Podcast appearances and mentions of james iremonger

Brian Turner is an American poet. He served for seven years in the U.S. Army, completing tours of duty in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1999-2000) before being sent in November 2003 to Iraq. He is the winner of the 2005 Beatrice Hawley Award for his debut, Here, Bullet, a collection of poems about his experience as a soldier during the Iraq War. In this podcast, Turner talks to Jennifer Williams about the poetry that came out of his experiences in the US military, and how poetry can be a line thrown out by the breath or a question planted inside a reader. Recorded in association with StAnza, Scotland's International Poetry Festival at StAnza 2014. Many thanks to James Iremonger (www.jamesiremonger.co.uk) for the podcast music.

In this podcast Jennifer Williams talks to Ilyse Kusnetz (1966—2016) who was visiting Scotland during the StAnza Festival 2014. They talk about when to put the poem in the closet, feminism and politics in poetry and what the Scottish Referendum looks like from across the Atlantic. Before her death in 2016, she taught English and Creative Writing at Valencia College in Orlando, where she lived with her husband, the poet Brian Turner. Ilyse Kusnetz was the winner of the 2014 T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry for her collection Small Hours. Music by James Iremonger. This podcast was recorded in association with StAnza, Scotland's International Poetry Festival.

This podcast was recorded at-and in partnership with-the 2014 StAnza International Poetry Festival. Jennifer Williams talked to Jacob Polley about meaning and lack thereof, about resisting the idea of ‘home' and about remaining open to possibility when you're writing and much more. Jacob Polley is the author of three acclaimed poetry collections, The Brink, Little Gods and, most recently, The Havocs, as well as a Somerset Maugham Award-winning novel, Talk of the Town. Born in Cumbria, he lives in Scotland where he teaches at the University of St Andrews. Many thanks to James Iremonger  for the music in the podcast. Image: Mai Lin Li.

In this podcast from 2015, Jennifer Williams speaks to Salma*, an Indian poet and crusader for women's rights.  They talk about Salma's strength and bravery in the face of oppression, her commitment to writing and publishing under extremely challenging circumstances and even *gasp* the use of the ‘v' word in contemporary poetry!  Salma was born in a small village in Southern India, and overcame many obstacles to publish her poetry and fiction, now recognised as an important contribution to Tamil writing.  Salma came to Scotland as part of the Scottish Poetry Library's Commonwealth Poets United project. As part of the cultural programme surrounding the XX Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Poets United was an international exchange project between six Scottish poets and poets from six Commonwealth nations:  Canada, India, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria and South Africa.  It established relationships between artists, organisations and communities through a culturally enriching poetry exchange. The project was supported by Creative Scotland and the British Council, and partnered by BBC Radio Scotland. *Rakkiaiah is an Indian Tamil writer, activist, and politician known by the pen name Salma and the nickname Rajathi, and often referred to as Rajathi Salma. Music by James Iremonger.

It has been some time since this podcast was recorded with one of our Commonwealth Poets United visitors, Tolu Ogunlesi, however it feels like just the right time to release it as Tolu speaks so beautifully about how poetry platforms on the internet and new technologies such as email allowed him to become part of a global community of poets. In a time when the world feels fragile and where notions of borders and ownership seem fraught with complexities and power struggle, it is a relief to hear a poet speaking of poetry as a connecting force in his life, as a passport to new landscapes and ideas. Tolu Ogunlesi is a journalist, poet, fiction-writer and photographer who lives in Lagos, Nigeria. His poetry collection Listen to the Geckos Singing from a Balcony was published in 2004, and his work has been widely published in magazines and anthologies. Music by James Iremonger.

In this podcast guest interviewer and multi-lingual writer and translator Jessica Johannesson Gaitán talks to three bilingual poets about what it means to have more than one mother tongue, feeling guilty or not about writing in big languages, translating one's own poetry and much more! Juana Adcock is a poet and translator working in English and Spanish. Ioannis Kalkounos was born in Greece. His first collection of poems, dakryma, was published in 2011 (Athens, Dromon Publications). Agnes Török is a spoken word performer, poetry workshop leader, poetry event organiser and Loud Poet. Jessica Johannesson Gaitán grew up in Sweden and Colombia. Music by James Iremonger.

On 15 February 2013, Jennifer Williams and poet/author Tracey S. Rosenberg had a chat about that dreaded and unavoidable demon that every publishing writer must do battle with: rejection.  We hope this podcast will be of interest to all writers who have to deal with inevitable rejection, and especially to young and emerging writers who are starting down the challenging path towards publication.  Music by James Iremonger. Photo by Chris Scott.

Poet Chrys Salt talks about who has the right to write about certain subjects, about writing war poetry when you have a son who is a soldier, and how poetry can benefit from a good performance. Thanks to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast.

This podcast is a recording of the 2015 StAnza International Poetry Festival Round Table event in which SPL Programme Manager and poet Jennifer (JL) Williams was in conversation with the poet Alice Notley. It was recorded shortly before she won the 2015 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. Alice Notley has published over thirty books of poetry, including (most recently) Songs and Stories of the Ghouls, Negativity's Kiss, and the chapbook Secret ID. With her sons Anselm and Edmund Berrigan, she edited both The Collected Poems of Ted Berrigan and The Selected Poems of Ted Berrigan. Notley has received many awards including the Academy of American Poets' Lenore Marshall Prize, the Poetry Society of America's Shelley Award, the Griffin Prize, two NEA Grants, and the Los Angeles Times Book Award for Poetry. She lives and writes in Paris, France. Many thanks to StAnza International Poetry Festival and to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast. Image: Alice Notley 11.03.11 by kellywritershouse, under a Creative Commons licence

In this goodbye podcast from Jennifer Williams, she shares her very first SPL interview, a previously unaired conversation with the American poet Eleanor Wilner. Jennifer first met Eleanor at the Scottish Poetry Library soon after she started, and Eleanor continues to be a friend and mentor for Jennifer in her life as a poet and person who believes that art can do good work in the world. With many thanks, always, to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast. If you would prefer to read, rather than listen to, our podcast with Eleanor Wilner, click here to see a transcript of the interview.

In this podcast Jennifer Williams talks to the poet Isobel Dixon about the universal and the particular, collaboration and making space in a busy schedule to write, how to bring in the personal in poetry and much more. Please note: unfortunately there is a buzz from a mobile signal through some short sections of this podcast. We hope it won't detract from your enjoyment in listening. Many thanks. Isobel Dixon was born in South Africa. She studied in Edinburgh, and now lives in Cambridge and works as a literary agent in London, returning frequently to Cape Town and her family home in the Karoo. Her fourth collection Bearings is published by Nine Arches, along with re-issues of A Fold in the Map and The Tempest Prognosticator (later in 2016). Her new pamphlet, The Leonids, is published by Mariscat. She has been published in The Paris Review, The Manhattan Review, The Guardian, The Dark Horse and Prairie Schooner, among other publications. Many thanks to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast.

In this goodbye podcast from Jennifer Williams, she shares her very first SPL interview with the American poet Eleanor Wilner. Jennifer first met Eleanor at the Scottish Poetry Library soon after she started, and Eleanor continues to be a friend and mentor for Jennifer in her life as a poet (www.jlwilliamspoetry.co.uk) and person who believes that art can do good work in the world. Jennifer would like to say a huge thank you to all the listeners out there who have tuned in all these years. Eleanor Wilner: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/eleanor-wilner With many thanks, always, to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast: https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/tabla/

TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Rob Drummond. Rob is an award-winning playwright, performer and director who has worked with the most prestigious theatres in the UK. Rob is under commission to Traverse Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland, The Royal Court and the National Theatre. Theatre includes: Mr Write (National Theatre of Scotland); Rob Drummond: Wrestling (The Arches); Bullet Catch (The Arches, Traverse Theatre, 59E59 Theater, National Theatre, World Tour); Quiz Show (Traverse Theatre); Uncanny Valley (Summerhall), In Fidelity (Traverse and HighTide Festival). Awards: Rob’s plays Mr Write, Uncanny Valley and Quiz Show have all won Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland. Bullet Catch won the 2012 Total Theatre Award and received a Herald Angel. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

In this podcast Jennifer Williams speaks to our New Voices from Europe Literary Europe Live SPL Poets in Residence Juana Adcock and Árpád Kollár about writing poetry while listening to Hungarian punk music, the definition of Spanglish, how to write multi-lingual poems and much more. This project was made possible by Literary Europe Live, Literature Across Frontiers and the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. http://www.lit-across-frontiers.org/profiles/arpad-kollar/ http://www.lit-across-frontiers.org/profiles/juana-adcock/ With many thanks to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast: https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/tabla/

TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Alan Bissett. Alan is a playwright, novelist and performer who grew up in Falkirk and now lives in Renfrewshire. His novels include Boyracers, Death of a Ladies’ Man and Pack Men and his plays, many of which have been made in collaboration with director Sacha Kyle, include The Ching Room, Turbo Folk, The Pure, The Dead and The Brilliant, Ban This Filth!, The Red Hourglass and his ‘one-woman show’ The Moira Monologues, which has just finished a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe. He was Glenfiddich Scottish Writer of the Year in 2011 and, believe it or not, has a street in Falkirk named after him. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

In this podcast Jennifer Williams talks to the poet Isobel Dixon about the universal and the particular, collaboration and making space in a busy schedule to write, how to bring in the personal in poetry and much more. Please note: unfortunately there is a buzz from a mobile signal through some short sections of this podcast. We have edited it out where possible, but could not take it out altogether, and we didn’t want to lose too much of Isobel’s interview. We hope it won’t detract from your enjoyment in listening. Many thanks. Many thanks to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast.

TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Sue MacLaine. Sue is a UK theatre-maker, with a singularly driven voice, making work because she has to with the stakes of her investigations are high. She casts a fearless gaze - on both herself and her subject to write scripts that are bleakly funny, challenging whilst remaining compassionate and warm. She is particularly interested in marrying form with subject and was short-listed in 2012 for a Total Theatre Award in the category of 'Innovation, experimentation, and playing with form' for her work Still Life: An Audience with Henrietta Moraes which continues to tour art spaces and galleries. http://www.suemaclaine.com/ Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Al Smith. Al's Play Diary of a Madman is part of the Traverse Festival programme 2016. His other theatre work includes Harrogate (HighTide / Royal Court Theatre); Enola; The Bird (Underbelly); Radio (Underbelly / Soho / 59E59NYC); The Astronaut Wives Club (Soho Theatre). He is currently under commission to the Royal Court Theatre. Radio includes: LifeLines; Duchamp’s Urinal; Life in the Freezer; The Postman of Good Hope; Radio (BBC Radio 4) and Everyday Time Machines; Everyman (BBC Radio 3). Television includes: Shakespeare Live; The Coroner; Father Brown; The Cut; Africa; Holby City; EastEnders (BBC1). Awards: BFI / Wellcome Trust Screenwriting Prize, and the Pearson Playwriting Bursary (Finborough). Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

In this podcast Jennifer Williams speaks to Jamaican-born, American-based poet Shara McCallum about her new Robert Burns poetry project which brought her to Scotland for a research visit; the lyric self; female and minority voices in poetry and much more. With thanks to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast. https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/tabla/ SHARA MCCALLUM http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/shara-mccallum Originally from Jamaica, Shara McCallum is the author of five books of poetry: Madwoman (forthcoming fall 2016, Alice James Books, US; spring 2017, Peepal Tree Press, UK); The Face of Water: New and Selected Poems (Peepal Tree Press, UK, 2011); This Strange Land (Alice James Books, US, 2011), a finalist for the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature; Song of Thieves (University of Pittsburgh Press, US, 2003); and The Water Between Us (University of Pittsburgh Press, US, 1999), winner of the Agnes Lynch Starrett Prize for Poetry. Recognition for her work includes a Witter Bynner Fellowship from the Library of Congress, a National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship, a Walter E. Dakin Fellowship from the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, a Tennessee Arts Commission Individual Artist Grant, a Cave Canem Fellowship, inclusion in the Best American Poetry series, and a poetry prize from the Academy of American Poets. Her poems have appeared in literary journals, magazines, and anthologies in the US, the Caribbean, Latin America, the UK and other parts of Europe, and Israel; have been reprinted in over thirty textbooks and anthologies of American, African American, Caribbean, and world literatures; and have been translated into Spanish, French, Italian, and Romanian. McCallum is also an essayist and publishes reviews and essays regularly in print and online at such sites as the Poetry Society of America. She has delivered readings throughout the US and internationally, including at the Library of Congress, Folger Shakespeare Library, Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, Miami Book Fair International, Calabash Festival (Jamaica), Bocas Lit Fest (Trinidad), StAnza (Scotland), Poesia en el Laurel (Spain), Incoci di Civilta (Italy), and at numerous colleges and universities. Since 2003, McCallum has served as Director of the Stadler Center for Poetry at Bucknell University, where she is a Professor in the Creative Writing Program. She has been a faculty member in the University of Memphis MFA program, Drew University Low-Residency MFA Program, Stonecoast Low-Residency MFA program, and at the University of West Indies in Barbados.

TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Matt Regan. Matt, AKA Little King, studied Classical Music at Queens University Belfast and graduated in 2010. Soon after he moved to Glasgow and has been working as a freelance musician, writer and performer for six years. He creates his own music, makes music for performances and facilitates music workshops in communities, hospitals and prisons across Scotland. He was nominated for a CATs award for his work for Theology, awarded young innovators funding for Swim Team and was part of Enormous Yes’ Platform 18 award at the Arches. He creates his own work is under the pseudonym ‘Little King’ which features spoken word, poetry and song performed with a string quartet. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellaghar, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Alan Gordon. Alan is an Edinburgh based playwright who strives to make theatre which is accessible to a wide audience and attracts new audiences to the theatre. Alan has produced 4 plays at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has worked with Strange Town since 2011. His plays for Strange Town include, “Teach Me”, which was shortlisted for the Scottish Arts Club Edinburgh Guide Scottish Theatre Award in the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Alan is also one of the Traverse 50 and has been through the Playwrights Studio Scotland Mentoring Scheme. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellaghar, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Errol White and Davina Givan of the renowned group White & Givan. Errol White (Creative Co-Director) Trained at the Northern Contemporary Dance School, Errol White has performed with some of the UK’s best known contemporary dance companies including Phoenix Dance Company, Scottish Dance Theatre, Random Dance Company and National Dance Company of Wales. He has performed internationally working alongside a number of distinguished directors and choreographers including Rui Horta, Bill T Jones, Kenneth Kvarnstrom, Darshan Singh Buller, Fin Walker and Janet Smith and Ashley Page. Errol was the Artistic Director of National Youth Dance Wales from 2009 till 2013. Currently he is the Creative Co-Director of the Scottish contemporary dance duo White & Givan (previously Errol White Company) A teaching artist and performer, Errol has over 20 years’ experience, including five years as Rehearsal Director with Scottish Dance Theatre. As guest lecturer in dance colleges and other educational settings throughout the UK Errol shares his legacy of practice teaching the next generation of contemporary dancers. He also leads residencies and classes for professional dance companies. In 2014 and in collaboration with Davina Givan, he launched Scotland’s first paid pilot apprenticeship programme, Evolve. Errol is a recipient of the Dance Europe Magazine’s Critics Award for Best Male Performer (2003/2004), the Marion North Mentoring Award for Choreography (2002), the Lisa Ullman Travelling Scholarship Award (2009). His most recent choreographic collaborations with Davina Givan include the successful and critically acclaimed works Three Works (2009) and IAM (2012). Davina Givan (Creative Co-Director) Davina Givan is an experienced and highly articulate artist who trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. Edinburgh born, Davina has worked and performed with Richard Alston Dance Company, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Scottish Dance Theatre and also as the Creative Director of National Youth Dance Wales 2009-13. Currently, she is the Creative Co-Director of the Scottish contemporary dance duo White & Givan (previously Errol White Company). Throughout her career Davina has worked with internationally renowned choreographers dancing original roles for Richard Alston, Darshan Singh Buller, Janet Smith, Henri Oguike, Ashley Page and Jan De Shenkle. She has received several awards including the Critics Award by Dance Europe Magazine (Best Female Performer 2001/2002)The Mitchell Dance Award (1993), and a nomination for the highly-prized Outstanding Young Artist category in the Critics Circle Dance Awards (2002). An experienced teaching artist and facilitator, Davina generously shares her practitioner experience working across age groups and in a variety of educational and professional settings in Scotland and internationally. In 2014 and in collaboration with Errol White, she launched Scotland’s first paid pilot apprenticeship programme, Evolve. Her most recent choreographic collaborations with Errol White include the successful and critically acclaimed works Three Works (2009) and IAM (2012). In 2015, White & Givan were invited to work with Orla O’Loughlin, Artistic Director and Joint CEO of the Traverse Theatre in the capacity of Movement Directors and Choreographers for the new play Swallow by Stef Smith. Swallow won the Scotsman Fringe First Award and the Scottish Arts Club Theatre Award-First Place when premiered in the 2015 Fringe Festival at the Traverse. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellaghar, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Maria Oller. Maria has been Lung Ha Theatre Company’s Artistic Director since 2009. She trained at Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris and London, and at The Drama Academy in Helsinki. Since then Maria has been working as an actor and director in theatre, TV and film in Scandinavia and the UK. Alongside working for Lung Ha Theatre Company, Maria is a member of Hearts & Minds Clowndoctor and Elderflower team. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Rebecca Sharp. Rebecca’s work spans theatre/performance, poetry, prose and collaborative projects. Originally from Glasgow, she studied Theatre at Glasgow University. Her early plays were produced at the Arches theatre in Glasgow - ‘fascinatingly complex, audacious and at times brain-poppingly clever work’ (Neil Cooper, The Herald): Last Child (2001) and Danger: Hollow Sidewalk (2006). Recent projects include The Ballad of Juniper Davy and Sonny Lumiere (poetry, performance), Little Forks (live literature), For the Bees (text and music with Mr McFall’s Chamber), Rules of the Moon (text/sound/performance with Philip Jeck), The Unmaking of Mary Somerville (with Stellar Quines theatre company) and The Wakeful Chamber (with a Play a Pie and a Pint, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Sound new music festival); as well as her current play, The Air That Carries The Weight with Stellar Quines. She currently lives in Fife. www.rebeccajoysharp.com Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Marc Brew. Marc Brew is an award-winning Australian performer, director and choreographer. Now based in Glasgow, Marc’s work has been toured to critical acclaim across the world, his outdoor work (i)land was commissioned for the Glasgow 2014 Cultural programme and Without Walls. Brew’s Unlimited Commission Fusional Fragments was part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and a collaboration with world-renowned percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie which toured the UK and Internationally. His new work For Now, I am... had its World Premiere at Dance International Glasgow Festival in May 2015. Marc has also produced work for a number of high profile companies such as Scottish Ballet, Indepen-dance 4, Ballet Cymru, AXIS Dance Company (USA), Candoco Dance Company, Scottish Dance Theatre, Touch Compass (NZ), Amy Seiwert’s Imagery (USA), The London Contemporary Dance School, YDance, National Theatre Scotland and Dundee Rep Theatre. Marc has been presented with a Centenary Medal for Outstanding Contribution as a dancer and choreographer and in 2014 Marc was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Performance (Individual) at the prestigious Isadora Duncan Awards for his solo piece Remember When. Marc is Associate Artist at Tramway and Associate Artistic Director at Ballet Cymru. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Devised, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Matthew Zajac. Matthew is from Inverness. He studied Drama at Bristol University and has worked as an actor for 33 years. Theatre includes work at the Citizens Theatre Glasgow, Manchester Royal Exchange, Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Everyman, Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, the Lyric Hammersmith, Bush Theatre and the Young Vic. Most recently, he played Bishop Gornik in the feature film The Crucifixion, directed by Xavier Gens and due for release in 2016. He directed Seven Ages (2001), The Seer (2006), ‘e Polish Quine (2007), Jacobite Country (2010), Sweetness (2011) and The Baroness (2013) for Dogstar and wrote and performed The Tailor of Inverness for the company, winning the 2009 Best Actor Award at the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland, a Scotsman Fringe First, the Holden Street Theatres Award and the Stage Award for Best Solo Performer at the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe. The Tailor of Inverness went on to run for a month at the 2009 Adelaide Fringe Festival, winning nominations for Best Production and Best Performance. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain.

It has been some time since this podcast was recorded with one of our Commonwealth Poets United visitors, Tolu Ogunlesi, however it feels like just the right time to release it as Tolu speaks so beautifully about how poetry platforms on the internet and new technologies such as email allowed him to become part of a global community of poets. In a time when the world feels fragile and where notions of borders and ownership seem fraught with complexities and power struggle, it is a relief to hear a poet speaking of poetry as a connecting force in his life, as a passport to new landscapes and ideas. Tolu Ogunlesi is a journalist, poet, fiction-writer and photographer who lives in Lagos, Nigeria. His poetry collection Listen to the geckos singing from a balcony was published in 2004, and his work has been widely published in magazines and anthologies. https://toluogunlesi.wordpress.com/ Many thanks to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast: https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/tabla/

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Stephen Greenhorn. Stephen has been a professional dramatist for theatre, radio and television since 1989. His plays have been produced by a wide variety of theatre companies across the UK and around the world. Notable successes include The Salt Wound (1994) for 7:84, Passing Places (1997) for the Traverse (produced at Pitlochry in 2014), King Matt (2001) for TAG, and award-winning The Proclaimers musical Sunshine on Leith for Dundee Rep which toured the UK and Scotland 2007-10. His feature adaptation of Sunshine on Leith for Black Camel Pictures/DNA premiered September 2013 at the Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews and has enjoyed a UK-wide release. Stephen's TV work includes the six-part drama series Glasgow Kiss (BBC1, 2000), the feature–length adaptation of Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea (BBC1, 2006), two episodes of Doctor Who and critically-acclaimed five-part series Marchlands (ITV, 2011). He also created the popular soap opera River City for BBC Scotland. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Linda McLean. Linda comes from Glasgow, Scotland. Her plays have won many awards. They include Every Five Minutes, Sex & God, Any Given Day, Strangers, Babies, Shimmer, Riddance and One Good Beating. Since her first production in 1997, she has been known as a playwright who experiments with form. Her plays have been translated into many languages. An anthology of her work was published in France in 2015 by Actes Sud. Linda is on the artistic board of Magic Theatre, San Francisco. She is currently writing a comedy for Magic Theatre and a new play called Thingummy Bob, for Lung Ha theatre Company will premiere at the Traverse in October 2015. She has also written a Breakfast Play for the Traverse Theatre’s Festival 2015 programme. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

In this podcast guest interviewer and multi-lingual writer and translator Jessica Johannesson Gaitán talks to 3 bilingual poets about what it means to have more than one mother tongue, feeling guilty or not about writing in big languages, translating one’s own poetry and much more! Featuring: Juana Adcock is a poet and translator working in English and Spanish. Her work has appeared in publications such as Magma Poetry, Gutter, Glasgow Review of Books,Asymptote and Words Without Borders. Her first book, Manca, explores the anatomy of violence in Mexico and was named by Reforma‘s distinguished critic Sergio González Rodríguez as one of the best poetry books published in 2014. http://jennivora.com/ Ioannis Kalkounos was born in Greece. He works at the Edinburgh City Libraries. In 2012 he read two short stories at the Edinburgh International Book Festival (Story Shop). His first collection of poems, dakryma, was published in 2011 (Athens, Dromon Publications). Agnes Török is a spoken word performer, poetry workshop leader, poetry event organiser and Loud Poet. She is the winner of multiple Poetry Slams in three different countries and two different languages. Török has been featured as a TED speaker, on The Today Programme and BBC Radio Scotland. At 2014’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, she was a BBC Poetry Slam finalist and her collaborative spoken word show with the Loud Poets received several five-star reviews. Her one-woman spoken word show ‘Sorry I Don’t Speak Culture’ was awarded Best International Spoken Word Show at the Edinburgh Fringe (PBH). Török is premiering her newest project ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It – Take This Survey’, a one-woman show about the science of happiness, at the Edinburgh Fringe on the 16th – 24th of august. The show is an expansion of her TED talk on studying happiness. http://agnestorok.org/ Jessica Johannesson Gaitán grew up in Sweden and Colombia and currently lives in Bath. Her poems and stories have appeared in Gutter and The Stinging Fly among other publications. She writes about translations at therookeryinthebookery.org Many thanks to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast. https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/tabla/

In this podcast Jennifer Williams talks to New Zealand poet John Dennison about his new book Otherwise (Carcanet, 2015). They discuss the poem as microeconomy, what it means to be human, where God fits in to modern poetry and much more. This podcast was recorded at and in association with StAnza International Poetry Festival 2015. http://www.carcanet.co.uk/cgi-bin/indexer?owner_id=995 John Dennison was born in Sydney in 1978. He grew up in Tawa, New Zealand and studied English literature at Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Otago. Having recently completed a PhD at the University of St Andrews, he now lives with his family in Wellington. Music by James Iremonger (https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/tabla/).

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma Speaks to Zinnie Harris. Zinnie’s celebrated early play Further Than The Furthest Thing (Royal National Theatre / Tron co-production) won her the Peggy Ramsay Playwriting and John Whiting Award in 2001. Her most recent play, How To Hold Your Breath, premiered at the Royal Court Jerwood downstairs in 2015. Her other plays include The Wheel (2011, National Theatre of Scotland), which won a Fringe First and was joint winner of the 2011 Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award; an adaptation of A Doll’s House (2009, Donmar Warehouse); Fall (2008, Traverse Theatre), Midwinter (2004, RSC), which won an Arts Foundation Fellowship Prize for Playwriting; and Nightingale And Chase (2001, Royal Court Theatre). Zinnie’s television work includes two 90 minute dramas for Channel 4, Born With Two Mothers and Richard Is My Boyfriend; episodes for the BBC One Drama Series SPOOKS; and she is currently lead writer on the series Partners In Crime (based on the Agatha Christie novels Tommy And Tuppence), for Endor / BBC 1 (to be broadcast in 2015), starring David Walliams. Her theatre direction includes The Garden (2009) and While You Lie (2010) for the Traverse Theatre, Midwinter (2004) and Solstice (2005) for the Royal Shakespeare Company, her own adaptation of Strindberg’s Miss Julie (2006) for the National Theatre of Scotland, Dealers Choice (2003) for the Tron Theatre and Gilt (2003) for 7:84. Zinnie has also worked extensively as a dramaturg, particularly with Edinburgh-based theatre company, Grid Iron where she was co-ordinating director on the award winning co-production with Edinburgh International Book Festival Letters Home (2014). Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

This podcast is a recording of the 2015 StAnza International Poetry Festival Round Table event in which SPL Programme Manager and poet Jennifer (JL) Williams was in conversation with the poet Alice Notley. Alice Notley has published over thirty books of poetry, including (most recently) Songs and Stories of the Ghouls, Negativity’s Kiss, and the chapbookSecret I D. With her sons Anselm and Edmund Berrigan, she edited both The Collected Poems of Ted Berrigan and The Selected Poems of Ted Berrigan. Notley has received many awards including the Academy of American Poets’ Lenore Marshall Prize, the Poetry Society of America’s Shelley Award, the Griffin Prize, two NEA Grants, and the Los Angeles Times Book Award for Poetry. She lives and writes in Paris, France. Many thanks to StAnza International Poetry Festival and to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast. (https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/tabla/)

Poet Chrys Salt talks about who has the right to write about certain subjects, about writing war poetry when you have a son who is a soldier, and how poetry can benefit from a good performance. Thanks to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast. https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/ Image of Chrys Salt by Claire Newman-Williams.

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Chris Campbell and Sasha Dugdale about the art of translation. A translator and poet, Sasha Dugdale has translated many plays from Russian for theatres around the world, including the Royal Court Theatre, the Traverse Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and BBC Radio Drama. She also translates poetry and short stories, and her translation of the poet Elena Shvarts’ Birdsong on the Seabed (Bloodaxe) was a Poetry Book Society Recommended Translation and shortlisted for the Popescu and Rossica Prizes. Sasha translated 'Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha' by Ukrainian playwright Natalia Vorozhbyt as part of Traverse Theatre A Play, A Pie and A Pint Spring Season 2015. Chris Campbell has worked as an actor at theatres including The National, The Royal Court, The Traverse, The West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Birmingham Rep, The Gate and English Touring Theatre. Directors have included Howard Davies, Sir Richard Eyre, Sir Peter Hall, Richard Wilson, William Gaskill, Erica Whyman, Stephen Daldry, Ian Brown and Annie Castledine. He most recently appeared alongside Meryl Streep in 'The Iron Lady'. He has translated plays by Philippe Minyana, David Lescot, Rémi de Vos, Adeline Picault, Magali Mougel, Launcelot Hamelin, Frédéric Blanchette, Catherine-Anne Toupin and Fabrice Roger-Lacan for The National, The Almeida, The Donmar, The Traverse, The Birmingham Rep and The Young Vic among others. Chris was Deputy Literary Manager of the National Theatre for six years and is currently Literary Manager of the Royal Court. In 2014, Chris was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. Chris translated 'Right Now' by Quebecois playwright and actor Catherine-Anne Toupin. Right Now is presented by the Traverse Theatre Company in May 2015. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced by Cian O Siochain and Eleanor Pender Devised and engineered by Cian O Siochain

This podcast was recorded at and in partnership with the 2014 StAnza International Poetry Festival. Jennifer Williams talks to Jacob Polley about meaning and lack thereof, about resisting the idea of ‘home’, about remaining open to possibility when you’re writing and much more. Jacob Polley is the author of three acclaimed poetry collections, The Brink, Little Gods and, most recently, The Havocs, as well as a Somerset Maugham Award-winning novel, Talk of the Town. Born in Cumbria, he lives in Scotland where he teaches at the University of St Andrews. http://jacobpolley.com/ Many thanks to James Iremonger for the music in the podcast: https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/tabla/ Image by Mai Lin Li

*Please note, this month's TravCast was recorded via a remote link meaning there is a lower sound quality than usual at certain points in the episode.* TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to playwright and actor, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Her debut play 'Fleabag' opened at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival Fringe to acclaim and awards. Phoebe has been awarded The Critics Circle Award (Most Promising Playwright), two Off West End Awards (Most Promising Playwright and Best Female Performance), a Fringe First and a Stage Award (Best Solo Performance). She also received a Special Commendation from the Susan Smith Blackburn Award and was shortlisted for the Evening Standard Most Promising Playwright Award. This production of Fleabag was nominated for an Olivier Award 2014 for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. She is currently adapting Fleabag for television and is working on a number of stage and screen projects. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced by Cian O Siochain and Eleanor Pender Devised and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Andy Manley and Ian Cameron, performers in Catherine Wheel's award-winning White. As an actor, deviser and director Andy Manley has been involved with many of the children’s theatre companies in Scotland. He creates performances largely through devising, though has worked on several written projects. He directs or performs depending on what feels right for the project. He started to make his own work in 2006, before that he was an actor. Andy works with a number of artists and collaborators to create his shows and the performances travel extensively to UK and international venues and festivals. Andy worked with Shona previously on Potato Needs a Bath, which has toured to the New Victory Theatre and he has worked with Catherine Wheels on Martha (Catherine Wheels), the internationally successful White and Kappa and The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk – which most recently toured to the New Victory Theatre in New York. His recent work includes a small story a co-production between Starcatchers and Theater O.N, Berlin and I Want a Rabbit! for Theater Junges Generation, Dresden. Further directing credits include work for Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne, Macrobert Arts Centre, M6 Theatre Company, Polka Theatre. Andy won the Herald Archangel at the Fringe 2012. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

In this first SPL Podcast of 2015, Jennifer Williams, SPL Programme Manager, speaks to Salma, Indian poet and crusader for women’s rights. They talk about Salma’s strength and bravery in the face of oppression, her commitment to writing and publishing under extremely challenging circumstances and even *gasp* the use of the ‘v’ word in contemporary poetry! We hope this will be an inspiring and entertaining podcast to kick off your poetic new year. Salma was born in a small village in Southern India, and overcame many obstacles to publish her poetry and fiction, now recognised as an important contribution to Tamil writing. Salma came to Scotland as part of the Scottish Poetry Library’s Commonwealth Poets United project. As part of the cultural programme surrounding the XX Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Poets United was an international exchange project between six Scottish poets and poets from six Commonwealth nations: Canada, India, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria and South Africa. It established relationships between artists, organisations and communities through a culturally enriching poetry exchange. The project was supported by Creative Scotland and the British Council, and partnered by BBC Radio Scotland. Commonwealth Poets United http://commonwealthpoetsunited.com/about-commonwealth-poets-united/ OR Books: http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/salma/ Music by James Iremonger with many thanks: https://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com/tabla/

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Iain Finlay Macleod, writer of the current Traverse Theatre Company production 'The Devil Masters'. Iain Finlay has had over fifty dramatic works produced for radio, theatre, television and film. His work has been shown in a number of countries such as the US, Germany and France. Plays for the Traverse Theatre include The Pearlfisher, I was a Beautiful Day, Homers and Broke (A version of the French play, Un homme en Faillite). Other plays include Somersaults for the National Theatre of Scotland and St. Kilda - The Opera which was performed in five European countries simultaneously in four languages. Iain Finlay is currently Associate Artist (Gaelic) at the National Theatre of Scotland. He was awarded the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship in 2009. He was Associate Playwright for two years (2007-2009) with Playwrights’ Studio Scotland and Writer-in-Residence at Sabhal Mor Ostaig for two years. The play The Devil Masters was written when he was the IASH Edinburgh University/Traverse Theatre Fellow in 2013, based at the Institute of Advanced Studies for the Humanities at Edinburgh University. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

In this podcast Jennifer Williams talks to Madeleine Campbell, A C Clarke, Christine De Luca and Haris Psarras about poetry translation in Scotland and about the innovative new book Quaich: An Anthology of Translation in Scotland Today. Purchase Quaich here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quaich-Anthology-Translation-Scotland-Today/dp/1782010696 Music by James Iremonger http://jamesiremonger.wordpress.com

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to three Québécois writers Fabien Cloutier, Catherine-Anne Toupin and François Archambault who came to the Traverse Theatre as part of a cultural exchange between Théâtre La Licorne, Montreal and the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. La Licorne is the home of La Manufacture Theatre Company in Montreal, founded in 1975. It mirrors some of the key passions of the Traverse Theatre, commissioning and producing some of the best new writing from Québec and beyond, presenting a significant number of Traverse plays in translation. Over the last few years, Traverse Theatre Artistic Director Orla O'Loughlin has worked closely with La Licorne Artistic Director Jean-Denis Leduc and this exchange is part of a long term relationship between these two pioneering theatres. François Archambault, writer of 'You Will Remember Me', performed at the Traverse as part of New Writing from Quebec, is the author of more than twenty plays, translated into numerous languages and staged all around the world. In 1998, he received the Governor General’s Literary Award for his play '15 seconds', performed by Traverse Theatre Company in 2003. The original production of 'The Leisure Society' by Théâtre de la Manufacture ran for 142 shows and received the "Masque" for the Best Original Play from the "Académie Québécoise", in 2004. His most recent play, You Will Remember Me' was created at Théâtre La Licorne in 2014 and is set to be adapted for the screen and in the running for the Governor General’s Literary Award. François has also written many scripts for television, and is currently working on two screenplays. A rising star in the Quebec theatre scene, Fabien Cloutier, writer of 'Billy (The Days of Howling)' performed at the performed at the Traverse as part of New Writing from Quebec, is a Québécois actor, playwright and the author of eight plays. His first solo show, Scotstown won the "Coup de coeur" at Zoofest in the 2010 Just For Laughs Festival. Fabien reprised the same character in the sequel, Cranbourne, described as a "tour de force" by critics and was a finalist for the Michel Tremblay Prize, Best Writing for the stage in the 2011-2012 season. Fabien Cloutier's powerful writing with its relentless rhythm has earned him a solid reputation. His more theatrical text 'Billy (The Days of Howling)' won the Gratien Gelinas Prize in 2011 and has been nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award. Talisman's 2014 production will be the English-language premiere of 'Billy (The Days of Howling)'. In autumn 2014, 'Pour Réussir un Poulet' written and directed by Fabien, was produced by La Manufacture Theatre and presented on stage at Théâtre La Licorne in Montreal. Catherine-Anne Toupin, writer of 'Right Here, Right Now' performed at the performed at the Traverse as part of New Writing from Quebec, graduated from The Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Montreal in 1999. She has become a well-known actress in Quebec and can be seen each week on two very popular television series. She has also written three full length plays, and many short plays, which have all been produced. She spends most of her time acting, both on stage and on screen while also working as a script editor for a television show she created, called 'Boomerang'. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain www.grobylinctonmedia.com

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Rebecca Sharp. Rebecca Sharp is a writer from Glasgow. Her guiding interest is in exploring the intersections between ideas and artistic practice, creating innovative projects, often in collaboration with other artists. Her own practice regularly extends beyond writing to include directing, producing and performing. Her work reflects a wide range of interests and influences: storytelling and folklore, landscape and map-making, ideas of North, archaeology, the voice and multiple voices, memory, reverberation and layering, absence and presence - and a pervading interest in the interconnectivity of thing. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to David Greig. Traverse Associate Artist, David Greig has been on the Scottish theatre scene since 1993 when Stalinland was produced by the Citizen's Theatre and he received his first professional commissions from The Traverse Theatre and The Royal Court. He has written many plays, most of which have premiered in Scotland. From 2005 to 2007 he was the first Dramaturg of The National Theatre of Scotland. Since his first main stage production Europe at the Traverse Theatre in 1996, his work has been produced extensively abroad. His plays have been translated and produced in most of the countries of Europe, the USA and Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan and Korea. David Greig has produced around 50 plays, texts, adaptations, translations and libretti in the first two decades of his career. He has produced adaptations of Tintin in Tibet (2005) for the Barbican, London and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2013) for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Other recent plays include The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart (2011) and The Events (2013). This year, he co-curated the National Theatre of Scotland's The Great Yes, No, Don't Know Five Minute Theatre Show with the late David MacLennan. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Kim Noble. Kim is an awarding comedic performance and video artist. His multi-disciplined approach has led him to work across theatre, TV, film, art and comedy He was one one half of Perrier Award-winning, BAFTA-nominated experimental art-comedy duo Noble and Silver. Kim’s work uses a provocative and humourous style to expose the human condition: notions of death, sexuality, gender and religion are picked at with dry comedic use of tragedy meshed with absurdity. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Valentijn Dhaenens. After obtaining a Master’s Degree in Dramatic Arts at the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp, Valentijn co-founded his own theatre company, SKaGeN. From 2006, the company has been rewarded with structural subsidisation from the Flemish / Belgian Government for their work as one of the leading modern theatre groups in Belgium and Holland. Outside SKaGeN he has worked extensively as an actor in over 30 productions for Belgium’s major companies such as NT Gent, Kaaitheater Brussels and Ontroerend Goed. His international breakthrough came with his own written and directed solo-show BigMoutH that is touring extensively to major festivals and venues worldwide. A follow up called SmallWaR was presented at the Traverse Theatre as part of its Edinburgh Festival 2014 programme. Aside from his theatre work, Valentijn is a sought-after narrator for documentaries such as The boy is gone by Christophe Bohn. Occasionally he is a guest lecturer at Belgian and Dutch theatre schools. To a broader audience, Valentijn is best known for his acting in several TV shows and films, most notably for his lead-role in De helaasheid der dingen / The Misfortunates by Felix Van Groeningen which won numerous prizes worldwide such as the Prix Art et Essai at the Cannes Film Festival 2009. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Chris Goode. Chris is the lead artist in Chris Goode & Company. This a collaboration between Chris, producer Ric Watts, writer and critic Maddy Costa, and a fluid evolving ensemble of makers, designers and performers with a group of associate artists at its core. The company launched in March 2011 and fully realised projects to date include: THE ADVENTURES OF WOUND MAN AND SHIRLEY, a new version of Chris’s acclaimed solo storytelling show for Edinburgh and BAC in 2011 and a UK tour in 2012, KEEP BREATHING(Drum Theatre Plymouth, 2011),OPEN HOUSE, (held at Transform at West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2011 and Mayfest 2012), GOD/HEAD(Ovalhouse and Theatre in the Mill, 2012), 9(co-production with West Yorkshire Playhouse, April 2012), MONKEY BARS (Co-produced with the Unicorn Theatre and premiered at Traverse Theatre, 2012), THE FOREST AND THE FIELD (Ovalhouse, 2013). Men in the Cities (in association with the Royal Court) was a part of the Festival programme at the Traverse in 2014. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma Speaks to John McCann. John's play Spoiling is part of the Traverse Festival 2014 programme. John is originally from County Armagh in Northern Ireland. He now lives in Scotland where his short play This Long Time was given a staged reading at the Traverse Theatre as part of Ten and where another play, The Next Of It, was read as part of Stellar Quines' Rehearsal Room 16. He was one of four emerging writers selected to participate in the Playwrights' Studio Scotland mentoring programme during 2009-2010. His latest play, The Cleanroom, was recently staged by Tinderbox Theatre Company in Belfast as part of the acclaimed True North ensemble project. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain

In this podcast Jennifer Williams talks to Brian Johnstone about his newest book, Dry Stone Work (Arc, 2014), and about upcoming The Fields of War performances (https://www.facebook.com/Fields.of.War) with poet Chrys Salt at the National Library of Scotland and other venues. Brian Johnstone is a Scottish poet, who was born in Edinburgh in 1950, but who has lived in Fife since 1969. A well-known figure on the Scottish poetry scene, he is a published poet with six collections to his name, a literary event organiser of broad experience and a live performer of his poems both as a solo reader and with various musical collaborators. Find out more about Trio Verso – Brian’s jazz collaboration project, The Fields of War and more at: http://brianjohnstonepoet.co.uk/ Many thanks to James Iremonger for the music in this podcast. www.jamesiremonger.co.uk

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatre makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Mark Thomas. Mark is a writer, performer, journalist and political campaigner who has been on stage, screen and radio for nearly 30 years, when he started on London’s alternative comedy scene. This August, Mark is bringing his latest show, Cuckooed to the Traverse Festival. He has most recently completed 100 Acts of Minor Dissent. In 2012, Mark performed his first ever theatre piece at the Traverse, Bravo Figaro, a touching and poignant tale first commissioned by the Royal Opera House about his opera-loving father which sold out its entire run and won Mark a Herald Angel award, a Scotsman Fringe First, and was recently broadcast on Radio 4. This show is set to tour Australia and New Zealand in 2015. He is the author of several books and his TV series, The Mark Thomas Comedy Product ran for six series. His radio show the Manifesto is on-going. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain