British poet and playwright
POPULARITY
Thank you for downloading the Trap One Podcast. This week Denise, Frazer, Miranda and Mark have a close shave with The Story & The Engine. the prequel short story What I Did on my Holidays can be found here. The Den of Geek interview with Inua Ellams is here. Wikipedia defines Tumblr Sexy Man: "In online fandoms, a Tumblr Sexyman or simply Sexyman, is a fictional character that gains wide popularity as a sex symbol. Characters described as Tumblr Sexymen are typically villainous or otherwise unusual, although the criteria for what qualifies as a Tumblr Sexyman varies greatly."
A barbership in Lagos! A robot spider in a web of storytelling! Ancient gods watching Marvel movies! A surprise cameo, a deep-cut cameo, and an entirely unsurprising cameo! We break down writer Inua Ellams’s “Doctor Who” debut. Jason Snell, Erika Ensign and Chip Sudderth.
Send us a text and let us know what you think of our podcast!The Doctor takes the TARDIS to Lagos, visiting a treasured safe place in which he can relax, tell stories... and get a haircut. However, he soon discovers that his new home has been taken over by New Management, and something is hungry for power!Continuing the themes of stories within stories, stories about stories, gods and monsters, fairy tales, creation myths - and a heavy dose of Magical Realism - The Story and the Engine had at least one of us punching the air with absolute joy. And not just for the unexpected return of a familiar well-loved face (in fact there were many of those!).Meanwhile, it seems our listeners were divided... So settle down, relax, and let us tell you a story about a story. Just don't think about the giant, cosmic spider striding through the darkness...Support the show Subscribe to Who Corner to Corner on your podcast app to make sure you don't miss an episode! Now available to watch on YouTube! Join the Doctor Who chat with us and other fans on Twitter and Facebook! Visit the Who Corner to Corner website and see our back catalogue of episodes! Enjoying what we do? Consider joining our Explorers Subscription plan for more content! Who Corner to Corner: Great guests and 100% positive Doctor Who chat!
In the latest installment of Doctor Who, Season 2, Episode 5, titled “The Story and the Engine,” viewers are treated to a thought-provoking and unique narrative experience. Written by Inua Ellams and directed by Makalla McPherson, this episode distinguishes itself within the long-running British science fiction series. It stars Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and […] The post Review: Doctor Who, S2, E5: The Story and the Engine appeared first on TEMPLE OF GEEK.
WHEN WE CEASE TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD by Benjamin Labatut (translated by Adrian Nathan West), chosen by Ted Hodgkinson ENTER GHOST by Isabella Hammad, chosen by Inua Ellams GHOSTING: A DOUBLE LIFE by Jennie Erdal, chosen by Harriett GilbertAs Head of Literature and Spoken Word-programming at the Southbank Centre in London, writers and writing are at the heart of Ted Hodgkinson's work. In 2020 he chaired the judging panel of the International Booker Prize and he has judged many other awards, including the Orwell Prize for Political Writing. His choice of a good read is a slim, genre-defying book by Chilean author Benjamin Labatut which packs a huge punch. It's about the scientists and mathematicians whose work has shaped our world, and the unintended - sometimes horrifying - consequences of scientific advancement.Inua Ellams is a playwright, poet and curator. His work includes Barber Shop Chronicles, The Half-God of Rainfall, and an updating of Chekhov's Three Sisters, set during the Biafran Civil War, and he's recently been announced as one of the writers of the next series of Dr Who. His choice is Isabella Hammad's 2023 novel Enter Ghost. After a disastrous love affair, British-Palestinian actress Sonia goes to stay with her sister in Haifa. Intending the visit as a holiday, she finds herself investigating her family's history and getting involved in a production of Hamlet, to be staged in the West Bank.Presenter Harriett Gilbert's choice is Ghosting by Jennie Erdal. A fascinating account of Jennie's time as ghostwriter for 'Tiger' (the publisher Naim Attallah), penning everything from novels to love letters in his name.Producer: Mair Bosworth
THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALLBY INUA ELLAMSDIRECTED BY LINDSAY SMILINGFebruary 11 – March 2, 2025Nigerian-born British poet and playwright Inua Ellams blends Yoruba and Greek mythologies into an incredible story of a demigod-turned-NBA superstar in The Half-God of Rainfall. The epic poem follows a half-Nigerian mortal, half-Greek God named Demi, who possesses extraordinary powers yet is burdened by the expectations of his lineage. Demi's powers grow as he leaves his West Nigerian village for the bright lights of the NBA, where he emerges as an all-world talent driven by passion, power, and destiny. Under the directorial vision of Wilma Co-Artistic Director Lindsay Smiling, (recently seen on stage in Fat Ham and My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion) The Half-God of Rainfall features the HotHouse Acting Company and explores the intersection of patriarchy, imperialism, and American basketball.Suli Holum (she/her) received a Helen Hayes nomination for her role in The Wilma's My Mama and the Full Scale Invasion (co-produced with DC's Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co). Co-Founder Pig Iron Theatre Company and Stein | Holum Projects (SHP). Awards: Drama Desk Award, TCG/Fox Resident Actor Fellowship, Barrymore Award, Independence Fellowship, NEFA Touring Grant. Solo performance: Chimera and The Wholehearted (SHP) presented by FringeArts, HERE/Under the Radar, La Jolla Playhouse, Center Theatre Group (LA), Z Space and The Gate (London). In development: The Woman Question, Pew supported commission for Peoples' Light with HotHouse member Melanye Finister. Wilma: Romeo and Juliet, Dance Nation, Minor Character, Cherry Orchard, Twelfth Night. Off-Broadway: Hot and Throbbing (Signature Theater); Regional: Born Yesterday (Arena Stage); International: A Doll's House (FringeArts/Oslo Opera House); TV/Film: Baby Grief, The Fourth Wall, Ghostlight, Law & Order SVU, Mare of Easttown. FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION: https://wilmatheater.org/event/thehalfgodofrainfall/
I enjoyed a quickening conversation with poet Rachel McCrum about interpreting the crafts of writing and painting, poetry as a space of ambiguity and uncertainty, and burnout. She shares this beautiful line from Inua Ellams - 'poetry is the cheapest way to be free.' And the podcast she references is The Blindboy Podcast by Limerick-born musician and author David Chambers, also known as Blindboy Boatclub. To learn more about Rachel and her work, you can explore rachelmccrumpoetperformer.wordpress.com online and @kicking.paris on instagram. For sight into another aspect of Rachel's artistic practice, check out her vocals as a member of poetry noise bogrock band Pigs&Wolves at https://youtu.be/r9YRmDUvrzA (their EP 'The Unfortunate Waggle' is due out late October 2024).
A classic interview from the archive: Inua Ellams talking about his extraordinary book The Actual (Penned in the Margins, 2020), a powerful, personal and often very funny collection that pokes a sharp stick at the legacy of British Empire, foolish machismo, hero culture, relationships and much more.Support the showPlanet Poetry is a labour of love, paid for out of our own pockets.If you enjoy the podcast, please show your support and Buy us a Coffee!
Focus on Africa takes you inside Sierra Leone's overcrowded prisons and looks closely at the country's justice system. Our reporter Umaru Fofana looks into a much needed review on how prisoners are treated. Also the Nobel peace prize-winning gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, who is renowned for helping victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, announces his plans to run for president in December. What's the reaction in the DRC and can Denis Mukwege make a difference? And we talk to African playwrights, Tonderai Munyevu and Yael Farber who join over 60 of the world's leading playwrights for an online charity auction taking place at Christie's in London. The event, "Out of the Margins", is organised by the Good Chance theatre and will include writers; Wole Soyinka, Inua Ellams, Tom Stoppard, Tina Fey, and Tanika Gupta.
Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.The Half-God of Rainfall is running off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop through August 20th. Find out more at www.nytw.org.If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.The Present Stage supports the national nonprofit Hear Your Song. If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org
Despite growing up in Nigeria and the UK, Tobi Bamtefa received the same stereotypical messaging surrounding what it means to be a man: men are strong, handle their responsibilities stoically, and men never cry. Ever. Join us as Tobi shares how living with these societal expectations can be stifling and damage men's mental health. He shares how becoming an actor and being encouraged to participate in the arts was both a protective and threatening factor. To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page. Guest Bio Tobi Bamtefa can currently be seen starring opposite Jeremy Renner in Taylor Sheridan's MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN. Season 2 is airing now on Paramount+. Brought up between London and Nigeria, after a career as a spoken word artist, Tobi landed the leading regular role of 'Godswill' in Rowan Joffe's series TIN STAR for Kudos Television/ Sky Atlantic opposite Tim Roth and Christina Hendricks. Some of Tobi's other screen credits include Woody Harrelson's self-penned, directorial debut feature LOST IN LONDON and HOW TO BUILD A GIRL as well as the BAFTA nominated A CONFESSION (ITV) and the international Emmy winning production RESPONSIBLE CHILD (BBC). Most recently, Tobi did a stunning performance in Inua Ellams's adaptation of THREE SISTERS directed by Nadia Fall at the National Theatre. Find out more on Instagram @tobibamtefa. Inside Mental Health Podcast Host Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author. Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can't imagine life without. To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip!This week Pip is joined for a Xmas tradition catch-up by old pals POLARBEAR and MUSA OKWONGA! Part 1 of 2...If you're listening to this podcast, I'll make a pretty safe bet that you will be familiar with spoken word superheroes Polar and Musa. If not, I'll make an equally safe bet that if you like Pip, you've now got two friends in waiting, as this crew go back a long way and share a lot of amazing ground, stories, past, influence and style but carry their own unique sparkle and fire. You could add Inua Ellams and Kae Tempest to the gang too, and a ton of others. ANYWAY - this is a continuation of the yearly Xmas drinks catchup tradition that goes back a while, where the crew celebrate and bigup others and their influences, favourites, and really get into the technique and inner workings of it all. The list of topics is too deep to relay here so just trust that between Pip, Polar and Musa, you will have yourself a wonderful time of it.PART 2 around the corner!POLAR • MORE HEREBIRTH OF A POETPOLAR TWITTERMUSA TWITTERMUSA INSTAGRAMSTADIO PODCASTIN THE END IT WAS ALL ABOUT LOVESCROOBIUS PIP on TWITCHSCROOBIUS PIP on INSTAGRAMSCROOBIUS PIP on TWITTERSCROOBIUS PIP on PATREONBLAIR TWITCH PROJECTDEBRISNORTH STAR RISINGPOD BIBLE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip!This week Pip is joined for a Xmas tradition catch-up by old pals POLARBEAR and MUSA OKWONGA! Part 2 of 2...If you're listening to this podcast, I'll make a pretty safe bet that you will be familiar with spoken word superheroes Polar and Musa. If not, I'll make an equally safe bet that if you like Pip, you've now got two friends in waiting, as this crew go back a long way and share a lot of amazing ground, stories, past, influence and style but carry their own unique sparkle and fire. You could add Inua Ellams and Kae Tempest to the gang too, and a ton of others. ANYWAY - this is a continuation of the yearly Xmas drinks catchup tradition that goes back a while, where the crew celebrate and bigup others and their influences, favourites, and really get into the technique and inner workings of it all. The list of topics is too deep to relay here so just trust that between Pip, Polar and Musa, you will have yourself a wonderful time of it.POLAR • MORE HEREBIRTH OF A POETPOLAR TWITTERMUSA TWITTERMUSA INSTAGRAMSTADIO PODCASTIN THE END IT WAS ALL ABOUT LOVESCROOBIUS PIP on TWITCHSCROOBIUS PIP on INSTAGRAMSCROOBIUS PIP on TWITTERSCROOBIUS PIP on PATREONBLAIR TWITCH PROJECTDEBRISNORTH STAR RISINGPOD BIBLE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
My conversation this week is with artist, producer and educator malakaï sergeant. During the recording of our conversation, malakaï flagged the carceral geographies many of us have become so accustomed to – limiting and murderous as they can be. In the moment, I grabbed one of my favourite books of poetry, The Actual by Inua Ellams – an incisive, fiery and tender defence of Black liveliness. My favourite poem in the collection is "F*ck / Sunflowers", which speaks with such stunning heartbreak about the realities so many are forced to endure when robbed of the soil that could sustain us. With Inua's permission, I'm reciting it for you today. Content warning: this poem infers death by suicide. The Actual is published by and available from Penned in the Margins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Immersive Audio Podcast, Oliver Kadel and Monica Bolles are joined by the Head of Screenwriting at Royal Holloway, University of London and Head of the Writers Room at StoryFutures Academy – Professor Adam Ganz and the Project Manager for the Second World War and Holocaust Partnership Programme at Imperial War Museums Rachel Donnelly, from London, UK. Professor Adam Ganz is Head of Screenwriting at Royal Holloway, University of London and Head of the Writers Room at StoryFutures Academy, the UK's National Centre for Immersive Storytelling. In addition to leading StoryFutures Academy on the ‘One Story, Many Voices' Project with Imperial War Museum, he designed and ran a project on writing for Immersive Audio with Inua Ellams, Jayde Adams, Georgina Campbell, Fryars and Rae Morris. He was also nominated for best single drama for the BBC for his play The Gestapo Minutes. Rachel Donnelly is Project Manager for the Second World War and Holocaust Partnership Programme (SWWHPP) at Imperial War Museums. She began working on SWWHPP in early 2020 having previously been the Learning and Audience Advocate for IWM's new Holocaust Galleries and Holocaust Learning Manager for schools. SWWHPP is a three-year project led by IWM and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support cultural organisations across the UK to engage with local communities to share lesser-known stories related to the Second World and Holocaust. As part of the programme, the cultural organisations, local communities and IWM worked with StoryFutures Academy, to create an immersive touring sound installation with stories written by a group of celebrated UK-based writers. In this episode, Adam and Rachel explain how binaural audio was used to enhance their traditional and immersive storytelling techniques and discuss the ‘One Story, many voices' museum installation case study. This episode was produced by Oliver Kadel and Emma Rees and included music by Rhythm Scott. For extended show notes and more information on this episode go to https://immersiveaudiopodcast.com/episode-67-adam-ganz-rachel-donnelly-storyfutures-academy-iwm/ If you enjoy the podcast and would like to show your support please consider becoming a Patreon. Not only are you supporting us, but you will also get special access to bonus content and much more. Find out more on our official Patreon page - www.patreon.com/immersiveaudiopodcast We thank you kindly in advance! We want to hear from you! We value our community and would appreciate it if you would take our very quick survey and help us make the Immersive Audio Podcast even better: surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3Y9B2MJ Thank you! You can follow the podcast on Twitter @IAudioPodcast for regular updates and content or get in touch via podcast@1618digital.com immersiveaudiopodcast.com
Poet and performer, Inua Ellams dashes through Dublin as part of 05Fest, Derek Gripper celebrates the kora magic of Toumani Diabate, an introduction to FertiliTikTok and the further adventures of Tadhg O'Sullivan in the land of not knowing.
Poet, playwright, performer, Inua Ellams is the driving force behind 05fest, an innovative mini season at The Abbey.
Inua Ellams won the Fringe First award in Edinburgh for The 14th Tale, which is now on the Junior Cert syllabus. Jessie Buckley is one of the most versatile Irish actors of her generation. Bernard Butler's career has seen him move well beyond his role with Suede. Their new album is called For All Our Days That Tear the Heart.
When we migrate, can language help us feel at home? And how can words make us feel unwelcome? How does migration affect the ways we communicate and express ourselves in writing, poetry, performance? In this episode, Lemn is joined by poet and playwright Inua Ellams to listen to some highlights from the British Library Sound Archive and explore the relationship between language and migration. Inua Ellams wrote the Barber Shop Chronicles which sold out all its runs at the National Theatre in London. His recent show ‘An Evening With An Immigrant' tells the story of ‘escaping fundamentalist Islam, experiencing prejudice and friendship in Dublin, and drinking wine with the Queen of England, all the while without a country to belong to or place to call home.' Recordings in the episode in order of appearance: Madhohu Rammutla performing Kgerere (Planting time). This piece is part of the Stanley Glasser Collection and the recording was made in Sheshego, South Africa in April 1975. British Library shelfmark: C1671/6 A County Kerry Irish fiddle recording which is part of the Terry Yarnell Collection British Library shelfmark: 1CDR0008122 A recording from 2012 of poet Kei Miller reading ‘The Only Thing Far Away' from his collection 'Writing Down The Vision: Essays & Prophecies'. British Library shelfmark: C1532/12 Mohlao Rapetswa performing the piece Kara (Buttermilk.) The recording was made in Ramokgopa, South Africa, in March 1975. British Library shelfmark: C1671/3 C1 An interview with Mervyn and Elsie Maciel. The interviewer is Jill Chapman and it was recorded in January 1990. The recording has been digitised in Bristol by the Unlocking Our Sound Heritage project. British Library shelfmark: UBC034/103-104 Gilli Salvat describes her memories of arriving in England from India shortly after partition in 1948. The interview was recorded in 1986 by Allegra Damji. It's part of a Hall-Carpenter oral history project which recorded gay and lesbian testimony in the 1980s/1990s. The collection has now been digitised by the Unlocking Our Sound Heritage project. British Library shelfmark: C456/40 Aragón C. L. Gabriel performing Paras in April 1981 in Cusco, Peru. The recording is part of the Peter Cloudsley Collection. British Library shelfmark: C9_52 S1 C3 An interview with author Andrea Levy from 2014- this recording was part of the National Life Stories' project, Authors' Lives and the interviewer was Sarah O'Reilly. British Library shelfmark: C1276/59
Welcome to the new series from the British Library hosted by Lemn Sissay and featuring Kae Tempest, Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, Monica Ali, Shami Chakrabarti, Jonathan Nunn, Amy Liptrot, Sophie Willan and Inua Ellams. Subscribe now.
Welcome to the new series from the British Library hosted by Lemn Sissay and featuring Kae Tempest, Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, Monica Ali, Shami Chakrabarti, Jonathan Nunn, Amy Liptrot, Sophie Willan and Inua Ellams. Subscribe now.
Inua Ellams, the Nigerian-born, award-winning poet, playwright and performer, talks to John Wilson about the most important influences and experiences that have inspired his own creativity. Inua won huge acclaim for his play the Barbershop Chronicles, which was a sell-out twice at the National Theatre and went on to tour the UK. His adaptation of Chekhov's Three Sisters reset during the Biafran war - also for the National - is now on the A Level syllabus, and he is the author of several books of poetry including The Half God Of Rainfall. Inua was born in Plateau State, Nigeria, moved to Britain as a child, and also spent time in Dublin during his teens. He recalls growing up in a dual faith household, with his Christian mother and Muslim father. Initially inspired by the tales of heroism he discovered in X-Men comics, he became a fan of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. He reveals that the 2001 album Amethyst Rockstar, by the American hip hop poet Saul Williams, was a huge inspiration on him as a writer and performer. Inua also talks movingly about his recent British citizenship which, despite being at the heart of the British theatrical establishment, took many years of struggle to secure. Producer: Edwina Pitman
Born in Nigeria, Inua Ellams is a poet, playwright, performer, graphic artist and designer. Now based in London, Inua spent his early childhood in Nigeria, later moving to Ireland as a teenager and attending secondary school in Dublin. In our conversation, Inua tells us about his time in Ireland, the sparks of inspiration that led to his love of writing and his play The 14th Tale which is on the Junior Cycle English prescribed text list for current 2nd & 3rd years. www.inuaellams.com
The role of imagination for thriving and prosperous communities. As we emerge from the pandemic there is a collective opportunity to rethink and to create bold, community-led practices that can steer us towards a better future. This is the time for imagining radical initiatives that match the size and complexity of the challenges we face. The government's overarching aim to ‘level up' speaks to the need for community and social infrastructure to underpin recovery. Communities across the UK share common desires for the future and an appetite and ambition for change in the long term. Imaginative thinking is vital to help communities realise these ambitions and to prosper and thrive, but in the current crisis it can be hard for communities to find the capacity and capability for strategic foresight, leaving the act of imagining our collective futures to those in positions of privilege and power.So what will it take to resource and nurture community capacity to imagine better futures? How can we build the social, political, economic and cultural conditions that ensure communities have agency in shaping their futures? What can local authorities and communities themselves do to translate these visions into action? And what might the potential be of opening up this space? With a panel of leading voices and an original poem performed by Inua Ellams, this event explores the possibilities of futures thinking and the role of imagination for thriving and prosperous communities. Produced in partnership with the Emerging Futures Fund. The Emerging Futures Fund is a The National Lottery Community Fund funding programme investing in our collective imaginations by equipping communities with the capacity, skills and resources required to anticipate and shape the future.#RSAFuturesThis conversation was part of a webinar that took place on the 28th September 2021 . Join us at: www.thersa.org
Who was Muammar Gaddafi? What happened in the Arab Spring? What were the reasons behind Britain, France and America intervening in Libya in 2011? And why is there still fighting going on today? In this episode we'll explain the story behind one of the most consequential (and confusing) conflicts of recent times. In this episode, we were joined by the renowned poet and playwright Inua Ellams, who has written plays including Barber Shop Chronicles and An Evening With An Immigrant. ----------------- CREDITS: Muammar Gaddafi - Zenga Zenga Song - Noy Alooshe Remix (YouTube video clip by Noy Alooshe) Clinton recalls night of Benghazi attack, © Associated Press British Foreign Secretary meets head of Libyan National Army, © Associated Press
In this week's episode of the Get Lit Minute, your weekly poetry podcast, we spotlight UK-based poet, playwright, and performer Inua Ellams. Included in this episode is a reading and review of his poem, "Fuck / Shakespeare."And another thing / the grace you brought Othello / how you forged that moor / got him talking down his eloquence as if his tongue wasn’t part swan feather / part molasses / how you wrote a church of darkness steepled by Iago / and Ol’ Thello its soul / beacon of honor and light / Bruh / that shit literary fire / race-theory brimstone / middle-passage gold but / how you played Caliban / his tongue as Othello’s / and just as wronged / How you imbibed him with / emblemed him of colonized peoples / got me all riled up / imagining my ancestor’s vengeance / a rough blade thrust through Prospero’s proud heart / but you didn’t / Play ends / Cali still enslaved / Bruh / that shit fuckedSupport the show (https://getlit.org/donate/)
In which we tackle society's fear of, and fascination with, Black hair. Two friends, one Black, one White, share a series of tender and uncompromising conversations about how Whiteness and anti-Blackness have shaped their lives. Join us, Tanaka Mhishi and Imogen Butler-Cole, as we attempt our own version of restorative justice through compassion and storytelling. Twitter: @lovingcolourpod Instagram: @lovingcolourpod Theme music: The Boatman from The Other Side by Quest Ensemble Resources mentioned in this episode are: Don't Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri (US edition is Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture) Hair Love, Oscar-winning animated short: https://youtu.be/kNw8V_Fkw28 Barbershop Chronicles by Inua Ellams (available to buy in script form) Selina Thompson's play Dark and Lovely: resources available here: https://selinathompson.co.uk/projects/dark-lovely/ https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/iatl/reinvention/archive/bcur2013specialissue/rhodes/: Subtle Racism: Viewing Race through Hair by Zoey Olivia Rhodes
Happy Easter! This week I am joined by the completely wonderful Inua Ellams, a fantastic poet and playwright who I last shared a stage with in a crowded basement in early March 2020 in one of the last gigs pre-pandemic. Since then he had had his debut full collection of poetry The Actual published and it is completely gorgeous, we also talk about his RAP Party events as well as what is coming up for him, in amongst some beautiful poetry shared.I Kick Off with something very old indeed in the form of a 17-year-old rap plucked from the archives, before sharing my new Easter poem on The Last Supper and something tenuously Blue in the form of the Chelsea kit mentioned in my poem 22! Meanwhile I borrow a Rob Auton poem and Inua borrows a Ross Gay poem to round off a wonderful episode. I'll be taking a short break for the next while so I can focus on some writing, feel free to listen back to previous episodes in the meantime and I will speak to you soon!You can follow Inua Here and order his new book HereYou can follow me Here, donate to the podcast Here, or donate to my Marathon fundraising Here!Much love x
This year, F Scott Fitzgerald's classic The Great Gatsby enters the public domain. What will this mean for one of America's best loved novels? Ian McMillan is joined by the academic and writer Sarah Churchwell, author of 'Careless People: Murder, Mayhem and the invention of The Great Gatsby', to discuss why the language of the book is still so resonant to us today. And poet and playwright Inua Ellams considers the quality of 'emptiness' in the text and how Fitzgerald's writing made this glittering world of parties feel so hollow. Jonathan Bate's new book is 'Bright Star, Green Light: The Beautiful and Damned Lives of John Keats and F. Scott Fitzgerald'. Bate joins us to take us on a 'Keatsian' reading of The Great Gatsby And to examine the idea of the public domain, we'll also be looking at what it means to remix and play around with a text with musician, broadcaster and technologist LJ Rich. LJ is a synesthete - how does she Fitzgerald's book, famously drenched in colour from green lights to yellow cocktail music? Presenter: Ian McMillan Producer: Jessica Treen
In this episode Inua Ellams talks to us about his extraordinary book The Actual (Penned in the Margins, 2020), a powerful, personal and often very funny collection that pokes a sharp stick at the legacy of British Empire, foolish machismo, hero culture, relationships and much more. Also, Peter sketches for us the story of the Négritude movement and its poets Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor, and we finish as ever with a bit of banter over those 'banned' words... speaking of which, **please note that this episode contains expletives.**
Season 2, Episode 8: excerpts from play-poem TROUBLE IN KIND by Caridad Svich, and a poem by Inua Ellams - printed at front of his play THREE SISTERS (Oberon Books, 2019). --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/caridad-svich/support
We spoke to poet and playwright Inua Ellams (@inuaellams) during the first lockdown about the success of his pre-pandemic hit show at the National Theatre, The Barbershop Chronicles, what it was like to lose 70 percent of his income in March and forming emotional support groups on his WhatsApp. During lockdown 2.0., Inua's thoughts on the future of theatre feel especially valid, with pantomimes and West End productions mostly cancelled or going virtual. In this episode, Inua speaks of the need to support creative freelancers, the innovative ways he was able to deliver interactive poetry through digital mediums and how, in losing theatre, we've lost more than plays, we've lost sacred spaces to gather as a collective watching the same stories together. Ultimately, books and poetry remain a hopeful medium to deliver art and provide an opportunity to keep educating and bringing people together. This is the last episode of series 1, but we'll be back next year with a new lineup of guests and more inspiring discussions. In the meantime, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @corqstudio and you can find me on Twitter @jennifertoro_. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week I take a look at the poem Shooting Script 1987 by Inua Ellams. The poem is a dissection of the way in which race and culture inform our sense of identity but more importantly the way in which a race or culture can be misrepresented by media. Find the poem here: https://poems.poetrysociety.org.uk/poems/a-shooting-script-1987/The shownotes for today's episode, with full references can be found here: https://wordsthatburnpodcast.com/You can get in touch with me on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wordsthatburnpodcast/The music in this weeks episode is Hiraeth by Scott Buckley and is used under creative commons license. Enjoy his music here: https://www.scottbuckley.com.au/ Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Femi Kuti, four-time Grammy Award nominee and son of Afrobeat Pioneer Fela Kuti. He discusses the End SARS and anti-police brutality protests that have swept Nigeria, the root of police violence being in the colonial era, what causes Nigeria’s police brutality, his own involvement in helping to calm a situation at an #EndSARS protest, the crackdown launched by security forces, why he believes President Buhari has handled both coronavirus and the protests badly, and much more! Finally, we speak to award-winning actor, playwright and author of ‘The Actual,’ Inua Ellams. He discusses the issues illustrated in his poems, such as climate change, Donald Trump, and racism. He also discusses why politics has become less about listening and more about knee-jerk reactions, why he believes the way the British government and people’s perception of immigration has to fundamentally change, the arguably toxic, lesser-known legacy of Rudyard Kipling, and much more! To conclude the show, he recites his poem ‘Batman.’
**NEW ILLUSTRATED BOOK - RELEASED 19 NOVEMBER** We bring you exciting news that Bedtime Stories for the End of the World has partnered with Studio Press and illustrator Inkquisitive to create a wonderful illustrated book featuring stories from Malika Booker, Kayo Chingonyi, Inua Ellams, Will Harris, Helen Mort and Joelle Taylor. We speak to the writers and give a sneak preview of their stories ahead of the book's release on 29 October. To buy a copy, visit bit.ly/InkTales Find out more about the podcast and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com
Sharifah and Jenn discuss TIME’s 100 Best Fantasy Books Of All Time, adaptation news, the Star Wars LEGO Special, and some favorite sf/f featuring mythology. This episode is sponsored by TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service offering reading recommendations personalized to your reading life, Skyhunter by Marie Lu, with Fierce Reads, and Kingdom of Sea and Stone by Mara Rutherford, published by Inkyard Press. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS here, Apple Podcasts here, Spotify here. The show can also be found on Stitcher here. To get even more SF/F news and recs, sign up for our Swords and Spaceships newsletter! News TIME chooses 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time [TIME] Star Wars LEGO Holiday Special [io9] Marsai Martin to adapt Savvy by Ingrid Law [Deadline] Emma Roberts is producing author V.E. Schwab’s teen vampire series [EW] Books Discussed The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman Half-God of Rainfall by Inua Ellams (tw: rape on the page) The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark Serpentine by Cindy Pon See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is poetry for now: written entirely on a phone, and unflinchingly reflecting the reality of our increasingly polarised world. From racism to the climate catastrophe, border politics to toxic masculinity, Inua Ellams – poet, performer and writer of the National Theatre’s sell out Barber Shop Chronicles – has written a collection that is as electrifying as it is powerful. Inua Ellams was born in Nigeria in 1984 and is a performer, playwriter, graphic artist, designer and poet. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and the author of books including The Half-God of Rainfall, an epic story told in verse. This talk was recorded at the online 5x15 event on 5th October 2020. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories
This week, Jenn and Patricia discuss Burning Roses, The Mason House, The Half-God of Rainfall, and more great books. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community, Saga Press, publishers of speculative fiction like Stephen Graham Jones’ THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS, Rebecca Roanhorse’s BLACK SUN, and more, and Skyhunter by Marie Lu. Subscribe to All the Books! using RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher and never miss a beat book. Sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news. Books Discussed On The Show Burning Roses by S.L. Huang The Mason House by T. Marie Bertineau (trigger warnings: domestic violence, alcoholism) Fat Girls in Black Bodies: Creating a New Space of Belonging by Joy Arlene Renee Cox Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo The Half-God of Rainfall by Inua Ellams (trigger warnings: rape, PTSD) Fauna by Christiane Vadnais, translated by Pablo Strauss The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill (trigger warnings: child abuse, homophobia, racism) What We’re Reading Next Seven Necessary Sins For Women and Girls by Mona Eltahawy The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Inua Ellams is many things – he's a poet, playwright, a creator of community, graphic artist and designer. He's moved, entertained and challenged audiences around the world, on stages from Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Sydney Opera House to the Glastonbury Festival. Inua is an ambassador for the Ministry of Stories, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has published various prize-winning books of poetry. His most recent book is ‘The Half-God of Rainfall' that ‘The Guardian' described as ‘a playful, epic contemporary retooling of Greek mythology…a story of feuding gods and journeys to the edge of the universe'. As with his poetry, his plays have been critically acclaimed. ‘The Barber Shop Chronicles' for example, sold out two runs at The National Theatre and was recently one of the special selection of works live streamed and made accessible for a period during the pandemic. Inua is also the founder of Midnight Run, a nocturnal urban excursion. He's undertaken several commissions, for places like the Tate Modern, Soho Theatre and the BBC and he also runs a R.A.P. Party for poets to read work inspired by hip-hop.Inua's new book of poetry is called ‘The Actual', and as Bernardine Evaristo said 'This is what poetry looks like when you have nothing to lose, when you speak from the heart, when you have spent years honing your craft so that you can be free. This is what poetry looks like when you are a word sorcerer, a linguistic swordsman, a metaphor-dazzler, a passionate creator of poetry as fire, as lament, as beauty, as reflection, as argument, as home. I was blown away by this book'.www.inuaellams.comListen to the audio documentary: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000m5lt
Poet, playwright, performer, graphic artist and designer Inua Ellams is without doubt one of the most inspiring and eloquent creators I've had the pleasure of speaking with so far.There's so much in this short conversation, recorded remotely during lockdown. Inua talks about his childhood in Nigeria, and the black privilege he only became aware of later; he talks about finding inspiration in sources as diverse as Terry Pratchett, Tolkein and 90's west coast hip hop; he tells me why his plays are really poems which have gone wrong; why he never really gets writer's block and he makes a compelling case for the similarities between a poem and a basketball team.Witty, wise, and hugely talented, he is Inua Ellams.
Crime writer Nicola Upson returns to the pod to talk about designing a good plot. Nicola tells us how her process has adjusted over time and discusses the unique requirements of the crime genre. Nicola's latest book is Sorry for the Dead, continuing her hugely successful Josephine Tey series. This episode is part of our latest Early Career Writers' Resource pack, which is all about PLOT. Check out the website for more amazing free stuff from Okechukwu Nzelu and Inua Ellams. https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/4-plot/ Supported by Arts Council England. Hosted by Steph McKenna and Simon Jones. More about us: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk Music by Bennet Maples.
This week we are super lucky to talk to the best Playwright and poet in Britain about a gem of an album somewhat unknown to us but boy is it amazing. It's not even on Spotify! Inua talks in depth about Soweto Kinch's unknown masterpiece A Life in the Day of B19 as well as about the association between Poetry and rap and the state of the world today. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Our inaugural pre-covid19 episode sees Rai joined by the incredibly talented Inua Ellams, where we talk Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, Theatre, Saul Williams and more. There's a whole load of art in this one. Make sure to follow us on socials, subscribe to the podcast and join the conversation: instagram - @thisthingchangedmylife twitter - @thisthingpod
Can our theatrical landscape survive financially, and how might it need to creatively adapt to survive post pandemic? As part of the Lockdown Theatre Festival, Anne McElvoy's panel features: Bertie Carvel - actor and executive producer of Lockdown Theatre Festival, whose roles include Rupert Murdoch in Ink, Miss Trunchbull in Matilda The Musical, and Simon in BBC One drama Doctor Foster. Amit Lahav – founder of Gecko, the internationally-touring physical theatre company based in Ipswich. Eleanor Lloyd – theatre producer, whose West End hits include Emilia, Nell Gwynn, and 1984. Roy Alexander Weise – Joint Artistic Director of Manchester Royal Exchange, awarded an MBE for services to drama. The discussion also include playful, thoughtful contributions from theatre makers including Inua Ellams, Tamara Harvey, Emma Rice, Dominic Cavendish, Bertrand Lesca, Tim Etchells, David Lockwood and Selina Thompson and an interview with Caroline Dinenage MP Production: Jack Howson and Robyn Read Lockdown Theatre will feature four plays that had their runs cut short: The Mikvah Project by Josh Azouz and originally showing at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, Love Love Love by Mike Bartlett recently revived for Lyric, Hammersmith Theatre, Rockets And Blue Lights by Winsome Pinnock - sadly suspended before its world premiere planned at Manchester’s Royal Exchange, and Shoe Lady by E.V. Crowe - cut short into its run at the Royal Court Theatre - Produced by Jeremy Mortimer, a Reduced Listening production for Radio 3 and Radio 4 and available on BBC Sounds https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08fw06m In the Free Thinking archives you can find discussions including Dramatising Democracy with James Graham, Paula Milne Michael Dobbs and Trudi-Ann Tierney https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04yb7k6 Meera Syal and Tanika Gupta on dramatising Anita and Me https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06gt257 Is British Culture Getting Weirder? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000346m
Back in October we celebrated Black History Month at Libreria welcoming authors Inua Ellams, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi and founder of Libreria Ghana, Sylvia Arthur. For this podcast co-founder of Literanda Alessandra Bassey discussed African literary history with Jennifer and Sylvia.
The poet and playwright describes how he was influenced by the comic novel "Pyramids". "When I opened the first few pages...it is no exaggeration to say my whole world changed," he recalls. As a twelve-year-old Nigerian migrant to London, Ellams found that Pratchett's hilarious fantasy world helped him in his transition to his new homeland. "If I could give myself and belong so completely and entirely to his world, which mirrored Britain, then perhaps I could belong to Britain itself." Producer: Smita Patel.
Join John Wilson for a Christmas party including games and performances from all our guests.Impressionist Jon Culshaw delivers ten Christmas messages, but can you guess all the voices?Poet Patience Agbabi performs her Christmas poem, I Go To the Supervillains Christmas Ball As The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, written especially for Front Row. Cariad Lloyd and Charlotte Gittins from comedy improv group Austentatious perform an excerpt from a previously unknown Jane Austen work suggested by our party guests.Playwright Inua Ellams reads his poem, Swallow Twice, about family and feasting.Actress Josie Lawrence improvises a Christmas song based on a random object, with Steve Edis on piano providing musical accompaniment throughout.Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Hannah Robins.
Inua Ellams on his acclaimed play Barber Shop Chronicles, which explores masculinity from the perspective of the barber's chair, both in London and Africa. Tennis champion Billie Jean King's show match against notorious chauvinist Bobby Riggs in 1973 is the subject of a new film Battle of the Sexes, starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell. Mark Eccleston reviews.Briony Hanson discusses Godless, Netflix's first western miniseries, starring Jack O'Connell, Jeff Daniels and Michelle Dockery, in a role that is a far cry from Downton Abbey. This year marks the centenary of the birth of the Cornish poet Charles Causley, whose work was influenced by ballads, hymns and his love of jazz and dance bands. Cahal Dallat, the first Charles Causley Trust musician in residence, poet Rory Waterman and singer Jim Causley discuss his legacy. Presenter: Kirsty Lang Producer: Timothy Prosser.
‘Moonlight' writer Tarell Alvin McCraney tells us how growing up in Liberty City, and discovering the drag ball scene, shaped his understanding of what it means to be a man. Poet and playwright Inua Ellams tells us why the barber shop is a safe space for black men to be themselves, and we ask a dressing room of male actors to share their stories of the many kinds of men they've been asked to be for their careers.
Warren Beatty has written, directs and stars in Rules Don't Apply, his film about the billionaire film producer, businessman and aviator, Howard Hughes. Writers Karen Krizanovich and Michael Carlson review.Nigerian-born poet Inua Ellams discusses and performs from his new collection #Afterhours, in which he responds to other poets and their poetry.Writer Stella Duffy reviews the new Channel 4 drama Born to Kill, from the producers of Line of Duty, starring Romola Garai, Daniel Mays and young actors Jack Rowan and Lara Peake.Music writer and former A&R man Ben Wardle strokes his stubbly chin and ponders his long-lasting love affair with that classic music genre - pop.Presenter Samira Ahmed Producer Jerome Weatherald.