Out-Spoken At The Southbank
Lip Readers of the Universe
Image: India Roper-Evans / Southbank Centre
On a warm Spring evening in foggy London, around 700 people filter into the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. Under the ambiance of royal blue lights, the auditorium fills with anticipatory chatter. We eagerly wait to celebrate a decade of Out-Spoken - a community that is drawn to poetic excellence; a friendship that actively dreams of a common language.
Over 10 years, Out-Spoken has become one of the UK’s premier live literature events that champions diversity of voice in writing and performance. Celebrating three years of residency at the Southbank Centre, the night promises soulful performances of spoken-word and music. Glancing around the auditorium, equality in both opportunity and access to the arts is beautifully reflected in an inclusive line-up and audience.
As we wait, we enjoy a short montage of Out-Spoken history, featuring living icons like Inua Ellams, Akala, George the Poet, Kate Tempest, and more. We’re warmly welcomed by the curated impressions of jazz, soul, R&B and hip-hop rhythms by Out-Spoken DJ in residence Sam ‘Junior’ Bromfield: eyes are peeled; ears are prepped.
Image: Karim Kamar, Out-Spoken / Southbank Centre
First to the stage is our host for the evening, Joelle Taylor: award winning poet and author. Punched with humour, energy and a physically captivating performance, we’re collectively aware of the present moment. The space opens up, giving permission for a range of voices to reflect on the state of the world. The expansive stage becomes a conversation between musicians, poets and onlookers - an exchange of energy, as we listen to an attempt of language exploring what it means to be alive.
Writer and editor Max Porter is welcomed onto the stage to take the spotlight. His verse is littered with stark honesty and vignettes of reality: ‘Please hold the line…’ These everyday soundbites of demeaning bureaucracy punctuate the silence and are seemingly endless. We feel seen and affirmed. By the end of his performance, in a world that can feel disconnected and increasingly fragmented, we’re left feeling grounded and less alone.
Image: Karim Kamar, Out-Spoken / Southbank Centre
In the shadow sides of the stage, we see glimpses of the Out-Spoken team immersed in the live set, laughing and taking pictures; their presence makes us aware of the act of watching and being watched, as we’re encouraged to document the night in real time. Layers of self reflection rise to the surface. Moving past the height of COVID, we become aware of the gift of time and community: we’re gently reminded to surround ourselves with people who challenge us to be better - to keep working at our art.
Former National Poet, Professor Jackie Kay is next onto the stage, once again bringing to light the essence of the moment: “Wow, a real, live audience that’s actually real and live… It’s great to be back into life again.” Kay takes us back in time as she nostalgically reflects on a life in protest - she recalls experiences that have marked and changed her. We join her in re-living moments of Chaka Khan, and Sister Sledge’s ‘We Are Family’, as her words weave together pivotal memories of her queer experience. We become connected to an endearing aura that unapologetically takes up time and space.
We’re, again, reminded of a period of uncertainty, as Kay reflects on the timely protests that sparked global outrage in 2020 - marked by the triggering murder of George Floyd, Kay reveals how this tragic experience returns closer to home, unravelling that her son has also experienced being injured by the feet of the police. In response, Kay birthed a ‘Banquet for the Boys’, a poem wrapped with care and the healing normalcy of offering food. The poem becomes an affirming act of love for her son, his friends, and the many young black boys who are also in need of several servings of restorative justice.
Image: Karim Kamar, Out-Spoken / Southbank Centre
The stage suddenly expands as musicians take to the stage. A violinist soars expressively as powerhouse BSHP echoes this melodic beauty in a love-strung set of soul. Her record ‘Honey’ is a slow burner; it’s flawless in vocal delivery and oozes ease and balance. Drenched in pink light, BSHP’s unassuming and innocent nature leaves us in awe.
After a short interlude, Karim Kamar, one of Out-Spoken’s quintet, delivers ‘Under The Circus Tent’ - a beautiful piano waltz that echoes the thrills and trills of a hypnotic circus act. Shortly after his piece, he casually walks towards the shadows of the stage, re-assuming his place behind a camera lens. This playful transition between artist and spectator reminds us of the collective essence of the night, and how everyone plays an active part in the flow of the evening - an intimate exchange of words and silence, of watching and being watched.
Image: Karim Kamar, Out-Spoken / Southbank Centre
The penultimate act, Poet Laureate Simon Armitage takes to the stage, and some of us are reminded of our poetry anthologies from our good ol’ school days. In stark contrast to our childhood however, in this space, poetry has never felt so alive. Armitage gets things off his chest, directly addressing a ‘Fashion Industry In Crisis’. He poignantly leaves us with lyrics from ‘Do We Really Care?’, Pt.2, warning us about our tendencies at ‘Failing to lip-read/ The universe’.
To end the night is one of the most exciting emerging Black British female artists on the scene: Kay Young. Kay’s work moves between conscious rapping and deep vocal tones, as she gets an eager audience onto their feet. She uplifts us, prompting us to notice the small steps that we take in the race to our finish lines - she recognises that we may not be where we want to be, but encourages us be grateful that we’re not where we used to be. In a performance that honours her grandma, we’re all reminded of where we’ve come from in order to keep moving forwards. After an evening of feeling seen and heard, we all spill onto the streets of the Southbank, comforted by thoughts of being less alone.
Out-Spoken monthly events and masterclasses are a part of the Southbank Centre’s Summer of poetry events. Check out more events of interest here.
