DIARY OF SHAKESPEARE'S 400 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

BARDS WITHOUT BORDERS

Rehearsals Kick Off at Arcola Theatre

Laughter- Words- Voices -Images-Fun

There were some amazing lines oozing from session leaders Laila Sumpton and Arne Pohlmeier's lips. One that stood out most ( for me) was Arne Pohlmeier , constantly, referring us as "you Poets usually are good with that"- which was what we were. Standing and sitting and shouting and working on speech. For that is what William Shakespeare reminds us. Words, poetry, words, drama, words, poetry, speech, words.
Literature...

So..
At Arcola Theatre in Dalston, East London we met. Writers and poets with a  shared love  (and curiosity) for Shakespeare. Shakespeare without borders. The range of origins was similar to the very first meeting back in the Summer. The UK. Somalia. Bosnia  & Montenegro. Nigeria. Bangladesh. Spain. Jamaica. Tanzania.  Afghanistan. Zimbabwe. Germany...

Session began with introductions and pep talk. Followed some physical drills. In the misty-foggy early Saturday, November 14th , the very act of moving around is pleasure. Windows had to remain shut ...on the upper floor of Arcola. Till an hour later , when warmth popped in. Oxygen needed. heaters off. Now we were walking around.  Shakespeare page in between trembling fingers. Exploring. Reading loudly. Voices. Staccato. Male and Female. Tongues. Read. Stop. Turn. Arne Pohlmeier kept it going.

 Arnie with Bengali writer, Shamim Azad.

After a twenty minute or so lunch break, things rolled on. Gears shifted to more details and it was Laila Sumpton with the baton. It was writing time.  For real.
How does William Shakespeare inspire you to write? And how can you carry it on further. Everyone had something different. "You Poets know how..."
For me it is Shakespeare's timelessness. How do you infuse that in your creativity?

Laughter, the best medicine- Somali poet Hamdi Khalif  sizzles opposite Lloyd Benjamin  from Jamaica...

Zimbabwe's poet  Belinda Zhawi chatt with Tolu Agbelusi of   Nigeria
plus...

Edin Suljic sips water

As Fatima Diriye  wraps up....

and until next session...

MEANWHILE CHECK OUT VIDEO OF INITIAL SUMMER SESSION HERE 
&
 UPCOMING SHOW ON DECEMBER 3, 2015, HERE