Famous Last Words Victoria
Famous Last Words Victoria is a spoken word poetry comedy show that involves poets participating in six rounds of a faux competition where they ‘compete’ in a series of poetry related events that are in turn, ‘judged’ by our host (with input from Uni the Unicorn and our audience).
This episode entitled Avalanche will be snow themed and will be hosted by our resident paler than thou poet, Sean McGarragle and feature Dex Neily, Jeremy Loveday, Lorelei Fowler, Neko Smart, RC Weslowski and Uni the Unicorn.
Dex Neily (they/them) is a poet and performer from Lekwungen territories whose work centres around disability and queer identity. They have represented Victoria nationally and internationally at seven spoken word festivals, and was a finalist at both the 2021 and 2022 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam. They are currently seeking new ways to combine their loves and their pains into art that restores those who experience it. You can find their work on YouTube or hear them perform at the Tongues of Fire open mics run by the Victoria Poetry Project. Their list of superpowers include compassion and former-theatre-kid energy levels.
Jeremy Loveday is a poet, arts educator, and community builder from Victoria, BC, on the territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən People. He founded and served as the longtime artistic director of the Victorious Voices youth poetry festival. Jeremy’s dynamic performances earned him the title of Victoria Poetry Slam Grand Champion three times. In 2020, he was honoured with the Zaccheus Jackson Nyce Memorial Award. His work has been published in reputable platforms such as Huffington Post, CV2, Funicular Magazine, National Observer, CBC, Claudia, and Best Canadian Poetry 2023. Jeremy’s first full-length book , Maybe the Starling, is now available through Write Bloody North.
Lorelei (she/her) performs surrealist spoken word, mostly at Tongues of Fire in Victoria. She aspires to perform more places after a chronic illness-related absence. She read at the queer open stage at the trans farmers market and has some clown & burlesque experience. She loves learning new art forms & performance styles and she’s very happy to be here & connect with fellow poets. When she needs an extra confidence boost she calls herself Lara Omen, vampire princess.
Neko Smart is a recent graduate of UBC’s BFA Creative Writing program. As 2020 Victoria City Youth Poet Laureate, they emphasized the importance of cultivating open dialogue about mental health in order to reduce stigma and increase safety, particularly for youth. They carry this value with them in all their artistic and leadership endeavours: as a member of the organizing committee for the 2020/2021 Victorious Voices youth arts festival, as a member of the Wordplay poetry workshop facilitation roster, and as former slam coordinator for the UBC Slam Poetry Club. They were a finalist in the 2023 and 2024 Canadian Individual Poetry Slams.
RC Weslowski is a multi talented performer who loves to walk between worlds to see what the ghost dragged in. RC wears many masks including poet, clown, storyteller, playwright, broadcaster, voice actor, coach and educator. Over the past 15 years he has toured North America, The United Kingdom and other parts of Europe including many spoken word, poetry and music festivals. RC wants to give you your emotional damage deposit back.
Sean McGarragle is a poet, storyteller, teacher, performer and event producer from the republic of East Vancouver. He is the founder of Death Rides a Unicorn, The Vancouver Story Slam, The Canadian Individual Poetry Slam and the Vancouver International Poetry Festival (now entitled Verses). He has performed and read his work from Dublin to Denver, from Moose Jaw Saskatchewan to Madison Wisconsin. He is super excited to host this show and to showcase these great talents.
Uni the Unicorn is the antithesis of Death. Uni is joy and love, buoyant and distracting. Most of the time, Uni has chocolate and bubbles to share.