Two exciting new spoken word shows at Live Theatre this May

This May, don’t miss the chance to see two new Spoken Word shows in Live Theatre’s cosy Studio Theatre. First up, on Thursday 8 May, join BBC Radio 4 Slam Champion Ben Mellor for an evening of stand-up poetry and music in his show Anthropoetry. Informed by science, politics, comedy and hip hop, combined with searing social and political commentary and some personal body and soul searching, Ben presents a set of brand new spoken word poems and stories that get to the heart, or the bottom, of modern life. Presented with Ben’s trademark mix of free-verse poetry, rap, beatbox and a healthy dose of satirical humour, the text is underscored live by Dan Steele on guitar, keys, drumpad and live-looping technology. Anthropoetry is inspired by anthropometry, the study of measuring the human body. The show premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2012 as part of PBH’s Free Fringe and was featured on Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe. The show received four star reviews from The Scotsman, Broadway Baby, Sabotage Reviews and The Flaneur.  It has since gone on to performances at Fringe World, Perth, where it was runner up in the 720 ABC Performance Award, and Adelaide Fringe, where it received a BankSA Fringe Weekly Award. To request interviews with Ben Mellor and Dan Steele please contact Melanie Rashbrooke on [email protected] or (0191) 229 2375. The Moon Cannot Be Stolen, a new spoken word show from poet and performer Kirsten Luckins, takes to Live Theatre’s Studio Theatre on Thursday 15 May at 8pm. The one-hour show promises audiences a journey to India through the eyes of a backpacker trying to move through culture shock and towards self-discovery. From the seedier side of the ‘90s Goa rave scene, to the strange and mystical city of Varanasi, we journey alongside the narrator as she meets a host of characters from hippies to holy men, from the legendary Eight-Finger Eddy to the mythical warrior-goddess Durga. Using poetry, true stories and music, this show asks us how we put our identities together, again? As Sophia Walker, BBC Slam Champion 2013, explains: "The Moon Cannot Be Stolen is the best show I've seen in six years on the fringe. The show I wish I'd written, you'll leave feeling inspired, energized and ready to tackle the world. Redbull, in theatre form, with no health risk."  Kirsten is also running a writing workshop prior to the evening show, from 5pm until 7pm, called A Journey of a Thousand Miles. The workshop, taking place in Live Theatre’s Gallery space, will introduce people to writing from diaries and mindful travelling – even if the journey is only to the corner shop! The workshop is free if tickets are purchased for the evening performance of The Moon Cannot Be Stolen.  Tickets for Anthropoetry and The Moon Cannot Be Stolen cost £8, £6 concs. For more information or to book tickets visit www.live.org.uk or contact the box office on (0191) 232 1232.