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35 years
of performance poetry
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Home>Artists & Shows
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Search by artist
  • Lemn Sissay (95)
  • Jean 'Binta' Breeze (90)
  • Zena Edwards (88)
  • Patience Agbabi (84)
  • Francesca Beard (79)
  • Malika Booker (69)
  • Aoife Mannix (65)
  • El Crisis (61)
  • John Hegley (60)
  • Joolz Denby (56)

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Search by venue
  • Battersea Arts Centre (London - Wandsworth) (499)
  • Covent Garden Community Centre (182)
  • Rich Mix (117)
  • Albany (London - Lewisham) (81)
  • Soho Theatre (68)
  • Nuffield (Southampton) (57)
  • Horseshoe (52)
  • Roebuck (51)
  • Victoria (Birmingham) (51)
  • Barbican (Plymouth) (48)

All venues

Artists & Shows

Thirty-five years of Apples and Snakes poetry shows: a lot of shows, a lot of artists.

There are still a few gaps, but we're gradually uploading details of them all. Search away, using the boxes on the left. You can search by year (maybe you want to trace your first ever Apples and Snakes gig), by artist (from Dirg Aaab-Richards to Zk the Poet) or by venue (what was the name of that place with the really narrow staircase?).

You'll see that there are some artists we don't know much about - maybe they did one gig for us in 1983 - and we'd therefore welcome any information that you might have. Even better, you might be that artist - and we'd be delighted to renew our acquaintance with you.

And if you have details of any A&S shows that seem to be missing, we'd very much like to hear from you. Especially '80s and '90s; the last few years we've got covered (probably).

  • Attila the Stockbroker, Ann Ziety, Ian McPherson, Tymon Dogg & The Frugivore

    Attila the Stockbroker, Ann Ziety, Ian McPherson, Tymon Dogg & The Frugivore

    25 May 1985 at 
    New Merlin's Cave (12)
  • Akimbo, Michelene Wandor, Iyamide Hazeley, Ellen Wilkie

    Akimbo, Michelene Wandor, Iyamide Hazeley, Ellen Wilkie

    31 May 1985 at 
    Young Vic (8)
  • Akimbo, Lioness Chant, Claire Dowie, Merle Collins

    Akimbo, Lioness Chant, Claire Dowie, Merle Collins

    01 June 1985 at 
    New Merlin's Cave (12)
  • Sharon Landau, John Agard, Zolan Quobble, Reverend Robert Righteous

    Sharon Landau, John Agard, Zolan Quobble, Reverend Robert Righteous

    07 June 1985 at 
    Young Vic (8)
  • The Popticians, Mark Steel, Desmond Johnson, PR Murry

    The Popticians, Mark Steel, Desmond Johnson, PR Murry

    08 June 1985 at 
    New Merlin's Cave (12)
  • Roy Hutchins, Claire Dowie, Rory McLeod, Al Dream

    Roy Hutchins, Claire Dowie, Rory McLeod, Al Dream

    14 June 1985 at 
    Young Vic (8)
  • Emile Sercombe, Ann Ziety, Zolan Quobble

    Emile Sercombe, Ann Ziety, Zolan Quobble

    14 June 1985 at 
    ADC Theatre (Cambridge) (1)
  • Brian Patten, Emile Sercombe, Some Like It Hot, Leo Aylen

    Brian Patten, Emile Sercombe, Some Like It Hot, Leo Aylen

    15 June 1985 at 
    New Merlin's Cave (12)
  • Southwark Arts Festival: Akira Press Poets

    Southwark Arts Festival: Akira Press Poets

    22 June 1985 at 
    Bells Gardens Community Centre (London - Southwark) (1)
  • Brixton Festival and Carnival

    Brixton Festival and Carnival

    24 June 1985 at 
    Lambeth Town Hall Assembly Hall (1)
  • Hood Fair

    Hood Fair

    06 July 1985 - 07 July 1985 at 
    Dart Country Park (Ashburton) (1)
  • GLC South Bank Alternative: The Invisible Man

    GLC South Bank Alternative: The Invisible Man

    17 August 1985 at 
    Southbank Centre (29)
  • GLC South Bank Alternative: Johnny Was a Good Man

    GLC South Bank Alternative: Johnny Was a Good Man

    18 August 1985 at 
    Southbank Centre (29)
  • Anti-Apartheid Benefit

    Anti-Apartheid Benefit

    4 September 1985 at 
    Southbank Centre (29)
    Apart from the great line-up and the great cause, this show surely boasts the best take on the ‘apple/snake’ motif to have graced an Apples & Snakes flyer. The circularity and the black/white symbolism are entirely appropriate, and that ‘apple of the eye’ is a touch of genius.
  • GLC South Bank Alternative: Apples & Snakes

    GLC South Bank Alternative: Apples & Snakes

    8 September 1985 at 
    Southbank Centre (29)
    Just marked in the festival brochure as ‘see 18 August’. This was a 2:45 pm performance, and so we have made the assumption that it correlates to 2:45 pm performance on 18 August for the Clearview community project, rather than the Johnny Was A Good Man show that may have ...
  • Janice Perry, Joolz, Ian McPherson, Jackie Kay

    Janice Perry, Joolz, Ian McPherson, Jackie Kay

    14 September 1985 at 
    Horseshoe (52)
  • Niebla & Forcione, Oku Onoura, Brother Resistance

    Niebla & Forcione, Oku Onoura, Brother Resistance

    21 September 1985 at 
    Horseshoe (52)
  • Kevin Seisay, Ann Ziety, Hammer & Sickle, The Brummie Brothers

    Kevin Seisay, Ann Ziety, Hammer & Sickle, The Brummie Brothers

    28 September 1985 at 
    Horseshoe (52)
  • Tymon Dogg & The Frugivore, Little Brother, Sybil Madrigal & Paul Rogers, David Eggleton

    Tymon Dogg & The Frugivore, Little Brother, Sybil Madrigal & Paul Rogers, David Eggleton

    05 October 1985 at 
    Horseshoe (52)
  • Seconds of Pleasure, Mark Miwurdz, JD Douglas, Molly Brown

    Seconds of Pleasure, Mark Miwurdz, JD Douglas, Molly Brown

    19 October 1985 at 
    Horseshoe (52)
  • Apples & Snakes meets Tongue Circus

    Apples & Snakes meets Tongue Circus

    20 October 1985 at 
    Battersea Arts Centre (London - Wandsworth) (499)
    Thanks to Patric Cunnane for finding the flyer.
  • Sharon Landau, Seething Wells, Lynford French, Paul Mackie

    Sharon Landau, Seething Wells, Lynford French, Paul Mackie

    26 October 1985 at 
    Horseshoe (52)
  • Joolz, Levi Tafari & Jennifer John

    Joolz, Levi Tafari & Jennifer John

    01 November 1985 at 
    Gulbenkian Studio (Newcastle-upon_Tyne) (5)
  • Akimbo, Ian McMillan, Anum Iyapo, Ayanna Sala

    Akimbo, Ian McMillan, Anum Iyapo, Ayanna Sala

    09 November 1985 at 
    Horseshoe (52)
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