A special candlelit evening of poems with editor Allie Esiri and readings from performers including Ruby Wax, Tony Robinson and others.

Join editor and poetry curator Allie Esiri to celebrate the publication of her new anthology, Sleep: A Poem for Every Quiet Hour of the Night, in a revealing evening of poetry and conversation about sleep, insomnia and the ways poetry can accompany us through the night.

Allie will be joined by a stellar group of actors and thinkers who will explore the different states of the night — from sleep and the rituals of winding down, through the restless world of insomnia and the embrace of sleeplessness. Together, they’ll consider why poetry feels so naturally suited to these hours, and what it can illuminate about our minds, our bodies and ourselves.

Featuring poems from across centuries and traditions, from Bashō to Charles Bukowski, the evening will bring together poetry, ideas and conversation.

The act of reading poetry invites us to slow down, pay attention and pause. Perhaps poetry accompanies us into these hours because its cadences resemble the body’s own rhythms. Even five minutes of rhythmic verse read aloud, according to Swiss researchers, can measurably quiet the nervous system.

The new anthology, Sleep, offers poems for different moments: the three chapters are called ‘Sleep'; 'Psst Are You Awake' and ‘Dawn'. Known for her live poetry events at the National Theatre and the Hay Festival, Allie brings a warmth, wit and immediacy to poetry in performance. Readings will be brought to life by Lindsay Duncan, Paterson Joseph, Nigel Lindsay, Diana Quick, Tony Robinson, Samuel West and Ruby Wax.