Apples and Snakes Takes over Roundhouse For a Full Day of Events as Part of The Last Word Festival

In celebration of 40 years supporting some of the UK’s finest spoken word talent, Apples and Snakes will take over Roundhouse for a full day programme of spoken word and poetry events as part of The Last Word Festival. The programme will feature daytime events including creative writing workshops, yoga, their infamous Jawdance open mic and an ‘inner life-drawings’ session in which the participants will write poetry in response to visual performance. The daytime events build up to an epic evening of entertainment at the All Stars Gig, a poetry and spoken word performance cabaret celebrating poets who have worked with Apples and Snakes over the last 40 years and a space for hearing the voices of the next generation of spoken word artists. 

The All Stars Gig line up will feature performances from a plethora of Apples and Snakes talent including multi-award and TS Eliot winning poet, author and founder of SLAMbassadors Joelle Taylor, TS Eliot Winner Roger Robinson, Nigerian-British writer Yomi Sode and bestselling author and Ted Hughes award winner Hollie McNish. Alongside the spoken word performances, designer and film-maker Bella Freud will appear to speak about the aesthetics of protest and connection to poetry. Amongst the collection of poets and authors taking the stage, there will be music performances from dynamic rap artist BREIS and members of the Beatbox Academy. The evening will also feature a performance from the winner of the Roundhouse Poetry Slam which runs throughout May.

Lisa Mead, Artistic Director at Apples and Snakes says “For the past 40 years, Apples and Snakes has been the engine room behind many of the spoken word poets that are now at the forefront of the explosion of the spoken word scene. We are delighted to bring together this amazing line-up of All Stars at such a prestigious venue and supporter of poetry, The Roundhouse. As always, we’re also showcasing new talent and offering chances to participate if that’s your thing!  Festival vibes, food, drink, music and words to celebrate still being here 40 years after that first gig in the back room of a pub!”

Apples and Snakes is England’s leading spoken word poetry organisation and exists to support poets at all stages of their careers. An Arts Council funded National Portoflio Organisation based at the Albany Centre in Deptford, it has been a registered charity since 1986 after being started by a group of poets in 1982 in a room above a pub. Since then it has worked with Lemn Sissay, Polarbear, Kae Tempest, Benjamin Zephaniah, Michael Rosen, Jackie Kay, Caleb Femi and Hollie McNish, to name just a few. It is proud to have worked in partnership with a number of organisations, including BAC, Southbank Centre, Rich Mix, Tate, Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Penguin Random House, Barbican Theatre Plymouth, Hull City of Culture, Roundhouse, Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, RSC, Arc Stockton, The Royal Court, #Merkybooks, Sky Arts and the BBC.

The Last Word Festival is an annual spoken word festival celebrating the power of words and the nation’s most vital voices. Celebrating its 10th year, the festival returns to the Roundhouse for two weeks in June with an enthralling lineup of narratives and viewpoints presented across a programme of spoken word, music, films and workshops. 

The Roundhouse is a hub of inspiration where artists and emerging talent create extraordinary work and where young people can grow creatively as individuals. The Roundhouse is one of the most incredible live performance spaces in the world where the biggest names in music, theatre, circus and spoken word take to the stage every day.  The former railway engine repair shed was transformed into a groundbreaking performing arts venue 50 years ago, and has welcomed legendary artists from all over the world to perform in the unique spaces.