News Archive

2007 John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry
Cardiff Heat Winners

From left to right: Claire Peate (judge), Grahame Davies (judge), winners Hugh Doyle, Brian John, Betty Lane and Mab Jones

The four poets who will be continuing on in the 2007 John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry were announced to a large audience at the Gate Arts Centre on Tuesday 9 October. Cardiff heat judges Claire Peate and Grahame Davies took only ten minutes to decide that Mab Jones, Brian John, Hugh Doyle and Betty Lane should go on to compete in the final.

MC Ifor Thomas, who is no stranger to the competition himself, led an evening full of diverse and original poetry performances from some new and familiar faces to the performance scene. The audience were treated to a thrilling yet tense evening as they enjoyed a drink in the The Gate’s Café Bar while the poets put in everything they had aiming to be one of the chosen four.

The final will take place in the Celebrity Restaurant at St David’s Hall on Wednesday 28 November 2007. However, before we can get to the final there are still three heats left, the first is in Swansea on 18 October, then to Wrexham on 25 October and finally to Merthyr Tydfil on Thursday 1 November 2007. Four poets from each heat will battle it out at the Grand Final, but only one can be named Wales’ best performance poet and walk away with the first prize of £500. Book your ticket now and be one of the first to find out who will come out on top. 

Tickets for the heats are free with tickets for the final costing just £4 or £3 for concessions.

 For more information on the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry contact Academi
on 029 2047 2266 or email post@academi.org