Poems as Friends

Fiona L Bennett is founder of The Poetry Exchange. She has been working in theatre and poetry for over 30 years and has an MA (distinction) in poetry from Newcastle University/The Poetry School. Her own poems have been featured on BBC radio and in journals and anthologies across the UK and USA. Her track record of curating and directing text includes collaborations with The National Theatre, The Barbican Centre and The Royal Shakespeare Company and most recently creating the poem score for Then or Now, Ballet Black, featuring the poetry of Adrienne Rich. Michael Shaeffer has worked as an actor across theatre, film, television and radio for nearly 30 years. In the theatre he has been increasingly drawn to working alongside writers on new pieces, and is frequently called upon to help develop new plays from the earliest workshop stages, originating leading roles in London Road; Girl From the North Country and most recently Grenfell: in the words of survivors. In television Michael has appeared in some of the major series of recent years including The Sixth Commandment; Bodyguard; Chernobyl; Game of Thrones and Black Mirror. Together Fiona and Michael are the co-creators of the award-winning Poetry Exchange podcast.