FOUR fantastic poets will take to the stage in a fabulous spoken word show at the Cellar Bards July event in Cardigan.

The Rockhoppers poetry performance group – four poets, each with a strong individual voice – have created a new collaborative act to make poetry alchemy in the Cellar Bar, Quay Street, on Friday, July 27.

Doors and the bar open at 7.45pm.Entry is £3 and open mic spots are available.

The Rockhoppers are Annie Butler, Jackie Biggs, Maggie Harris and Mel Perry. Annie is the current holder of the R S Thomas Prize, her first poetry collection is in production.

Jackie, co-organiser of The Cellar Bards, has had one collection of poetry published and two more are in progress.

Maggie, who is widely published as a poet and short story writer, is originally from Guyana, and has won the Guyana Prize twice for poetry and the Commonwealth Prize for a short story.

Mel has published two poetry collections, Rum Dark Nights, and Sound the Hollow. She is currently studying for an MSc in creative writing for therapeutic purposes. All of them read and perform their work regularly, both individually and together.

The group has appeared at TheBrown’s in Laugharne, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, PENfro Book Festival, Llandeilo Lit Fest, Spoken Word Saturday in Llanelli, Octavo’s in Cardiff.

Comments from the audiences include: “The Rockhoppers do something different - they grab the audience’s attention, so that we’re alert, eager to listen - and want to keep listening. Very clever, in fact.

“The whole concept adds something to poetry reading, livens it up, without distracting from the writing.”

Open mic spots are always available at The Cellar Bards, Cardigan’s only regular spoken word event.

The Bards welcome writers of poetry, short stories, micro-fiction and novels (max five minutes each). People who want to read can put their names down at the door on the night. Or go along to see The Rockhoppers’ amazing poetry show, plus a variety of spoken word performances from the talented regulars.

The event is hosted by poet Dave Urwin.