Damien Molony reading ‘War Reporter’ by Dan O’Brien at the 2013 Forward Prizes for Poetry. Photo credit forwardartsfoundation.org
Damien donated his time and reading talent alongside other renowned actors this week for twoWordTheatreevents – atThe Arts ClubLondon on Monday to read a short story by a prize winning author and at the Southbank Centre London on Tuesday to read two shortlisted poems for the 2013Forward Prizes for Poetry.
At The Arts Club Damien read the Toby Litt short storyPeople Carry Roses, the writer giving his own glowng appraisal of Damien’s performance on Twitter:
Other performances on the night included Emma Hamilton readingUnder The Minaretsby Alison MacLeod, Elizabeth McGovern readingPrepositionsby Lionel Shriver, Zoe Boyle readingDreamworkby Pamela Painter and Ben Miller readingEast Coast West Coastby Will Cohu.
At theForward Prizes for PoetryDamien readThe Coal Jettyby Sinéad Morrissey andWar Reporterby Dan O’Brien. The prizes ‘honour excellence, encourage rising talent and raise poetry’s profile’ and are very highly regarded in the world of literature. This year’s event at theSouthbank Centrewas the first to award the winning poets live on stage and featured actors reading the shortlisted poems of the nominees, including Samuel West readingThe Metric Systemby Nick MacKinnon (prize winner for Best Single Poem), Juliet Stevenson readingA Seedy Narrative or Moments of Lyrical Stillness?by Rosie Shepperd, Ray Panthaki readingComplineby Steve Ely, Gemma Chan readingFive Ways to Load a Diceby Hannah Lowe, Helen Mcrory readingStretch Marksby Rebecca Goss andTwo Budgiesby Emily Berry (prize winner for Best First Collection), Joe Dixon readingManifesto for the Makeshiftby Jacob Polley, Natascha McElhone readingFieldfareby Marianne Burton andThe Vowsby Michael Symmons Roberts, Martin Jarvis readingFrom the Dialysis Ward(extracts) by Hugo Williams andThe Byelawsby Glyn Maxwell.
This is the second year that Damien has performed with WordTheatre, his readings always garnering positive reviews from audiences and authors alike. We have a feeling this is not the last time his reading performance skills will be called on and he will be captivating audiences with spellbinding storytelling for years to come.
Have you been a lucky audience member at one of Damiens’ readings? come and tell us about ithere
We don't promote commercially here at the Forum but I know i am not alone in searching for this for ages....and at last... 'War Reporter' (the collection of poems by Dan O'Brien from which Damien read the titular poem for Forward Prizes earlier this year) is available to buy!
I haven't heard these before! so lovely! I can hear him read all day! its so soothing. wish they were longer, but they are poems so i get why they are not.
__________________
My all time fave Hal line (just love the way he says it)
"We've been played! My God! We've been played!"
"Annie's getting hysterical downstairs and I'm not enjoying it"
"kill me. Kill me now. You can tell Annie that I attacked you or something"
"“Were you guys talking about me? I heard ‘clearly gorgeous’”