Martin Figura: Mortality, I Could Live Without It

Martin Figura is launching his new poetry book, Mortality, I Could Live Without It, at Norwich Arts Centre on Wednesday 11 November, starting at 7:30 pm. It's a book launch in the fullest sense: live readings from the new collection, special guests, and an after-party with DJ 78 to keep things going once the poetry wraps up. Yanny Mac is on MC duties for the night.

Figura is a poet and photographer who lives and works in an old butcher's shop in Norwich, which he shares with the poet Helen Ivory. He cut his teeth with the poetry ensemble The Joy of Six and has performed at the London Roundhouse, the Edinburgh Fringe and the Ledbury Festival, as well as touring New York venues. His show Whistle, first performed in 2010, won the Saboteur 2013 Best Spoken Word Show and was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award. Shed and Dr Zeeman's Catastrophe Machine followed in 2016, the latter touring with Arts Council funding and shortlisted for the Saboteur 2018 Best Spoken Word Show. In 2021 he was Poet-in-Residence at Salisbury NHS, writing about hospital staff during Covid, and The Remaining Men came out in 2024. A collection of his work translated into Greek is due in 2026 for the Thessalian Poetry Festival.

For the launch, he's bringing along a strong line-up of guests: Helen Ivory, John Osborne, Hannah Jane Walker and Luke Wright. It's a good cross-section of the spoken word scene, so you'll hear more than just Figura's own readings. The night runs from the readings through to the after-party, with DJ 78 taking over the decks when the poetry finishes.

Tickets are Pay What You Can Afford, from £8.50 to £15.50, and it's free for under 26s. NAC supporters save £1.50 to £3.50 per ticket and get 10% off the bar. The show starts at 7:30 pm at Norwich Arts Centre, 51 St Benedicts St, Norwich NR2 4PG.