CULTURE CLUB
POET’S CHOICE LITERATURE
Mary Jean Chan, a poetry fellow at the University of Cambridge, has been shortlisted for the world’s largest and most prestigious literary award for young writers – the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – for their poetry collection Bright Fear . Previous winners include Patricia Lockwood, Max Porter, Raven Leilani, and Kayo Chingonyi to name just a few, and Mary Jean’s entry is one of only two poetry collections in contention for this year’s award. This is not the first time they have been shortlisted for the prize, since Mary Jean’s debut Flèche was previously shortlisted in 2020. Boldly exploring themes including postcolonial legacy, identity and multilingualism, Bright Fear caught the attention of this year’s judging panel. “Written with quiet intimacy, Mary Jean Chan’s second collection hums by your ear with gentle, inviting and formally inventive poetry,” says Tice Cin, member of the judging panel and author of K eeping the House. “In a world freighted with exclusion, from the relentless snarls of colonisation to queerphobia, Bright Fear opens the door to a process of building a life for yourself. With lucid verse enhanced through their multilingual play, Chan tends to a garden of self- embrace and chosen community, lingering with the fullness of queer actualisation, the breath in a parent’s pause, and the roots of tender soothing.” Worth £20,000, this global award acknowledges extraordinary literary prowess among individuals aged 39 or younger, championing the diverse landscape of international fiction, encompassing poetry,
PRIZED ADDITION Bright Fear’s pieces have been described as tender and incisive by The Guardian
novels, short stories and drama. In honouring the legacy of Dylan Thomas, the prize aims to bolster contemporary writers, foster emerging talent and commemorate literary excellence on a global scale. The recipient of the 2024 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize will be unveiled in Swansea on 16 May, following International Dylan Thomas Day on 14 May.
Check out our curated selection of stage highlights from around Cambridge this month Pick of the theatre
MADE IN DAGENHAM 23-27 APRIL, ADC THEATRE
TWELVE ANGRY MEN 23-27 APRIL, CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE
BENCHED 10-11 APRIL, CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION Join performance artist Tink in a ‘unique exploration of human relationships’, as they take a bench to public spaces and ask why we treat strangers better than loved ones.
Adapted from the film of the same name, Made in Dagenham is a feel-good musical comedy celebrating friendship, love and the imperative of standing up for justice.
After a record-breaking season in the West End, this celebrated adaptation of the 1957 courtroom drama is brought to life on stage.
16 APRIL 2024 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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