With the countdown to Edinburgh Fringe festival in August now well under way, nine spoken word shows en route to Edinburgh will be showcased in one day at the beginning of August in Newcastle. No Sleep ’Til Scotland! will be held on Saturday 1 August 2015, from 11am-1am in the basement of Newcastle’s Alphabetti theatre.

The spoken word organisation Apples and Snakes and the artist-led Alphabetti have invited nine artists from around the country to preview their full-length solo shows. The line-up includes the 2014 BBC slam champion David Lee Morgan, with the headline act a new piece from Sophia Walker, whose previous works have been voted best solo spoken word show in the Saboteur awards two years running.  “Both Alphabetti and Apples are committed to fostering excellent new writing and supporting emerging artists,” said Kirsten Luckins, north co-ordinator for Apples and Snakes.

“Having artists like Sophia Walker and David Lee Morgan on our stage is something really special and we can’t wait to welcome back the likes of AJ McKenna and Jenni Pascoe with their debut solo shows,” said Ali Pritchard, artistic director of Alphabetti theatre. Also confirmed are Matt MacDonald, Henry Raby, Sara Hirsch, Chris Harland, and Hannah Chutzpah. More details