On Tuesday the 14th, Tina Sederholm and her troupe of slam poets - Danny Chivers, Clare Bold, Em Pritchard and Tyrone Lewis - will gather at the Old Fire Station for a evening of word games. Think spoken-word-meets-Taskmaster. Tina kindly answered some of Daily Information's questions ahead of the evening of poetic playfulness.
DI: How would you summarise Everything’s Working Out…Poetically?
TS: The best summary is probably our official blurb: "In an effort to make sense of a world that’s more chaotic than ever, Tina Sederholm and her gang of spoken word legends, including Danny Chivers, Clare Bold and Em Pritchard perform both their best material, and their worst, in the form of their cheesy teenage poems and silly word games. Featuring an extended set from poetry pop-culture powerhouse and UK Poetry Slam Champion Tyrone Lewis, to celebrate the Oxford launch of his latest collection 2Black 2Furious."
Audience participation encouraged but not obligatory. There may, or may not, be prizes.
DI: What inspired you to create the show?
TS:I wanted to create something that was edgier and more daring than the usual poetry open mic plus headliners format. It’s a great format, it’s just you can see that everywhere. I wanted to take some entertaining and insightful poets and see if they could push themselves further and take some risks, whilst also being fun and accessible to the audience.
DI: What makes spoken word a great art form for today?
TS: There’s an immediacy to spoken word that can really fire an audience up and create instant connection. A good poet will always wear their heart on the sleeve and let that passion flow into their words and performance, so that at its best, spoken word can affect the listener viscerally.
DI: What advice would you give to someone just getting into poetry?
TS: Pay close attention to everything. Overheard conversations, the shape of a tree or building, the feel of the clothes you are wearing, the seat you're sitting on. Then jot it down. You don’t have to make a poem out of it immediately but down the line, if you notice and note down details, they will come flooding back when you are ready to write that poem.
DI: Describe Everything's Working Out...Poetically? in three words.
TS: Bold, Funny, Authentic.
Everything's Working Out...Poetically? is on at The Old Fire Station on Tuesday, November 14th. Tickets can be booked
Check out here.