Over a five week period Naked Frank Theatre indulged in the irritating idiosyncrasies of human existence to produce an array of quirky quips that poked fun and provoked creative conversations among Gravesham locals. Produced as part of the Gravesham Fringe Festival the process began with four weeks of writing workshops engaging local creatives to support the development of their artistic content. On 9th and 10th June, Naked Frank Theatre took to the stage to perform their own Pissed Off Poetry material, a selection of raucous and ridiculous performance poetry skits about trivial little things that got on their tits. Performed at the Iron Pier Brewery and aboard LV21, the set was followed by an open mic event for selected writers to perform their own pissed off prose. An open writing station was available on the day for the public to create their own poetry and take to the mic at the end of the show.
"Our aim was to expose local residents to alternative live performances and support the cultural growth and sustainability of live fringe theatre. We recognise the limited genres of live performance available to Gravesham people and understand the influence that this has on the local appreciation for alternative art forms and disciplines. We value the importance of connecting communities to non-commercial theatre and understand how it can play an essential role in making local areas diverse and culturally plentiful places to live." |
CREATIVE TEAM
CAST Carleigh-Ann Portelli Claire Louise Portelli WRITERS Carleigh-Ann Portelli Claire Lousie Portelli PUBLICITY TEAM Ella Flewitt Mark Whitehouse PROGRAMME COORDINATOR Mandy Hare PRODUCER Naked Frank Theatre |
PASSIONATE POETS COMPETITION
The Passionate Poets Competition was a Naked Frank Theatre initiative launched in 2023 to nurture the hidden literary talents lurking in and around the Gravesham Borough, and seek out opportunities to bring good writing to local residents. As part of the Gravesham Fringe Festival, Naked Frank Theatre wanted the general public to get involved and have a go themselves. All submitted poems were automatically entered into a prize winning draw, with cash prizes being presented to first, second, and third place winners on the 10th June 2023. In addition, Naked Frank Theatre also invited selected submissions to take to the stage and share their own writing in a public Open Mic Event after their shows at the Iron Pier Brewery (9th June) and LV21 (10th June).
"We were particularly interested in encouraging works that were relatable to a broader spectrum of people, and which clearly reflected and represented the experiences of a varied and inclusive expanse of communities. Writers were encouraged to demonstrate their technical ability, creativity, passion, flair, and individuality within their submissions." |
CREATIVE TEAM
VENUES Iron Pier Brewery LV21 COMPETITION WINNERS Aidan Barnes-Mathews Jeff Gallagher Jadesola Akanni FUNDED BY Gravesham Arts Salon Gravesham Borough Council |