WITH the newly-revitalised Stroud Fringe Festival fast approaching, poet in residence for the festival, Adam Horovitz, is seeking performers to take part in a rather different sort of open mic.

Poets and flash fiction writers will have a chance to read their work with musical accompaniment from the Cheltenham Improvisers Orchestra at the Lansdown Hall Gallery on Spoken Word Sunday (August 30), from 2pm.

“Ever wondered how your writing would sound with a musical backing?” asks Adam.

“Now’s your chance to find out with an extraordinary but thoroughly sympathetic improvised band who play everything from guitars and saxophones to kitchen utensils and are regulars at SVA and Cheltenham’s literature and jazz festivals.

“For this accompanied open mic, eight writers get eight minutes each to perform, as the band improvise behind them. It’s first come first served and you can sign up by emailing adam@stroudfringe.co.uk or, if there are places left, on the day. Two places have gone already!”

Spoken Word Sunday at the Stroud Fringe runs from noon until 10pm on Sunday, August 30 and features sublime children’s writer A.F. Harrold, ‘Laureate’s Choice’ Rachel McCarthy, Philip Rush, Zelda Chappel, Carly Holmes, Bethany W. Pope and many more. Closing the day, Adam Horovitz and Josef Reeve present Little Metropolis, a specially commissioned poetry and music show taking a loving and occasionally satirical look at Stroud, which also features a collage of voices of Stroud people interviewed and set to music.

Entry is free to all events.