Poetry Night 2025
On Monday 27 October, LAMDA’s Annual Poetry Night once again celebrated the skill and creativity of LAMDA Students in this special artform.
This year’s event included several special guests: helping LAMDA Principal Professor Mark O’Thomas with the difficult task of selecting prize-winners were LAMDA Alumna and actor/writer Rosa Hesmondhalgh and London based poet and activist Rick Dove. Rosa shared how her involvement with Poetry Night as a Student back in 2015 had contributed to her evolution as a creative and Rick shared some of his own work, including Here Be Dragons; a piece with particular resonance for those affected by Alzheimer’s cruel machinations.
We were also thrilled to welcome two LAMDA Examinations Learners to open the night’s programme with pieces they had previously performed for their Grade 8 Speaking Verse and Prose Examinations. Elise Drobnych gave an assured performance of the Wilfred Owen classic Dulce et Decorum Est before Flo Ellis-Outhwaite recited the poignant Sing with Me and Do Not Die of Thirst, by Theresa Lola
The audience were transported by both published and original work touching on a wide range of themes both personal and universal. All the performers were exceptional, and their efforts made for another inspiring evening. In the original category Lennon Hu took first place for Chinese Virus, his biting piece on the racism and xenophobia amplified by the pandemic with Alannah O’Hare’s hilarious and relatable Glory be to the mighty TV! in second.
In the published category, Adelia Castillo’s sincere delivery of Friends with Benefits by Jae Nichelle took the top spot, while Megha Thyagarajan was runner up with the skilfully delivered Erased, by Godhuli Gupta. Loïc Bernardo Marques’s provocative performance of Salome, by Carol Ann Duffy and Emily Beck’s irreverent self-written you are not the rock were highly commended in the published and original categories respectively.
Well done to all those who submitted work for the event, who contributed to the event and to another packed, engaged audience. The benefits of giving poetry the spotlight within the atmosphere of LAMDA’s collaborative ethos are far-reaching.
This year’s event was kindly sponsored by the Sidney E Frank Foundation. The Foundation seeks to improve the lives of students, families, and the community through access to art, theatre, poetry, music, education, environmental conservation, and medical research and care. Their generous support has allowed us to raise poetry’s profile at LAMDA and continue to enrich our Students’ experience and access to diverse artforms. We are extremely grateful for their support in keeping poetry thriving at LAMDA.
Published Category Pieces
- Loïc Bernardo Marques Salome by Carol Ann Duffy
- Megha Thyagarajan Erased by Godhuli Gupta
- Joe Pike Paper People by Harry Baker
- Matilda Dodwell Sonnet 37 by William Shakespeare
- Isaac Sankalpa Little Ben and the Carousel by Matthew Wong
- Adelia Castillo Friends with Benefits by Jae Nichelle
- Princess Nwafor A Litany for Survival by Audre Lorde
Original Category Pieces
- Princess Mafuta Elements (A.K.A My siblings and I)
- Emily Beck you are not the rock
- Esther Barter Perfect Person?
- Teresa Langford Oak Branches
- Alannah Maeve O’Hare Glory be to the mighty TV!
- Lennon Hu Chinese Virus
- Laila Houghton funny init
- Maya Ousachi The tenderness in mending
