Inua Ellams & Yomi Sode at Contact

Johnny James, Managing Editor

Book now

Inua Ellams & Yomi Sode

Contact Theatre, Manchester
11 October 2022

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Book now

Two electrifying performers, Inua Ellams and Yomi Sode return to Manchester Literature Festival to share work from their acclaimed poetry collections. Both Inua’s The Actual and Yomi’s Manorism take aim at the legacies of the British Empire – racism, classism, toxic masculinity and trauma. Woven with references to white cultural figures from Shakespeare to Caravaggio and sharp critiques of the likes of Piers Morgan, they ask what it means to live as a Black man in Britain today. Alongside his poetry, Inua will give a sneak preview of his narrative, funny, emotive forthcoming The Actual Essays.

Inua was born in Nigeria but now lives in London. A prolific poet, playwright and graphic designer, he founded The R.A.P Party and his superb fourth play Barber Shop Chronicles sold out two runs at the National Theatre. Yomi is a Nigerian British writer. He is a recipient of the 2019 Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowship and was shortlisted for the Brunel International African Poetry Prize 2021. His most recent play and breathe… premiered at the Almeida Theatre to rave reviews.

The event will be hosted by Keisha Thompson, poet and new Artistic Director of Contact.

What's on at Contact Theatre

Where to go near Inua Ellams & Yomi Sode at Contact

Manchester
Music venue
The Deaf Institute

The Deaf Institute is a vibrant gig venue and nightclub for which it is well worth taking a jaunt out of the Northern Quarter.

Manchester
Catalog Bookshop

Find Peter and his Christiania cargo bike around All Saints Park, a hop, skip and a bunnyhop from Manchester Poetry Library.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
Sandbar

Sandbar, just off Oxford Road in Manchester, is a well-loved watering hole, with a great selection of ales and some eccentric seating.

Johnny Roadhouse store
Manchester
Shop
Johnny Roadhouse

Buffeted by fried chicken outlets, legendary musical instrument emporium Johnny Roadhouse has been serving the local music community for over 50 years.

Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Eighth Day

Eighth Day is a co-operative shop that sells ethically-sourced food, wine and cosmetics. There’s also café that serves hearty, healthy meals in the basement.

Manchester
Event venue
The Proud Place

Based in the heart of Manchester on Sidney Street, The Proud Place houses The Proud Trust and serves as a community hub for the wider LGBT+ population across Greater Manchester and beyond.

What's on: Festivals

The Herds, The Walk Productions
FestivalsManchester
MIF25: THE HERDS

Manchester International Festival 2025 kicks off with an awe-inspiring outdoor spectacle as THE HERDS take to the streets of Manchester, Rochdale, and Wigan.

Free entry
CinemaManchester
YANK at Cultplex

Thirteen movies to get to know the United States of America. Cultplex presents a season of film exploring America through its own lens.

From £7.50

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

Cloudwater Production One
Tours and Activities in the North

Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Harry Baker
Literature Events in the North

From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Helena Hauff
Music in the North

Shape-shifting bands, scorched-earth techno, and off-grid festivals. Our latest music picks catch the live scene at its most urgent, inventive and alive.