The R.A.P Party

Founded in 2010, They Rhythm And Poetry Party is a no-clutter, no-fuss, gathering of poetry and music. The format is super simple, 10 poets share a poem, and after each, the Dj will play two songs of the poet’s choosing linked to the poem.

Closer to a relaxed house party where special guests make eloquent speeches about the Dj’s selections, than a literary night, this long-running event series has played to audiences across the world, from England to Nigeria, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Brazil, Belgium and more.

To date, Inua has collaborated with over 600 poets, Djs and Vjs in curating and creating this legendary space. Highlights include The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill RAP Party, The Missy Elliot RAP Party, The Three Sisters RAP Party, and the Waltham Forest RAP Party, where Inua curated 4 simultaneous spaces.

REEL MIX

Founded in 2021, Reel Mix is a dynamic film event where 5 filmmakers shoot the same script and screen them back to back before a live audience, followed by a cast & crew Q & A. The aim is to demystify filmmaking and show the many realities and possibilities in our understanding, interpretation and presentation of our shared world.

The Inaugural Reel Mix was produced in collaboration with Fuel Ltd and The National Theatre of Ireland, where the same monologue was performed by 5 wildly different characters. Varying in age, gender, ethnicity, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, each performance transformed and deepened the meaning of the text.

REDACTED

Founded in 2023, Redacted centres Blackout Poetry. Blackout Poetry is created when text is taken from a book, newspaper, or magazine and by redacting words and entire sentences, hidden poetry is revealed. The possibilities are innumerable, and the room for individuality endless!

Held before a live audience, Redacted is a fun, light-hearted, live-literature gathering, celebrating play and invention. The guests will debut their new redacted work, from which other guests will draw conclusions about their personality – wrong answers only!

Audience members are invited to participate; each given the same text to redact, and a few chosen at random to share their poems.

ANONYMS

Founded in 2014, Anonyms is a deep exploration into etymology. In parts of West Africa it is believed children grow to embody their names; that a child named Peace will grow up to radiate serenity. Other West Africans think this is rubbish. But how do we come to be named? What then do we inherit? Do names change us? Who cares? And why?

Held before a live audience, Anonyms is a rich, exuberant, funny, insightful and poignant guided conversation on what we are called, and the stories they birth. The guests will generate questions for each other, and be given time to write and share their creative answers.

Audience members are invited to participate; to come with the story and meaning behind their names.

SEARCH PARTY

Pick a word, any word. Prompted by audience suggestions, Inua Ellams will search through his extensive archive of work and perform a reactive and spontaneous selection. Each show is unique and special.

Inua is an award-winning performance poet, a charismatic host, a disarming orator and charming presence on stage. His literary works include poetry, editorials, monologue, speculative fiction, essays, screen-play, stage-play, radio-play, short fiction, epigraphs and more.

Founded in 2020, Search Party is an interactive performance where, entirely led by audiences and their words, Inua dives through his expansive body of work to excavate everything from fragments of half-finished work to full essays; his searching mediations on identity, displacement and destiny - reoccurring themes in his work.

There have been major several performances (for commercial and non commercial clients) including Cisco Systems, Singapore Poetry Festival, Donmar Warehouse, Roundhouse, Bush Theatre, The Royal Court and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

05 Fest

Founded in 2022, 05Fest presents a unique opportunity to unite the live events above under a single banner. It is a five-event festival which can be built around a production of one of Inua’s play, or as a stand alone event series comprising of a R.A.P Party, Poetry + Film / Hack, Reel Mix, Redacted, Anonyms, or Search Party.

The inaugural 05Fest occurred in February 2022 at The Albany in London, England, quickly followed by a fest in June 2022 at The Abbey in Dublin, Ireland.

In both instances Inua collaborated with over 40 writers, performers, thinkers and artists to create vibrant cross-generational spaces, celebrating music, film, visual arts, poetry and the power of language.