An Afternoon with Hollie McNish
Expect strong language, adult content, and an unmissable, soul-stirring afternoon of poetry with one of the UK’s most celebrated literary voices.
(Age Guidance: 14+)
| Date | Sunday 8th November 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | 4:00 PM | |
| Doors Open | 3:15 PM | |
| Venue | The Dembe Theatre (Formerly The Court Theatre) | |
About the Book: Virgin
Virgin: a six-letter word with immense power to judge, pressure, profit from, and punish. Yet, virginity is ultimately a man-made concept—a label pressed upon people across cultures for centuries.
In her much-anticipated new collection, Virgin, Hollie McNish unpicks the tracks this single word leaves across our lives. With characteristic wit and tender vulnerability, she examines everything from whether the Virgin Mary actually liked her nickname, to the annual joy of ice cream vans, to eating family mashed potato after supposedly "losing" her virginity. At times hilarious, at times harrowing, and always deeply hopeful, Virgin is a poetic love letter resisting the harmful effects of purity culture.
About Hollie McNish
Hollie McNish is an acclaimed poet and author based between Cambridge and Glasgow. The first poet to record at London's Abbey Road Studios, she won the prestigious Ted Hughes Award for her parenting memoir Nobody Told Me. Hollie has published five bestselling poetry collections—including Papers, Cherry Pie, Plum, Slug, and Lobster—with translations across Europe. Described as "like Pam Ayres on acid" by Lemn Sissay and "one of the best poets we have" by Matt Haig, her work continues to captivate live audiences worldwide.