Door-to-Door Poetry: Nationwide is going on tour! This spring/summer I’m going to be heading to 16 venues around the country, with shows at The Edge Manchester, Exeter Phoenix and Rich Mix in London.

If you missed my last post, Door-to-Door Poetry: Nationwide is mixture of theatre and spoken word. It charts the story of my adventures around England as I knocked on strangers’ doors and wrote poems for them in the build-up to the pandemic. It’s about class and community and I’m hoping it’s going to start some conversations about our relationship with the people around us.

This has been a long time in the making. I started working on the show in summer 2020, so I’m incredibly pleased to be getting it out and about and to have the chance to share it with more people.

If you want to find out about upcoming dates click here. Or to find out more about the show itself go here.

To who it may concern,

In light of a complaint that was made towards one of the performers I booked for Words on the Terrace in June, namely that they had behaved in a way which was transphobic and trans exclusionary, I’ve decided to make some changes to the way I will respond to complaints towards events I run in the future.

Since dealing with this, I’ve been doing a lot of listening and a lot of thinking and it’s clear the way I handled the complaint was wrong. Because of this, I’m going to be making the following changes.

1. No more neutral language

I now know that by using neutral language in the statements I made, I left people in doubt about my standing on trans rights. I understand that this has made members of the trans community feel even more unsafe than they already did and I want to say that I am deeply, genuinely sorry for this. It was never my intention to create fear or leave my standing on this issue in any doubt.

In the interests of clearing that up right now, I would like to make the following statement:

I believe that trans people and non-binary people should be treated with the exact same amount of respect, tolerance and protection as any other person in our society. It therefore follows that trans people and non-binary people should have access to all the same facilities as any other person in this country. This includes, but is not limited to, trans women having access to women’s only bathrooms, women’s only hospitals and any other single gender public facilities.

If any performer I have booked for one of my events ever expresses a belief that goes against the above, they will be immediately removed from the line-up. Any performer who expresses views which go against this while on stage will have their performance stopped immediately, and will be removed from the stage.

This isn’t a conclusion I’ve come to recently. It has been a part of my beliefs and has informed particular decisions in my professional career for the best part of a decade. That said, this is the first time I have ever put this down in writing, which has been a real oversight. I am sorry for leaving the above out of my original statement and for creating doubt on the matter.

2. I will contact a neutral third party in the trans community

It has been mentioned many times by people since I made the decision to take no further action that I should have contacted a third party from the trans community as soon as the complaint was raised. I understand now how vital this was to fully resolving the issue. At the time, I saw this as a dispute between one individual and another. It felt like it was my place to try and mediate between the two sides, to hear what both had to say and to then make a decision on whether or not to remove the performer from the bill.

What I did not fully consider at the time was the fact that, without consulting with someone from the trans community, I was only ever going to be making this decision from a position of privilege. I do not understand what it is like to be transgender or to suffer the persecution that trans people can and do suffer on a daily basis. Therefore, I am not best placed to decide the way to ensure safety for trans people at my events.

The responsibility for this mistake lies with me and me alone, and I am really, truly sorry for that. At the time, it seemed there was only one choice here, to either leave the performer on the bill or to take them off. It has been rightly pointed out to me since then that there were a great many other considerations to make to ensure trans people would feel safe at this event. I feel really disappointed in myself for not understanding this, and I will not let it happen again.

[N.B It also follows that if a complaint is made regarding prejudice towards another marginalised group, I will consult with a third party who is part of that group also i.e. an ethnic minority, a member of a certain religion etc.]

I hope this has gone some way to explaining how I will be making improvements to the way I run events in the future. On a personal level, I am aware that the mistakes I’ve made have led to people I have known and respected for a long time no longer trusting me or feeling safe working with me. This was never my intention and it saddens me greatly that it’s come to this.

I understand that the damage is now done. But I want to say that I am listening and working to address mistakes and make any necessary changes. I have recently attended a webinar on the subject of becoming a better ally to the LGBTQ+ community. I have started to build links with poetry networks specifically set up for helping promoters in situations such as this. Also, I will be drafting a more general policy that outlines what I expect from any performer who I book in the future. This includes but is not limited to, making it clear to performers that any material shared which is transphobic, homophobic, racist etc will not be tolerated.

My hope is that this will be the first step in a process towards building some bridges and trying to make a positive change.

If anybody would like to discuss this further, please feel free to contact me, either on social media or by emailing rowanmccabe6@hotmail.co.uk

Yours sincerely,

Rowan McCabe

We’re back! There’ll be another Words on the Terrace outdoors at The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on the 22nd of June, 7pm. Our headline poets will be Scott Tyrell (BBC Slam Champion, Radio 3’s The Verb) and Lisette Auton, whose novel The Secret of Haven Point is upcoming with Puffin. We also have sets from Dominic JP Nelson-Ashley, Leks T and music from Wilf Stone and Haythem Mohamed. All hosted by the wonderful Jessica Johnson.

The whole thing is being paid for with Cultural Recovery Funding, which means it’s ABSOLUTELY FREE TO ATTEND! Just email cumbybookings@gmail.com to book a ticket. When you book you will be allocated a table. If you want to sit with some mates, you can sit together in a table of up to 6 people. Or, if you’d like to sit in a one or two person table that’s also fine. Just let us know when you email.

Oh and there’s only a handful of tickets left, so don’t say I didn’t warn you, yeah?


SCOTT TYRRELL

Scott has been a poet and performer since the turn of the century. An award-winning comedian, creative director and multiple slam-winning poet (including the BBC Slam and UK Anti- Slam), he has performed his work at many national and international festivals including Glastonbury, the Edinburgh Fringe, the Prague Fringe, WOMAD, and the Cheltenham Literature Festival.

He has written for TV, radio and performed for Radio 4, Radio 3’s the Verb, Sky Atlantic, ITV, BBC4 and BBC Arts. He’s also one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met and his driving playlists are impeccable.


LISETTE AUTON

Lisette Auton does stuff with words: disabled writer, activist, poet, spoken-word artist, actor, film & theatre-maker and creative practitioner. She is an award-winning poet who is widely published and is known for her energised performances on the spoken word scene. Her debut middle grade novel THE SECRET OF HAVEN POINT is forthcoming from Puffin in February 2022, with a second in 2023. She was the 2019 Early Careers Fellow for Literature at Cove Park, and is on the TSS Publishing list of Best British & Irish Flash Fiction.

Lisette works with many creative collaborators to create unique and innovative cross artform works. She is a founding member & director of the Disconsortia collective of North East disabled artists. Her current work is focused on ‘Writing the Missing’.

http://www.lisetteauton.co.uk


DOMINIC JP NELSON-ASHLEY

Dominic JP Nelson-Ashley is a firmly established spoken-word artist who delivers consistently electrifying performances.

His 12 poetry books tackle the issues of fatherhood, chat-up lines, role models, celebrity culture, mental health and spending his teenage years in a Middle England Town.

‘Poetry to remember, full of the rhythms of living music and lived experience, all in a genuine voice with images and words that resonate long after the page is turned or the performance over. Dominic JP Nelson-Ashley has something to say and he does it with both exuberant verve and studied craft’- Andy Willoughby.

‘Brilliant – witty, wonderful poems’- Francesca Beard


LEKS T

Leks is a poet from Newcastle who began performing in 2016. She’s gone on to win the Born Lippy slam on two occasions and in 2019 she performed at the inaugural Words Weekend at the Sage Gateshead as a member of the Born Lippy Collective.
Her style ranges from dynamic, rap-influenced rhythms to quiet, plainly-spoken readings. Expect a combination of power and vulnerability with a fresh perspective on themes personal and political.


WOLFRED

Wolfred are a new 4 piece band hailing from Newcastle Upon Tyne led by Southampton born singer/songwriter Wilf Stone. In a rare solo outing Wilf will be playing songs from the bands upcoming 5 track debut EP amongst other musical offerings. Watch this space.

http://www.wolfredofficial.com


HAYTHEM MOHAMED

Haythem mohamed is a music producer, beat maker, music teacher and professional guitar player. He made a name for himself in the mid 2010’s as a wildly explosive acoustic guitar player, becoming signed to an American record label and appearing on Sky Arts’ Guitar Star series, alongside Tony Visconti and George Benson.

Recently, he has been focusing on beat making and jazz-influenced electric guitar playing, stating that “it’s really nice to finally be making music I am passionate about. I fell out of interest with the world of guitar virtuosity. For me, the open world of music production and beat making feels like a truly limitless place, and a place where I feel more at home.”

STUFF IS HAPPENING!

After a long and tedious winter, I’m absolutely chuffed to say that me and the good people of The Cumberland Arms are putting on some outdoor poetry and music events next month.

The first gig will be at 7pm on the 8th of June and will feature Kate Fox (Radio 3, Glastonbury Festival Poet in Residence), Tahmina Ali, Donald Jenkins and Rowan McCabe (i.e me), with music from Rob Heron and Alix Alixandra. Our host will be Jessica Johnson.

The whole thing is being paid for with Cultural Recovery Funding, which means it’s ABSOLUTELY FREE TO ATTEND! Just email cumbybookings@gmail.com to book a ticket.

When you book you will be allocated a table. If you want to sit with some mates, you can sit together in a table of up to 6. Or, if you’d like to sit in a one or two person table that’s also fine. Just let us know when you email.

Oh and tickets are limited so don’t hang about yeah?

Here’s some more info about who’s on:

KATE FOX

Kate Fox is a stand up poet who is a regular on Radio 4 & Radio 3’s The Verb. She’s been Poet in Residence for the Great North Run, Glastonbury Festival and Tour de Yorkshire. You may have also caught her on Christmas University Challenge, when she captained Loughborough University’s team in December 2020.

She’s toured and performed shows about Northern English women, Doctor Who’s connection to autism, being in-between social classes and not wanting children. Her books include The Oscillations (Nine Arches, 2021) and Chronotopia (Burning Eye, 2017).

http://www.KateFox.co.uk


TAHMINA ALI

Tahmina Ali is a British Bangladeshi, Newcastle based spoken word poet. She has performed at various events, poetry nights across the country and selected for the prestigious BBC Words First programme. Also presented her poetry radio show on Fast FM for two years running, hosts her own Open Mic poetry night called Strictly Spoken and has been awarded the ‘ABC Arts and Culture Award’ for 2018 and 2019. Tahmina uses her poetry as a means to encourage positive change, her writing is generally influenced by identity, culture, social events and life as a young mother.


DONALD JENKINS

Donald Jenkins is a performance poet, writer and spoken word promoter from Newcastle upon Tyne. He won the Great Gateshead Slam 2018 and has performed at Glastonbury Festival and The Royal Albert Hall.

Donalds’s poems have been published in – ‘New Word Order’ anthology- ‘The Writer’s Cafe’ magazine and ‘Riggwelter’ journal and upcoming- ‘Best New British Poets 2020/21 Anthology’ from Eyewear Publishing. He produces and hosts ‘Born Lippy’- a celebration of things wordy, showcasing the finest spoken word poets, rappers and comedians.


ROWAN MCCABE

Rowan McCabe is a poet and performer. Aware that poetry isn’t a proper job, he decided to create his own and became the world’s first Door-to-Door Poet. Knocking on strangers’ doors, he asks what is important to them. He then goes away and writes a poem about this, free of charge, before bringing it back and performing it on their doorstep. It’s sort of like the Avon lady… but with rhymes.

Rowan has also written poems for Channel 4, Radio 3’s ‘The Verb’ and his work has been featured in the Guardian and on BBC Breakfast. He has performed on stages around the UK, including Glastonbury Festival and the Royal Albert Hall. In 2020, the National Trust invited him to be poet in residence at Wordsworth House.


ROB HERON

Newcastle based Rob Heron has spent the past decade touring and recording with the six-piece rag-time, honky-tonk, swing band Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra. With four albums of original material under his belt, and an international following, his solo show consists of Tea Pad classics, new material, and the odd country and blues standards.

Rob takes inspiration from artists of the golden age such as Cab Calloway, Merle Tarvis, George Jones and Hank Williams, and delivers his performances with wit, humour and panache. This is no dressing-up box, no lazy pastiche; Rob Heron lives and breathes this music.


ALIX ALIXANDRA

Newcastle Upon Tyne based singer-songwriter, playing mainly original compositions on guitar and ukulele. With poetic lyrics and stripped back instrumentals, she sings about love, life, politics, and cardboard boxes.

Her debut album ‘Hope is an Animal’ was released in April and a review in Tits Upon Tyne magazine read “Hope Is An Animal is a raucous and poetic display of love, self-reflection and hope. Definitely a recent highlight in the folk singer/songwriter sphere”