The Big Gay Poetry Night with Maddie and Bradley

Maddie Langham-Walsh is a performance poet specialising in comedic absurdism. During her Master’s degree at the University of Birmingham she joined the poetry community through her attendance of open mic nights. Since 2021 Maddie has headlined in Birmingham and London. Her debut collection My Dog Has Never Read This was accepted for publication by Verve Poetry Press in the summer of 2023, with the book's anticipated publication date being April 2025. Maddie is also the co-organiser and host of 'The Poetry Hotel', a popular open mic event that runs on the second Wednesday of each month.

Bradley Taylor is a poet and spoken word artist born in Birmingham, where he now hosts the monthly spoken word evening ‘Overcoat Poetry’ at Fletchers Bar in Kings Heath as well as around the city, performing ‘poetry on demand’; using his typewriter to gift strangers with a unique poem of their own choosing. Last year he was selected by Jasmine Gardosi to write a commissioned poem for the Birmingham Festival 2023, which he then performed as part of the closing ceremony. He is also part of the Verve Collective, consisting of 12 poets who represent the evolving Birmingham poetry scene.