Birmingham, we’re baaaaack – did you miss us? because we missed you !!!
Following a sold-out, soft-chaos, heart-on-sleeve first run, Talk of the Town returns with six brand new themed nights – deeper, sharper, but still v much giving gossip-with-your-huns-on-a-random-Tuesday kind of vibe. For those that are new here (or might have forgot), this your queer night where oversharing is encouraged, hot takes are protected and vibes are championed.
We might be biased but- Season Two goes bigger. We’re talking identity plot twists, holy contradictions, body politics, rage that builds, queer lineage, and the villages we had to build from scratch. We gather to watch seasoned performers and those who have only ever trauma-dumped in a kitchen at 4am- everyone belongs here.
Relaxed performance
BYOB– Feel free to bring a tin of your fav drink, be it soft or alcoholic.
New theme each month
Event dates
March: Soft Launch / Hard Reveal; closets are temporary, drama is forever.
April: Built Different – custom settings, no factory reset.
May: (Un)Holy – pray for us.
June: Rage & Release – angry? good!!
July: Mother, Mentor, Myth – who raised you, bab?
August: It Takes a Village (We Built Ours) – built from scratch.
Facilitated by proud Birmingham Bab Hassan Hussain.
Hassan is a writer, lecturer, and cultural facilitator. Having recently completed a PhD investigating the de/construction of gay men in contemporary British theatre, his practice explores the transformative effects of (queer) histories and lived experiences on present and future iterations of (queer) identities, communities, and (sub)cultures.
As a proud Birmingham Bab, Hassan is particularly invested in situating his work within the city and has previously secured development funding from Arts Council England to redress the underrepresentation of queer South Asian voices in British playwriting and is currently working on his first full-length play. Moreover, his involvement in curating and producing a diverse array of (research) panels around queer identity, creative workshops, festivals, and live-art events further enriches his practice.
Guidance for performers
What’s it about?
Each speaker can define the month’s theme however they see fit and can define ‘monologue’ however they want – this could be songs, performance, readings, audience participation.
After everyone has shared, Hassan will invite the performers to gather on the sofa to briefly talk about their own and each other’s sharings. Sometimes there’s time for comments from the audience.
How to take part/attend?
If you’re planning on attending, rock up around 7pm for a 7.20pm start. Whilst the event is hosted in a venue that serves alcohol, we’re not an alcohol-focused event – it’s OK not to drink.
Talk of the Town is FREE – and we encourage you to register for a ticket through the link for each event. It’s not easy to get up and talk in front of a crowd – so we ask attendees to be respectful, supportive, and welcoming. We like to keep things nice and friendly!
Tips and tricks for talking!
Everyone is welcome
We’re a queer-centered event- but you don’t need to identify as or be queer to perform or attend.
Respect
Please be considerate and respectful in your content – some people like to provide a content alert before they start, and we actively encourage this to allow people to make an informed choice.
No experience? No problem!
You don’t need to be an experienced performer – many people have never done an event like this before – and we encourage and support first-timers!
Be yourself
You don’t need to judge your content or performance against anyone else – we all have different styles, stories, and ways of being.
Come prepared
We strongly advise – we can’t say this strongly enough! – that you put thought into preparing your sharing. The performances that feel most clunky are when someone ‘throws-out’ an idea they’ve just had: it’s hard to do this well.
Rehearse beforehand
Practice it a few times – and time yourself. Time passes faster than you think- 10 mins will feel like 2!
On reading
Some people read from a paper script, or from their phone notes, or index cards. Others have learnt their piece by heart or have a few prompt notes. Do what works for you. There is no ‘right’ way.
Held Space
We have the gorgeous Hassan hosting the evening, and there to support conversation, questions, and discussion after the sharings.
It’s okay to pause, to ask to restart. Remember to breathe!