Verbose Manchester

Manchester's award-winning spoken word and live literature event featuring headliners and open mic acts

About this event

Manchester's award-winning spoken word event - every last Monday of the month at The King's Arms! Verbose brings a vibrant mix of spoken word and live literature from a talented bill of open mic acts and wonderful headliners. Expect poetry, prose and everything in between from a real community vibe that gladly welcomes all newcomers.

Tickets are FREE at the point of service but donation tickets are available and greatly appreciated! Our open mic bill is now FULL for this event.

HEADLINERS

ELIZABETH MCGEOWN

Elizabeth McGeown is a Pushcart-nominated poet from Belfast, Northern Ireland. She has work published or forthcoming in journals including Banshee, Abridged and Under the Radar. She is the current UK Slam Champion, the highest ranking woman in the Paris 2022 World Cup of Slam, was longlisted in the Saboteur Awards 2021 and 2022 for ‘Best Spoken Word Performer’ and represented Northern Ireland in the Hammer & Tongue UK Slam Championships 2019 and 2021. Her first poetry collection 'Cockroach' was published by Verve Poetry Press in July 2022 and, along with the accompanying stage show, was written with funding help from Arts Council Northern Ireland.

LEON THE PIG FARMER

Jack Horner aka Leon the pig farmer is a Manchester based, Yorkshire beat poet. An ex-serviceman who began writing verse to help him deal with a PTSD diagnosis, Leon has an assertive take on spoken word with fast firing rhythmic verse and a sharp outlook on both his mental health recovery and other social topics and observations that catch his eye.

An energetic delivery that has been compared to both a belt fed mortar explosion and a staccato assault full of energy and emotion which can silence and mesmerize an audience.

Leon continues to document his mental health journey in verse and regular DIY performances for charities and unexpected music collaborations. A recent nod by Post punks Cabbage band gave the opening track to their second LP a reference to Leon.

His performance deliveries vary between rehearsed off book energetic verse and readings which he regularly swaps around to keep his performances fresh and unpredictable.

His latest venture post lockdown in 2021 was the release of a self-published collection of verse with collaborative illustrations from a local artist friend where money from the book is donated to Emmaus charity Mossley. ‘Talking myself out of trouble’

He is fast becoming the busiest artist in the north west with continued bookings and guest appearances at music and spoken word events. He has also collaborated with musicians to create one off pieces for airplay and streaming.