Beast, Angel & Madman - the controversial truth about Dylan Thomas

Portsmouth Poetry is an established non-profit provider of arts events and projects in the city.

Formed in 2016 it has developed a reputation working with new and established poets, innovative cultural and educational projects, performances, podcasts and now publishing.

Its 2017 Passendaele project funded by Heritage Lottery led to an innovation to attend the centenary service at Westminster Abbey with the Prime Minister and late Queen.

The Power of the Beat funded by Arts Council England used local poets and rappers working with local schools using Hip Hop to engage with young people to teach poetry and Shakespeare.

Last year, Portsmouth Poetry published its first book, ‘Ecstasy & Grief’ featuring 15 poets, some published for the first time, from the UK, USA and Canada.

These included the popular ‘Banksy of Social Media Brian Bilston who launched the book with Ports Fest and headlined two sell out performances supported by Welsh poet Rowen Brittany during Ports Fest 2023.

Josh Brown from Portsmouth Poetry has now written a groundbreaking book about Welsh poet Dylan Thomas which launches during Book Fest 2024 with invitations from The Dylan Thomas Birthplace in Swansea and an independent bookshop in New York.

On Wed February 21 from 7pm to 9pm in the Bar at Groundlings, Liz Weston will be talking to Josh about his book ‘Unjudging Love: The Enigma of Dylan Thomas’.

Part biography and part literary analysis, this controversial and ground breaking book demolishes the popular and persistent myths about Wales' greatest poet presenting us with a revolutionary figure in modern literature who democratised poetry leading the way for performance poetry and Rap with a uniquely personal view of the world based on political conviction and ancient bardic traditions reshaped for the modern era.

Tickets are priced £5 from Portsmouth Libraries Book Fest 2024 website or via https://www.wegottickets.com/event/603526

Portsmouth Poetry is Liz Weston and Josh Brown who met when Josh was Chair of the Trustees at the New Theatre Royal and Liz the Education and Outreach Officer. Liz has a long career in theatre, arts administration and education. Josh is a retired lecturer in Business and Management and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.