The PTC and Shubbak Festival present an intimate stroll with Sudanese poet Al-Saddiq Al-Raddi as he recites poetry from Queensway underground to the site of what was until recently the Saqi Bookshop, a landmark of Arabic literature.
Born in Khartoum, Sudan, Al-Raddi has lived in exile in London since 2012. His new collection, A Friend’s Kitchen, emerged in the aftermath of his arrival, when he was separated from his wife and children for nearly five years. During late, uncertain nights awake in a strange city, he would write brief, mystical, often stream-of-consciousness texts to post on Facebook, his primary means of communication with loved ones in Khartoum. The midnight musings soon developed into poems.
Al-Raddi and his translators, Bryar Bajalan and Shook, will take us on a journey through selections from his poetry collection that relive his experience of the city in those early days. Expect readings in Arabic and English in this one-off, intimate event.
**Please note – this is an outdoor event, walking in public spaces. There will be two sessions on the afternoon of Sunday 2 July, at 2pm and 4pm, lasting up to an hour. Tickets are priced in three categories on a ‘pay what you can’ basis – please select the ticket type that you can afford.
This event is a joint presentation with Shubbak Festival and the Poetry Translation Centre.
