Malika Booker
Doctoral Student in Creative Writing - Malika’s thesis is entitled ‘Talawa Women: New Caribbean Versioning(s) of Female Biblical Narratives’
Research Project Title:
Talawa Women: New Caribbean Versioning(s) of Female Biblical Narratives
Supervisors:
Prof Bill Herbert and Prof James Procter
Contact Details:
Email: s.m.booker2@newcastle.ac.uk
Research Interests:
- Black British Contemporary Poetry
- Contemporary Female Poets
- African American Contemporary Poetry
- Ekphrasis Poetry
- Autobiography
- Writing Solo Monologues
- Theatrical Scripts
- Radio Short Stories
- Poetry of Witness
Published Poems and Essays in Anthologies and Journals
- 2017 - The Golden Shovel Anthology, New Poems Honoring Gwendolyn Brooks
- 2017 - Penguin Modern Poets Series, Your Family, Your Body, featuring Malika Booker, Warsan Shire & Sharon Olds
- 2017 - Poetry in Winter Issue Poetry
- 2016 - Poetry in Autumn Issue The Poetry Review
- 2016 - Poetry in Volume 8, WomanSpeak, A Journal of Writing and Art by Caribbean Women, ed. Lynn Sweeting
- 2015 - Essay in Spring Issue Poetry Wales, ‘Transgressions of the Flesh, Sex and Desire in the Bible
- 2015 - Poetry in New Boots and Pantisocracies, ed. W.N. Herbert & Andy Jackson
- 2014 - Poetry in Furies, A Poetry Anthology of Women Warriors ed. Eve Lacey (For Books Sake)
- 2013 - Poetry in Out of Bounds: British Black & Asian Poets, ed. Jackie Kay, James Procter & Gemma Robinson, Bloodaxe Books
- 2013 - Monologue in The Oberon Book of Monologue for Black Actors, ed. Simeilia Hodge Dalloway
- 2012 - Monologue in Hidden Gems Two – Contemporary Black British Plays, ed. Deirdre Osborne
- 2010 - Poetry in Ten – New Black & Asian Poets anthology, eds. Bernardine Evaristo & Daljit Nagra, (Bloodaxe Books)
- 2010 - Poetry contribution in Red; Contemporary Black British Poetry, ed. Kadjia George & Kwame Dawes (Peepal Tree Press)
- 2000 - Poetry in ic3: The Penguin Anthology of New Black British Writing, ed. Courttia Newland & Kadija George
- 1998 - Poetry in Bittersweet: Contemporary Black Women’s Poetry, ed. Karen McCarthy
- 1998 - Poetry in The Fire People: A Collection of Contemporary Black British Poets, ed. Lemn Sissay (Payback Press)
Commissions
- 2018 - Page To the Stage, four Performance tutorials, Mslexia Max
- 2018 - Trials and Tribulations, Windrush Poems commissioned by Brent Library for Windrush70 Exhibition display
- 2017 - Political Poetic Couplings, poems commissioned to respond to contemporary political speeches by the Royal Literary Fund and read at Manchester Literary Festival
- 2014 - In The Spirit, commissioned monologue for Phenomenal Woman tour, produced by Fuel Theatre
- 2013 - Waiting in a Hairdressers, commissioned for ‘While You Wait’ Podcasts series, by Fuel, Roundhouse & The Cultural Institute at Kings College London, (broadcast on Guardian Website)
- 2012 - Looking for Samuel, collaborative fusion of poetry and classical music to commemorate the life of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Written by myself, Dorothea Smartt and Music of Canvas, commissioned by The Royal College of Music and Victoria & Albert Museum. Performed at Victoria & Albert Museum, The Albany and South Bank Centre
- 2012 - iDNA, Installation piece commissioned and produced as part of Fuel Theatre’s ‘Phenomenal People, performed at WOW [Women of the World] Southbank Centre
- 2012 - Sewing & Stories, Live Art Interactive Theatre Piece, commissioned by Battersea Arts Centre and Entelechy Arts, performed at Battersea Arts Centre and elderly homes.
Theatre, Drama and Broadcast
- 2018 - How We Sing Our Bodies, Poetic Duologue, (development and scratch performance), West Yorkshire Playhouse
- 2016 - Altars, a performance wake drawing on Caribbean Nine Nights tradition, (scratch performance), East Street Arts
- 2016 - How We Sing Our Bodies, Duologue, (scratch Performance), Ilkley Theatre
- 2009 - Malika’s Altars, an interactive performance wake. The development and six scratch performances commissioned and produced by Battersea Arts Centre
- 2009 - Three-Way, Play written for Birmingham Rep by Malika Booker, Yusra Warsama & RT
- 2007 - Unplanned, a solo-monologue play, commissioned by Battersea Arts Centre and Apples and Snakes. It which went on to tour nationally
- 2005 - Bloodlines, (BBC Radio 3, short monologue)
- 2005 - Scattered Experiences, commissioned short memoir by Woman’s Hour as part of their Travel Stories Series, (BBC Radio 4, Woman’s Hour).
- 2004 - Callbox, (BBC Radio 3, short play)
- 2004 - Passports, short solo-monologue commissioned by Renaissance One and performed at The Barbican Centre
- 2001 - Catwalk, Play commissioned by Nitro and performed at The Tricycle Theatre, which went on to tour nationally
- 1999 - Love Screams, an experimental monologue with music from classical composer Shirley Thompson, commissioned by Nitro for their theatre festival
- 1999 - Absolution, Solo monologue commissioned by Battersea Arts Centre & Austrian Cultural Institute
Awards, Honours, Nominations, Residencies & Fellowships:
- 2017 - Shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Single poem
- 2015 - Millay Residency
- 2014 - Cove Park Residency
- 2014 - Long-listed for the OCM Bocas Prize
- 2014 - Shortlisted for Seamus Heaney Centre Prize
- 2011 - Awarded Caven Camen Fellowship (2012-2014)
- 2010 - Inaugural Poet in Residence for Royal Shakespeare Company
- 2008 - Writer in Residence, Kocevje Residency, Centre for Slovenian Literature
- 2006 - Writer in Residence, Museum of Croydon
- 2006 - Writer in Residence, Lower Marsh, on Spread the Word: Trading Places Project
- 2005 - India International Centre Residency
- 2005 - Archives Landmark Award from City of London Metropolitian for innovative and original projects which make creative use of archive material and a real contribution to the community
- 2004 - Writer in Residence, Hampton Court Palace