Brian Bilston

An evening with the poet Brian Bilston, whose verse has reached readers through short poems shared online and through printed collections. The event takes place at Union Chapel in Islington, London.

Brian Bilston is a poet who came to wide attention by publishing short, often witty poems on Twitter, which were later gathered into printed collections. Much of the work plays with form and everyday language, turning familiar situations such as commuting, bureaucracy and small domestic moments into compact, precise verses. Readers of contemporary British poetry will recognise the blend of light humour and quiet observation that runs through the writing.

The performance brings the poems off the page and into a live reading, where the words are delivered directly to the audience. Poetry evenings of this kind rely on the spoken voice and on the pacing of individual pieces, so the material is best experienced in the room rather than only on a screen.

Union Chapel is a Grade II listed former Congregational chapel in Islington, a building that has been used for concerts, spoken word and other cultural events for many years. Its Gothic Revival architecture makes it a distinctive setting for literary work, and the evening suits anyone interested in contemporary poetry or in hearing a writer read their own work.