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On Friday 20 September Red Like Our Room Used to Feel will be making its southern hemisphere début at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. After successful runs at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe, in the Battersea Arts Centre in December 2012, and most recently at the London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre, we’re really excited to share the show with a new audience.

An intimate poetry performance from Ryan Van Winkle. An audio voyage featuring ambient melodies from Ragland. An installation with paintings, photographs and ephemera from a host of artists. Joy, memory and loss condensed into fifteen minutes. A red room to lay down in. A cup of tea, a snifter of port, and space to listen.

‘Intimate and haunting’ – The Guardian

‘it might be a landmark production for poetry in performance. If you are at all interested in literature, memory, performance or joy, you must see this show’ ***** – The List

‘Simple, yearning and effective’ **** — Time Out

‘An intimate, emotional experience guaranteed to win over even the most poetry-phobic’ –  The Observer

Tickets can be booked on the Melbourne Fringe site, and are by donation only. Whatever you feel it was worth!

What: Red Like Our Room Used to Feel

When: Melbourne Fringe Festival, 20 September – 5 October, 7-9pm (20 min shows)

Where: Fringe Hub – The Warren, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne.

How Much: By Donation.

I’m now taking bookings for the Red Room Melbourne Fringe. If you want to enjoy a free poetry experience just drop me a line and I’ll gladly save you a slot. :::::::: For reservations please email Ryan: ramvanwin@gmail.com; subject line ‘Booking for Red Room’. In the email please write two preferred dates/times if possible. Bookings can be made up until 2pm on the day of the performance.

Soon I will be in Australia! Shortly afterwards, I’ll be in a basement in Brisbane:

Brisbane Festival and QLD Poetry Festival present “Basement Late Nights”

The Basement at Metro Arts will be transformed into a subterranean bar with late-night gigs featuring immersive music experiences, chats with artists, poetry and happenings hosted by locals.

Venture down and you may just come across some festival artists relaxing or find yourself dancing in the dark with a bunch of strangers.

Wed 11 Sep, from 9.30pm – TONGUES OF FLAME hosted by Ghostboy

Join host David Stavanger aka Ghostboy hosting an evening of sensual sound and spoken word presented in association with Queensland Poetry Festival. Along with special guests: spoken word artist Eleanor Jackson, installation poet Ryan Van Winkle (Edinburgh), boho storyteller Adam Hadley (Mr Fibby), angular pop sharks The Stress of Leisure (duo mode) and the mysterious DJ Zaziz. Ghostboy will take the night on an interactive journey that will be part performance poetry theatre, part surrealist vaudeville, part dark comedy, all spoken weird. Once you enter, there is no turning back. Expect the unexpected. Let the words take flight.

What: Tongues of Flame; Brisbane Festival and QLD Poetry Festival

Where: Metro Arts, Basement, 109 Edwards St, Brisbane

When: Wednesday 11 September, 9.30pm-late

How Much: FREE

On Tuesday 10 September the good people at The Gods Cafe, Canberra will play host to Bendigo-based poet BN Oakman and myself on the ANU campus. A fine night of poetry will be had.

B N Oakman, formerly an academic economist, began writing poetry in 2006. His books now include In Defence of Hawaiian Shirts (Interactive Press, 2011) and two chapbooks.

What: Poetry at The Gods

Where: The Gods Café,  Arts Centre, Union Court, Australian National University, Canberra.

When: Tuesday 10 September, 8pm.

How Much: $10 / $5 conc.

I’ll be appearing in a few events in Brisbane (a few as part of the Brisbane Writers Festival) in September. If you’re in Queensland and fancy some poems, do come join us.

Reader-in-Residence presents COUPLET

The Lord Mayor’s Reader-in-Residence David Stavanger (Ghostboy) hosts two dynamic poetic voices in a new monthly performance event, as well as a “surprise guest” reading a poem from the library collection.

Friday 6 September 5:30–6:30pm, Brisbane Square Library

Award-winning Edinburgh-based poet & performer Ryan Van Winkle (Scotland) + musician & poet Luke Beesley (lead singer of New Archer). Presented in partnership with the Brisbane Writers Festival.

Special events/Author Talks 

Thursday 12th September, Brisbane Square Library

Horrible news! Dan Gorman, Stevie Patterson and myself are back in action as The Naughty Boys, the famous and very serious music and poetry trio, coming to the basement of the Forest Café this Friday night, 16 August, kicking off at the very naughty time of 11pm.

The Naughty Boys are:  *DanGorman on keys and computer loop. * Stevie Paterson on keys and percussion noises. * Ryan Van Winkle — Spoken Words.

What: Naughty Boys is REAL

Where: Forest Down, Forest Café, 141 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh

When: 11pm, Friday 16 August

How Much: FREE.

From Friday 16 – Monday 18 August I’ll be back collaborating with Dan Gorman on our Viewmaster project right at the start of the Forest Fringe, which this year is operating out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30-38 Dalmeny St, Edinburgh.

Viewmaster with Dan Gorman

A personal slide-show for your eyes and ears only. You choose the journey and Ryan Van Winkle will bring you on a sometimes surprising, sometime surreal, tour accompanied by the ambient soundtrack of Dan Gorman. Performances are under 10 minutes. A rare chance to travel, listen and pause in one small space.

What: Viewmaster

Where: Blue Drill Hall, 30-38 Dalmeny St, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG.

When: Friday 16-Monday 19 August, 11am-1pm & 3.45-5.30pm

On Tuesday 13 August I’ll have the privilege of talking to the Scottish artist Robert Montgomery as part of the Parley series at the Edinburgh Art Festival. Robert’s work is in the situationist tradition, meaning art that is placed in unexpected public spaces for maximum effect, questioning the language and voice of private commercial interests on public streets.

Even better, the event will take place inside a huge architectural artwork by Krijn de Koning in Edinburgh College of Art’s Sculpture Court!

What: Parley: Robert Montgomery in Conversation with Ryan Van Winkle

Where: Edinburgh College of Art, 74 Lauriston Place, EH3 9DF.

When: Tuesday 13 August, 6-7pm

How Much: FREE, Book tickets

This week, I talk with artist Rachel Maclean about her solo show I HEART SCOTLAND at Edinburgh Printmakers, part of Edinburgh Art Festival. Her work slips inside and outside of history and into imagined futures, creating hyper-glowing, artificially saturated visions that are both nauseatingly positive and cheerfully grotesque. She largely works in green-screen composite video and digital print, often installing this alongside props, costumes and related sculpture. We also feature the debut single by brand new Edinburgh band NAKED.

Very chuffed to announce that we’re making a live edition of the Multi-Coloured Culture Laser at Gorilla Studios THIS TUESDAY! We’re previewing some of the Fringe’s most exciting players plus live music and boozy chat.

Space is limited so if you want to be a part of our Live Studio Audience come a little early if you can!

You’ll see the laser-like brilliance of:

Daniel Bye: doing a bit from ‘The Price of Everything’ and teaching us ‘How to Occupy an Oil Rig’
@danielbye

Chris Dobrowolski: with an excerpt from his ‘hilarious & indescribable’ surprisingly mechanical show – ‘All Roads Lead to Rome’.

Lake Montgomery: writer song singer from Paris, Texas. A powerful favourite!

Plus: a live studio audience (be a part of it), talk-show couches and our own house-band.

What: Culture Laser Live!

Where: Gorilla Studios, 76-78 East Crosscauseway, Edinburgh

When: 8.15-9.30pm, Tuesday 6 August

How Much: FREE (Come early to grab your seat!)

In this blast of the Culture Laser I talk with Nicholas Bonner, one of the directors of North Korean’s very first romantic comedy Comrade Kim Goes Flying and discuss how he got the film made, the current state of the North Korean film industry, what role government propaganda usually plays and the importance of showing people drinking beer. Recorded at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. We also feature the track Road to Damascus with Golan Haji from the GOL Productions film directed by Roxana Vilk with sound design by Peter Vilk.