12th January, 2011

TS Eliot Prize – shortlisted poets reading on Radio 4’s ‘Today’ Programme

In the week of 17-24 January, the run-up to the TS Eliot Prize announcement at the award ceremony, BBC Radio 4’s Today programme will broadcast one poem read by each of the ten poets on the shortlist, including Seren poets Pascale Petit (on the 17th) and John Haynes (on the 24th). They will also have a feature on the BBC Radio 4 Today website, where two poems per poet can be listened to.
On Sunday 23 January 2011, the eve of the judges’ decision, the T S Eliot Prize Readings will be staged at the Southbank’s Royal Festival Hall, after a complete sell-out last year in the Queen Elizabeth Hall. This grand new venue will provide a fantastic setting as all ten poets are invited to read from their shortlisted collections, making the Readings a unique opportunity to hear the best contemporary poets reading their own work.
The judging panel this year, chaired by Anne Stevenson with Michael Symmons Roberts and Bernardine Evaristo, have a strong shortlist to choose from – collections by Simon Armitage (last year’s chair of the judges), Annie Freud, John Haynes, Seamus Heaney, Pascale Petit, Robin Robertson, Fiona Sampson, Brian Turner, Derek Walcott and Sam Willetts.
Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XXwww.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/literature-spoken-word/tickets/ts-eliot-prize-readings-55582
Box office 0844 875 0073 or go to www.southbankcentre.co.uk to book online
Prices: £15 Concs 50% off