An evening of poetry performance to launch Reanna Valentine’s book ‘Mad Again’, feat. musical accompaniment & an open mic – bring your work!
Come along to an evening of poetry performances from Reanna Valentine and guests, to celebrate the launch of Reanna’s debut solo poetry collection ‘Mad Again’ (published by Written Off Publishing). We’re lucky enough to have musical accompaniment from Olli Daffarn @ollidaffarn of Blue Dot Studios.
Come solely as audience and enjoy yourself, or participate by performing your poetry, or someone else’s (open mic sign up on the door). Together, we’ll journey through love, loss, chronic pain, family, queerness and mental health, and come back better for it.
Tickets are pay as you feel, supporter donations of £6 are much appreciated.
Drinks and snacks will be available from the venue. There will be copies of the book on sale and the opportunity to get your copy signed.
About ‘Mad Again’
“Perhaps it was fire meeting fire,
and exploding”
In Mad Again – their first solo collection of poetry – Reanna Valentine digs deep to craft a profoundly intimate and intricate picture of a person at one point undone, but at others found settled and whole.
Splitting off parts of themself in poetic snapshots of chronic pain, family, queerness and mental health, Valentine captures their intense journey through existence. From moments of self-sabotage to multiple diagnoses, this book is essential reading for anybody who has ever struggled with sustaining joy in tandem with their own identity, health and losses.
‘For all its playfulness, it is large and wholehearted, committed to the experience of tenderness, happiness, sex, pain and loss.’ KAT ADDIS, AUTHOR
‘An uncompromising journey to the soul’s core.’ COLIN HAMBROOK, EDITOR, DISABILITY ARTS ONLINE
Published by Written Off Publishing
About Reanna Valentine
Reanna Valentine @reannavalentine ‘takes an elegant route to a blunt point,’ but would rather it was the other way around… Their debut solo pamphlet ‘Mad Again’ was published by Written Off in May 2024. Reanna co-authored ‘Fragmented Light’, their Saboteur Award nominated joint collection, with their grandmother Carolyn Reed. They were shortlisted for the Zealous Amplify prize and longlisted for the Disabled Poets Prize.
