SAY Owt Slam returns before the summer break with another combative showcase of spoken word at The Basement, City Screen, on May 18 at 7.30pm.
"After hosting shows from Jess Green, Genevieve Carver and Rob Auton, we're back to doing what we do best: a raucous slam," says artistic director Henry Raby.
"Poets versus poets makes for a highly charged, highly energetic and highly fun evening of entertainment, verse, rhyme and words. Each poet gets three minutes to impress the audience and win a cash prize.
"His beautiful verse and style had me spellbound," says Say Owt host Henry Raby of his first encounter with Inua Ellams
"As well as home-grown poets, we have a poet from Newcastle and one from Sheffield competing. Say Owt Slam #22’s will be our last slam until October, so we’re going to make it a good one."
The evening's special guest will be Nigerian touring poet, playwright, performer, graphic artist and designer Inua Ellams, whose fourth play, Barber Shop Chronicles, toured the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, in July 2017.
Across his work, identity, displacement and destiny are recurring themes. "Inua is one of the first poets I ever saw perform, when his beautiful verse and style had me spellbound," says Henry.
Tickets cost £6 on 0871 902 5747 or at thebasementyork.co.uk or £7 on the door.
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