An Evening with International Poets Les Murray and Andrew Motion
Celebrating 25 Years of The Rialto
Thursday 15th April
Writers' Centre Norwich has teamed up with The Rialto to celebrate the poetry magazine's twenty-fifth anniversary with an exciting evening event at The Playhouse in Norwich as part of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival.
The event takes place on Tuesday 18th May at 7.30pm and features internationally renowned Australian poet Les Murray, holder of the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry and Andrew Motion, who enhanced the role of Poet Laureate before handing on the baton to Carol Ann Duffy last year.
Both entertaining and often hilarious, Motion and Murray will perform their own and others' work and take part in discussions, chaired by The Rialto editor, Michael Mackmin.
The event celebrates a Norfolk based magazine which has built a national and international reputation.
Founded in Norwich by writers living and working in Norfolk, the first issue of The Rialto featured poems by a virtually unknown Carol Ann Duffy as well as work by George Barker (at the time Norfolk's most famous resident poet).
The mix of nurturing unknown talent and featuring big name writers has kept the magazine at the forefront of the poetry world for 25 years. Writers’ Centre Norwich’s Chief Executive Chris Gribble says:
“Writers’ Centre Norwich and NNF10 are delighted to take part in an evening which also supports Norwich’s bids to become a UNESCO City of Literature and the first UK City of Culture. It’s very exciting to have poets of the calibre of Les Murray and Andrew Motion here to help us celebrate this treasured Norfolk Magazine, at such an exciting time in Norwich and Norfolk’s cultural life.”
An Evening with Les Murray and Andrew Motion takes place at Norwich Playhouse on May 18th at 7.30-9.00pm. Book on 01603 766400 / www.nnf10.org.uk
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Editor’s Notes
Further information available on request.
o Les Murray, Andrew Motion and Michael Mackmin are available for interviews.
o Photos: Full jpegs are available on request, or download them from our website on www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk
o Photo Credits: Andrew Motion Photo: Johnny Ring.
About The Rialto:
“Simply the best." Carol Ann Duffy
"I've enjoyed The Rialto; very full and varied." Ted Hughes
“Poetry gives us essential human pleasures and rewards, not least because it allows us to discover richer versions of ourselves. The Rialto, being reliably full of excellent new work, is an excellent place to find these pleasures and rewards.” Andrew Motion
The magazine's name springs from a Shakespeare quote, 'How now what news on the Rialto?' In the Venice of Shakespeare's play the Rialto was both a bridge and a famous meeting place for those, particularly merchants, setting out into the world.
Copies of the special 25th anniversary issue of Rialto will be on sale at the event, featuring a new poem from Carol Ann Duffy.
For further information please contact: Katy Carr, Marketing Manager: katy.carr@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk / 01603 877177 / mob 07919 312155
Writers’ Centre Norwich seeks to lead on the exploration of the artistic and social power of creative writing through pioneering and collaborative projects with writers and other partners, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Address: Writers’ Centre Norwich, 14 Princes Street, Norwich, NR3 1AE
T: 01603 877177 F: 01603 625452 E: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk
W: www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk