Outspoken returns for a spellbinding evening of poetry and spoken word performance during LGBT History Month.
Mandla-Rae, Manchester poet and former Contact young programmer, hosts Ella Otomewo, Maz Hedgehog, Afshan Lodhi and Bryony Bates for a celebration of Manchester’s queer women and nonbinary artists.
Mandla-Rae
Mandla-Rae is a poet and wordsmith from Zimbabwe, London raised and Manchester-based. They are queer and non-binary and her pronouns are they/her. They are fascinated with theatre in all aspects of life. Mandla is bonded with language and the act of communication through spectacle.
Maz Hedgehog
Maz Hedgehog is a black bisexual poet and spoken word performer who’s work is all about creating new mythologies, inspired by folklore and her mother’s storytelling. She’s performed at events all over the North West and is equally excited by interesting metaphors, outfit ideas and nice coffee.
Ella Eneme Otomewo
Ella has a first class degree in English and Drama, and has performed her work for Manchester International Festival, Contact, the Edinburgh Fringe, and BBC1Xtra to name but a few. Ella is currently a member of two collectives; M(.)IST, a group of queer female creatives from a variety of different art forms, and the poetry collective, Young Identity. Her work is feminist, personal, and tender.
Bryony Bates
Bryony’s first solo pamphlet, States, was published in 2017 by Enjoy Your Homes Press. In January 2019 her pamphlet Cash/Sex, co-authored by Joey Frances, was published in collaboration with Generic Greeting. Performance credits include There Is A Light: Brightlight, 15 Minutes, and She Bangs the Drums (Contact Young Co) and recent pieces for Mother’s Bloomers at the Royal Exchange, Homotopia and Creatures of Catharsis.
Afshan D’souza-Lodhi
Afshan is an award-winning writer and was recently commissioned to write and direct a short film for Channel 4. She has completed residencies at Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester Literature Festival and has worked with Eclipse Theatre, Tamasha Theatre Company and Paul Burston’s Polari. Afshan has edited many anthologies and has an essay featured in Picador’s upcoming collection by Muslim women called ‘Its Not About The Burqa‘.
This event takes place at Number 70
Oxford Street, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5NH
Credits
Produced by Contact.
This event is supported by a grant from Superbia at Manchester Pride.
In partnership with RAH! at Manchester Met.
Part of Queer Contact Festival 2019, Contact’s annual festival celebrating LGBTQ+ arts & culture in Greater Manchester.
Image credit: Isle of Red
