SHOALS OF STARLINGS present a POETRY PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP
Join Shoals of Starlings poets BRIAN HERDMAN and MATT THOMAS for a lively, practical exploration of what makes a poetry performance engaging, memorable and full of energy — and what can leave an audience confused or heading for the exit.
From the importance of breathing and pacing to developing confidence and finding your own authentic voice, Brian and Matt will share a range of useful ideas for both first-time performers and experienced readers.
Following a short introduction, participants will have the opportunity to read their own work in a variety of styles, exploring different performance poetry dos and don’ts in a supportive and informal setting. There will be plenty of time for discussion, questions and constructive feedback throughout the session.
Participants should bring up to three poems, each lasting approximately one to three minutes when read aloud.
If you are planning on joining our Valley Verse Poetry Night later on Thursday, this will be an ideal chance to put what you learn into action.
MAXIMUM NUMBERS: 12
VENUE: Riverside Church
DAY/DATE/TIMES: Thursday 1st October 4.30-6.00pm
EVENT LEADER: Andrew Martin with Brian Herdman and Matt Thomas
EVENT LEADER BIO:
Brian Herdman
Brian Herdman is a poet born in Manchester and now living in Plymouth. He has written poetry and short fiction throughout much of his life, becoming more actively involved in the Plymouth poetry community following his retirement.
His debut collection, 78 45 33, was published by Shoals of Starlings Press in 2021. Taking its title from the traditional playing speeds of vinyl records, the collection traces the revolutions of a life through memory, music, relationships and lived experience.
His second collection, Dead White Male, was published by Shoals of Starlings Press in 2025. Deeply concerned with memory and mortality, its poems move between the intimate and the political, and between personal experience and philosophical reflection. Brian writes with wit, precision and tenderness about ageing, love, loss and the persistence of hope in the face of darkness.
Brian has performed his poetry at readings and literary events across Plymouth and has been featured among contemporary British working-class poets. His work is distinguished by its humanity, understated humour and unsentimental attention to the complexities of an ordinary life.
Matt Thomas
Matt Thomas is a poet and visual artist originally from the Seattle area and now based in Plymouth. He began writing poetry as a teenager and has produced numerous zines, pamphlets, comics, booklets and small publications, beginning with the poetry and collage zine Fractured Free Verse in the 1980s.
His first full collection, What I Thought About While I Watched You Shorten the Handles of Two Canvas Shopping Bags Thereby Making Them Easier to Carry, was published by Shoals of Starlings Press in 2022. Through close observation and understated humour, the collection explores grief, longing, relationships and the emotional significance of everyday moments.
Matt’s second collection, Ghost in Your Joints, was published by Shoals of Starlings Press in 2024. The collection contemplates love, ageing and change while examining the realities of living alongside a partner learning to navigate acquired disability and chronic pain. Its poems move between moments when pain becomes impossible to ignore and others when it settles quietly among the ordinary routines of shared life.
Alongside his writing, Matt is an established visual artist whose work has been exhibited in the South West and internationally. He has performed at poetry readings and festivals across Plymouth, and his work is characterised by attentiveness, compassion and an ability to reveal the extraordinary emotional weight carried by apparently inconsequential moments.
COST: All our events are FREE. However, on the day, if you are able to make a donation, that will help fund the Festival for future years. Thank you.
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