FRIARGATE Theatre's re-scheduled Poetry Doubles event with Nigel Forde and Antony Dunn on January 22 has taken on added importance.

Originally billed as a fundraiser for the Friargate building under the title of Uttering For Guttering, the show has been rearranged from October 30. "After the Boxing Day floods, we're now in greater need of some refurbishment – mainly carpets in the downstairs office – on top of the previously planned work," says Peter Birkinshaw, Riding Lights Theatre Company's marketing manager.

The award-winning Forde and Dunn first performed a Poetry Doubles fundraiser in 2004 and this time their 7.30pm double bill of amusing, moving, occasionally scurrilous poems with a purpose will boost funds for the roof and aforementioned carpeting.

York Press:

Poet Antony Dunn

"Join us for this entertaining evening as we raise a glass to fix the roof," say Nigel and Antony, whose tickets are on sale at £12 on 01904 613000 or at ridinglights.org/poetry-doubles Nigel Forde began his career as an actor at York Theatre Royal and co-founded the York theatre company Riding Lights. He presented BBC Radio 4’s Bookshelf and has been both a freelance writer and contributor to a variety of programmes on BBC radio, including his residency as the poet on Radio 4's Midweek.

He has won several poetry prizes, is a tutor for The Poetry School and has written a musical with Arnold Wesker. He wrote screenplays for BBC2's animated series Testament, one of which won an EMMY, and two short films for Claire Bloom and Jonathan Pryce. His eight books include four of poetry, a critical anthology of G.K.Chesterton and a study of literature and belief: The Lantern And The Looking-Glass.

Antony Dunn was born in London in 1973, has worked at Riding Lights and York Theatre Royal and lives in Leeds. He won the Newdigate Prize in 1995 and received an Eric Gregory Award in 2000. He has published three collections of poems, Pilots And Navigators, Flying Fish and Bugs.

Antony regularly tutors at The Poetry School and the Arvon Foundation and has worked on a number of translation projects with poets from Holland, Hungary, China and Israel. He was poet in residence at the University of York for 2006 and at the Ilkley Literature Festival in 2010 and is now artistic director of the Bridlington Poetry Festival. He also writes for the theatre and his plays include Dog Blue, Goose Chase and Shepherds’ Delight.