Thursday 15th 'Rebirth and Renewal' Running Order
Drama (20 minutes): 'No Place Like Home' by Alexandra Taylor, Directed by Cassandra O'Floresca, Cast: - Bettina- Ania Cummins, Adler- Manuela Palfi, Applicant- Yasmin Hashemy, Guard-Timothy East
In this absurdist piece, set in a dystopian near future, Adler baffles Bettina with red tape and bureaucracy as she tries to navigate her way through what defines citizenship of a country.
Poetry (5 minutes) Alison Manning
Music (30 minutes) Nyotaa Izeidi (acoustic)
Nyotaa Izeidi is an independent recording artist, R&B and soul pop performer and content creator from Coventry. She formed her own record label 'Kamona Records' in 2020 and released a Debut LP 'twentyoneandlost' after receiving amazing responses all over London and the West Midlands, including “ones to watch” in ASBO Magazine.
Poetry (25 minutes) Ann Atkins
'Not a Robot' features a selection of poems from Ann’s poetry collection of the same name, it is a mostly light-hearted look through her life, coming to terms with being human with its various challenges. Ann Atkins likes playing with words and finding inspiration in unusual places, often dished up with a dash of humour. She performs across the country and worldwide online. She co-hosts Coventry's Fire&Dust open mic, and Fire&Dust Zoom for an international audience. Ann has been published in numerous anthologies and her work has featured on several radio shows and podcasts. Her collection Not a Robot was published by Allographic Press (2023). She also enjoys facilitating workshops for all ages. Ann represented Coventry in Dresden on the Coventry Dresden Writers exchange in 2023 and in Cork on the Coventry Cork Poetry Exchange in 2024. She is quite sure she is not a robot.
Drama (15 minutes) 'There is Always a Choice' by Andrew Sharpe, Directed by Jo Emery/Lucy Hayton, Cast: Katie Hamilton
Trapped by the horror of evil in her past, Erica (Katie Hamilton directed by Jo Emery) seeks strength in denial. Condemned by society for ‘poor lifestyle choices’, her anger and isolation grow. But her bonds only tighten and, trapped in a life she hates, she is faced with one final choice. This self-contained extract includes two new scenes, not yet seen in Coventry.
Interval
Film and Q&A (40 minutes) 'Mama Said' by John Bernard
A Moment. A Son. A Fate. The time has come. Mama Said” is a powerful and evocative short poetry film that delves into identity, loss, generational wisdom, and the choices that shape our lives. There are moments that define us, those we survive, and those that leave their mark. What if your friend’s decision seals your fate, yet the choice was never truly theirs to make?