Tag Archives: Telltale And Friends

New month, new space, new poetry

1 November saw the Telltale gang return to the newly-refurbished Poetry Café in Covent Garden where we were delighted to be joined by special guests Catherine Smith and Abigail Parry.   The spare and smart décor was the perfect backdrop for readings that were by turns elaborate, engaging, intense, irreverent, comic, caustic and yes indeed alliterative, rhythmic; downright brilliant displays of the sonic magic of live poetry.

Telltale co-founder Robin Houghton kicked off proceedings in style with an exclusive preview of her exciting new pamphlet, All the Relevant Gods, due out in February 2018 with Cinnamon Press.  Next on the floor was Catherine Smith with a funky festoon of poems from collections including Lip and Otherwhere (Smith/Doorstop).   Two stomping sets, a break to enjoy the refreshed upstairs café complete with poetry miscellany on each table like inviting menus (my favourite was the school exercise book inviting visitors to leave a poem), then it was back downstairs for a corker of a set by other Telltale co-founder Peter Kenny.  Halloween may have just come and gone but that didn’t stop Abigail Parry treating us to a trio of Gothic poems amid an exhilarating set that tricked and turned on wicked word plays – we simply cannot wait for Bloodaxe to bring out Abby’s collection Jinx next March.

Thank you once again to Robin Houghton, Catherine Smith, Peter Kenny, Abigail Parry, the Poetry Café and the wonderful audience who filled the room with warmth and laughter.  Next stop:  the Telltale Anthology 2018 – watch this space!

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Peter Kenny, Abigail Parry, Robin Houghton and Catherine Smith

A warm night at the Lewes Arms

Lewes Arms

Warm in the sense of friendly I mean – although we did also need to open windows. I’m of course talking about last Friday and our latest Telltale Poets & Friends readings at the Lewes Arms. It’s a delightfully intimate pub, no longer with an actual stage upstairs but still a great venue for poetry readings. Plus it’s sort of become our mothership.

Sorry, no pics this time – except the ‘before’ photo of the room, so that I could see how the tables needed to go back before we moved them all – so you just have to imagine how our readers looked, especially Katrina in her beautiful vintage frock.

Telltale’s Siegfried Baber and Sarah Barnsley gave us storming sets with many new poems, and it was a pleasure to welcome Marion Tracy and Katrina Naomi as our guest poets. It’s just occurred to me that they have something in common, in that they have surnames that could be first names – spooky! I’m glad I didn’t think of that before the intros, or I would have certainly said “Please welcome Tracy Marion!” or something equally daft. Katrina, who had journeyed up from Penzance, mesmerised us with her witty and moving poetry. She had to contend with noisy blokes outside AND the sudden dramatic collapse of our roller banner, but she carried on like a true pro. Marion’s reading was excellent as always – surreal and joyously unpredictable poems.

It felt like all our friends and supporters were there, as well as a good number of people we didn’t know but many of whom came up afterwards to say how much they enjoyed it, and that really made for a super evening. Thank you everyone who came, bought books and donated generously the Telltale funds (there’s a new banner to buy after all!)

Interior Lewes Arms

Our cosy room, before we moved the tables and everyone arrived – !

Telltale & Friends – 7th July The Poetry Cafe, London

Opinions have been sought, debates held, pros and cons weighed up, and one epoch-shaking decision has been taken. Yes folks Telltale’s summer reading has been finalised!  It will be held at our old stomping ground of The Poetry Cafe, in London’s Covent Garden. It’s all the sevens: the evening starts at 7:00pm, on Thursday 7th July.

Hotter than a sizzling hot thing, is John McCullough right now. He’s a long-term Telltale friend, and his spanking new collection Spacecraft is already going down a storm. On the night we’ll also showcase Telltale’s latest recruit Jess Mookherjee, whose collection Telltale will be launching later this year. You’ll also find on the bill are fabulous Telltale stars Sarah Barnsley (The Fire Station) and Siegfried Baber (When Love Came To The Cartoon Kid). 

Picture the scene… You are sauntering through sophisticated Covent Garden, and effortlessly drift into the Poetry Cafe. Soon you are congratulating yourself on choosing to hear some exceptional poetry. All for free.

If you’re in reach of London, we’re looking forward to giving you a sunny Telltale welcome. Consider this your invitation…

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Jessica Mookherjee joins Telltale Press

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Jess Mookherjee, the latest poet to join Telltale Press

We’re utterly chuffed to announce that Jess Mookherjee is the latest poet to be scooped up by Telltale Press.

Her pamphlet, The Swell, will be launched in October.

Avid poetry fans will have not failed to notice Jess’s powerful and intriguingly intimate work exploding into print. Having been writing for a mere three years, her poetry has already graced Agenda, Antiphon, Clear, Ink Sweat & Tears, Interpreter’s House, Obsessed with Pipework, Poetry Shed, Prole… We could go on.

When not involved in this outpouring of beautiful writing, Jess works in Public Health, having an academic background in Biological Anthropology. Now firmly rooted in Kent, Jess spent most of her adult life in London, and her childhood in Mumbles, Wales.

For more about Jess look no further than her spanking new blog thejessicapoet.

Watch this space for news of July Telltale & Friends readings at the poetry cafe, the Autumn launch of Jessica’s The Swell and more. It is going to be an outstanding year for Telltale Press, and one in which Jessica’s poetry will win the new audiences it so richly deserves.

Telltale & Friends – 13th April, Lewes Arms, Lewes

Spring is almost here, and Telltale Press is at it again. For the second Telltale and Friends event of 2016, we’ll be spellbinding Lewes with powerful lineup of poets. We’ve coaxed the wonderful Abegail Morley (whose new book The Skin Diary is out this year) to read for us. Then we added Telltale’s own stars Sarah Barnsley and Robin Houghton, and invited Rebecca White – a poet whose strong work has been catching our eye lately.

The venue is upstairs at the characterful Lewes Arms, a place of fine boozes and warm hospitality. The night starts at 7:00 pm. Can you think of a better way to spend a Wednesday night? Thought not. And, what’s more, the event is absolutely FREE (though if you feel moved to slide voluntary doubloons into the Telltale coffers, we won’t stop you).

We’re looking forward to warmly welcoming you to a night of exceptional poetry.

Telltale Press & Friends, Lewes 2016

Great night of readings at the Poetry Cafe

On Thursday we had a full house at the Poetry Cafe in London for our first Telltale Press & Friends night of 2016.

Our guest poets were Jack Underwood and Kitty Coles. Jack’s first full collection Happiness was published last year by Faber & Faber – we heard poems from this plus a number of new poems. Kitty is an up and coming poet from Surrey who’s widely published across a range of magazines. Telltale readers were Peter Kenny and Siegfried Baber. It was an excellent variety of voices and a great way to kick off the New Year.

Thank you to everyone who came along, including Hilaire, Louise Ordish, Rebecca White and a host of lovely people, plus everyone who helped spread the word on social media – you are all stars.

Jack Underwood reading at Telltale Press & Friends, Poetry Cafe, London, January 2016

Jack Underwood

 

Peter Kenny reading at Telltale Press & Friends, Poetry Cafe, London, January 2016

Peter Kenny

Kitty Coles reading at Telltale Press & Friends, Poetry Cafe, London, January 2016

Kitty Coles

 

Siegfried Baber reading at Telltale Press & Friends, Poetry Cafe, London, January 2016

Siegfried Baber

Tamar Yoseloff, Sue Rose & Sarah Barnsley at the Poetry Cafe

Just a week to go till our next ‘Telltale Poets & Friends‘ – our informal reading series featuring special guests. Peter and I hope you can join us at the Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street in London’s Covent Garden, at 7pm next Thursday 18th June.

We’re delighted to have Tamar Yoseloff and Sue Rose coming to read recent work, and also our newest member, Sarah Barnsley. We’re currently working on the production of Sarah’s debut pamphlet, ‘The Fire Station’, which will be published in September. It’s a wonderful first collection and we’re so proud to have Sarah on board. Do come and hear her read and enjoy a sneak preview of the pamphlet.

Photo of Sarah Barnsley by Hannah Brackenbury

Photo of Sarah Barnsley by Hannah Brackenbury

Happy New Year – join us at the Poetry Cafe

First week into the New Year we’re back on the road at the Poetry Cafe, or as Peter Kenny eloquently puts it:

“After the orgy of booze-fuelled ribaldry that is December, why not turn over a new leaf in 2015 and make your first social outing one for the soul? Poetry from the outstanding Canadian poet Rhona McAdam, the frankly steamy Catherine Smith, shining new talent Siegfried Baber, plus the multi-prize winning Robin Houghton and myself in the centre of London.”

Yee-haa! Please come, bring your friends and let’s get started on 2015 with some shiny new poetry. Rhona McAdam is over from Canada, so take this opportunity to hear a brilliant talent… and Catherine Smith’s ‘The New Cockaigne’ is a fantastic, rollicking satirical tale in verse.

Free entry, all welcome … we hope to see you there, and will have news of our plans for 2015 and beyond.

With best wishes for a fantastic Christmas and New Year…

January at the Poetry Cafe

RhonaMcAdam_AuthorPhoto2_CreditAlexisYobbagyWe’re planning another Telltale & Friends reading at the Poetry Cafe on January 7th 2015, when one of our guest readers will be Rhona McAdam, a fine Canadian poet whose sixth full-length poetry collection, Ex-ville, is published by Oolichan Books this month.

Rhona spent some years in London and still returns regularly, so we’re delighted she can join us in January.

Meanwhile we’re also hoping to introduce the next Telltale Poet – exciting!

(Photo: Alexis Yobbagy)