ON OUR RADAR

Spork! Christmas special

Spork! presents poetry, comedy and live music from Joelle Taylor, Luke Wright, BopaRhys and friends, with carols from the Exeter Railway Band.

Leigh Curtis

Spork! presents a Christmas special at Exeter Phoenix on 14 December featuring poetry, comedy and live music from Joelle Taylor, Luke Wright, BopaRhys and friends, with carols from the Exeter Railway Band.

Joelle Taylor Joelle Taylor

Joelle Taylor is an award winning poet, playwright and author.

A former UK slam champion, she founded the national youth slam championships SLAMbassadors in 2001 for the Poetry Society and was its Artistic Director and National Coach until 2018.

She is the author of four collections of poetry and is currently completing her debut collection of inter-connecting short stories The Night Alphabet.

She won the 2021 T.S.Eliot Prize for her poetry collection C+NTO & Othered Poems, published by Westbourne Press.

Luke Wright Luke Wright

Luke Wright is a founder member of poetry collective Aisle16.

He has written four poetry collections and several verse plays. His latest pamphlet won the Saboteur Award in 2019.

He has been a regular support act for John Cooper Clarke and in 2007 hosted a two day poetry event at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Exeter Railway Band Exeter Railway Band

There will also be Christmas carols led by the Exeter Railway Band, a traditional brass band originally founded in 1944, and drag artist BopaRhys will be joined by singer Mrs Clause and comedienne Valley Gal for festive songs, jokes and stories.

Subscribe to The Exeter Digest - Exeter Observer's essential free email newsletter

Your personal information will be processed and stored in accordance with our Privacy Policy

Spork! Christmas special is at 7.30pm on Wednesday 14 December 2022 at Exeter Phoenix.

Tickets cost £8, or £5 for students or under-25s, and are available from the Exeter Phoenix website.

Democracy doesn't work when people don't know who is deciding what on whose behalf and what the costs and consequences of those decisions will be.

Exeter Observer is proving that reader-funded media can deliver the independent public interest journalism our local democracy needs.

Upgrade to a paid Exeter Observer subscription to support our work and get access to exclusive premium content and more.

More stories
Northbrook Swimming Pool campaign demonstration Exeter Guildhall 13 May 2025

Campaigners compel Exeter City Council to reconsider Northbrook pool closure with 2,250-strong resident petition

Pressure on council intensifies after freedom of information request responses confirm £3.5 million budget cuts included potentially unlawful decision to close swimming pool without public consultation or impact assessment.

Wild camping on Dartmoor

Supreme Court rejects Dartmoor landowners’ attempt to prevent wild camping on their land

Judges unanimously dismiss appeal by Alexander and Diana Darwall against 2023 ruling upholding Dartmoor Commons Act as campaigners call for enhanced public rights to access nature pledged by Labour when still in opposition.

Child on park bench

Ofsted finds Devon County Council children’s services remain “inadequate” with rating unchanged since 2020

Inspection report highlights “serious weaknesses” that are “leaving children at risk of harm” as failings echo poor Special Educational Needs & Disabilities provision.

Mid Devon District Council headquarters at Phoenix House in Tiverton

Mid Devon District Council mischarged 2,865 social housing tenants £15.5 million in rent over twenty years

Housing regulator identifies “serious failings” in application of rent standard as council discovers dozens of evictions in which “rent arrears were the sole, or contributory factor”.

Dartmoor wildfire on 5 May 2025, photo by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

Dartmoor National Park warns of continued high fire risk after wildfire destroys 1,230 acres of moorland

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service took nearly 24 hours to extinguish bank holiday weekend blaze that followed warning of uncontrolled moorland fire risk.

Former Firezza in Sidwell Street to become adult gaming centre

24 hour year-round Sidwell Street “adult gaming centre” allowed at appeal

Planning inspector finds no evidence that “increase in crime and disorder” or “serious detrimental impacts on the health of local residents” would result from change of use from restaurant and takeaway unit.