Lemn Sissay’s Poetry Rebels

Lemn Sissay's Poetry Rebels

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Lemn Sissay's Poetry Rebels: The Slam Poets

The Slam Poets

BBC Radio 4 - Lemn Sissay's Poetry Rebels, The Slam Poets

Lemn Sissay explores the biggest innovation in poetry of the last 50 years - the slam.

How has the poetry slam taken over the world? Lemn Sissay discovers the secret of its success, and whether poetry can survive the raw competition at the heart of the slam.

Since it was invented in 1986, the poetry slam has spread all over the world. But what is it about putting one poet up against another that makes it so successful?

Lemn Sissay examines the natural drama at the heart of the slam and asks whether poetry can survive the judgment of the crowd. Kat Francois explains how winning the UK national slam transformed her career, while Marc Smith insists that the competition he invented was only ever meant as a game.

Written and presented by Lemn Sissay
Sound design by Charlie Brandon-King
Produced by Richard Lea and Joe Hallam

A Bafflegab production for BBC Radio 4

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How did performance poetry conquer the poetry world?

How did performance poetry conquer the poetry world? Lemn Sissay tells the incendiary story of how rebels stormed the poetry establishment and transformed poetry

How did performance poetry conquer the poetry world? Lemn Sissay tells the incendiary story of how rebels stormed the poetry establishment, and how they have transformed poetry on both stage and page.

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