / 0844 875 0073

  • 20:00

Immigration in Song and Story

Immigrants to Scotland tell stories about making the country their home in an open mic setting. Musicians Roxana and Peter Vilk lead the session. Booking is essential.

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh

Sat 22 Jun

Free / 0131 556 9579

Part of Refugee Week Scotland.

In Process with Magi Gibson

The author and founder of Wild Women Writing Workshops talks about finding your voice, the mysteries of creativity and writing poetry and young adult fiction.

CCA, Glasgow

Tue 6 Aug

£6 (£3; Members free) / 0141 352 4900

  • 19:00 – 20:30

Inky Fingers Open Mic

Open mic for literature and spoken word lovers. Email ahead (inkyfingersedinburgh@gmail.com) for a chance to perform, or just watch and admire.

The Forest Café, Edinburgh

Tue 25 Jun

Free / 0131 229 4922

  • 20:00 – 23:00

Ivy House Poetry Circle

An informal poetry-reading and discussion group.

London Jewish Cultural Centre, Ivy House, NW11

Wed 3 Jul

£5 / 020 8457 5000

  • 14:00
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