What is SpokenWord Paris?

Running since 2006, SpokenWord Paris is the biggest English open mic spoken word night in Paris. Started by me, David Barnes, and for the last few years hosted by myself and Alberto Rigetinni every Monday.

David Barnes

Hosting Erica Buettner & Colin Mahar


''The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.'' -- Jack Kerouac
SpokenWord Paris is down to earth, it has no pretensions - its head is too crammed with shooting stars.

It moves to a beatnik rhythm - everyone is free to express themselves. Chacun a son mot à dire.
It is not a slam night - Our audience are drunk and receptive but they don't vote you through to the next round. It is an open mic.

SpokenWord Paris speaks all tongues from English & French to Japanese & Swahili.

SpokenWord Paris does 6 impossible things before breakfast and lives on a feast of dreams.

SpokenWord Paris has a foot in all the great cities of the world. And at least one in London, New York and Glasgow and 2 in Paris.

It was here before you knew you needed it. It will be here when you come back.

It's performance poetry, story-telling, stand-up, monologue, a song or something else. An original text or a classic read well.
C'est lire vivant. It's cabaret. It's acoustic songs. Stand up comedy. 5 minute plays...

It's a space to do anything with words or performance. 

There's only one rule - make the words come alive.









From Wikipedia: 
Spoken word is a form of literary art or artistic performance in which lyrics, poetry or stories are spoken rather than sung. Spoken word is often done with a musical background, but emphasis is kept on the speaker. One of the most common sorts of spoken word performances is performance poetry, where a poet either reads previously-published poems, or reads poems specifically written to be performed aloud. Another kind that has gained popularity in recent years is political and social commentary, done in such a way that it is, while still prose, somewhat more artistic than a typical speech. Spoken word artists are often poets and musicians. Spoken word gained notoriety in the late 1980s and early 1990s through the emergence of "poetry slams," where spoken word artists would square off in cabaret-style duels. (Wikipedia)



Time & place:


Every Monday/lundi
9pm till midnight


SpokenWord is temporarily itinerent, wandering from bar to bar. Keep an eye on this blog or the facebook page, or join the mailing list, to know where we are each week.



SpokenWord’s format:
1. Sign up on the night from 8pm
2. Spoken word (poetry, prose, stand up, anything): you get 5 minutes, with a warning bell at 4.45 to let you know you have 15 seconds to finish.
3. Acoustic songs: you get to do one whole song, 5 mins or even a bit longer. 
4. We do 2 rounds of 10 five minute slots, starting about 9pm.
5. Cinderella rule: we finish at midnight. (To chat & socialise...)
The atmosphere is very supportive of anyone having a go.