Poetry Reading

Featuring Felix Nobis and Christine Burrows! Plus a very exciting open mic on the Theme of Narrative.

Open mic readers are encouraged to read a poem by a poet other than themselves in addition to their own work on the theme (there are prizes for best readings). Any language- translations or a short explanation are also good,5 minutes or less to fit everyone in.

Felix Nobis is a poet, playwright, and actor.. He is currently a lecturer with the Centre for Theatre and Performance at Monash University. He is well known for his translation and performance of Beowulf, his verse play Boy Out of Country, and his one man show Once Upon a Bar Stool.
Check out him out here; (Live at Going Down Swinging) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zegtpnnzVdQ

Christine Burrows, originally from Aotearoa (NZ), migrated to Australia aged 20. Poetry has always been a thing. Christine’s work reveals a warped ‘Panglossian’ optimism, dark humor, compassion and sharp insight. It can be difficult, flippant or confronting, and has been published in journals and anthologies, including Westerly, Landfall, Cordite, Australian Poetry Journal, Audacious, Catalyst, Spineless Wonders (forthcoming) and Bluepepper. Melbourne’s regular open mic venues prevail as her spiritual home.

A small mountain of poetry books are always available to read so if you don’t have a poem handy on the night you can still read one by someone else, you may find a new favourite or an old favourite, or something to get your mind racing and a new poem written.
At the end of the night music made especially for the theme by George O’Hara plays and everyone has a chance to do a two lines on the theme inspired by the night; this is where it usually gets extra weird. You can go up more than once, you can free style, you can make random noises - it’s a bit of a free for all. We record it and release it on Facebook a week or so later. It’s fun, it gets people inspired, and it’s something different to get people thinking about words and the use of.

All performers on the open mic have the option of having their poetry recorded- (audio only at the moment) and getting emailed a personal, private copy to listen to a week (ish) later.

Donations help all of these things to happen and there will be a box for you to donate at on the bar.
We hope to see you there!