Literary: Weslowski To Open for Oliver Friday, May 11

Book Launch

Slam Poetry Pioneer

ALEXANDRA OLIVER
Returns to Lauch her New Book

with special guest

RC Weslowski

Date: Friday, May 11, 2007

Time: 6pm

Location: Forufera Centre
Mezz Level, 505 Hamilton Street (map)http://www.forufera.com/rental.html

The London, England-based Tin Press is up and running with a witty new collection, Where the English Housewife Shines, by performance poet Alexandra Oliver. “We are pleased to present Alexandra because her work is right up our alley,” says Tin Press co-founder Justine Brown.

“On the page, she is as playful and entertaining as she is in performance.” With her dramatic bearing, perfect enunciation and distinctive literary style, Oliver has been a strong presence in the spoken-word scene since its birth in the 1990s, often appearing in “slams” (live poetry competitions). In 1996 she won a place on Vancouver’s slam team, representing the city at the US National Poetry Slam. She is featured in the 1998 documentary Slam Nation.

She moved to Seattle in 2006, and has appeared at spoken-word venues there regularly. “I am an unrepentant neo-classicist,” laughs Oliver. Her work rhymes and has meter—qualities rare enough in the contemporary poetry world to be controversial. But audiences love Oliver’s highly crafted black-comical poems. Like other members of the artist-run Tin Press, Oliver wants to do more than provide the text. She is interested in other aspects of book production, specifically how books look and feel. Oliver has contributed pen-and-ink drawings to Where the English Housewife Shines, and worked closely with the London designer. “Artist-run presses are ideal for writers who care deeply about the physical aspects of the book. New technologies like print-on-demand allow us maximum control,” says Brown. “It’s a whole new model for publishing in the arts.”

Alexandra Oliver will read from Where the English Housewife Shines at Forufera on Friday night following a performance by local slam legend, RC Weslowski.

For more information, please contact Steven R. Duncan 604-788-8340 srduncan@shaw.ca

Listen to Wax Poetic on 102.7 fm Wednesday, May 9th at 2pm for a special, live interview with Oliver and Weslowski.

Read the article from Sunday's Vancouver Province.