F*cking with Forms: Performance
A workshop led by Australian Poetry Slam Champion, and Lyra’s 2025 slam headliner, Arielle Cottingham.
In this F*cking with Forms workshop, participants will learn to approach performance with the same scrupulous eye as writing -- using acting techniques, dynamic volume, and the body itself to give poetry verve and vigor. The workshop incorporates elements of physical theatre, dance, and improv for performances that transcend traditional slams. Bring water and one poem ready for presentation, and wear clothing comfortable for moving and sweating.
Presented in association with Berlin Spoken Word.
Arielle Cottingham:
Queer Afro-Latine poet, performance artist, service industry worker, and educator Arielle Cottingham toured four continents in five years, giving performances and teaching workshops across North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia. Their work explores questions of belonging across multiple intersectionalities and political contexts, and it has appeared in multiple literary journals both in print and online. Notable performances include Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, 48Hours Neukölln, the Alley Theatre, the Museum of Old & New Art (MONA), and the Sydney Opera House, where they won the title of Australian National Poetry Slam Champion in 2016. They are currently based in Berlin, where they co-organize and host Berlin Spoken Word: currently the longest running all-language open mic in the city.
Part of Lyra – Bristol Poetry Festival 2025
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